Points of impact Take a closer look at the difference we’ve made
Annual Review 2010-11 Annual Review 2010 - 11
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Our mission: To transform people and communities, by delivering accessible, high-quality, Higher Education through partnership-working with our students, our customers and our staff.
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Annual Review 2010 - 11
contents 4 introduction 5 welcome 6 calendar 10 local impact 14 entrepreneurship 16 innovation 20 green agenda 24 health and wellbeing 26 events 32 our people 36 student success 40 key statistics
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introduction
The 2010-11 academic year was particularly challenging for everyone in Higher Education. Following a radical review of Government spending, there were dramatic cuts to the HE budget and fundamental reforms to tuition fees and funding; all of which culminated in the publication of the White Paper ‘Students at the Heart of the System’. At Staffordshire University, students have always been at the heart of everything we do. For that very reason, when many universities subsequently opted to charge undergraduates the maximum permissible tuition fee of £9,000 per annum for courses starting in September 2012, we remained true to our belief of encouraging participation in Higher Education. We therefore set our fees at a level that will allow us to continue to put students first without compromising on the quality of our courses, teaching or facilities. Challenging 2010-11 may have been, but - as this annual review illustrates - it was also extremely rewarding. Indeed, it goes without saying just how proud we are of our students, staff and partners both at home and overseas for their commitment, hard work, enthusiastic support – and for epitomising everything that is great about Staffordshire University. During 2010-11, we also said a fond farewell to Professor Christine King CBE DL, who stepped down from the position of University Vice-Chancellor after 16 years of dedicated service, and to Lord ‘Bill’ Morris of Handsworth OJ, who retired as Chancellor. Both deserve special thanks for helping shape the modern, highly relevant University that Staffordshire is today. Our new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Gunn, then joined us at the beginning of 2011 and I would like to take this as another opportunity to ‘officially’ welcome him on board. Upon joining the University, Michael embarked on a rigorous consultation process regarding our future direction and has already inspired us with his vision and fresh thinking. We will continue to build on our successes - many of which are highlighted over the following pages - to deliver ambitious yet realistic plans for the future.
Steve Burgin, Chair of the Board of Governors
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welcome
Welcome to our 2010-11 annual review, the first to be published since I became Vice-Chancellor. Since joining Staffordshire University in January 2011, I have had the pleasure of introducing a series of events and a number of publications, journals and documents. Whilst each has given me the opportunity to extol the virtues of the University in quite different ways, it is the annual review that, uniquely, offers the chance to publicly celebrate the achievements of our students, staff and graduates. Recognising both individual and collective successes, our review of 2010-11 highlights the positive impact Staffordshire University has on local, regional, national and international communities. It showcases our contributions to the green agenda, to health and wellbeing, and to the advancement of knowledge. It underlines our commitment to encouraging participation in Higher Education and to fostering a spirit of enterprise. Perhaps most importantly, it also demonstrates our ability to create ‘Staffordshire Graduates’ – individuals well equipped for success in the 21st Century global economy. None of these achievements, however, would be possible without highly successful working partnerships – between students and staff, and between the University and its external partners in industry and commerce, and around the world. Illustrating the transformative power of Higher Education in its many guises, our diverse and varied partnerships also emerged as a key feature when I began the consultative process for the new University Plan – our direction and driving force for the next five years. I received the warmest of welcomes when I joined the University and have continually been inspired by the enthusiasm and dedication of our students, staff and partners. I hope you enjoy reading about their successes as much as I’ve enjoyed being part of them.
Professor Michael Gunn LLB, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive
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calendar
Year to
view
Every year Staffordshire University makes a real impact – locally, regionally, nationally and globally. The following calendar highlights just a few examples of our events and activities that create the difference.
find out more 6
Annual Review 2010 - 11
Computer-generated image of our new Science and Technology Centre
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calendar
David Evans, Principal of Staffordshire University Academy
Nurse Dr Dame Claire Bertschinger DBE
SEP
20 10
The green light was given for the construction of our new £30m Science and Technology Centre in Stoke-on-Trent. When completed later this year, the centre will house all our science teaching and specialist research, and be used to encourage progression to Higher Education.
OCT
20 10
Businesses from across the West Midlands attended InnovateFest, a full-day event demonstrating first-hand the benefits of working in partnership with the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technology.
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NOV
20 10
DEC
20 10
Nurse, Dr Dame Claire Bertschinger DBE, the inspirational figure behind Band Aid, Live Aid - and the subsequent donation of hundreds of millions of pounds to starving Africans - visited Stafford campus as part of our public lecture series dedicated to inspirational women.
