Inner Circle Regent’s University London is a registered charity with surpluses reinvested for the benefit of its students. Inner Circle is produced by the Development and Alumni Relations Team to keep you in touch with Regent’s University. Edited by Andy Harris, Sarah Lewis Head of Development & Alumni Relations David Whitaker Contributors Dr Dogus Simsek, Dr Tom Villis, Professor John Drew Illustration Séverin Millet/Agency Rush, The Lilliputian Company Photography Anna Gordon, Geoff Crawford (Event Photographer) Contact us Development and Alumni Relations, Regent’s University London, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4NS Tel +44 (0)20 7487 7700 Email alumni@regents.ac.uk Web www.regents.ac.uk © Inner Circle. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any photograph, text or illustration without permission from the publisher is prohibited. Due care is taken to ensure the content of Inner Circle is fully accurate, but the publisher cannot accept liability for ommissions or errors. This magazine can be made available in larger print or alternative formats for people with visual impairment or dyslexia. Please contact the Alumni Relations Team for further information, on 020 7487 7793 or by e-mail to alumni@regents.ac.uk
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Vision / Foreword by Vice Chancellor, Professor Aldwyn Cooper.
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University News / Our new chancellor is installed and honorary fellowships are awarded at a special ceremony.
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Chancellor’s Address / The inaugural speech from Regent’s University Chancellor, Professor John Drew.
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A Tale of Two Actors / We profile the acting talents of two very different Acting & Global Theatre graduates as they start their careers.
10 Tom Villis: British Catholicism and Fascism / Senior lecturer, Tom Villis, talks about the research that went into producing his groundbreaking book. 12 Research News / Focus on research centres and our academic research leaders. 13 Bloggers United / We spoke to three alumni writers to find out how they make use of the power of the blog. 14 Lights, camera, innovation / Alumna Gabriela Hersham talks horror films, entrepreneurs and old times. 16 How do London’s Kurdish and Turkish youth relate to Britain? / Dr Dogus Simsek on her research which was recently presented at the House of Commons. 18 Profile: Henna Sipari / We interview the co-ordinator of Regent’s Club Singapore about her new life in the dynamic heart of South East Asia. 20 Time for a cost-benefits analysis of UK’s membership of the EU / Dean Carroll on the 2013 Jean Monnet Memorial Lecture and vital debate it opens up. 22 Community Works / A profile of Toni Hilton, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management. 24 Profile: Charlotte Salomon / A journey from EBS London to Escape Studios Pixar all driven by a passion for horses 26 What is the London Psychology Collective? 27 Your News 30 Alumni Events 31 Alumni Photo Gallery
Vision Six years ago, though we set University title as a strategic objective, few people would have believed this to be possible, certainly not by 2013, possibly ever. Although first rate, innovative programmes, in a number of fields, were offered on the campus to the benefit of graduates, Regent’s was a relatively loosely connected group of schools sharing a number of services. Academic regulations varied between schools, as did levels of student support and access to resources.
Today, there is real consistency across the campus with constantly rising standards in terms of the entry qualifications of students, the experience and standing of our academic staff, our scholarly activity and research, our facilities and the commitment of our professional services staff to the support of our learners. Six years ago there were many views about what type of institution we should be, the goals we should set and when we might get there. Today, our staff and student surveys and staff conference outcomes show that there is a high degree of agreement about mission, goals and values. There is still a continuing, lively and healthy debate about our future but it is more about ways of achieving goals rather than the direction being taken.
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When the consultancy we commissioned to help us establish our new identity tried to compare us with other Higher Education institutions in Britain, Europe or the world, their conclusion was that Regent’s is unique and that we should celebrate this. What is it that sets us apart? We are dedicated to true internationalism. Our mission is to create tomorrow’s global leaders in whatever fields our graduates select. We have a geographically and culturally diverse student base drawn from more than 140 countries. As well as learning from their tutors, our students learn international perspective from each other. Unlike most universities in Britain, we still teach ten languages integrated with subject learning and about one third of our students and rising spend two semesters practicing these skills and developing a global view. Our graduates are confident, competent, and creative and are they capable communicators who can work effectively in any field in the developing global market. That is why they are in high demand.
We also believe that a university experience should be about so much more than simply learning a subject in isolation. It is about face-to-face debate with other students and academic staff in small groups. It is about making friends and networks for life. It is about making the bridge, as C.P. Snow would have put it, between the two cultures - the arts and the business/science/engineering nexus – and where better to do this than in the heart of London. We expect our students to work hard to earn their awards but we also encourage them to take advantage of all the social and cultural opportunities offered by one of the greatest cosmopolitan capitals in the world. At this time we should remember and thank all those who have contributed to our success. Sadly for some, including among others, Andrew Ropek, Richard Gregson, Simon Hamm and Freddie Strasser, it is in memoriam. We also remember our students whose lives have been cut off too early including Martine Vik Magnussen, Sarah Salam, Jourdan Deal, Daniel Castilla Marcus, and also our American students taken from us in the Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie. They will forever be members of the Regent’s family. We will continue to remember them all and everybody who has enabled us to become a full University.
The acquisition of University title is not the end of the process. Rather, it is the start of the next phase in the life of the Regent’s campus in Regent’s Park that we expect to be a vital centre of Higher Education for another hundred years and more. Regent’s has ambitious plans to raise its profile internationally so that Regent’s University London will be the leading private, non-state funded, charitable university in Europe with a major network of international campuses and highly ranked partners of high quality in their own countries. It will continue to be an international institution growing to up to 8,000 FTE students in higher education. The Inner Circle campus is an iconic part of the University’s identity and we intend to remain here on the Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, where most students will study for at least a proportion of their degrees. However, we will also acquire additional, heritage buildings close by so that we can maintain the quality of experience expected by our students.
The acquisition of University Title is not the end of the process. Rather, it is the start of the next phase in the life of the Regent’s Campus in Regent’s Park that we expect to be a vital centre of Higher Education for another hundred years and more. Regent’s has ambitious plans to raise its profile internationally so that Regent’s University London will be the leading private, non-state funded, charitable university in Europe
Regent’s University London follows in the pioneering footsteps of its predecessor on the campus, Bedford College. We intend to maintain the development of our innovative programmes to the benefit of students and the countries from which they come.
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A Chancellor for Regent’s Professor John Drew is the Jean Monnet Professor of European Business and Management at Regent’s European Business School and Director of the University’s Institute of Contemporary European Studies. His career spans UK and European diplomacy, multinational business, and academia in Europe and the Middle East. Between 1987 and 1993 Professor Drew served as Head of the UK office at the European Commission. He has been a valued friend and supporter of Regent’s since it was established a quarter of a century ago.
Professor Drew was installed as Chancellor at a ceremony during a celebration to mark Regent’s becoming a University. We welcomed over 1,000 VIPs, alumni, students, friends and staff to mark this memorable occasion. Commenting after his installation, Professor John Drew said “Having been involved with Regent’s since it was established in Regent’s Park 25 years ago I have met many of its graduates who come to London from all over the World. Today they are contributing to our fast changing world in many different leadership roles. This includes three members of my family who have studied here in our academic and peaceful parkland setting.
