The University of Derby Magazine (issue 8)

The University of Derby

MAGAZINE Issue 8 • Summer 2018

INSIDE British racing cyclist Charlie Tanfield, the University of Derby's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kath Mitchell, and Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, founder of the Stemettes

derby.ac.uk 1

contents 4 FEATURE

26 MY VIEW

How to solve a cold case

Professor Warren Manning, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean, College of Engineering and Technology, on the Industrial Strategy and the opportunities it’s created

28 FEATURE

7 OPINION

The University of Derby

Marketing Derby Managing Director, John Forkin

With 2018 marking 100 years of the RAF, what is the University of Derby doing to support Armed Forces veterans?

32 5 MINUTES WITH…

Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, CEO and Co-founder of Stemettes

8 OVER TO YOU

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, three years into her tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby

12 THE GREAT DEBATE

Can terrorism be tackled?

34 RESEARCH ROUND-UP

How the University’s research is impacting big businesses

36 FEATURE Editorial:

Rosie Marshalsay, Jeremy Swan, Kelly Tyler, Sam O'Hanlon, Gemma Bradley and Deanna Mathieson

Design:

Matt Cartwright

We’re always on the lookout for interesting people to interview for future issues, so if you’ve got a good story to tell please get in touch – editor@derby.ac.uk

16 FEATURE

Mental health – are our young people in crisis?

20 SPOTLIGHT ON…

How can we tackle income and wealth inequality?

38 41 42 44

GRADUATE PROFILE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CHAIR STUDENT SUCCESS LOCAL LINK-UP

Turning the tide on plastic waste

22 FEATURE

This publication has been sent to provide key information and updates from the University of Derby only.

If you wish to stop receiving these communications please contact development@derby.ac.uk

What is the value of an arts education?

46 LAST WORD

The University of Derby Magazine

“Derby is a university that will never sit still.

It’s an institution going places thanks to the collective ambition, commitment and support of staff, students and stakeholders.”

M

ental health, plastics, terrorism, the value of the arts, and economic inequality are just some of the topics we tackle in this issue.

The breadth of subjects covered is a reflection of the depth and diversity of expertise within the University of Derby; a place full of intrigue and innovation. So much knowledge contained within its walls being discussed, debated and disseminated.

I’m sure you know by now that Derby is a university full of ambition, with a growing external profile and reputation under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Professor Kath Mitchell. In this issue, Kath comments on the challenges and opportunities that leading a modern university in a rapidly changing higher education sector brings, and looks back on the progress that’s been made since she joined Derby.

Building on last year’s Teaching Excellence Framework success, in which our teaching excellence was recognised with a gold award, and our recent rise up the Guardian University Guide to 29th place, we entered the prestigious Global Teaching Excellence Awards 2018.

across the globe to be shortlisted; the winner will be announced this month so please keep your fingers crossed!

Closer to home, this year is whizzing by. The summer months signal that another academic year is coming to a close, and with it comes the end of Chris Hughes’ 17 years as a member of the University’s Governing Council, of which he has spent the last seven as Chair, providing valuable strategic direction and counsel to guide the University’s development and continued success.

In his ‘Last Word’, Chris reflects on his time spent in the role and the transformation of the University that he’s witnessed taking place. A transformation that is set to continue into 2018/19 and beyond, as one thing is for sure, Derby is a university that will never sit still.

It’s an institution going places thanks to the collective ambition, commitment and support of staff, students and stakeholders, and I for one, can’t wait to see where the future takes us.

Enjoy your summer.

It will come as no surprise that we were thrilled to discover we are one of just 17 institutions from

Rosie Marshalsay

Editor’s letter 3

Writer: Jeremy Swan

We all love a good detective story. From the cosy crime escapades of Hercule Poirot, using the ‘little grey cells’ to unravel fiendish felonies, to the gritty world of Silent Witness, where a whole case can turn on the discovery of that vital bit of forensic evidence.

4

The University of Derby Magazine

"Under my guidance, the students identified a number of issues with the case and we’re now in a position to ask the Italian authorities to reopen the case as a murder investigation."

Tony Blockley

In the real world, cold cases like Jack the Ripper or the assassination of JFK similarly excite people’s fascination with mystery and the need to know whodunit.

evidence clearly suggests it wasn’t. Under my guidance, the students identified a number of issues with the case and we’re now in a position to ask the Italian authorities to reopen the case as a murder investigation.

But what is it really like to work on a murder investigation? And how do the experts approach tricky cold cases?

“One of the issues we identified was around the knife involved in her death. It was clear that the handle had been wiped clean after it was used and people who commit suicide don’t do that. Consequently, the forensics team could not find any DNA evidence. But there are forensic techniques that can find microscopic DNA traces in crevices around the handle, and these tests weren’t carried out at the time.”

Separating fact from fiction

“Programmes like CSI or Silent Witness are great for getting people interested in forensics, but they’re not that accurate to be honest,” says Sanita Nezirovic, Programme Leader for Forensic Science. “What they show is a glamorised version of reality, where you turn up to a crime scene in sunglasses and stilettos, and use technologies that don’t exist. Research carried out in the last few years suggests that only around 40% of the science you see in TV shows is actually real. The rest is made up.

“Crime dramas often show one person getting involved in everything. They will do interviews - collecting, processing and interpreting the evidence, and so on.

That’s not how it works in practice. Everyone in the team has their own specific area of expertise that requires special training.”

Challenging this dramatized image, while giving students a real-world experience of investigations, is a key aspect of teaching in criminology-related disciplines at Derby. Academics have developed an initiative called ‘Justice for all’, where students in Law, Criminology and Forensics come together to assess real cases. Working with charities such as Murdered Abroad, students have looked at various ‘open verdict’ cases where British nationals have lost their lives in unexplained circumstances overseas.

“We recently examined the case of a British woman who died in Italy in 2014,” explains Tony. “Claire Martin was found with multiple stab wounds to her neck and the Italian authorities recorded a verdict of suicide. But the

Examining the body

As a Forensic Anthropologist, Sanita specialises in assessing human remains. She explains that there are strict policies governing how forensic officers carry out their work. “The scientific techniques have advanced significantly in recent years, and have given us greater confidence in the conclusions we can draw. But you still have to approach each case carefully, ensuring that you can demonstrate the continuity of evidence and a clear chain of custody. We have to be very strict on this, recording our actions and taking photos. If the case ends up in court, then the authorities need to demonstrate that the evidence presented hasn’t been tampered with in any way.

“I spend a lot of time working on archaeological rather than criminal cases, but the principles are the same.

When it comes to assessing human remains, I will look to build up a presumptive profile of who the individual was.

What sex were they? How old? How tall? How did they die? It can sometimes be quite challenging to find out information, so you look for ways to contextualise what you are looking at.

“A few months ago, I was called to assess a skeleton in a farmer’s field in Northumberland, which had been buried in a stone cist. Using carbon dating and knowledge of historical burial practices, we were able to date the remains to the Bronze Age, around 3,500 years ago.

5

The experts

Tony Blockley is the Head of Policing at the University of Derby. During his 32-year career in policing, he worked as a divisional chief superintendent with Derbyshire Constabulary and, as Head of Crime, was responsible for investigating serious crime, homicide forensics, public protection, covert operations and managing intelligence across Derbyshire.

Sanita Nezirovic is the Programme Leader for Forensic Science with Criminology at the University of Derby. Sanita also works as a consultant for The Archaeological Practice Ltd, using her knowledge of forensic anthropology to assess human remains uncovered by archaeologists.

“From there I carried out a morphological assessment, looking for visual clues on the skeleton itself. By looking at the development of the bones, I was able to assess that the remains probably belonged to a Caucasian man aged 17 to 21, who was between 1.72m and 1.79m tall. He had excellent teeth and symmetrical features, so he would have been a catch for the ladies. He must also have been a significant person in his community, because he was found buried with a horsehair blanket and a small decorated beaker.

“My students have also looked into the case of a young lady, Denyse Sweeney, who died in Goa. The evidence put forward by the Goan authorities suggested she died of a drugs overdose, however the autopsy reports found no supporting evidence. This is where we can help, taking an unbiased and objective view of the evidence, and forming a fresh picture of what could have happened. We found that Denyse had a substantial injury to her head that was inconsistent with the official suggestions. We highlighted our findings to the authorities and a new investigation was opened.