In research funded by Stoke-on-Trent NHS Primary Care Trust, our Professor of Health Psychology, Sarah Grogan, and her team used state-of-the-art morphing technology to shock women smokers into giving up the habit by showing how their faces and skin would age if they continued smoking.
JAN
20 11
FEB
20 11
Professor Michael Gunn, former Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, joined as our new ViceChancellor and Chief Executive. “I am looking forward with real excitement to bringing my academic and business leadership to a University so highly regarded as Staffordshire, and building on its success,” he said.
Outgoing Director General of the Institute of Directors, Miles Templeman, visited our Business School as part of a series of events entitled ‘Be Inspired’. His talk focused on the value of qualifications and the advantages of partnerships between universities and the business community.
The 2011 Art and Design Show
2011 Awards Ceremonies, Trentham Estate
Karren Brady
MAR
20 11
Karren Brady, one of the UK’s most prominent businesswomen, gave a talk to around 200 high-profile businessmen and women from around the Midlands at our ‘Talking Business – Staying Ahead of the Game’ event.
APR
20 11
A successful bid for lottery funding by the Students’ Union, Keele University, Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (SASSOT) and ourselves, resulted in over £100,000 being awarded to encourage more Staffordshire students to become involved in sport.
MAY
20 11
JUN
20 11
Underlining our commitment to teaching excellence and the sharing of best practice, on 25 May 2011, we launched the Academy of Teaching Excellence Fellows. Six members of staff were selected for Fellowships in 2011 and new Fellowships will be awarded annually.
The 2011 Art and Design Show opened on Friday, 10 June with “A level of excitement and positivity that was almost tangible,” according to Faculty Dean, Dr Astrid Herhoffer. Guest speaker, and Oscar-nominated animator, Barry Purves, spoke highly of the graduating students, saying: “Passion is more important than anything, and I have seen that in the work here today.”
JUL
20 11
The achievements of more than 3,500 UK, EU and International students were celebrated at our 2011 Awards Ceremonies. During graduation week, 11 honorary fellowships were also presented. Recipients included: equality and diversity champion, The Hon. Lord Herman Ouseley KT; Live Aid Nurse, Dr Dame Claire Bertschinger DBE; and Ger Graus of the national Children’s University.
AUG
20 11
We finalised plans to become the sole sponsor of the very first Staffordshire University Academy, which opened in September 2011. We will support the new Academy (formerly Blake Valley Technology College) in every aspect of its work. With £9.7m capital investment funding, students and the wider Cannock community will benefit from fantastic facilities and opportunities.
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local impact
Making an
impact locally The University Quarter
From engaging with our communities and increasing participation in Higher Education, to up-skilling employees and innovating businesses through research and knowledge transfer, we are passionate about working in partnership with individuals and organisations for the benefit of our region.
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For concrete evidence of our commitment to invest in world-class facilities to inspire our local communities and enhance their skills, you need only look towards the rapidly developing University Quarter in Stoke-on-Trent. The largest, most ambitious collaborative, education-led regeneration project of its kind in the UK, the University Quarter will enhance learning opportunities, stimulate private sector investment and offer a high-quality residential environment for students and staff. A multi-million-pound partnership between Stoke-on-Trent College, the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College and ourselves, the University Quarter has already seen the opening of a new ‘Lifestyle’ training centre for the Caring and Service industries and the relocation of the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College to new premises.
New £30 million Science and Technology Centre Begun in October 2010 and ready for occupation in 2012, our new Science and Technology Centre, built alongside the relocated Sixth Form College, is the most visible aspect of the University Quarter to-date. Supported through an £8 million grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the centre will accommodate all of our science teaching and research capabilities. Open to science students from our local partner colleges, as well as our students, it will also help to encourage progression into Higher Education.
Improving City Spaces – The Thornton Road Project
With our new Science and Technology Centre opening in 2012, we are expecting some of the next generation of great scientists to emerge from Staffordshire University. Dr John Wheeler, Project Director – Science and Technology Centre
On Thursday, 14 April 2011, students from the Faculty of Arts, Media and Design unveiled an innovative public art project to help connect the University and College campuses at the very heart of the University Quarter. Funded by Renew, with support from Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire University, ‘The Thornton Road Project’ has been designed to improve pedestrian access and transform the streetscape with innovative swirling patterns on the tarmac and 15 special floor plaques. Created by graphic design students at the University, and themed around community life, the plaques can be replaced to showcase future designs.
Joining the Premier League In a move that further endorses the importance we place on investing in our local area, in August 2011 we secured our place in the Premier League by entering into partnership with Stoke City FC. This agreement formalises what has been a close association with the football club for some considerable time now. A number of members of staff at the Britannia Stadium are graduates of Staffordshire University, and the club has supported many of the University’s courses, most notably those in sports and broadcast journalism which are highly regarded in the industry.