“Jean Monnet believed in creating a wider society by taking small steps. Regent’s University, through the values of its students and of those who teach and administer, will continue to make its contribution to a wider and better world. It is an honour and a privilege to be Chancellor of such a first class institution.” Regent’s University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Aldwyn Cooper, added “John has always shown a great commitment to Regent’s. Throughout his diplomatic, commercial and academic careers he has epitomised the values, skills and qualities that we seek to instill in our own graduates. He has
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helped us to become a focus for international debate, brings great energy and an enthusiasm for and connection with Higher Education and the development of Regent’s University London. I cannot think of a better person to be appointed our first Chancellor.” During the ceremony, Honorary Fellowships were also awarded to Cornelia Meyer (economist and energy expert), Sir John Gieve (former Deputy Governor at the Bank of England) and Beth Stroble (President of Webster University, St Louis, Missouri). They join alumna Ruby Wax as the University’s first honorary fellow.
Honorary fellows Cornelia Meyer Non-Executive Chair, Gasol plc Cornelia Meyer is an independent energy expert, business consultant and macro-economist. She is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MRL Corporation and Non-Executive Chairman of Gasol plc., an AIM listed independent gas (to power) company. She has gained her diverse commercial and advisory background over the last thirty years, advising governments as well as working for and with some of the most recognized enterprises in the world. Her work experience stretches over 25 countries on a vast range of assignments and projects as a regulator, adviser, financier, equipment supplier and principal in the energy industry.
Sir John Gieve KCB Former Deputy Governor, Financial Stability, Bank of England As former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and member of the Monetary Policy Committee, he had specific responsibility for the Bank of England’s Financial Stability work and is also a member of the Board of the FSA. From 2001 to the end of 2005 he was the Permanent Secretary of the Home Office.
‘Engaged University’ designation by the Carnegie Foundation for The Advancement of Teaching in 2008 and to obtain research funding consistent with Carnegie research status. Dr. Stroble holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia, two master’s degrees from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and a bachelor’s degree from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.
Dr Beth Stroble President of Webster University Dr Stroble has been President of Webster University since 2009 and has 35 years of diverse experience as an educator and academic leader. Her previous positions include Senior Vice President, Provost, Chief Operating Officer at The University of Akron where she helped the university to achieve
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Chancellor’s Address You have accorded me today a great honour by installing me as your first Chancellor. It is a challenge to which I will make my best efforts to respond. Over recent years many people have begun to identify and communicate the values of their organisations. They may often at the same time reflect on their own paths, on this, our sparrow’s flight from the cradle to the grave. What do you stand for? Tolstoy wrote that there are two questions which express concisely the whole of human philosophy - how to live and what to live for? Planning may help us decide how to live. Values will determine what we live for. So if they are so fundamental, what are our values at Regent’s today? I ask the question and I intend to contribute to the answers and our work on them. Some universities in the world have defined their values quite succinctly, others at considerable length and many not at all. A world famous university proclaims its core values as “freedom of thought and expression” and “freedom from discrimination.” A world famous company with over 100,000 employees suggests that among its values are; lead by example, respect the individual, be open and honest and above all - act with integrity.
seas with everyone cheering us from the shore as we row pass. I mentioned tributaries, rivers and estuaries because they remind me of Jean Monnet, the famous French political scientist and diplomat regarded by many as a founding father of European unity. I am honoured that the Chair I currently occupy here at the European Business School London is named in his memory.
“As for the future’’ wrote a famous early traveller and air pilot, St Exupery “ your task is not to foresee, but to enable it.” We are all enablers at Regent’s University.
To the task of helping to define the values for our new university - with and for our students and indeed for myself - I hope to have time ahead. You may wonder why I have chosen values as my theme today. Recently I was invited to contribute an article to a new book, a Compendium about a specific branch of psychology and its effects on the work place. I concluded my article: 6
“as regards the work place this stream of psychology flows professionally as a tributary into the fast flowing river of beliefs. The river in turn widens out into a broad estuary of values. On the shores of the estuary are workplaces where employers and employees
seek new models for improving their working relationships. They may draw inspiration by reflecting on these values as they flow past towards the ocean.” I worked hard on the article - and it was refused – “not sufficiently academic” the editors said. So I re-wrote it jointly, with an expert in the field who knows the subject far better than me. It was refused again. I wondered whether one reason might have been my estuary metaphor. You see some of us want our organisations and perhaps ourselves, not to be tributaries, but rather rivers or even better estuaries leading to the open
Monnet went about his work as a young adult in the Cognac region of France. He was the son of a vine grower and a merchant of brandy. He left Cognac and became quietly well known and then enormously influential in European political and economic circles. His father encouraged him to travel and advised him not to take his books with him but rather wherever he went to look out of the window of the coach or train and observe what people were doing. Then as often as he could get out meeting, learning from and listening to those with whom he came into contact. I think that many of the mothers and fathers of our students at Regent’s over the last 25 years may have given their sons and daughters similar advice. We have many windows here to look into and also to look out
from and different people to learn with, coming as they do from many different lands and cultures. Our alumni currently work in 149 different countries – three quarters of the world’s nations. Jean Monnet made things happen. We make things happen at Regent’s and we do it like Monnet; by getting on with things and making our contribution as a tributary of global higher education. We understand Monnet’s thoughts. He said famously that “Europe” and indeed the world “se fait par petits pas’’, things are made by small steps, not through big initiatives. He achieved many of these “petits pas” during his lifetime in the 20th century. Regent’s University will follow his ‘small steps’ example in the 21st century as our students, staff and alumni allow their knowledge, creativity and enthusiasm to flow from this small tributary in Regent’s Park into rivers and estuaries which open up into the wider oceans of our planet. “As for the future’’ wrote a famous early traveller and air pilot, St Exupery “your task is not to foresee, but to enable it.” We are all enablers at Regent’s University London. I was given advice as a Sloan student beginning my career on the other side of Regent’s Park. It is still relevant now that I am this time a student of values on this side of the Park. I have not forgotten the advice I was given which was to remember that; “The rest of your life begins today!’’