"You have to look for anomalies in the case.

What's missing? What doesn't feel right? So often it's the little things that get overlooked that turn out to be the key details."

Tony Blockley “So it is possible to find out useful information using scientific techniques, even when the case is a very cold one!”

Elementary, my dear Watson

Working on cold cases is vital for students looking to gain industry experience, according to Tony, who is keen to pass on what he has learned to the next generation.

“The first step in investigating a cold case,” he explains, “is collecting all the material. You need to get hold of all of the evidence and do your own background research.

Once you have done that, you are in a position to start thinking about what the evidence tells you. ‘Assume nothing’ is something we drill into people. You believe nobody and challenge everything.

6

“You have to look for the anomalies in the case.

What’s missing? What doesn’t feel right? So often it’s the little things that get overlooked that turn out to be the key details. That’s where fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes get really interesting. They notice the small details and build up a bigger picture from there.”

Solving a cold case

In many cases, agree Sanita and Tony, solving a cold case comes down to teamwork.

“You might get to a position where you have asked all the questions and still don’t have the answer,” says Tony. “That can be incredibly frustrating. But other times, intuition kicks in and you just know something is wrong with the evidence you have. By working collaboratively with a range of experts you can often help each other to unpick the truth.”

The University of Derby Magazine

Opinion John Forkin Managing Director, Marketing Derby

A few years ago, Adam Peaty – the City of Derby club swimmer and University of Derby Honorand – started to win gold medals, seemingly breaking world records for fun. His success gave rise to a thought; how do we celebrate local heroes and, more interestingly, who are they?

Our American cousins are a little less diffident. They simply love homegrown success and celebrate without fear. In Britain, however, we are a little more reserved (some would say reluctant) to fly the flag of success with too much gusto.

So, having watched young Adam conquer the world, a small group came together to ask: who are the stars of Derby and how might we celebrate their contribution?

The “how” was settled quickly when Derby City Council agreed to use some of their D2N2 LEP public realm cash to create a Walk of Fame. You might have seen these “stars” laid into the paving in Cannes, Hollywood and even Birmingham.

We decided to put Derby’s stars right in the heart of our regeneration priority area – St Peter’s Quarter, which sits between the chi-chi Cathedral Quarter and the bustling intu Derby – but to do it the Derby way, that is to do it innovatively.

We used local artisans to design and cast one metre square units of iron, but we also designed a high tech innovative smartphone app, complete with impressive augmented reality capabilty, that tells the back-story of each star.

For the “who” we decided to engage the Derby public, asking who they thought deserved recognition. An extensive campaign in the Derby Telegraph produced an astonishing 400 names, with often passionate cases made as to why a particular person should be forever remembered.

The really tough bit was whittling 400 down to the 10 names agreed, reflecting almost 500 years of brilliance where Derbeians helped to shape their wider world.

I won’t list all 10 here – I urge you to download the Made in Derby app to see them – but, names such as Clough and Taylor, and Rolls and Royce, are present as might be expected.

More interestingly perhaps, so are some names which you may not know.

These include Louis Martin, a local hero in Normanton where I grew up. Louis, part of the Windrush generation, became Britain’s greatest Olympic weight lifter.

Alice Wheeldon, also from Derby’s inner city, was our most famous suffragist and war campaigner. Alice was framed by the Secret Service who accused her of planning to assassinate the Prime Minister, Lloyd George.

From a University of Derby perspective it was great to see Honorary Doctorate, and one of the world’s greatest actors, Sir John Hurt, included. John fell in love with cinema in Derby and was an active supporter of the city’s cultural activity up until his death.

Celebration of local success is good. It provides a platform for aspiration and greater achievement. It instils a sense of pride in the city and creates a legacy for future generations.

I’m delighted that Derby is finally confident enough to create a walk of fame and, even better news, that funding is already available for a second phase.

Time to dust down the 390 remaining nominees and start the difficult task of selection again…

7

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, University of Derby Vice-Chancellor Writer: Rosie Marshalsay

I

t would have been difficult for anyone to predict quite how much change the Higher Education sector would be subjected to over the last few years, and the unprecedented challenges that a new Vice-Chancellor would be navigating so early on in their tenure.

For Professor Kathryn Mitchell - or Kath as she is known to colleagues - who joined the University of Derby as Vice-Chancellor in September 2015, this rollercoaster that the sector is experiencing has done little to dampen her enthusiasm for the role.

“To be Vice-Chancellor feels as amazing now as it did three years ago in taking up the appointment,” she says without hesitation.

“Interestingly the sector has changed quite dramatically since I joined Derby. Whilst some change is to be expected, I did not anticipate we would have a new regulator, or foresee the extent of the challenges being put forward regarding our fee regime. My vision of what we would be delivering at Derby has changed; it is nothing like the presentation I gave during my interview for the role.”

8

Kath’s vision then was focused on undergraduate provision and establishing core areas of development.

Fast forward to today and it is a different story.

“When I first came here there was a question over what the role was of the University of Derby in the UK and global contexts. This needed to change. Colleagues are now much more outward looking; they understand the importance of comparing themselves effectively with the external measures that lead to developing an outstanding university, which is what I want Derby to be.

“There is a clear need to diversify what we are doing, and to support this we have launched a new strategic framework, intended to make a bold statement about our key priorities; excellence in teaching and learning, ensuring each of the programmes that we deliver are underpinned with our research agenda, and how that in turns links to, and supports, the industrial strategy.

“We are also working more effectively with our students in applied settings, where they can use their skills, as well as the theories and models they have learnt, to

The University of Derby Magazine

"To be Vice-Chancellor feels as amazing now as it did three years ago in taking up the appointment."

tackle real-world projects. This will help ensure we are developing confident graduates, and at the same time give industry the confidence in us to deliver excellence.

“That is short term. Longer term we need to make our approach financially sustainable - a key element of which will be to ensure we have a staff base of critical thinkers who are flexible and agile, so we can be confident of keeping ahead in a sector that will be subject to continual change.”

As well as significant change, the sector has been subjected to intense scrutiny, politically and publicly, and the expectations on universities to provide value for money for students and stakeholders, whilst playing many other roles, are high. Despite this pressure Derby continues to deliver – the institution was awarded Gold in last year’s Teaching Excellence Framework, and its graduate employability outcomes are rising.

“When I arrived, the University was in the lowest quartile for graduate employability. That did not feel right for an organisation that sits in a region with a huge amount of graduate jobs and I wondered, why weren't our graduates in these roles? How colleagues - both academic and professional services staff - turned this situation around through taking on the challenge together was one of the most impressive things that I have witnessed since joining the University. It was strategic partnership working at its best and delivered an outcome for our students that they deserved.”

The results speak for themselves; graduate employability is up 10% from last year to 74.1% and is expected to increase year-on-year.

“Adopting a more strategic partnership approach will be critical to our success as we move forward. We want to give our students so much more than just a three

9

year course. It is about the experience they have at all touchpoints of their time here; we want them to feel that Derby is an institution that is going places, an institution they can be highly positive about, and one that gives them a future.”

Whilst the future of the University’s students looks bright, there is certainly work to be done to ensure the city’s young people get to benefit from similar opportunities. Derby was identified1 last year as a social mobility cold spot - an area with particularly entrenched barriers that make it hard for young people to progress.

As a result the city was designated an Opportunity Area and allocated funding as part of a government programme designed to raise education standards and broaden the horizons of young people.

As Chair of the Derby Opportunity Area partnership board, Kath has first-hand experience of the challenges the city faces, and the importance of getting education right to ensure its long term prosperity.

“As a university I am keen for us to play a much stronger civic role. Part of this is a responsibility we 1 www.gov.uk/government/news/ plans-launched-to-drive-social-mobility-in-opportunity-areas

10

need to take on to work with the city to enable it to look forward, envisioning how it could be for young people now and in the future. From early years, all the way through to aged 19, we want young people to have choice – whether they choose to go to university, straight into a job, become an apprentice or do something completely different. The problem, and this is a national issue, is that not all young people have choice because of the lack of opportunities offered to them throughout the education system.