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local impact
Fostering an
enterprising spirit Creating contemporary bone china
From our base at the heart of ’The Potteries’, we actively encourage the advancement of skills across the creative industries – particularly the ceramics skills that have made Stoke-on-Trent famous.
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We have the most extensive ceramics facilities in the country and our MA Ceramic Design is regarded as one of the leading postgraduate programmes of its kind. Embedded in the MA Ceramic Design course, however, our latest venture, Flux, is destined to go that much further, helping support social and economic regeneration within our region. A brand new University-based ceramics design company, the objective behind Flux is clear: to put Stoke-on-Trent firmly back on the map as a centre for high-quality, contemporary, bone china design.
Led by Professor David Sanderson of the Faculty of Arts, Media and Design, and with tableware designs that are predominantly the work of Masters students, Flux was officially launched at the Maison et Objet trade fair, Paris, in January 2011. With interest and orders flowing in from the UK and globally, the Flux team recently established a manufacturing partnership with Longton-based fine bone china manufacturer, Duchess China. In recognition of the international success of the Flux brand, Professor Sanderson won the Ceramics and Glassware category in the 2012 Homes and Gardens Design Awards, an event dedicated to showcasing the work of great British designers.
Reviving ceramics teaching in schools Via ‘Firing Up’ - a separate yet inextricably linked initiative - we teamed up with The Crafts Council to reinvigorate ceramics teaching within Staffordshire’s secondary schools. In a partnership that sees the launch of a scheme to train teachers, refurbish and fire-up kilns and provide equipment and inspiration, Firing Up will equip teaching staff with the ceramics skills to engage their pupils.
Stoke Central MP, Tristram Hunt, officially launched Firing Up at an event that included presentations about the project, as well as opportunities to view an exclusive collection from Wedgwood young apprentices and The Crafts Council Handling Collection. Commenting on the initiative, John Webber, Staffordshire University’s Firing Up Coordinator, said: “Staffordshire is special for its ceramics history and it is important that we get school children interested in it again.”
The contemporary global market for high value tabletop products with the provenance of ‘Made in England’ is massive – it’s great for Stoke-on-Trent and for the University. Professor David Sanderson, Course Leader: MA Ceramics and Flux Creative Director
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entrepreneurship
Talking
business From advising and supporting business start-ups across our Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford and Lichfield Business Villages, to providing knowledge-intensive aid to help established organisations adjust to today’s economic challenges, our mission to assist businesses in the Midlands and equip them for future success is well documented.
Staying ahead of the game In March 2011, our ‘Talking Business – Staying Ahead of the Game’ event, hosted by the Business School, saw 200 high-profile businessmen and women from around the region benefit from workshops led by representatives from large public and private sector organisations, including Alstom, Veolia, Network Rail, the RAF, Britvic plc and Johnson Tiles.
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Encouraging entrepreneurship in the Middle East Our impact in helping businesses adapt to changing demands and economic conditions, however, extends much further than our region’s boundaries, as our role as coordinator of ASPIRE – a £1.1 million Tempus project designed to encourage entrepreneurship in the Middle East demonstrates. Through ASPIRE (Achieving Sustainable Programmes in Regeneration and Entrepreneurship) we have partnered with universities in Greece, Italy, France and Belgium to assist consortium universities in Jordan, Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian Territories in developing sustainable programmes in entrepreneurship. Begun in October 2010, this threeyear project will encourage a sense of entrepreneurship among students. Showing how setting up in business is a viable career option and inspiring the economic benefits that stem from an enterprising spirit, the programme will include the development of an undergraduate Enterprise Pathway and Masters programmes in Entrepreneurship, as well as teaching support visits from EU professors.
Pictured with University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Gunn, Karren Brady was guest speaker at ‘Talking Business – Staying Ahead of the Game’
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innovation
Our impact through
innovation We have a long, proud history of working in partnership with organisations of all types and sizes – and of applying the considerable expertise of our academic staff for the benefit of businesses and society.
From left to right: Sarah Bullivant, Susan Semple, Philip Morton, Lord Stafford, John Cassella, Tim Avery and Phil Palser
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The CSI effect
Rising Star of the Year Award
As an example of the impact that our experience can bring, in November 2010 West Midlands’ business and national provider of scientific materials to schools and colleges, Scientific and Chemical Supplies Ltd. (SciChem), received The Lord Stafford Award for ‘Achievement in Innovation’.
As a further illustration of the benefits of knowledge transfer, a recent partnership between the University and Trentham-based Clive Durose Woodturners Ltd. also achieved award-winning results.