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Reis Daniel How does it feel to be part of the first cohort of acting graduates at Regent’s University? Do you feel any extra pressure from being the first? Being the first comes with a bit of pressure, but considering what the school and some of the tutors have done for me, the pressure is part of my debt. The school offered me several fantastic opportunities, and supported me in many ways. Being granted a full bursary, also add some pressure for me to represent the University, but without that help, I couldn’t have achieved what I have. I have to say a massive thank you to Valerie Kaneko Lucas and Judith Ackroyd for all the support they gave me. These two couldn’t care more about their students, and dealt with a lot on our behalf. They will
Stephanie Smith How does it feel to be part of the first cohort of acting graduates at Regent’s University? Do you feel any extra pressure from being the first? It feels daunting to be part of the first cohort graduating as there’s no example to follow but exciting at the same time for that exact reason. Unlike other drama schools people in the industry have no preconceived ideas about what we are like so hopefully we can show them that this new school is an exciting place to work and this will set us apart from all the other acting graduates. What are your favourite memories form studying at Regent’s University? Studying abroad at D.A.M.U in Prague was an amazing experience where I got to try different theatre techniques and skills such as fencing,
Regent’s School of Drama, Film & Media is now an integral part of our community and we are proudly watching as our graduates make their way in the world. We spoke to two Acting and Global Theatre graduates as they leave Regent’s to start their careers. always have a friend in me. What are your favourite memories of studying at Regent’s University? The study abroad period was a life-changing experience, which introduced new interests that have influenced my career choices so far. While studying at Pace University NYC, I found a new love in stage combat and stunt work. I took part in an unarmed stage combat course, run by one of America’s top fight masters, Mike Chin. Mike found a natural talent inside me, and helped me to achieve a Recommended Pass in unarmed stage combat. When receiving our results, after our choreographed fight routine test finals, Mike and the visiting fight master told me and my partner that we were the best of the day. Mike told me that if I wasn’t going home, he would have asked me to be his assistant next year, which would 8
puppetry and acrobatics. It put into practice the global aspect of the course, learning first hand theatre’s role in other cultures and societies. I was also able to make contacts through the Prague fringe festival at the end of my stay, which went on to give me my first professional job. What have you been working on recently? I was lucky to sign with an agent before graduating so I have been auditioning. I am about to start rehearsals for ‘A Dark Night Rises’ which is a series of plays by Eugene Lonesco being performed at The Space in August. I have also been creating my own work, adapting All My Friends Are Superheroes for a multi-media show which I hope to tour the fringe festivals with next summer. Whilst doing this I have also gone into pre-production on a comedy sketch series with fellow LSFMP graduate Olivia Nixon. What
have been an honour. I am trying to save up enough funds to continue my training, but it’s a goal of mine to one day become a fight master, or even a fight choreographer. What have you been working on recently? Since graduating I have had so many great experiences, and have met so many great people already. I am writing a lot, and I have a few things lined up, which I can’t currently talk about. So far I have been in Tinie Tempah’s new music video, which will be released this summer, I have been a Cult member in the film Money Bomb, I’m currently rehearsing for a short film called Memorial, I have been asked to be the presenter for UK Unsigned’s online channel, and may also be co-hosting a radio channel with them which will hopefully be kicking off soon, I have just worked with Serious Comedy, on a road safety campaign video, for London Borough Council, working with Martin Beaumont, which was a brilliant experience. My next venture involves me wearing some pants and jumping around a stage, as Disney’s favourite little jungle boy, Mowgli. I will be touring around the country with Gary Starr Productions and alongside comedian David Burton. Life is exciting right now, and I am experiencing a slice of the dream. What ambitions do you have for your career? At the moment I am still finding my feet. I’m not going to make any big decisions yet, and see which directions destiny takes me. I love acting, but I also love writing, directing, and stunt work. Hopefully one day I could be in the position to experience them all at a high level. Think positively, and achieve positive things. There are too many people out there that want to see you fail, and get you down. This is one of the toughest industries in the world, but keeping positive will help you through. My parents have helped me so much, and have left themselves without so that I could have the opportunities and experiences I have. I owe them so much, and I need to be successful to pay them
ambitions do you have for your career? I don’t want to sound overly confident, but I am greedy and hope to have a long and varied career working in theatre, film and radio. Success to me is not to be world famous or a celebrity but being able to create a living doing the thing I love and being able to challenge myself with a variety of characters. When you receive your BAFTA Lifetime achievement award, how will you be described by the person presenting the award? If someone is willing to give me a BAFTA they can say whatever they like about me!
back even a percentage of what they have given me. Love is priceless, and that’s why family’s forever. When you receive your BAFTA Lifetime achievement award, how will you be described by the person presenting the award? This guy is slightly crazy and full of beans, but his hard work and determination helped him reach the top of his game. It didn’t matter what life threw at him, he fought through it. He loves to laugh, and will always have the last laugh. Best friends with Snoop Dogg and Will Smith, and husband of Rihanna …
A Tale of Two Actors
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Tom Villis: British Cathol Dr Tom Villis, a Senior Lecturer in History and Politics within the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences reflects on his recent research into the possible relationships between British Catholics and Fascism. Ever since I can remember I have been interested in the ways in which extreme, radical and even dangerous ideas have been expressed. This is what has led me to try and understand the place of fascist and extreme nationalist thinking in Britain. I had always mistrusted the rather self-congratulatory idea that British culture was immune to these sorts of ideas. The ‘national’ virtues of tolerance, compromise and restraint are influential myths rather than self-evident realities. In my first book, Reaction and the Avant-Garde: The Revolt Against Liberal Democracy in Early Twentieth-Century Britain (I.B Tauris, 2005) I sought to show how ideas which might have been found in the political sphere in France, Italy or Germany were expressed in a cultural and literary forum in Britain. Bringing together insights drawn from literary criticism as well as intellectual history and political theory, I examined how figures such as Hilaire Belloc, T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound formulated ideas which had something in common with the origins of fascism elsewhere in Europe. Reaction and the AvantGarde shows how such ideas transgressed the normal boundaries of right and left and fundamentally questioned the assumptions of liberal culture in way which combined ‘modern’ and ‘anti-modern’ features.
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This line of thinking eventually took me to another neglected theme in modern British history: the influence and place of religious thinking in politics. Again, I had never been convinced that Britain had successfully relegated religion to the private sphere and dealt with statechurch conflicts more successfully than its continental neighbours. This notion became the basis for my latest book, British Catholics and Fascism. I examine the careers and thought of numerous prominent Catholic writers and cultural commentators as well as the role of the Catholic press more generally, the views of the hierarchy and the overtures which the British Union of Fascists made to the Catholic communities. Debates about fascism became symbolic of the wider difficulties in articulating a religious political critique in an increasingly secular political culture. For many Catholics, profascism became a way of expressing their own distinct political and social identity in a society which largely held different views.
My book not only extends our knowledge of interwar British political culture but has relevance for wider debates about secularization and politics. It also helps draw attention to minority political identities in Britain which are not obviously reflected at a parliamentary level. The role of political extremism in the British political system is a subject of enduring interest. British Catholics and Fascism helps both complicate and clarify the relationship between religion and politics – a theme which has great contemporary relevance in Britain and across the world. As the experience of some British Muslims today also shows, political extremism can still be tempting for religious communities who still struggle find their own identity within a secular liberal culture with which they do not wholly identify. More recently I have become engaged by contemporary expressions of these issues. I have been undertaking a study with my colleague Dr Mireille Hebing on the ways in which discourses of Englishness are expressed in the building of Mosques in the UK. I have also started the initial research for a more extended project on the way in which themes of violence and its repression have featured in arguments about English national identity.
lics and Fascism Throughout my research, Regent’s University London has been a uniquely stimulating environment in which to work. I have enjoyed discussing my ideas with colleagues and students. For someone who works primarily on British history and politics, it is particularly interesting to be surrounded by colleagues and students from every region of the world. This has helped me understand both the universal features and the idiosyncrasies of British society in ways which would have been impossible in any other institution. Too often words like ‘internationalism’ are empty clichés: at Regent’s we experience the fruitful interaction of cultures in everything we do. It is almost a truism to say that there is no real distinction between research and teaching. Students at Regent’s rightly deserve and demand to be taught by people who are at the forefront of their discipline. Many of my ideas have had their origin in comments or discussions in lectures, seminars or even in undergraduate essays. As we further raise the profile of research at Regent’s we also build a university in the fullest sense of the term, as a ‘community of teachers and scholars’ where everyone is both.
Research News Our talented academics have been involved in high quality research for a number of years but now that we have achieved University title we hope their work will gain even greater prominence. The academics come together in three research centres to focus their activity. Regent’s Centre for Transnational Studies
Focus in research leaders
The Regent’s Centre for Transnational Studies (RCTS) has seen a successful academic year celebrated with research events, publications, and awards. The RCTS promotes quality research and scholarship that matters to wider society and benefits students, researchers, and others at Regent’s and beyond. The Centre also promotes advanced interdisciplinary research and teaching across a broad range of fields in social and management sciences.