“Derby is a microcosm of that, so what we need to do is look at young people as individuals and work out what the barriers have been for them on their journey, and how we best tackle them. Thankfully we have very passionate leaders in the city and in our schools who know that the way we work needs to change. What is impressive is that they are committed to working collaboratively and transparently so we don’t have so many young people not achieving.

“Ultimately we want to help create a high-performing city which has education at its heart, a city that is focused on creating opportunities and is working with

The University of Derby Magazine

“Ultimately we want to help create a high-performing city which has education at its heart, a city that is focused on creating opportunities and is working with our large industries to help mould a society where everyone can benefit.”

our large industries to help mould a society where everyone can benefit.”

That sounds like a big undertaking, is it achievable?

“I do not think I have met anybody that does not want Derby to thrive; I meet people all the time who are passionate about our city and county. However, if we want to deliver success for the region - and attract funding that would help establish Derby as a stronger and more economically viable city - then the city and county need to work more collaboratively together.

“Our students play a part in this success too - they contribute a huge amount to the local economy - and as location can influence where students choose to study, their experience during their time at university, and whether they remain there as graduates, I think there needs to be some work done around the value placed on them, and how this can be reflected within the city as part of its strategy going forward.”

The role of Vice-Chancellor seems to bring with it both pressure and privilege - successfully running a huge organisation and everything that entails, combined with the knowledge that your role can be truly transformational - not only within the University, but in the city and further afield. Taking all of this into account, what do you most look forward to when you come to work each day?

“At heart I am still an academic; I am a person who believes that every day we can influence somebody’s level of attainment in their degree education. So what I look forward to most are the challenges that each day may bring, but also knowing that I can make a significant impact on the future success of our students and staff.”

11

CAN TERRORISM

BE TACKLED?

T

he UK has experienced thousands of terror attacks since 1970, according to the Global Terrorism Database. So, can terrorism ever be tackled? Kelly Tyler reports.

Parsons Green, Finsbury Park, London Bridge, Manchester Arena and Westminster – five major incidents of terror that shook the UK in 2017. More than 200 people were injured and another 30 were left dead.

And yet, while incredibly tragic, events such as these are not unheard of. In fact, they add to a long history of terror in Britain.

Take the 1970s, for instance, which were plagued with attacks carried out by Irish republican and loyalist factions, and the Lockerbie Disaster in 1988, which saw a Pan Am transatlantic flight destroyed by a bomb killing 270 people.

So, decades later, why are these atrocities still happening in society and what fuels people to carry them out?

“The starting point for people to commit an act of terror is often something ordinary,” says Dr Phil Henry, Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Derby, who is conducting research in the field of terrorism. “They are very often described as vulnerable people who feel they lack opportunity, equality, and discriminated against. These feelings of uncertainty can often spiral into extreme thoughts and even actions, but it does not happen overnight.

12

“The double bind here is a confused environment of Islamist extremist narratives on one side, fuelling and being fuelled by extreme right-wing narratives on the other. Both feed and mirror the other with similar grievances. This can escalate through perversions of religious or political ideological views into dehumanising ‘others’, creating division and violence.”

Andy Thomas, Head of Community Safety at Derby City Council, who is responsible for managing and raising awareness of extremism, as well as community cohesion in the city, agrees. “You can’t become radicalised without first having extreme views. 99.9% of people share the values of family, love and community, but there are, unfortunately, some who don’t.

“Very often extremism and radicalisation is borne out of other vulnerabilities such as mental health issues, alcohol and drug problems, or family difficulties; there tends to be an underlying cause which triggers an incident.

“People go through a process; they become susceptible to extreme ideas, then begin to take these views on board before becoming radicalised. Some of those individuals who want to cause harm do actually go on to do it.”

Social media plays a huge role in spreading the message of extreme views across the globe and in recruiting people to join terror groups, such as Islamic State, says Phil.

The University of Derby Magazine

“Technological advances allow communication to happen instantly, so it is easy for people from Syria and Iraq, for example, to communicate with people in Western Europe. There is ease in communicating de-humanising messages online and to spread feelings of hatred and divisiveness between communities.

“Communication online is very often how people are lured in and is a platform to prey on their already existing vulnerabilities. Recruiters will recast sound religious views and manipulate people into believing they have a responsibility to their faith to act in a certain, misinformed way. They present an idea of Utopia and people fall for it.”

But when these vulnerable people join extremist groups, they are faced with a stark reality, explains Phil.

“The sadness of it all is that what they were promised is nothing like what they get. They are often subjected to medieval attitudes and receive punishment, such as whipping, for minor infringements like smoking and drinking alcohol. The perpetrators recreate these acts because they want to be seen as the most brutal organisation on the planet.

“Islamist terrorists need to do two things; they need to create fear and they need to act as a convincing proxy to God. “These vulnerable people are not convinced the right thing to do is to commit violence, but they do because they are told to in the name of religion. This is not what they bought in to. Often, it was the promise they would be supporting people who are suffering and a better life for themselves; a husband or wife, a house, and a good education for their children.”

In 2003, two years prior to the first Islamist extremist suicide bomb attack in the UK – 7 July 2005 – the government introduced its anti-terror UK wide Contest strategy, designed to support people at risk of joining extremist groups and carrying out terrorist activities.

It is designed around the four P’s – pursue terrorist attackers, prevent people from becoming terrorists, protect the public and prepare for attacks. The Prevent element was formally introduced in 2006 (as a pilot) and rolled out from 2007.

Fifteen years on – and some revisions later – are the strategies in place fit for purpose?

thresholds of intervention programmes. So, what do we do with them? Do they just sit in the worry box?

“The strategy needs to be refreshed now.

Islamic State may have lost geographical and territorial space, but extreme ideas haven’t died and those ideas will continue.

We know, cyclically, that terrorism works generationally, so we see shifts in the way terror works globally over time.

“What you need to know about bomb making and terrorism you can find on the internet. The cry is for internet service providers and social media platforms to take this type of material down and they are making every effort to, but it is needle in a haystack territory – there’s so much, it’s not possible to police it all.”

Derby City Council, which has been supporting the Prevent strategy for more than 10 years and was a pilot city for the scheme when it was first introduced, is focusing on community cohesion to tackle the risk of radicalisation.

“The starting point for people to commit an act of terror is often something ordinary.”

Dr Phil Henry

“Following the Manchester attack, MI5 has said it has about 20,000 people it is concerned about – or ‘persons of interest,’” explains Phil. “These are people who are not committing criminal offences, so the law cannot be used to manage them, but they also don’t meet the

13

From projects to empower women in identifying signs of extremism, to working with young people and religious groups, the Council has a string of schemes in place under the branch of Channel – a multi-agency approach to provide support for people who are assessed as being vulnerable to supporting any form of extremism.

“Channel has been operating successfully in Derby for around seven years, and covers all forms of extremism,” explains Andy. “If a person is identified as at risk of extremism, the support that is offered is tailored for each person and could include help with family or relationship problems, mental health support, mentoring, and faith guidance.

“On a one-to-one basis the schemes are working but it is very challenging. A lot of what we do is based on consent and, because it’s pre-criminal, you cannot force people to engage.”

A vital way of raising awareness of radicalisation is through education, says Helen Beecher Bryant, who works at children’s charity Kidscape. She was involved in running an Extremism and Radicalisation Awareness (EARA) programme with more than 2,500 young people and staff in 25 schools across London in 2017, after the organisation secured a share of a £2 million Department for Education grant.

mention something like the Manchester Arena attack and the Ariana Grande concert, there is not a young person who hasn’t heard of that – that really brought home how real the threat is.”

The current threat level for international terror in the UK is severe, which means an attack is highly likely.

Derby was identified by the Home Office as a priority risk area in 2011 and remains a tier two priority city, along with Leicester, below only the London Boroughs, Birmingham and Manchester.

“What goes on internationally and globally can and often does have a big effect on communities locally, but the UK is very resilient and a lot of our vulnerable communities experience crime far more often and regularly than they would ever a terrorist attack,” says Andy.

So, can terrorism ever be tackled?