Recognising that the creation of innovative new products was essential for long-term business growth, SciChem sought to differentiate themselves from their competitors through the creation of inspiring new science teaching kits that used the ‘CSI effect’ to excite young minds into appreciating science. Through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the Faculty of Sciences, involving Forensic Science postgraduate, Philip Morton, a specialist forensic science kit for schools was developed to turn students into budding crime scene investigators and bring teaching to life. SciChem has seen a 100% growth in new product revenues and gross margin each year for the first three years since the KTP started, with total manufacturing increasing by 266% in the 12 months immediately after the KTP was completed. The company is expected to supply over 10,000 kits direct to schools in 2012. Other benefits of the KTP have included the creation of new opportunities at both the company and the University. Transformed from being a supplier of teaching products to a creator and provider of teaching technologies, SciChem has subsequently grown to become the market leader for science education equipment in the UK. SciChem’s success has also shown how, through research and collaboration with a university, companies can successfully differentiate themselves from the competition.
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership has enabled SciChem to move in different directions. Our ability to supply new and innovative products has moved us from being a ‘me too’ supplier into one of the leaders in science education equipment supply.
Tim Avery, Education Sales Director, SciChem
Helping the company to expand, develop new products and bring in graduate recruits, our relationship with Clive Durose resulted in KTP associate, Kenny Macfarlane, winning both the 2011 Construction News Rising Star of the Year Award and the 2011 Knowledge Transfer Partnership Business Leaders of Tomorrow Award.
Cutting-edge research in law June 2011 marked the launch of the Centre for International Sports Law (CISL) at a special event at Stoke City FC. Formed to better understand how sport should be regulated, to conduct forward-thinking research and to educate the next generation of athletes, academics and practitioners, the CISL represents a unique collaboration between Staffordshire University, Thompson Rivers University, Canada, and leading sports law practitioners and bodies worldwide. “It is a unique international research centre and we aim to invite more academics, practitioners and sporting federations to help us research and develop international sports law,” commented Senior Law Lecturer and CISL Co-Director, Kris Lines.
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innovation
Technology that impacts on our
daily lives
Through our specialised Applied Research Centres, we provide an enviable range of multi-disciplinary skills and research capabilities to assist public and private sector bodies in breaking new ground, developing new processes, and securing viable new opportunities.
Improving operating theatre management Our Mobile Fusion Research Centre is currently in the process of developing a radio-frequency identificationbased (RFID) patient wristband system to improve operating theatre management by tracking patients from ward to theatre and through to recovery, thus enabling hospitals to better manage their resources. Mobile and wireless technologies are a growing area within computer-based solutions for industry and we have already assisted over 400 regional businesses. This has given us a highly credible track record in mobile technologies.
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Best foot forward As yet another example of how universities can work with businesses to develop products that find use in our daily lives, October 2010 saw the culmination of a two-year project to put ‘Heelless’, a new concept in running shoes, developed in conjunction with Staffordshire University researchers, through its paces in Europe. Finally, a team of scientists led by our Professor of Biomechanics, Nachiappan Chockalingam, will spend the next three years developing and testing footwear that is intended to improve the lives of people suffering with diabetes. As part of a European Commissionfunded programme worth ÂŁ800,000, the Staffordshire University team will work in collaboration with four partners. The resulting products will then be tested in India, a country with the highest incidence of diabetes in the world.
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green agenda
The ‘5 Greens a Day’ poster campaign, designed by BA(Hons) Graphic Design graduate, David Salt
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A university with
green impact At Staffordshire University, we are committed to becoming a much more sustainable organisation and minimising the effect that our activities have on the environment; consequently, we have set ourselves demanding goals.
Carbon reduction
The Environment Exchange
Sustainability – a ‘core value’
Launched in 2010-11, our five-year Carbon Management Plan underlines our pledge to reduce our carbon footprint.
In September 2010, in partnership with the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), we launched ‘The Environment Exchange’, an ambitious project to develop an innovative and interactive web-based Higher Education repository of sustainability technical guidance and case studies.
In January 2011, we introduced ‘Sustain Staffs – for a better environment’, a new initiative specifically intended to demonstrate to staff, students and our wider community, the significance that we place on environmental sustainability.
Supported by £800,000 in Salix funding, over the last year we have invested heavily in energy-efficient technologies to meet our commitment to the 10:10 Cutting Carbon 10% at a Time movement – an activity that will see considerable savings in our energy bills and a 12.2% reduction in emissions.
This new repository, which aims to facilitate the sharing of good practice on environmental and sustainability issues among the HE sector, benefits from Web 2.0 technology to engage with users through a variety of innovative mediums including e-learning, webinars, online Continuous Professional Development, podcasts and downloads.