Professor Jonathan Liu (BaM)
The RCTS focuses on the transnational phenomena cutting across disciplinary boundaries of Management, Economics, Sociology, and other Social Sciences. The Centre’s research focuses on six multidisciplinary areas, broadly defined as Management, Marketing, Finance, Mobility, Higher Education, and Cross-cultural studies. Members are working on these research streams either individually or in teams. www.regents.ac.uk/RCTS Networks of Power Networks of Power is a research centre which brings together scholars at Regent’s College working on the construction of power relations at a national and international level. Not only are we at the forefront of academic research in this area, but we also provide advice to governments all over the world. Networks of Power forges links between academics and policy makers as well as fostering and supporting high-quality research. www.regents.ac.uk/research/NOP Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology Reflections Research Centre The Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology Reflections (PCPR) Research Centre initiates and supports high quality research of national and international standing. We use innovative methodologies to undertake research on new and emerging topics within psychotherapy and counselling psychology. The Research Centre holds an outstanding reputation for existential and phenomenological research in psychotherapy and counselling psychology grounded in the Masters and Doctorate Programmes offered by the Regent’s School of Psychotherapy & Psychology at Regent’s University London.
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Role Professor in Global Business Management and Research Leader at the Faculty of Business and Management/Senior Lecturer Highest Academic Degree Doctorate Research Interests Business and Management Professor Liu has over 20 years of doctorate supervision experience from a variety of fields. He commenced his academic career as lecturer at Aston University in Accounting and moved to Middlesex University as a senior lecturer in Accounting and Finance. Professor Liu is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Business Performance Management with Inderscience Publishers. Professor Liu acts as an external Director of Studies to PhD students at the London School of Commence and Trinity St David College in the area of Banking, Marketing Finance and Business Management.
Bloggers United Blogs are sometimes overlooked in comparison to the attention social networking sites generate, yet consumer interest in blogs continues to grow. Estimates vary over how many blogs exist but there are at least 181 million blogs around the world with more being started every day. There is space for everyone in the blogosphere; from the major companies using blogs to drive traffic to their website to the individual writing about their passions in life from the comfort of their bedroom. Why start a blog? A personal blog gives you the chance to build your brand as an expert, exercise your creativity and can be used as a foundation for all of your social media activities. Many writers have used their blog to get book contracts and it can even be the starting point for building your business. Major brands are taking an interest in bloggers with an established audience who will write about their products to generate positive PR. These companies find that consumers who have become turned off by corporate messages are more likely to trust a ‘real person’ reviewing a product honestly instead of a glossy advert. Blogs are more than just a hobby and can be a simple way to boost your career or increase your skills. We spoke to three members of the Regent’s University community about their experiences as bloggers.
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THE ESTABLISHED BLOGGER Laurie Ruettiman built her expertise as an HR leader in several Fortune 500 companies and is now a writer and speaker covering HR, employment and social media. She studied at Regent’s in 1996 as part of a study abroad programme. Why is blogging so important to your career? As a Human Resources consultant, I am often asked to operate in a very confidential way. Blogging allows me to build a personal brand, meet new people in my industry, and share my ideas about recruitment and the employment process in a very visible and thoughtful way. Blogging has also been an excellent marketing tool. The more I write, the more I am able to secure leads and find new business opportunities. It’s a low-cost investment in my professional brand. Do you have any rules that you stick when blogging? If so, what are they? I work in Human Resources. I have plenty of rules! — The story I tell on my blog is my own. I only represent my own thoughts, ideas, and experiences. — I never try to shame anyone or reveal embarrassing information. — I am known for my cynicism; however, I try to be kind on my blog. When I deliver tough messages or bad news, I do so with an element of tenderness. Everyone in life is facing a tough battle. There is no need to be cruel. I think blogging can be an excellent way for job seekers to find new opportunities. A blog is a way to demonstrate expertise, passion and integrity. Corporate recruiters are always looking for experts who demonstrate strong critical thinking skills. And when you write a blog, you are more likely to be “found” by recruiters in your industry who are looking for engaged and dynamic candidates.
THE HAPPYOLOGIST Susanna Halonen graduated from Regent’s Business School London in 2008 with BA Global Marketing Management. Since then she has worked for Sony on their Eco Community before completing a master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology. She is now developing her career as coach, consultant and speaker through her personal brand, Happyologist. “I created Happyologist a year and a half ago to offer services that create performance through happiness. The business is founded on the science of positive psychology which shows that happiness fuels success, and not the other way around. Through Happyologist I offer one-toone performance coaching, group or team workshops, and inspirational talks.
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Blogging is one of the things that helps me promote my business online as it offers free advice and tips on different ways of creating happiness in different aspects of life. It improves my credibility beyond the certifications I hold because it shows my expertise in the field as I share my insights online. It’s also a great way for me to serve people who can’t afford my services as they are still getting tips and insights on how to improve their happiness and performance. After all, my business is all about creating as much positive impact as possible and I don’t want to limit it to only people who can afford my services. I use many sources of inspiration for my blog posts - new scientific research in positive psychology, personal experiences and insights, and what’s current in the world. All of my blog posts give concrete advice on how to improve happiness or positivity in your life, or give you inspiration to do so. I like to vary my content between text, video blogs and infographs to keep it interesting both for me and my followers. I blog once a week so I can offer quality content and focus the rest of my time on my paying clients. With blogging, I truly believe it’s about quality over quantity, and I don’t want to overwhelm my readers, especially as I am giving them tips to implement in their life weekly. I also send a free weekly Happyologist newsletter that gives extra tips on happiness to subscribers. If you’re looking for a happy fix, sign-up to it at Happyologist.co.uk.”
THE PROFESSIONAL BLOGGER Mathias Feist is Head of Careers & Business Relations at Regent’s University London, chair of PlaceNet and a social media speaker and trainer. “The value of professional blogging is in my experience significant - what better way to leave your mark, improve your Google ranking and bolster your professional social media profile? Being a professional is of course defined by what you do, but in this age of constant online content sharing, it is also about being seen to do what you do. Coverage in a traditional publication can take years - and with publishing (and every other information driven industry) steadily moving online, this is truly the age of the blogger. I fell into blogging by chance really - it was more something I thought I ought to do, rather than a burning desire to share my thoughts with the world. But I realised that to have a professional social media presence, it wasn’t enough just to share someone else’s content via Twitter - I needed to start getting creative and produce content myself. Not that I’m shy about my thoughts, but I struggled with finding my ‘voice’ - that would make me distinct; there are plenty of careers related bloggers, even more people who cover technology and social media. So I went back to basics - I am essentially an educator, and that requires me to learn on a constant basis. And so my personal professional blog is about what I’ve learnt recently. Which is what I think blogging is all about: what do we learn as professionals (or students for that matter), and how do we process this information to bring our profession forward? Blogging is a simple, self-powered way to share your thoughts, promote your services, launch your business, or engage in a professional discourse. But it is more than that - it is about sharing thoughts and perspectives, putting the social back into social media”.