“Extremism – if it’s not undermining our core values and is not criminal – can sometimes be a force for good. Anti-slave campaigners 200 years ago were deemed extremists and, at one time, women’s rights campaigners and suffragettes were labelled extremists, so one can argue that extremism or radical thinking is good for society because it can create change for good. However, it can also create change for evil,” Andy says.

"Young people are exposed to a range of negative information"

“Young people are exposed to a range of negative information, which can be shared very easily through social media. It is all about sharpening their critical thinking skills and getting them to rigorously question and challenge where that information comes from.”

As part of the scheme, school staff were trained in how to spot the signs of extremism and radicalisation among their pupils and the children were given the tools to identify when someone may be trying to groom them online and encouraging them to take part in extremist or radical behaviour.

“It’s extremely important to protect and educate young people about radicalisation,” stresses Helen. “The voluntary sector has a unique role to play in the delivery of this type of programme, because we are able to go with a safeguarding prerogative, which is extremely effective.

“I was in classrooms where some children knew a lot about terrorism and others didn’t. Sometimes people don’t necessarily link what they hear in the media with extremism and radicalisation, but then when you 14

“With the money and resources we have from government, I believe as much as possible is being carried out by agencies to tackle radicalisation. I do worry that we will become a more divided society in the future, which will leave people behind. This could cause anger and alienation and a lack of association and commitment by people for their community, city and country. There’s some real systemic issues in British society and cuts in public services, particularly in the homelessness provision and mental health services, which means vulnerable people are even more vulnerable and that leads to the risk of people committing acts of violence.

“We are doing a good job at trying to manage but I worry it’s a sticking plaster when the causes of alienation and vulnerability are not actually being tackled.”

Phil agrees: “We aspire to live in a society without evil.

Somehow, perversely, we believe we can make the world a wonderful place where equality is a reality and racist and other hate-filled ideas are not going to exist.

But they will – always.”

POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT DERBY Discover how we can help you reach your career goals BOOK YOUR OPEN EVENT Thursday 6 September, 5pm - 7pm

derby.ac.uk/postgraduate 15

W

ith reports of rising mental health issues in young people, is the UK in a critical condition? Kelly Tyler investigates.

According to an Institute for Public Policy Research report1, 19% of 16-24 year-olds in England now experience a mental health condition – up from 15% in 2003.

Controversially, young people who became adults in the 2010s, are now being coined ‘Generation Snowflake’ – “overly sensitive” adolescents who are “less resilient and more prone to take offence than previous generations.” So popular is the term, it has even been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

But Gareth Hughes, Researcher and Psychotherapist at the University of Derby, says there are a number of reasons why mental health issues are on the rise in young people – and it is not because they are too emotionally vulnerable.

1 Institute for Public Policy Research report ‘Not by Degrees: Improving Student Mental Health in the UK’s Universities’ www.ippr.org/publications/not-by-degrees

16

The University of Derby Magazine “This is a complex social and cultural problem with many interlocking causes,” expresses Gareth.

“There has been a change in the way the education system works, which has had a big impact. Schools are extremely focused on exam grades, raising extrinsic motivation and stripping out opportunities to develop students’ broader skills and confidence.

“Parenting styles have also changed.

Many parents feel under pressure to deliver the perfect childhood and so they are stepping in to manage emotional stress for their children.

This means there are less learning opportunities for children to develop things like self-soothing skills.

“Social media is also having a significant impact on young people’s focus and sleep patterns and, for some, can increase feelings and fears of social isolation.”

According to a report by the Prince’s Trust2, young people’s happiness and confidence in their emotional health has fallen to the lowest level ever recorded.

The Trust’s Macquarie Youth Index report, which surveyed more than 2,000 16-25 year olds, found the biggest declines in happiness relate to young people’s work or education, their emotional health and money – with 48% of people worried about their emotional health.

The number of students who have declared a mental health problem to their university has also increased dramatically over the past 10 years.

More than 15,000 first-year university students disclosed a mental health problem in 2015-16 – almost five times the number in 2006-73.

As a result of increasing levels of mental illness, distress and low 2 The Prince’s Trust Macquarie Youth Index report for 2018 www.princes-trust.org.uk/about-the-trust/research-policies-reports/youth-index-2018 3 Institute for Public Policy Research report ‘Not by Degrees: Improving Student Mental Health in the UK’s Universities’ www.ippr.org/publications/not-by-degrees

wellbeing among students in higher education, the demand for services has dramatically risen, with waiting times also reported to be on the up4.

Over the past five years, universities have reported a 94% increase in demand for counselling services, while 61% report an increase of over 25%5.

“We are definitely seeing a rise in demand for services across the sector, as much as 150% for some institutions,” says Gareth. “We have also seen increasing complexity in the nature of the problems presented and increases in risk.

“More of our students are arriving

" We have also seen increasing complexity in the nature of the problems presented and increases in risk." with mental health problems or have not yet developed the skills to be successful at university and this impacts on their wellbeing and learning.

Research also shows that academics are struggling to cope with the high demand of students with mental health issues coming to them for support.

Researchers at the University of Derby, including Gareth, and King’s College London, interviewed 52 academics across a range of disciplines to find out how they were responding to student mental health.

The report ‘Student Mental Health: The Role and Experience of Academics’ – in conjunction with charity Student Minds – revealed that academics felt responding to student mental health was now an “inevitable part of the academic role” and that they felt unprepared for the demands, and inexperienced in offering effective guidance.

“This research throws light on how academics are a vital but often unrecognised part of the support available to students at universities,” says Rosie Tressler, CEO of Student Minds.

“It is inevitable that students will reach out to whoever they feel comfortable with, so to ensure that student support needs are met, institutions must support academics to have roles with clear boundaries and good relationships with their student services.”

So, what support is out there for struggling students and academics, and is it effective?

“We can’t pretend this isn’t happening – but students are here to learn and learning to overcome problems, manage their wellbeing and develop self-awareness is part of that.

Jo Jones, Student Services Manager at the University of Derby, has worked at the institution for the past 20 years in Student Wellbeing and has a background in managing clinical mental health services in the NHS.

“Students are now coming forward to access services, which may have contributed slightly to the increase, but this certainly doesn’t account for it all.”

“The staff we employ in mental health roles are qualified, professionally registered and have extensive experience of working in health and social care,” she explains.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

17

“This has facilitated effective joint working practices with external statutory mental health services, making best use of pre-existing relationships with students, skills and resources to achieve best outcomes for students.

“We work closely with academics and, because our Student Wellbeing Team engages in research and teaching, it enables these relationships to be built on mutual understanding.

“At Derby we work with a research, practice, teaching model that allows us to develop new evidence and interventions and constantly improve our practice and teaching.”

Despite the increase in mental health declarations, through research, developing new clinical interventions, restructuring the service and a successful outreach strategy, the Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing team at Derby has been able to reduce its waiting times for students accessing mental health support.

The team has implemented a comprehensive strategy focused on three key areas; conducting research to advance the sector and embed into service practice, addressing mental health as an institution-wide issue, and working with students on a three-tiered model – students at risk, vulnerable students and improving the wellbeing of all students.

Applicants and students more vulnerable to poor mental health are provided with proactive interventions from their first contact with the University. Those with complex needs benefit from a summer school, transition programme and support to transfer their health care.

Other support includes yoga classes, allotment projects to get students outdoors, as well as therapeutic interventions to treat exam anxiety, writer’s block, and difficulty with sleep and motivation.

18

Earlier this year, the University received a £150,000 share of a £1.5 million grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), awarded to 17 universities to improve support for the mental health and wellbeing of postgraduate research (PGR) students.

The funding will be used to create a national student wellbeing online resource, providing proactive multimedia resources that consider the whole PGR experience and support positive cultural change towards good mental health.

Derby’s Student Wellbeing Team has also received funding from the Vice-Chancellor’s Ideas Forum – set up to support staff to develop their ideas and enable a cultural change across the institution – to provide mental health awareness training to academic and support staff across the University.