Then, in February 2011, an eye-catching poster campaign entitled ‘5 Greens a Day’, designed by BA(Hons) Graphic Design graduate, David Salt, was used to encourage students and staff to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.
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green agenda
Encouraging
sustainable living
Our work to encourage sustainable living and reduce carbon emissions extends much further than actions and initiatives to make us more energy efficient and our staff and students more environmentally aware.
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Promoting energy-saving technologies
Boosting green energy expertise
With a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, our new Science and Technology Centre will not simply provide visible proof of our commitment to encourage sustainable living.
In February 2011, we launched a green energy internship scheme that will provide graduates with practical handson experience of working for renewable energy companies.
It will also act as a demonstrator for energy-saving technologies and provide a centre of excellence for green research and the teaching of environmental and sustainability-focused courses.
Through the Renewable Energies Transfer System (RETS), a three-year EUfunded programme, we are helping to improve the knowledge and expertise of policymakers in the deployment of renewable energy systems.
Via our research and teaching centres and involvement in a number of programmes, we are also making considerable impact at local, regional, national and international levels.
Promoting the use of biomass fuels
As part of the RETS initiative, in February 2011 over 140 delegates attended a three-day event at Stoke campus that was aimed at promoting and developing renewable energy both locally and regionally. Opened by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Stoke-on-Trent, and our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Gunn, the event provided Councillors, businesses, business support organisations, social housing associations, community groups and academics with the opportunity to hear from delegates from France, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia and Wales as to what did or did not work in their countries.
In addition to presentations, there was considerable practical activity. This included learning how to calculate return on investment under the new Feed-In Tariff system, and how to take advantage of the Renewable Energies Supply Chain Opportunities (RESCO) project. Running from the University, RESCO is providing businesses in the West Midlands with the support they need to enter and expand into the low carbon/ renewable energy markets.
Another highly significant ‘renewables’ project that we are involved in is ARBOR (Accelerating Renewable Bioenergy using Organic Refuse). This €7.3 million EU-funded initiative will help present Staffordshire University as a centre of excellence for biomass and actively promote the use of carbon-neutral biomass fuels. Led by our Professor of Renewable Energy Technologies, Tarik Al-Shemmeri, the project officially began in April 2011 and aims to accelerate and promote the use of biomass in North West Europe to meet 2020 energy objectives.
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health and wellbeing
Influencing
Health and Wellbeing Influencing strategies in dementia
During 2010–11, we further enhanced our already considerable presence across the fields of health, social care, physical activity and wellbeing.
Throughout the year, our multidisciplined Centre for Ageing and Mental Health (CAMH) continued its research, consultancy and education, and provided research evidence to influence national strategies in dementia and mental health. Working with partners from across Europe, CAMH recently began to develop training and guidance using an online platform to assist carers of people with dementia. Funded by a half-million Euro grant, this electronic resource will be launched in May 2012 at a major international conference at Staffordshire University. In a separate initiative supported by a grant of £90,000, CAMH is working with Bupa and Sense, a national charity that supports and campaigns for
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children and adults who are deafblind, to research how older people who are deafblind manage community living.
The centre has met its expectations to remain a centre of research and educational excellence – we continue to work successfully with our clinical partners in our primary efforts to enhance patient care. Dr Paul Kingston Professor of Ageing and Mental Health
Professor George Tadros, with the RAID team’s HSJ award for Innovation in Mental Health
Rapid Assessment, Interface and Discharge (RAID)
Olympic values In April 2011, our annual HEalth Factor event further highlighted our commitment to health and wellbeing. Inspired by the forthcoming Olympic Games, HEalth Factor 2011 featured a number of presentations with Olympic values, such as: The Preventative Efficacy of Team Sports: Cardiovascular and Cardio respiratory Insights for Health and Performance. Other events during HEalth Factor 2011 included: the 9th Staffordshire Conference on Clinical Biomechanics, and Exploring Student Nurses’ First Assessment Experience. Then, in autumn 2011, it was announced that a team of academics from the Faculty of Health would begin a £675,000 research project in our region to explore the links between the natural environment and people’s health.
Experts from our Centre for Ageing and Mental Health (CAMH) have collaborated with two NHS Trusts on a revolutionary service known as RAID, which has streamlined patient care and improved outcomes, while saving the NHS millions of pounds in the process. Professor Paul Kingston, Professor George Tadros and Dr Nageen Mustafa, members of CAHM, also worked on the development of a manual to help other NHS Trusts around the country set up their own RAID teams. Since April 2010, the service has been available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at City Hospital, Birmingham. The service is being extended to all hospitals across Birmingham and Solihull from April 2012. RAID was established by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT), in partnership with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, in December 2009. This health intervention enabled clinicians to provide a seamless service for those with mental health, alcohol or drug problems. Previously people could face lengthy waits before being referred onto the relevant service, but under RAID clinicians can now assess patients within an hour of arriving at A&E or within 24 hours if referred from an inpatient ward. In 2010, RAID won a prestigious Health Service Journal Award for the Best Innovation in Mental Health.