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LIGHTS, CAMERA, INNOVATION
GABRIELA HERSHAM
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It is hard to pigeon-hole a Regent’s graduate and few people better personify this fact than Gabriela Hersham. If you search for Gabriela online you will find her described as an ‘actress, film producer, entrepreneur, foodie, adrenalin junkie, obsessive instagrammer and competitive ping-pong player’. We spoke to this multi-talented alumna to find out how she keeps evolving. Despite taking her career in several different directions since graduating from EBS London in 2006, Gabriela never intended to have such a chameleonic career. “There are lots of things I enjoy doing and I don’t like to stick to one thing at a time. This becomes difficult when you are launching a company because you have to be there 100 Per cent.” Gabriela’s first love was the silver screen and after graduating she enrolled at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Institute in New York to hone her acting skills. In recent years she has starred in several independent films, including a new British comedy horror film called Crying Wolf that tells the story of strange and weird goings on in the Oxfordshire village of Deddington. “Crying Wolf is about a pack of werewolves, of which I am the leader. I am the only female wolf but you never see me transformed into a wolf. We filmed for a month and for the entire month it rained on us.” Not put off by a spot of rain, or the blood and gore, Gabriela also starred in exorcism style film Where the Devil comes. But her latest role really put her acting abilities to the test, as she explains. “I have just finished filming a pilot for a TV programme in the US, which has been picked up by a distributor. It’s called American Gypsy and is about a girl who uses different aliases to steal from men. In every scene, I was a different character, from a different country with a different disguise and different accent.”
Off camera Off screen, Gabriela has been using her creative talents in the world of business by launching a new service for entrepreneurs, Huckletree. In an effort to simplify the lives of budding entrepreneurs and freelance professionals, Huckletree provides flexible working space and specialist services. “When I was starting Huckletree I asked so many people for advice on where to find a good accountant but everybody had different advice. No one could agree what sort of firm to go for, whether a big firm was better than a small firm or how much I should be looking to pay. I spent far too much time and energy finding the accountant we eventually used. What we want to do with Huckletree is give entrepreneurs a list of trusted accountants and other services we use and to have done the research so that our clients don’t have to,” says Gabriela. For Gabriela, the working space Huckletree provides for entrepreneurs and freelancers is the most important part. “We find that a lot of entrepreneurs want to work away from a traditional office setting but that sometimes working at home or in a coffee shop can be unproductive. Renting space, especially in London, though, can be extremely expensive. The working spaces we will provide will aim to offer both, creativity and structure, without paying a high price for it.”
Gabriela says her time at Regent’s was extremely valuable when starting up Huckletree. “Studying at EBS London gave me a greater understanding of the business world and business concepts. I have been able to develop my own projects and learnt how to pitch these projects to investors. Knowing how to put together a sound business plan and present it are vital skills and my time at EBS London definitely helped me with that. I am applying what I learnt at EBS London every day.” Gabriela is also grateful for the network that Regent’s opened up to her, having met her business partner there whilst she was studying. “Alex Vaskevitch was studying at EBS the same time as me. He had more of a financial background, which allowed me to focus on the creative. We were a perfect match for business but have also become such good friends.” Despite being so busy, Gabriela keeps in touch with Regent’s University and is always interested in new developments such as our partnership with the Kevin Spacey Foundation and the success of Regent’s School of Drama, Film & Media. “I think it’s really cool. The film school didn’t even exist when I was there and the fact it is doing so well is incredible. I wish that I had been there when it was open”. Huckletree launches this summer and you can find out more at www.Facebook.com/Huckletree. You can also keep up with Gabriela on facebook www.facebook.com/ GabrielasPage or instagram @gabrielahersham. 17
How do London’s Kurdish and Turkish youth relate to Britain and to Turkey? Dr Dogus Simsek is Research Administrator at Regent’s University London and has conducted research into Kurdish, Turkish and Turkish- Cypriot youth and the roles transnational communities in the UK. Recently she was invited to speak to the House of Commons about this research.
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I have always been interested in researching the life experiences and stories of migrants’ children and how their life experiences influence their identities. This focus led me to switch from the classical question in migration studies of what happens to identity in the migration and settlement process to what happens to identity when somebody such as a second generation migrant, has lived only in one country but is constantly influenced by both the country they live in and the country they left. I have always found their experiences to be creative, diverse, reflective and challenging because they are formed with regard to their interaction with various social and cultural aspects surrounding them. A simple question ‘Where are you from?’ has a complicated answer and is a source of anxiety for second generation migrants. Some struggle with issues of identity and belonging. What defines ‘home’ varies depending on everyday experiences for these young people. My research focuses on the identity formation of Kurdish and Turkish youth in London in a transnational context. My talk at the House of Commons was about Turkish and Kurdish youth’s relationship with London, the city they live in; North London where they locally dwell; and their country of origin which they visit at least once a year. The engagement of Turkish and Kurdish youth with these three factors influences the definition of their sense of self and belongingness to the country of origin and the country of settlement. I have argued that defining these young people within the borders of a particular national, cultural, or ethnic identity is problematic. Consequently, my analysis takes into account how Turkish and Kurdish youth feel; think rather than how they belong. Many children of migrants grow up in a transnational context which is about building links that go beyond national borders or across the borders of
Turkey and Britain. In the case of Turkish and Kurdish youth living in London, their relations to Turkey, London and their local area are constructed through their everyday life experiences. Everyday life experiences include school environment, relation to the community, local environment, transnational media practices, attending community organisations, family relations, attachments to Turkey through visits and social networks.
their visits to Turkey and living in North London highlights a cultural representation of Turkey and creates a sense of exclusion, whereas London’s multicultural character offers a sense of inclusion for these young people. Consequently they have diverse expressions of the self, related to the places they interact with. Homogenous spaces create the forms of exclusion experienced by these young people.
Second generation migrants position themselves in three different places: the city in which they live, Turkey, and the migrant community in London. Their everyday life experiences are constituted by interacting with these places. The majority of Turkish and Kurdish youth said that their attitude to London had changed since realising what London has to offer them outside their ethnic enclave. Their thoughts about the city and how they position themselves in it have changed through everyday experiences. They associate themselves more with the city and the specific urban space than Turkey. Their experiences underline human relations beyond national boundaries and the importance of social relations and social networks in their local and international aspects. The construction of otherness through
The fact that they were born and/or brought up in Britain subsequently affects their sense of who they are. This involves not only their experiences of aspects of British social and cultural life through their participation in school, but also the way others perceive them. Consequently their orientation towards Britain and their sense of ‘Britishness’ is also a major factor in their ethnic identity. It may be appropriate to examine individual perceptions of identity and social positioning in order to understand the complex nature of identity formation among Turkish and Kurdish young people in London.’ Read the Regent’s Annual Research Report online at http://goo.gl/XPbzee
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HENNA SIPARI Henna graduated from EBS London in 2011 with an MA in Management. She now lives and works in Singapore, where she is the co-ordinator of Regent’s Club Singapore, bringing alumni in the region together. At Regent’s University London
At Work
At Home
On your first day you were…. Thoroughly impressed by the beautiful campus and the friendliness of my new fellow students.
After graduation you … Moved to Singapore and started working at IBM as a client representative, selling technology to financial services clients. It was a blessing to find full-time employment before I had even officially graduated, and it’s safe to say I would not have landed it without my MA degree.
Your favourite way to relax is … Going for a walk by the Singapore coast. The scenery is interesting as we have one of the biggest ports in the world and the tankers nestle by the shores. Knowing they arrive from all over the world, there’s a different kind of beauty this compared to a traditional beach view.
You knew you wanted to work in… A multi-national firm before setting up my own company when I had done one semester of management & marketing, once I’d had the opportunity to better understand the workings of the business world. Nothing beats the eye-opening experience of working for a well-known company and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have it in your CV.
You’ve always wanted to learn how to … Whistle!
The most important lesson you learned while at Regent’s University London was … Learning to work as a team. We had many such opportunities, most notably the Strategy in Action weekend, and it really prepares you for working life. Your most memorable moment as a student was … Taking my dissertation for the final binding. The overall process was a superb, valuable experience but feeling the ready product between my fingers was a great relief and a very proud moment. Whilst at Regent’s University London you wish you had … Started a street-style blog taking daily snapshots of our students. Such vibrant styles and personalities! Not to mention having Regent’s Park as the backdrop.