The project aims to equip staff with the skills and strategies to respond to students appropriately, increase the wellbeing of staff, reduce the time that academics are spending responding to student mental health, and reduce the risk to staff, students and the institution.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of universities taking a proactive whole-institution approach to mental health,” says Jo. “We need to think about every aspect of our students’ experience, from their relationship with staff in halls of residence, to their participation in the Union of Students’ societies, to the quality of their learning experience.

Everyone needs to understand their importance to student wellbeing.

“We also need to support our academics, by working collaboratively to provide appropriate interventions for students which, in turn, will allow our academic staff to focus their expertise on teaching and learning.”

In a bid to address the mental health issues across the sector, Universities UK launched a framework, Step Change, to support higher education senior teams to adopt mental health as a strategic imperative.

While the organisation recognises that “universities take student mental health very seriously,” it is calling for institutions to build on the support services and external links that already exist and take a “whole university” approach.

“Universities must have wellresourced and effective support services but that alone cannot solve this problem,” explains Gareth.

“Many students who experience problems will not seek formal support and proactive work can prevent many more from becoming ill.

“We want students to take control of their own mental wellbeing too; ensuring they get fresh air, eat and sleep well, join societies and, when they find their studies tough, positively reflect on why they chose the subject in the first place – all of this can really make a difference.”

The issue of mental health across the higher education sector has now been recognised and can be addressed, says Gareth.

“We understand the challenges, and they are becoming more severe, but we believe our students are amazing and that this problem can be overcome,” he adds.

“This is not a crisis and our students are not snowflakes. These are educated, resilient individuals and, with the right support, they are capable of changing the world.”

For more information, and advice, visit www.studentminds.org.uk.

READY TO INVEST IN YOUR WORKFORCE? Ensure your organisation’s success by motivating and engaging your workforce with online learning.

Delivered 100% online, our short courses are designed to enable employers to train and develop their workforce, maximising employee efficiency and benefiting from greater flexibility and accessibility.

Online learning benefits:

 Cost effective

 Ensures consistency

 Easily measurable

By utilising our experience and know-how we can work with employers seeking to develop their workforce by providing a total solutions package, incorporating content development, academic knowledge and hosted solutions.

Call 01332 597888 or email UDOLbusinessdevelopment@derby.ac.uk to discuss further

www.derby.ac.uk/online-business 19 4

SPOTLIGHT ON...

Writer: Sam O’Hanlon

T

he BBC’s Blue Planet 2 was one of the most viewed programmes in recent years, delighting millions each week with close-up footage of the incredible variety of plants and animals that live in our oceans.

But it was also a huge wake-up call about the damage we’re doing to the oceans through our excessive use of plastic. In one episode, we watched as a hawksbill turtle was rescued from a plastic sack and in another moving scene, we saw a dead albatross chick, killed in the nest by a plastic toothpick that had entered the food chain and pierced its stomach.

These are far from isolated cases. Nature is paying the price for our wasteful, convenience-obsessed, singleuse society, with eight million tonnes of plastic dumped into the world’s oceans every year1. It has even been estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish (by weight) in the seas2.

litter for every 100-metre stretch of beach surveyed – an increase of 10% on the previous year. Packaging from food and drink consumed on the go made up at least one fifth of this3.

This kind of single-use plastic is generally only used for short periods – sometimes as little as 11 minutes4 – before being discarded. To make matters worse, not all plastics can be recycled and most are not biodegradable, so once they enter the oceans they can remain there for thousands of years.

For birds and larger marine creatures, there is a risk of becoming entangled in plastic bags and other debris, or mistaking brightly coloured plastic for food. Larger pieces can damage the digestive systems of animals and can, as in the case of the albatross chick, prove fatal.

In the UK alone, the Marine Conservation Society’s recent Great British Beach Clean found 718 pieces of

The threat from plastic waste is not limited to visible pieces, however: bottles, bags and other items break down into minute fragments or ‘micro-plastics’, which enter every link of the food chain. Toxic pollutants can

1 Jenna Jambeck et al. ‘Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean’, February 2015 2 Ellen McCarthur Foundation, ‘New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics’, January 2016

3 Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach Clean, 2017 Report 4 Sian Sutherland, co-founder of campaign group A Plastic Planet, https://iwradio. co.uk/2017/06/28/supermarkets-urged-to-introduce-plastic-free-aisle-to-help-savethe-ocean

20

The University of Derby Magazine

cling to these fragments and become ingested as well.

As yet, scientists don’t know exactly what the long-term biological consequences are for marine life – and for us. Dr Michael Sweet, Associate Professor in Aquatic Biology at the University of Derby, is researching the impact of plastic on coral reefs. He said: “A recent article in Science5 highlighted the impact plastic has with regard to coral diseases, and surprise, surprise, it doesn’t look good.

many companies are taking steps to reduce the amount of plastic packaging they use, and as consumers we can make informed choices: • Avoid plastic straws – among the top 10 items found in UK beach clean-ups8 • Carry a reusable bag on shopping trips • Buy loose fruit and vegetables rather than prepackaged items • Carry a reusable water bottle and refill it

“An increased number of diseases were seen where greater amounts of plastic were found. Anything which covers or causes abrasions on the coral surface will undoubtedly result in tissue die-off, which can then result in a disease spreading across the rest of the coral.

On a smaller scale, corals have also been shown to ingest micro-plastics.

What the University is doing Helen Rutherford, Quality and Compliance Manager in the University’s Estate Management team, said: “Waste disposal is no longer a choice between recycling or landfill; in fact, it’s no longer a matter of choice: students, staff and visitors must comply with our policies and procedures for the disposal of waste.

“Coral reefs are hugely important, not only on a biodiversity level but economically too. Globally, reefs are thought to be worth up to $375 billion annually, taking into account tourism, fisheries and shoreline protection for example. Losing these reefs will result in unimaginable catastrophes, on a scale we have probably not seen – widespread hunger, large amounts of land erosion, economic instability in hundreds of countries which have reefs on their doorsteps, the list can go on and on.

“These are driven by legislation, particularly our legal responsibility to apply the waste hierarchy – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Other Recover and, finally, Disposal. We work closely with Ward Recycling to reduce the amount of waste removed from our sites through a dual waste stream system of mixed recycling and general waste. Currently we recycle just under 50% of our onsite waste, giving us a great opportunity to increase the amount which is segregated correctly and recycled.

“And if we can help them in any way, we are dutybound to do so – so stop over-consuming and creating excessive waste. For example, I sit here with my reusable coffee cup, made from bamboo. Go get one, reduce your takeaway cup usage and save a coral reef.”

“By providing mains-fed water coolers, for example, we can minimise the reliance on single-use drink bottles.

We would encourage students and staff to use plates and cutlery when buying meals onsite and reduce their use of disposable food trays and plastic cutlery.”

It’s time to rethink our reliance on plastic In January 2018 the government pledged to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042, extending the 5p carrier bag charge to all retailers in England. While critics feel this is too little, too late, the charge is already influencing consumer behaviours. The number of single-use bags used decreased by over 80% after its introduction6, and the Great British Beach Clean found 40% fewer bags on beaches7.

The Union of Students has also implemented initiatives to reduce the amount of plastic used, including:

How we can make a difference While tacking eight million tonnes of plastic a year can seem overwhelming, we can all play our part. Already,

Union President Grace Suszek said: “I am delighted to see that the University is taking action to reduce the amount of plastic we use on campus. It is essential that we take responsibility for our waste products, particularly those as harmful as plastic.”

5 Joleah B Lamb et al. ‘Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs’, January 2018 6 DEFRA Policy Paper, January 2018 update. ‘Carrier bags: Why there’s a 5p charge’ 7 www.mcsuk.org/get-active/beachcleans

• Installing recycling bins across the University • Sending the 16,000 plastic cups and 12,000 milk bottles used in our bar each year for recycling, along with any broken glass. The 100,000 coffee cups used every year are biodegradable • Not offering plastic bags in our shops

8 Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach Clean, 2017 Report

21

Writer: Deanna Mathieson

22

The University of Derby Magazine

T

he creative industries are worth £92 billion for the UK economy, with an estimated two million people employed in the sector1. But with a decline in students taking up creative subjects at GSCE, are the arts valued or vulnerable? Deanna Mathieson reports.