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events
2011 Awards Ceremonies, Trentham Estate
2011 Art and Design Show
2011 GradEx Show
2011 Art and Design Show
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A highly
eventful year From celebrating the achievements of our students, to recognising excellence through the appointment of honorary graduates, 2010-11 was a remarkable year.
Showcasing talent In May 2011, our annual GradEx event provided final year students at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technology with the opportunity to showcase their work to peers, staff and prospective employers. Since its creation, GradEx has become a key venue for employers seeking out the brightest talent. Underlining the strength of our relationship with big business, GradEx 2011 attracted sponsorship by leading names from the world of power generation, automation and Information Technology.
Art and Design Show In June 2011, more than 300 students from the Faculty of Arts, Media and Design showcased their work at our week-long Art and Design Show, with some 3,000 visitors - including industry professionals - coming to view the considerable talent on display. Guest speaker, Oscar-nominated actor and 2011 Honorary graduate, Barry Purves, spoke highly of the graduating students, describing the passion he had seen on display. Inspiring students to really make themselves noticed in the employment market, the 2011 event also included a Creative CV competition.
Annual Awards Ceremonies Our Awards Ceremonies at The Trentham Estate during July 2011 celebrated the graduation of over 3,500 Staffordshire students – individuals who will carry the values of Staffordshire University with them as they embark on their chosen career journeys. Each year’s Awards Ceremonies also provide an opportunity to honour individuals from various walks of life for the important contributions they have made to our region, social mobility, the University and society – and 2011 was no exception.
Honorary Graduates Among our 2011 Honorary Graduates were equality and diversity champion, Lord Herman Ouseley; Ger Graus, Chief Executive of the national Children’s University; and pioneer of ground-breaking medical inventions, Philip Stimpson. For his work in helping champion our region’s business community, we were also delighted to make David Webster, Chief Executive of The Hanley Economic Building Society, an Honorary Doctor of Staffordshire University.
2011 Honorary Graduates Dr Dame Claire Bertschinger DBE Ger Graus Wyn Jones Professor Christine E. King CBE, DL BA, MA, PhD, Hon. D. Litt, CIMgt, FRSA, FRHistS The Hon. Lord Herman Ouseley KT Rob Pritchard Barry Purves Ian Stewart Smith Philip Stimpson David Webster Tony Wray
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events
Graduation at ESERP, The School of Business and Social Science, Barcelona
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Annual Awards Ceremonies
overseas
With a dynamic worldwide learning community, our graduation ceremonies aren’t limited to the UK. In 2010-11, graduation events took place for ‘Staffordshire’ students across Europe and in countries as far away as Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Oman. The very first graduation ceremony for Staffordshire University/Disted College students took place in Penang, Malaysia, on 20 November 2010 and saw 24 students - including three international students from India and Korea - graduate with a Staffordshire University business degree. Many of the graduates from Disted College found that their Staffordshire University degrees provided a fast-track to employment, with one graduate who is now an accountant with INTEL Penang, commenting: “I managed to secure a job just three weeks after the final exams, the Staffordshire University degree is wellrecognised in the job market.” During the year, graduation ceremonies were also held for students at APIIT Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka; City University of Hong Kong; Gulf College, Oman; Shelton College International, Singapore; and ESERP, The School of Business and Social Science, Barcelona.
Shortly after his return from ESERP Barcelona, University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Gunn, commented on the importance of our longstanding partnerships with overseas universities, colleges and other organisations, saying: “These partnerships enable more students to engage with a Staffordshire University award than would otherwise be possible, and our profile and reputation are raised internationally as a result.”
I managed to secure
a job just three weeks after the final exams, the Staffordshire University degree is well-recognised in the job market.
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events
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Valuing
diversity
Understanding that our continued success also depends upon maintaining a community with a wide range of skills, backgrounds and experiences, during 20102011 we supported a large number of activities and events.