Skills you would like to most like to acquire? The ability to build a website would be terrific! They now say kids should learn coding at school. Your next goal is … To round up my two-year work contract and set up my own business in the form of a fashion e-commerce boutique. The goal is to elevate Asian high-end brands to an international platform, to make them available worldwide. After two years in Asia, I can vouch for the local design talent and I want to source the best of them.
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You would never leave home without … My iPod. Having music in the background improves the flow of thoughts. It’s the easiest way to customise your surroundings. At Play The person you most admire is … Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar. What a lady. She can carry the world on her shoulders and remain graceful. The last good book you read was … Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida, edited by Robert Chandler. The best place you’ve ever travelled to was… because … Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The ancient temple architecture definitely appeals to me as I did my BA degree in Ancient History.
At Regent’s Club The Regent’s Club Network is a good thing because … The bond, or common thread, is already there before we even meet. Everyone feels welcome and included. Undoubtedly you’ll bump into us in all the continents of the world (perhaps bar Antarctica). Being Regent’s Club Singapore’s coordinator is fun because … It’s great to hear how well our alumni have done since graduation, be it in private or professional fields, and making new friends happens instantaneously. Our next meeting will … Be soon! Singapore is a very work-driven city where office hours are long and it can be a challenge to set a date. Stay tuned and feel free to contact me if you’re heading to Singapore. Regent’s Club is your global network of alumni groups, bringing the Regent’s University Alumni Association directly to you. The clubs are run by local alumni with support from the alumni relations team. Details of Regent’s Clubs locations and forthcoming events can be found online. If you are interested in setting up a Regent’s Club in your area please email us at alumni@regents.ac.uk
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Time for a cost-ben of UK’s membership As the one-dimensional but resonating UK Independence Party (UKIP) message gains traction in Britain with its emphasis on Brussels red tape and cheap immigrant labour holding back the United Kingdom’s economic resurgence, surely it is time that the UK government commissioned a thorough and independent cost-benefits analysis on European Union membership. Even if UKIP’s estimated cost of £51m per day is taken as fact, this is just crude maths. And many would argue with the numbers. It is noticeable that UKIP has never commissioned its own detailed research. In addition, such brutalist calculations fail to take into account the increased trade and gross domestic product growth that arguably comes along with membership. In fact, the British government speculates that UK business is boosted by between £30bn and £90bn as a result of the European single market. But with such a large margin of error, these digits are as unfathomable as those emanating from UKIP. We need some reliable data if we are to elevate the debate above Eurosceptic versus Europhile scaremongering. The coalition’s ‘government audit’ just will not cut the mustard. People will not put faith in the figures and UKIP will claim it is simply the ‘dead hand of Westminster 22
and Whitehall’. A clean skin from outside the administration would add gravitas and credibility. This year at the Jean Monnet Memorial Lecture 2013, I had the pleasure of speaking on a conference panel alongside former UK trade minister and chief executive of BP Lord Simon – a numbers man if ever there was one. He claimed that out of the annual UK government spend of £700bn just £11.8bn went to the EU. But that the net UK contribution to Brussels stood
at only £5bn once the supranational grants back to Britain were taken into account. Meanwhile, the French contribute £18bn gross of the EU’s annual £120bn budget and the Germans some £19bn. “I think the UK electorate should be made more aware of the marginal nature of the EU net contribution,” said Lord Simon. The £5bn “membership fee” represented good value when it came to “such indivisible geographic challenges as climate control, defence, control of cross-border criminality, immigration, jobs and inward investment” – he argued. Going further, he called for the £5bn figure to be left in “the admin column” of government accounts “where it belongs” – adding: “The fantasy that we can go it alone in economic terms is, I fear, just that. Let us not shrink into insularity. Let us follow the great Victorians who balanced a worldwide commercial drive with a spirit of openness to ideas and people from around the world. It is a marginal cost to the UK to have a real say in an existential option for a European future. As Yogi Berra would say ‘when you come to a fork in the road – take it’.” Still, this is but one man’s opinion. It is an argument that can
nefits analysis p of the EU “I think the UK electorate should be made more aware of the marginal nature of the EU net contribution,” said Lord Simon. The £5bn “membership fee” represented good value when it came to “such indivisible geographic challenges as climate control, defence, control of cross-border criminality, immigration, jobs and inward investment” be countered without firm evidence to back its hypothesis. Britain could conceivably exit the EU in the next parliament. This is the reality staring into the face of the UK government if it fails to convince citizens of the validity of membership. And without some rock solid facts on the financial benefits, the antis will simply end up in the usual shouting match with proEuropeans over the ‘huge costs’ of being in the European club. Why not commission a truly independent and comprehensive cost-benefits study now before it is too late? At least then, the debate may become a little more nuanced than ‘immigrants taking our jobs’
and ‘Brussels red tape destroying entrepreneurial spirit’, or conversely ‘the UK will be irrelevant as a global player outside the EU’ and ‘one million British expats in Spain will be forced to return home’. Let us get some perspective on the issues. Dean Carroll was a speaker at this year’s Jean Monnet Memorial lecture and is the founding editor of PublicServiceEurope.com. He has been journalist for many years and was formerly news editor on Public Servant magazine. He is a published academic and his career background includes work on a number of newspapers as well as a national news agency.
Following the Jean Monnet memorial Lecture, Regent’s University London commissioned and published The UK & Europe: Costs, Benefits, Options. The Regent’s report 2013. To read this extensive, in-depth investigation visit www.regents.ac.uk/europereport
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COMMUNITY WORKS Last year we welcomed a new member to the Regent’s community; Toni Hilton was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Business Management (BAM). The former head of the Business School at Unitec Institute of Technology Auckland, Toni is keen to build relationships between the academic and wider international community. We caught up with her to see what connections she has made and how valuable she thinks Regent’s Clubs are in supporting students and alumni. Following an academic career at the University of the West of England, Toni started out as the department head at Unitec, swiftly moving into the position of head of the Business School. This role ‘came with the opportunity to become involved in the local community as well as the academic community,’ she says.
Internationalism ‘Universities in New Zealand have a commitment to the treaty of Waitangi and they have their own marae (Maori meeting house). At Unitech I was part of the building of the first marae on the North Island for almost a century. We took part in a dawn ceremony to consecrate the ground, it was really special.’ The experience of working in New Zealand helped her to gain an appreciation of non-western business practises and develop a truly international perspective. Upon returning to the UK, Toni was appointed acting Dean at Westminster Business School before making the much shorter journey to her new home at Regent’s.
She says she was impressed by the sheer scale of the internationalism and range of partnerships we benefit from. ‘The scale of what we do here is small as it prioritises face-to-face teaching and making space and time for people but actually we are a global player our vision and reach are not small in scale at all. There is something very special about Regent’s - I talk about the community because I feel it is bigger than a family.’ This connection with the wider Regent’s community naturally led to a meeting with a group of alumni in Singapore as part of the Regent’s Club. She found much to admire about how they had adapted and committed their lives to the region and were even urging other alumni to move into a dynamic area. Support for all ‘I think the Regent’s Clubs are such a good idea not just for remembering good times in the past but supporting each other in the future. I feel that our alumni are very good at supporting each other. All the alumni I met were totally committed to living in Singapore and saw it as real opportunity for them as opposed to working for 18 months and then going somewhere else in Europe.‘ Toni feels that Regent’s alumni have a very important role to play in our new university and is keen to meet more alumni in the future to explore innovative new ideas and potential for collaboration.