"Arts graduates have a portfolio career. They not only gain subject specific creative skills, whether that be in ceramics, digital media, or photography, but learn a whole host of transferable skills that can be used in a range of disciplines, opening up a wealth of employment opportunities."

Professor Keith McLay

The creative industries grew at twice the rate of the economy in 2016, making a “record contribution” to the UK economy2. Generating almost £10 million an hour, the sector is booming and is one of the country’s fastest growing industries3.

However, figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications show the number of students choosing to take up arts and design at GSCE level is declining.

A 6% decrease in 2016 from 2015 made it the biggest year-on-year decline in candidate numbers recorded since 2000 – and there was a further decline in 20174.

In addition, a survey carried out by the BBC found that of 1,200 secondary schools who responded, nine in every ten said they had cut back on lesson time, staff or facilities in at least one creative arts subject. They cited a focus on “core academic subjects, together with funding pressures”5, to be among the most common reasons for reductions in creative arts resources.

“The creative industries, while bringing in a significant amount of money and talent, could be called the forgotten industry,” says Alice Marshall, Lecturer in Dance at the University of Derby.

“I visit a lot of schools to talk about taking up dance at degree level but I have noticed that A level dance barely features there. BTEC Dance is taught in schools, but I believe it is being phased out.

“It is vital that creative arts are taught in schools.

Students who may not necessarily be able to afford to attend a private dance school, for example, can often miss out on opportunities. Those who can afford to are more highly physically trained in dancing, but can sometimes lack the academic skills that go hand in hand with learning in school and at degree level.

“Many people view the arts as a hobby, rather than a lifelong career which can be filled with opportunity.

1 Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport ‘Sectors Economic Estimates 2016: GVA’ report: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dcms-sectors-economic-estimates-2016-gva 2 ‘Creative industries’ record contribution to UK economy’: www.gov.uk/government/news/creative-industries-record-contribution-to-uk-economy 3 Ibid.

4 Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) paper, ‘A crisis in the creative arts in the UK?’: www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/A-crisis-in-the-creativearts-in-the-UK-EMBARGOED-UNTIL-7th-SEPTEMBER-2017.pdf 5 BBC survey: www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-42862996

23

Schools have a role in changing the attitudes of young people and in demonstrating to them that they can and should pursue this route.”

In a bid to support talented creative arts pupils, the Department for Education has announced it is providing an additional £96 million to give pupils across the country access to a range of cultural activities. These include training at the Royal Ballet School in London, free opportunities for young people to study art and design at their local college or university, as well as visits to museums and galleries.

Those who go on to study arts at degree level are not confined to one set career path, rather they are valued in a wide range of professions, according to a report6 by the British Academy, the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences. “Arts and humanities often get a kicking for their graduates not immediately securing a job,” says Professor Keith McLay, Pro ViceChancellor Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Education at the University of Derby.

“However, arts graduates have a portfolio career. They not only gain subject specific creative skills, whether that be in ceramics, digital media, or photography, but learn a whole host of transferable skills that can be used in a range of disciplines, opening up a wealth of employment opportunities.”

Sarah Brigham, Artistic Director and Chief Executive at Derby Theatre, which is owned by the University of Derby, agrees: “Young people who have studied the arts can often go on to careers not necessarily in the creative sector, because they learn soft skills such as communication, confidence, and empathy.

Sometimes students can tick a box academically on another course but actually, put them into a working environment and they don’t have the skills to thrive, which is what an arts education does provide.”

Tom Chambers and Clare Barker work as Level 3 Media Course Leaders and Tutors at Loughborough College.

6 British Academy report ‘The right skills: Celebrating skills in the arts, humanities and social sciences (AHSS)’: www.britac.ac.uk

24

“We think that the idea that arts subjects are cop out subjects is diminishing,” comments Tom. “Some older generations may still hold this view, but a course is what the student makes of it; the idea of making a living out of theatre, video games development, and wider media topics is normal, so why not train to do so?”

Alice adds: “As a society, we are surrounded by art, and a lot of the time we don’t even think about it.

Every television show we watch has been designed, created and acted. The arts keep people entertained and happy, something we all need to experience. The challenge is making the whole world realise this.”

So what can be done to help shift the narrative?

“Universities are, on the whole, very good at promoting the benefits of arts and humanities subjects and have always been valued as contributing to employability as well as providing cultural value,” says Keith.

“Here in Derby we are fortunate because the city has cultural partners that contribute to the student and wider community experience. Déda, Derby Theatre and QUAD, to name a few, all play an important role in working together to inspire the next generation to become involved and passionate about the arts.

“However, there is still a fundamental shift that needs to take place in the language and narrative of the creative industries debate, which has, in recent years, taken on a very negative and transactional tone. This has to be combatted, first and foremost, to change that dynamic and make people realise that quite simply, the creative industries are enriching. They enrich you as a citizen, in terms of your civic values, they enrich you in your cultural life, and as an individual in your values.”

A Derby Theatre, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Wiltshire Creative and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg production

Wed 26 Sept – Sat 20 Oct A hilarious masterpiece of situation comedy

Sat 29 Sept – Sat 20 Oct

by Atiha Sen Gupta A contemporary response to Abigail’s Party

Enjoy both shows as a double bill and get tickets for one of the productions at half price 01332 593939 derbytheatre.co.uk

Derby Theatre is part of

25

Professor Warren Manning Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean, College of Engineering and Technology

I

n November, the government unveiled its longawaited Industrial Strategy aimed at boosting the country’s productivity and earning power. The 255page white paper is a post-austerity strategy pitched at the nation with an intent to ensure economic development permeates all regions in the UK. The strategy focuses on four ‘grand challenges’ for the UK – artificial intelligence and data, clean growth, the future of mobility, and meeting the needs of an ageing society – and maintains the will to have a highly skilled workforce in the UK with better, higher paid jobs across sectors including automotive, construction and the life sciences.

One opportunity for progress in this area that has gained widespread media attention is driverless cars. There is an intention to mimic and surpass human sensory and intelligence performance with this technology. The strategy could offer the support needed to overcome the key limitations in the intelligence of the vision systems required to detect and differentiate objects in real time with greater accuracy than a human.

The data economy is also well embedded in people's psyche now following the scandal surrounding Facebook and the data manipulation in the run up to the US election. Data and processing algorithms could be as valuable as oil in global markets or the engines that drove the last industrial age.

Artificial intelligence and data exploitation, also known as ‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution’, is the fourth wave of industrialisation following the Victorian age of steam powered mechanisms, the mass production developed in the early part of this century, and the computer based automation that appeared in the post-war era.

With regards to clean growth, the UK needs to grow its economy, increase its onshore energy production, and increase exports, all while continuing to drive down emissions in our cities and regions.

The strategy aims to support UK businesses to maximise the exciting opportunities that artificial intelligence and big data present, and ensure we are equipping the next generation workforce with the skills required to fill the jobs they will inevitably create.

2040 is now becoming widely discussed as D-Day for diesel and there is an enormous amount of work needed to find better sources of energy for our transportation sector and core industries. Our future energy mix needs to incorporate more renewable energy and at the same time support the growth of electrification across all transport sectors.

In a recent study by consultancy firm Mckinsey & Company, it was reported digital technologies, including AI, created 80,000 new jobs annually across a population similar to the UK1, and in a study carried out

by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) it was estimated that AI could add £232 billion to the UK economy by 20302.

1 McKinsey (2017), ‘Shaping the future of work in Europe’s 9 digital front-runner countries’ www.mckinsey.com.

2 PwC (2017), ‘Sizing the prize, PwC’s Global Artificial Intelligence Study: Exploiting the AI Revolution’ www.pwc.com.

26

The future economy will need to improve the mobility of people and goods. HS2 and improvements across the rail sector will provide a vital component in ensuring people have greater access to areas of work where the earning power is increasing.

The University of Derby Magazine The final grand challenge relates to the UK’s ageing population. Life expectancy is increasing and technology will play a key role in ensuring the quality of life is improved in old age through care technologies, innovative housing models and new finance products to meet the changing demands of retirement.