October 2010, saw the official launch of the Stafford Black History Network at Stafford campus. Coinciding with Black History Month, the event was hosted by Loleita Higgins MBE and included displays into Black History as well as speakers from the local community, music and poetry. In January 2011, staff, students and members of our community came together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, with commemorative trees being planted at Stoke campus and at local schools. Then, on Tuesday, 8 March, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson gave the fourth lecture in our Women Who Inspire series. The lecture also marked the Centenary of International Women’s Day. A Pro-Chancellor of the University, Tanni is also one of Britain’s greatest paralympic athletes. In 2005 she was made a Dame for her services to sport and in 2010 became a Crossbench Peer. She inspired a packed Film Theatre with her lecture “Seize the Day”. From raising funds for good causes at our annual Diversity Fashion Show to hosting Staffordshire’s first Muslim youth conference, we are delighted to be part of such a diverse community.
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our people
Proud of our people Few would dispute that Staffordshire is a great university. What makes us great however, isn’t infrastructure, equipment, or even our continued investment in first-class facilities. Our success is down to one thing and one thing only: our people.
A fond
farewell... Professor Christine King CBE DL In March 2011 we said a fond farewell to Professor Christine King CBE DL. For her tireless work across our communities and in recognition of 16 years spent leading the University, she also received the award of Honorary Doctor. Appointed as our Vice-Chancellor in 1995, Professor King became one of only a few female Vice-Chancellors in the UK. Under her stewardship, we became known as champions of widening participation in Higher Education, famous for our impressive graduates, our flexibility, the dedication of our staff and our willingness to innovate. Professor King’s achievements were recognised publicly when she was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her Services to Higher Education in the 2007 Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
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Lord Morris of Handsworth OJ Our 2011 Awards Ceremonies were also the last to be presided over by Lord Morris of Handsworth OJ, our Chancellor for the past seven years.
‘Lord Bill’ was given a warm farewell at the Chancellor’s Reception on 11 July 2011, which took place during our Graduation Week celebrations. He was thanked by staff, students, invited guests and friends for his contributions to the University.
...a very warm
welcome
In addition to welcoming new staff members right across our organisation, during the year we were also delighted to introduce two new senior colleagues.
Rosy has the experience, dynamism, energy and credentials to ensure that Staffordshire University continues its journey of excellence and supporting students who invest their faith and futures in us.
Rosy Crehan
Chris Slade
Rosy joined us in May 2011 as Executive Pro Vice-Chancellor. Formerly Executive Dean in the Faculty of Arts at the University of West London, Rosy has a strong background in Higher Education, particularly in improving access and developing curriculum and degree programmes. At Staffordshire she will use her considerable expertise to lead on reviewing our portfolio of awards and ensuring our continued commitment to providing high-quality teaching and student support.
Chris joined us in July 2011 as Director of Partnerships. Having undertaken a similar role at Nottingham Trent University, Chris had previously worked in corporate banking, business development and both Further and Higher Education. Her role at Staffordshire is to provide strategic leadership for the maintenance and development of our UK and International Collaborative Partnership Portfolio.
Professor Michael Gunn LLB, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive
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our people
Celebrating
staff success In recognition of the drive, energy and passion that our people bring to those who invest in their future with us, every September we hold our Celebrating Staff Success awards.
promote a culture where learning and teaching is celebrated as a valued activity and those who are engaged in it are proud to share evidence of their best practice with others.
Hosted by Honorary Graduate and ITV News’ media and arts correspondent, Nina Nannar, the 2011 event recognised the achievements of individuals from right across the University; from Professorial conferments to awards for long service, outstanding manager and best newcomer.
For 2011, our new Teaching Excellence Fellows are: Jane Ball, Academic Skills Tutor; Guy Durden, Senior Lecturer in the Business School; Alke GroppelWeneger, part-time Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts, Media and Design; Ross Hawkes, Senior Lecturer in Journalism; Kris Lines, Senior Lecturer in the Law School; and Jaswinder Sahota, e-Learning Coordinator.
Acknowledging teaching excellence Further endorsing our commitment to deliver a high-quality education with excellent employment prospects, our 2011 Celebrating Staff Success event also included a new category: Teaching Excellence Fellows. Launched in May 2011, the Academy of Teaching Excellence will further
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Awarded a Fellowship in our earlier Learning and Teaching Fellowship scheme, Professor of Film Heritage and Documentary, Ray Johnson, was made an MBE for his services to the Arts in the 2011 Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. Retiring in summer 2011, after more than four decades of teaching at the University, he said: “As courses change and develop, facilities and schools change; your area of expertise grows. It has been a very enjoyable and interesting journey.”
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student success
Star
students
Barely a month goes by without our students and graduates achieving great things. Here we highlight just a small number of individuals from our diverse community who made us particularly proud in 2010-11. From overcoming considerable adversity to making a real impact in their particular field, they typify everything that is good about Staffordshire University. Caught on film Just months after graduating in Film Production Technology in 2011, Anthony Thane, Chris Gandy, Tom Down and Martyn Lomax opened a new division of Humanoid - their film production company - at MediaCityUK, the new home of the BBC and ITV! The boys took the brave step of setting up Humanoid at our Stafford Business Village during their placement year. In 2010-11, we invested in 48 new graduate start-up companies.