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CHARLOTTE SALOMON
Charlotte is a digital painter and artist who studied at European Business School London before continuing her studies at Escape Studios Pixar. She has worked on 3D animation for the film industry as well as 2D painting for films, comic books and game concepts.
For the majority of your career you have been developing your creative skills. Are your business skills and knowledge from your EBS London years still important? Absolutely, especially once I started freelancing and exhibiting my own collections. I had to become my own manager, accountant and marketing department. It has given me an advantage over peers, who can often sit on their craft not knowing how to push it through. EBS London gave me the skills to identify niches and opportunities, as well as networking and marketing my art as if it were a new product. What was it like studying at Escape Studios Pixar? It was a childhood dream come true, I was very fortunate to learn from the industry’s leading artists. The studios were electric with creativity and it was infectious. What I didn’t realise before I arrived at ESP is how much animation and VFX involved problem solving and thinking outside the box. When art meets technology it doesn’t always unify in the way that we needed it to. So we had to be innovative and find new paths to create the effects we envisioned. Everything was possible, and if it wasn’t, we made it possible. After the laughter, tears and eyestrain, it was very humbling to know that we had created something that was always going to be there.
Your resume includes comics and video games. Do you have any favourites from the characters you created? I certainly have favourites however by the time these characters reached my hands they were usually already developed, I do often contribute something towards their look and the more I get away with the happier I am with the project. My favourite however would have to be the HALO characters; I did some PR Posters for Machinima at the launch of REACH.
nothing, wind, rain or shine the arts will always be there and people still pay to see it. The best is yet to come. What are your ambitions for the future? In the future I would love to return to more concept work for film but currently I am working on my next collection. I hope through demonstrating digitally created paintings, art and animation it will help push this new medium of creativity to earn the admiration the craft deserves.
Why are you inspired by horses? For as long as I can remember, if I wasn’t drawing I was riding. I have always been fascinated by their anatomy, their size and gracefulness and effortless movement. Whimsical and soulful expressions, as an artistic subject they are ideal and give you more than you will ever need to work with. An old mentor once said to me. “If you can draw a horse, correctly, you can draw anything.” Even after all these years, I’m still working on that. What advice would you give to a new graduate who wanted to work in the creative industries? Welcome, it’s a very exciting industry and it’s still new, it’s growing fast and we are only just beginning. New innovations and tools are introduced every year, more and more outlets of creative media are setting up across the globe. The demand is high, and competition is growing fierce. But one thing agreed amongst my art friends and colleagues, we are immune to economical weathering. Creative minds stop at
See more of Charlotte’s work at www.shilohsart.com
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WHAT IS THE LONDON PSYCHOLOGY COLLECTIVE? Richard Clarke of Regent’s University’s Psychology lab lifts the lid on a new experiment. What is the London Psychology Collective? The London Psychology Collective is an internet and face to face community of professional psychologists, students and psychology enthusiasts. Our aim is to publicise academic research, events and news within the field of psychology. We’re based in London so we’re able to place a great deal of emphasis on making the community as socially interactive as possible. The group is free to join and you can find us on Facebook: www.facebook. com/thelondonpsychologycollective. We try to keep all our events free (although occasionally tickets will be required for guest speakers and seminars) and many of the collaborative efforts we’re involved with is available online.
Collaboration Collaboration is an important aspect of our community, currently we are in the process of filming a series of interviews on the application of philosophy in therapy and have another series on positive psychology lined up. Later this year we’ll be looking for counselling psychologists to interview for a short series we’re hoping to make that will show how therapist work out in the real world. We are always happy to accept contributions to our Facebook page (and soon associated blog). We currently have three content creators that report on various aspects of psychology (Rich Clarke: Cognitive and Neurobiological Psychology, Terry Georgiou: Therapy and Applied Psychology and Fiona Malpass: Mental health). If there is anything you feel we should cover or any interesting research you are involved in please get in touch and we’ll happily share it. Events If you’re London-based keep an eye out for the events we organise. We run a pub social on the last Friday of the month, these are a great and highly informal way to meet others working in psychology and also ideal for those of you that aren’t necessarily psychologists but are interested in learning more. We have good relations with many of the organisers of psychology related events in London and often get a group of us together and go to various seminars and events. Some of the events also offer CPD certificates for attendance.
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Informal Student Mentoring One of the aims we have at the moment in the group is to connect passionate students to professionals currently working in the student’s desired field. Often these days just having a psychology degree is not enough, this interaction with mentors can prove invaluable for the student and guide them in their expectations of the job and the steps needed along the way. If you’d like to be involved in this project and are available to meet up for a coffee in London every so often please get in touch. How can you reach us? If you have any questions about any of our activities feel free to message our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ thelondonpsychologycollective ), leave a post on our wall or e-mail me directly on richard.clarke@regents.ac.uk and I’ll get back to you.
Your News
1981
1996
2006
Chantal Firino Martell European Business School London Launched the US chapter of Medecins sans Frontieres USA Doctors Without Borders ; Currently importing in the US and promoting artisan cognac houses.
Christof Haindl European Business School London Sold family business to a Pepsi bottler last year and currently enrolled in the Kellogg-WHU EMBA program finishing in 2014. Married to an American and we have two girls.
Luiza Brennand Regents Business School London Since graduation I’ve moved back to Brazil, to my hometown Recife. In 2009 I got married and in 2010 I started working for Odebrecht (one of the biggest Brazilian conglomerates) and in 2011 I had my son Luiz Felipe.
1992 2002 Hong Boon Christopher Goy American InterContinental University London After graduation I went on to Oklahoma City University, America, to pursue an MBA. Upon graduation I returned to my home country where I joined an International Investment Bank in Malaysia. Currently I run a business consulting firm. 1994 Davide Diurisi European Business School London My company MITO luxury business and retail development is now totally focused on the luxury sector with activities in Italy, UK, India and the Emirates, supporting excellent brands and new concepts. We believe it’s time for new challenges in lifestyle and most of the brands we deal with are driven towards new concepts. 1995 James East European Business School London Married and subsequently divorced. I have an eight year old daughter, Delilah. I have worked in the offshore finance industry for seven years, as an independent financial adviser for three years, as an IT manager for four years and have been an IT programme manager for the last four years.
Wendy Castelino Regent’s School of Psychotherapy & Psychology I now have two lovely children, one boy and one girl. I am in full time private practice and specialise in PTSD and trauma work. 2003 Philippe Bizard Regent’s American College London I became a father of a son called Cyril who is now 1 year and 3 months old. In 2011 I opened up a real estate agency which is slowly growing. 2005 Guillermo Gallia European Business School London I’ve gone into the family business (textile industry) processing raw wool from Argentina and exporting to many places in Europe, Asia and Latin America. I’ve enjoyed travelling for business to all of the export locations and I’m getting married this November. Freddie Ossberg European Business School London Started Raconteur Media in 2008 which has thankfully won a few accolades in the past few years including nominated as ‘Best New Brand’ at the Marketing Society Awards 2011.