There is an Exchequer view on this, of course. People will need to work longer to maintain lifestyle choices and indeed a healthier workforce may choose to work longer because of the empowerment work can bring and the sense of community. With health spending set to rise from 6.9% of GDP to 12.6% in the next 50 years3, the Exchequer needs to find an additional £88 billion in this period just to stand The four ‘grand challenges’ for the UK still. Of course there Artificial intelligence and data are non-demographic pressures, but the will for extending lifeexpectancy carries a significant cost.

Universities have the potential to play a key civic role in delivering the strategy’s objectives and overcoming the challenges it has identified by bringing together researchers, graduates, business and government. This role has clearly been recognised given the level of funding and support that has been allocated including an increase in research funding to 2.4% of GDP by 2027.

Ageing

As part of the government’s £4.7 billion increase in research and development over the next four years, the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund will provide £725 million towards research collaborations with business.

A further £300 million has been pledged to Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and PhD programmes aligned to the grand challenges.

In addition, the Strategic Priorities Fund will deliver parts of the Industrial Strategy that would be otherwise missed by the existing funding priorities of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This will focus on multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research programmes, as identified by academics and industry.

3 Fiscal sustainability report – January 2017, www.obr.uk

This is all great news for Derby. The city and county could really benefit from the Industrial Strategy by universities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and local businesses coming together and addressing the needs of the region to boost earning power and quality of life.

On one hand, Derby has one of the most highly skilled workforces in the UK and a strong industry and heritage in transport innovation and manufacturing to build on, yet on the flip side it faces significant challenges to improve performance in school STEM subjects.

Derby is part of the Midlands Engine, which has key themes in advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and systems integration. The Clean growth Industrial Strategy’s £115 million Strength in Places Fund could be instrumental in helping the region to build strength in science and innovation, particularly where there is a strong link between industry and universities.

Mobility

There is also significant investment in STEM, including an additional £406 million for mathematics teaching and better support for programming in schools, which will ultimately benefit future industry through upskilling the workforce.

The education sector as a whole can support businesses in achieving the goals set out in the Industrial Strategy, and the University of Derby is already working hard to support local industry to address the challenges and opportunities in the city.

Through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, funding, expertise and technology, the University’s Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering (IISE) is collaborating with industrial partners, supported

by Rolls-Royce, Toyota and Bombardier, to unlock innovation potential and solve some of the challenges that the region’s SMEs are facing. www.derby.ac.uk/iise

27

Writer: Sam O’Hanlon

From the Armed Forces to civilian life T

here are 2.6 million Armed Forces veterans in the UK, and while half of them are over 75, almost a million are of working age, while a further 16,000 leave the Service each year to start new civilian lives.

This readjustment can be a real challenge for some veterans – it isn’t just a change of job, it’s a complete change of lifestyle and everything they have known. As one of the largest employers in the East Midlands, the University of Derby is supporting veterans in a number of areas as they make this transition, from establishing new careers to promoting mental health.

The challenges of transitioning to civilian life Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Health and Social Care, has personal experience of transitioning from the military and is championing the University’s work to become a forces-friendly organisation. A former mental health nurse, she served as a British Army officer for eight years, including on operational duties in Bosnia with the UN and NATO.

28

“The transition from the Services to civilian life can be challenging for some veterans,” says Dr Holt. “They may have to find somewhere to live for the first time, or look for their first civilian job. Many recruiters ask for previous experience in a particular industry, which can present another issue for veterans who don’t always recognise the value of their transferable skills.

“There’s also a myth around PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) being more prevalent within the Armed Forces population, which can negatively impact how veterans may be perceived by potential employers. Although we do see incidences of PTSD among veterans, research has shown that it is no more common than in the civilian community.”

Such barriers can be overcome by promoting the fact that veterans bring great benefits to the workforce.

According to the latest Deloitte Veterans Work report, 90% of those employing veterans say they perform well, with particular strengths in communication, time

The University of Derby Magazine management and team working. As a result, 53% of employers promote veterans quicker than the rest of the workforce.

life is like in the Armed Forces, what the experience of using health and care services feels like for veterans, and how to signpost them to appropriate support.

“Resettlement provided by the Armed Forces is excellent, and is focused on helping veterans understand how valuable their transferable skills are in the civilian world and how they can articulate these to employers,” says Dr Holt. “Their core skills, competencies, attitudes and values make them an ideal match for many areas of employment.

“As a University, we see the value in veterans. We offer them our support in transitioning to civilian life, not just because it is morally the right thing to do, but because we recognise what they can bring to our organisation, both as students and members of staff, and what they can offer to a wide variety of professions.”

To reflect this commitment, the University is a member of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, which encourages businesses to recognise the value of veterans in the organisation.

This support can involve thinking more creatively, especially when dealing with mental health issues.

"As a University, we see the value in veterans. We offer them our support in transitioning to civilian life, not just because it is morally the right thing to do, but because we recognise what they can bring to our organisation."

The arts can be used as part of a veteran’s recovery after injury or trauma, to help them deal with their feelings, particularly if they find it difficult to talk about what has happened to them. The Soldiers Arts Academy focuses on drama; providing workshops and putting on theatre productions with a cast of veterans and professional actors. The Academy won the Inspiration Group Award in the Soldiering On Awards 2018 for their work, which included the touring production of the play Soldier On. Dr Holt, one of the Academy’s directors, has seen how effective this approach can be: “Using the arts for recovery can be cathartic and helps people address their feelings through different mediums, but at the moment talking therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, are the focus of funding and treatment from statutory services for those with post-trauma difficulties.

Supporting veterans’ mental and physical health The University is signed up to, and promotes, the Armed Forces Covenant, particularly among “We know that not everyone Dr Paula Holt health and care professionals who can articulate their pain verbally, may work with veterans. Veterans and that expressing themselves can be reluctant to seek help when they experience through art is helpful, but we need an evidence base mental or physical health problems, says Dr Holt. to support our work in this area. The University’s new Centre of Excellence in Arts and Health will focus some “When Forces personnel go through basic training, they of its attention on providing this evidence, along with a can be pushed to their limits. They may be tired, hungry growing research interest group looking at the arts and or have sore feet, but they’re expected to get on with it. health more broadly.”

“That kind of stoicism is deeply rooted and many veterans don’t feel comfortable asking for help or support. It’s really important that, if someone is a veteran, health professionals establish whether they are presenting issues relating to their service and ensure they receive the right treatment in a timely fashion.”

To help address this, the University ran workshops funded by Health Education England in 2016 to give health professionals a greater understanding of veterans’ needs. The sessions gave an insight into what

Higher education as a stepping stone to new careers “Veterans are resilient, committed, reliable and confident decision-makers – all of which makes them highly employable,” says Dr Holt.

“Because most leave the Services relatively young, due to the nature of what they do, higher education as a way of stepping into another profession can be really quite attractive. We’re working hard to engage those veterans who are ready to return to civilian life, and giving them

29

The Armed Forces Covenant signing

The cast of Soldier On Vice-Chancellor Professor Kath Mitchell signs the Armed Forces Covenant

opportunities to pursue new careers in health and social care. A similar scheme has been set up for teaching.”

Last year, the University received just under £19,000 from the Local Grant Covenant Fund to run events for veterans wanting a new career in the health and social care sector. Workshops were delivered at the University’s Armed Forces family days this summer, with activities run by specialists in their field to give an insight into new career paths such as nursing, social care, therapies and radiography.

between the University, the Armed Forces and the local community,” Pippa says. “A number of our members are veterans and this society means a lot to us all. We are proud and grateful for the opportunity to be part of the work that is going on to support the Armed Forces community.”

Signing the Armed Forces Covenant In 2017, to coincide with Armistice Day, the University signed The Armed Forces Covenant – a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly.

Pippa’s idea for a themed day to celebrate the Armed Forces community and the signing of the Covenant was embraced by the University, with SAAFCO working alongside Claire Carter from the College of Health and Social Care to create educational and interactive summer events for all ages. The University and SAAFCO held a family day at Kedleston Road on Saturday 30 June to coincide with Armed Forces Day, followed by a second event at the St Helena Chesterfield campus on Saturday 7 July.

Organisations sign the Covenant to confirm publicly that they recognise the value that members of the Armed Forces community contribute to society. The Covenant encourages them to develop a relationship with those who work in their business or access their products or services.