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student success
Surface Pattern Design student, Natasha Rock
Shining success
Industry award
Question Time panellist
2010 was particularly successful for Graphic Design student, Jessica Sidaway, as she won ‘Shine’ – a leading design competition organised by global branding company, Coley Porter Bell. Following in the footsteps of Jia Ying Gnoh - the previous year’s winner and also from Staffordshire University Jessica received £3,000 in prize money and a three-month work placement.
In October 2010, Karl McCormack won the Hays Accounting and Finance Student of the Year award, after completing a two-year degree at the Business School. The former retail manager achieved first-class honours and the highest pass rate possible for all his assessed work. Peter Donnelly, Senior Consultant at Hays said: “When Karl came in he was so motivated and driven that he really stood out.”
Northampton Town FC defender and two-year Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting degree student, Clarke Carlisle, engaged in political debate when he appeared on BBC’s Question Time in January 2011. Taught by former Leicester City footballer, Lawrie Madden, the award is aimed at sports professionals looking to make the move into sports journalism or broadcasting.
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Double win for Journalism
Stoke Learner of the Year
Two Staffordshire students scooped top honours at the 2011 Midlands Media Awards in March. MA Broadcast Journalism student, Ben Lowe, won the Student Journalist of the Year category and graduate, Rachel Butler, secured the Newcomer of the Year award for her work at the Derby Telegraph.
Nursing student and mother of two, Catherine Chadwick, was named as ‘Stoke-on-Trent Learner of the Year’ in October 2011. The annual event celebrates the region’s most outstanding achievements by learners, educators and employers and Catherine was chosen for her dedication to learning. Her award was presented by best-selling record producer, Pete Waterman.
Ben Lowe (pictured left)
A worthy Adult Learner BSc(Hons) Psychology and Counselling student, Daniel Williams, picked up the West Midlands’ Individual Learner of the Year Award during Adult Learners Week in May 2011. Daniel, who is dyslexic, was once told that university was out of his reach!
Catherine Chadwick
In June 2011, Surface Pattern Design student, Natasha Rock, was awarded the Scarr-Hall prize for overcoming significant difficulties in her studies. A profoundly deaf student, Natasha received the award because of the way she embraced university life.
Plain sailing for quadriplegic sailor Record-breaking quadriplegic sailor and 2010 Honorary Doctor, Hilary Lister, plans to use new sailing control technology developed by BEng(Hons) Mechatronics graduates, Chou Zhein Ong and Nadia Fatol, to help her sail solo around the world. Chou and Nadia’s work was showcased at GradEx 2011, where they also received a prize.
Surface Pattern Design student wins Scarr-Hall Prize
Nicholas Booth
Big Apple After winning first place in the Computer Science and Software Engineering category at GradEx 2011, BSc(Hons) Computing Science graduate, Nicholas Booth, went on to secure the role of Data Quality Analyst with the Global Information team at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York. Commented Award Tutor, Alastair Dawes, “Nick produced one of the finest GradEx projects I’ve seen.”
Hilary Lister
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key statistics
Year in figures Financial profile 2010-11
£59.5m Funding Council Grants £46.6m Academic Fees and Education Contracts £0.8m Research Grants and Contracts £6.6m Residences, Catering and Conferences £6.9m Consultancy / Self-Financing Fees £1.3m Other Rents / Lettings £1.2m Other Income £0.4m Endowment Income and Interest Receivable
£64.6m Staff Costs Inc FRS 17 Pension Adjustment
£6.8m Depreciation
£43.8m Other Operating Expenses
£2.6m Interest Payable and Other Finance Costs Inc FRS 17 Pension Adjustment
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Student profile 2010-11
By study location Location
Full-time
Part-time
Grand Total
Stoke Campus
6,753
3,884
10,637
Stafford Campus
3,835
1,890
5,725
Lichfield Campus
50
144
194
Telford Hospital
0
76
76
Shrewsbury Hospital
369
124
493
Other UK Partners
947
3,555
4,502
Grand Total
11,954
9,673
21,627
By age
By gender
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For me it has been an immense privilege to serve a University which has made considerable progress in encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to access Higher Education, and it remains my firmly held belief that we cannot now price the working classes out of education and a better future.
The Hon. Lord Morris of Handsworth OJ, Chancellor Emeritus
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t: 01782 294000 www.staffs.ac.uk
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