Joost Goesten Regents Business School London Moved from Amsterdam to Dubai in October 2012 for my current employer (Deloitte) to perform M&A due diligence projects in the Middle East and North Africa region. Vanessa Welsch European Business School London My sister and I created Be-achameleon in 2009 from our common passion for culture and personal development. The concept of be-a-chameleon is to provide international companies and sales people with the tools to excel in the international arena. Through our core product which is Cultural Consciousness we enable professionals to develop their personal understanding of who they are and where they come from and from there provide them with the necessary personal and cultural tools to enhance their performance in their global work environments. Until now we have worked with big companies such as Mars Inc, Standard Chartered Bank, Sony Pictures Entertainment, BP Plc and many more. Be-achameleon continues to grow and is implementing its core product Cultural Consciousness in the UK and will soon be available in Australia. I look forward to sharing the next developments in the near future.
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Your News
2007
2008
2010
Syed Shamim Bukhari European Business School London After a more than marvelous time at EBS London I got back to Karachi, Pakistan in September 2007 and joined NIB Bank Ltd as a Relationship Manager. I left NIB in June 2009 to join the National Bank of Pakistan and was promoted to Unit Head in January 2012. Most importantly – I got married and am living happily with my better half and so sweet daughter, Zahra.
Nariman Aliev European Business School London Working for Sumitomo Corporation
Daniel Cloudt European Business School London I launched a new company six months ago called M-C Recruitment. I significantly changed the headhunting process and way we work with the clients, reducing the cost per hire by 90% while maintaining quality. I am so busy that our work is a month out and I’m hiring my fifth person now. This autumn we’ll move to our new office overlooking Bryant Park and Fifth Avenue NYC.
Vivek George European Business School London I run/manage a design and development company called Serratomo in Hong Kong. We provide full-service software development and custom application programming services for smallto large- organisations located throughout the world (4 countries and counting). Yana Todorash European Business School London I’m currently an International Business Development Analyst at Viagogo.
Yatharth Gautam Regents Business School London Joined Stemcor in London in 2008, worlds largest independent steel trading company. I came to India on an assignment in 2010 heading their engineering business unit for India and joined Trafigura in India as steel trader for South Asia in 2012, also looking at thermal coal imports for India. I got married in March 2011 and we were blessed with a baby girl in January 2012. Currently living in Mumbai, India. 2009 Kabir Khorram European Business School London I got married. Philipp Zingerle European Business School London I worked in the city for expert network business (Coleman Research Group) a service provided to private equity firms to assist their due diligence. Started as an analyst associate and moved up to becoming European Sales Manager. After three years I moved back to Bolzano, Italy to start working as a commodity trader for the physical trading house Alimco. Ali Zulfiqar Regents Business School London Working as Director Sales and Marketing for a group of Airlines in Pakistan including Qantas Airways, Turkish Airlines and Air Mauritius.
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Greta Marascio European Business School London I am still studying and I will complete my MSc in Finance at Bocconi University (Milan) next year. In the meantime I am working as an intern, in London, as project manager at MEC international ( business development firm focused on Middle East finance and energy).
2011
2012
Edgar Guerra Romo European Business School London Promoted to Financial Planning Co-ordinator at Redit Mexico and USA.
Pallavi Agarwal Regents Business School London I am currently working in my family business.
Wing Kan Tong European Business School London Awarded Bloomberg Global Data Peer Choice and Manager’s Choice for Analyst of the Year 2012, I have written four articles for the international Bloomberg Markets magazine and initiated @BNAfrica Bloomberg’s Africa Twitter account with over 4,000 followers. Emine Karli Webster Graduate School I started to work as a PA in an International Company in Äzmir, Turkey. 2013 has brought me good luck because I found a job and I found the love of my life. Everthing is great.
Plamen Hadzhiyski Regents Business School London Hey everyone! I am very pleased to write a few words about my journey after graduating. I was able to work for a CFD and FX Broker during my third semester and for a year now I have been part of the Heineken family as a Future Managers trainee within Finance. All I can say is that RBS London gave me a great kickoff in my career development and introduced me to people with whom I still maintain great friendships. I wish you all good luck.
Hanh Nhu Minh Nguyen Webster Graduate School I am now living in Paris, finishing another Masters degree in Communication. I have recently joined the Regent’s Club Network as a the Alumni Co-ordinator of its Paris Club. Stephanie Peels Regent’s American College London I’m completing a scholarshipawarded masters at Warwick Business School, University of Warwick.
Alami Hind Regents Business School London Thanks to my studies in Regent’s University I am now working in a big real estate company in Morocco. Thanks Regent’s University. Gkolfo Karlou Regent’s School of Psychotherapy & Psychology I have started a private practice. Waqas Malik Regents Business School London Working in my family business. I have also started new ventures in the media and the hotel industry.
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Alumni Events
Launch of the Regent’s Report: The UK and Europe: Costs, Benefits, Options
The Regent’s Luxury Lecture Joseph Wan CEO Harvey Nicholls
EBS London Class of 1984-1994 Reunion
Regent’s University London Herringham Hall
Regent’s University London Herringham Hall
Regent’s University London Herringham Hall
21 October 2013 Programme starts at 17:30 followed by a reception
28 October 2013 18:30
9 November 2013 18:30
We are delighted to welcome the former CEO of the Harvey Nichols group to talk about his 20 years of experience at the head of a leading luxury brand. Wan has been CEO of the Harvey Nichols group in the UK since 1992. Harvey Nichols was listed on the London Stock Exchange between 1996 and 2003, when it went back into private ownership. Spaces will be limited so please register via the alumni web pages.
We are delighted once again to invite all EBS Alumni who graduated between 1984 and1994 back to Regent’s for a special reunion. It is three years since out last reunion for this cohort and due to popular demand we are proud to host this exclusive event one more time. We will start the evening with a champagne reception followed by a special presentation and culminate the evening with dinner and speeches.
Launch of Regent’s Club Munich
In Conversation with Sir Win Bischoff, Chairman of Lloyds Banking Group
Peter Sutherland, Chairman of Goldman Sachs International and former European Commissioner for Competition, will launch the Regent’s Report. This report has been commissioned by the University and in more than twenty short essays provides tested evidence and clear analysis, outlining the costs and/or benefits of a changed status in the relationship between the UK and the European Union for specific sectors of our economy and society. It is, we believe, so far the only independent, wide ranging, professional and nonpolitical contribution to the debate produced by a university.
The Victorian House Viktualienmarkt, Frauenstr. 14, 80469 Munich 31 October 2013 19:00 You are invited to Launch of Regent’s Club Munich – part of our international alumni network run by alumni based all over the world. The venue for the opening event is the ‘Victorian House’ at Viktualienmarkt. This unique location that also gives you the chance to relive all your happy memories of dearly-missed London while meeting new friends. Munich is our third club to launch in Germany, and will be hosted by alumni coordinators, Judith Pöttgen and Fabian Kränzlin. The Regent’s Club has also launched in Mumbai, Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Singapore.
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Regent’s University London 18 November 2013 18:00 Any alumni with an interest in banking and finance should come to our intimate event with this influential city leader. The event will be followed by a drinks reception allowing you to network with alumni and other invited guests. Spaces will be limited so please register via the alumni web pages.
Gallery
REGENT’S UNIVERSITY LAUNCH PARTY A celebration of this significance wouldn’t be complete without our alumni and we were pleased that so many of you joined us. We welcomed back graduates from every school at Regent’s as well as former Bedford College students whose experiences form part of the rich academic history on our campus. This is a small selection of the photos we took on the day and you can see the full gallery on our facebook page www.facebook.com/ RULAlumni. You can also read messages from many of guests and contribute to our interactive guest book http://padlet.com/wall/launch.
The bond or common thread is already there before we even meet. Everyone feels welcome and included. Undoubtedly you’ll bump into Regent’s Alumni in all the continents of the world. Henna Sipari European Business School London Class of 2011