The days involved community-focused talks from guest speakers from local charities and organisations, workshops that could be booked on arrival, stalls advising on support and opportunities for Armed Forces personnel and their families as well as fun activities for younger visitors to take part in.

Inspired by the University’s commitment to the Armed Forces community, mental health student nurse Pippa Chillman set up the Student Action for Armed Forces Communities (SAAFCO) society in 2017 and is now its president.

The events were particularly significant as this year marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force. To celebrate the centenary, the University is a featured patron in a specially-commissioned commemorative album produced in support of the RAF100 Appeal. The aim of the Appeal is to raise money for the RAF family through events and activities and to create a lasting legacy nationally.

“SAAFCO’s focus is on promoting understanding of the Covenant among students and building links

30

Cultivate talent in the workplace with our higher and degree apprenticeships.

We currently offer apprenticeships in: • Engineering • Cyber Security • Business Management • Nursing • Civil Engineering • Teaching • Policing • Our combination of practical on-the-job training and academic learning will help you nurture talent within your workforce • We’ll help you to access funding or advise you on how to use your apprenticeship levy payments • We’re rated Gold for teaching excellence in the country’s first ever Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

This puts us in the top 20% of all providers in the UK for the quality of our teaching.

For more information call 0800 001 5500 or Visit derby.ac.uk/madeforbusiness 31

MBE Head Stemette, CEO and Co-founder of Stemettes

T

he Industrial Strategy, launched by the UK government in November 2017, sets out four grand challenges that the British economy will face in the coming years. These include AI and the data economy, with a focus on boosting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects in education, right through from primary to higher education.

One of the key goals stated in the white paper is “worldleading research, world-class facilities and international collaborations that push scientific frontiers and attract the brightest talents, from Nobel Prize winners to ambitious graduate students1.” To this end, £406 million is to be invested in maths, digital and technical education to address the shortage of STEM skills.

Here, Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, Head Stemette, CEO and Co-founder of Stemettes, a group which aims to encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM, talks about her passion for inspiring women into STEM. What did you do before starting the Stemettes?

I used to work in technology at an investment bank and was aware of the problem with the disproportion of women in STEM (currently 21%, it was 13% then). I was inspired to start up Stemettes and three years in, I left my day job and went full-time working on it.

What inspired you to launch the Stemettes?

I attended the Grace Hopper Celebration in 2012, an annual tech conference for women in the USA. It was like London Fashion Week, but for tech women.

I learned that being a woman in tech meant that I was part of a shrinking minority and I wanted to help 1 Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future, www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-building-a-britain-fit-for-the-future.

32

solve this problem. I felt at home and was inspired to create similar spaces in the UK and Ireland for the next generation of women in STEM. One of the main reasons why I love technology and why I run Stemettes is because I’m a really creative person and technology allows me to be creative.

The second reason is because science, technology, engineering and maths are all about solving problems and there a lot of problems to be solved. Whether it's huge problems like disease that we have in the world or small problems like booking train tickets online, STEM is really great at solving all of them.

Since launching the Stemettes in 2013, what has been the highlight for you?

In 2015 the Stemettes ran the Outbox Incubator project which was part of the documentary ‘Eat. Sleep.

STEM. Repeat.’ We took over a massive house in South London for six weeks and had 45 young women at a time, living under one roof, eating together and learning about running their own STEM start-ups from industry leaders. It was like having all the X-Men under one roof. It was a lot of fun, and 29 start-ups were launched by these young women aged 11 up to 22.

They have gone on to do great things: TED talks, run businesses, win awards - I am so proud.

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

For as long as I can remember I have always been interested in maths and IT. What I initially liked about maths was how logical it was. You know how things are and how they work.

What’s funny in life is, not everything is a maths equation. So if someone comes to the office and they were happy yesterday they might not come and be

The University of Derby Magazine

"...science, technology, engineering and maths are all about solving problems and there a lot of problems to be solved. Whether its huge problems like disease that we have in the world or small problems like booking train tickets online, STEM is really great at solving all of them."

happy today. That’s a little bit harder. Life’s a little bit harder than maths unfortunately.

How can businesses do more to encourage more young women in to the sector?

They need to work with organisations like the Stemettes to enable women to get into STEM. We’re encouraging businesses to join the tech talent charter pledge to ensure they’re doing all they can to recruit, promote and retain a diverse stem workforce.

I like to see businesses with good visible women role models who are creating impactful, relatable and fun experiences for girls and young women. We need our partners to give more young women inspiration.

Last year, you were awarded an MBE for services to young women and STEM sectors. What advice

would you give to young women wanting to start a career in STEM sectors?

Our vision at Stemettes is for all girls to be able to make informed decisions about careers in STEM, so that eventually women can be proportionally represented in the field. There are so many ways for girls and young women to get into STEM now, from taking T-Levels at school and studying degrees or degree apprenticeships in STEM subjects, to attending an event for the first time and getting work experience in the industry.

Finally, happiness is seeking forgiveness, not permission. Don’t let others kill your great ideas before they get off the ground.

For more information about the Stemettes, visit www.stemettes.org.

33

MAKING SENSE OF ‘BIG DATA’ Writer: Sam O’Hanlon

A

t first glance, scheduling the rail network, mapping the human genome and exploring the origins of the universe have little in common, but according to a team at the University of Derby they are exactly the same: Big Data problems.

The researchers, led by Professor Nick Antonopoulos, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Professor Ashiq Anjum, are working on a wide range of projects with industry partners to help translate the numbers, charts and graphs that Big Data analytics generate, into a visual representation of what is actually happening inside a system in real time.

the information to life using this technology. Previously, any design modifications would have required an expensive and time-consuming process of building and testing prototypes until they achieved the desired effect, but VR allows them to model and assess the output of any design changes within minutes.

As Professor Anjum explains: “Traditionally, machines were purely mechanical, physical things, but today our approach can be much more digital. We can use algorithms to allow us to remotely change their behaviour, control their output or check things like predictive maintenance, for example. We can do this by linking Big Data to virtual reality so the output of the data set is not just numbers, but something far more tangible and visible.”

"Traditionally, machines were purely mechanical, physical things, but today our approach can be much more digital."

Using technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IOT), the researchers are transforming huge quantities of data into something far more meaningful and usable.

In one project with a large manufacturing company, they are using VR to support engine design. Once a data view of an engine has been created, the team can bring

34

In a project with a major rail company, the research team is using machine learning and AI to understand and ultimately minimise the impact of any delays on the network. Using data collected from all the train stations, each with hundreds of connections, they have created a

The University of Derby Magazine graph database and by linking it to AI, they can simulate a delay at one station and model how it could spread across the wider network, and how the impact could be mitigated.

At CERN, the European Centre for Nuclear Research, the team is supporting the ongoing ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) project to investigate the fundamental matter of the universe. The experiments carried out as part of the project generate huge quantities of data, so Professor Anjum’s team uses algorithms and AI to see not just how individual particles react, but their wider context and the connections between them. Using these principles, they can also recreate virtual large-scale experiments to allow them to verify the results.

Working with a leading pharmaceutical company, Professor Anjum’s team is using algorithms and AI to support the development of personalised medicines.

By representing the data from the human genome as a graph, they can use algorithms to speed up the analytics process, categorise the data to give clinicians better access to medical databases, and reduce the length of time it takes to develop new biomarkers for diseases such as cancer.

The team is also developing ‘smart logistics’ technologies with one of the UK’s largest suppliers of packaging materials to supermarkets, to make their stock management trackable and intelligent. Currently, stock is physically counted as it goes in and out of their warehouses – a manual and time-consuming process. The project involves putting radio-frequency identification chips into the stock so it can tell the company where it is, giving them an exact and coherent single view of the data in real time. As a result, they can tell what stock is arriving, when to schedule deliveries and how much stock they need to request from their supply chain.

Using a similar principle, Professor Anjum is working with private and government agencies on making the UK’s network of CCTV cameras more intelligent to allow them to perform real-time analytics: “There is one camera for every 11 people in the UK and our movements are captured 300 times every day, so this is a huge amount of raw data. For now all of this data is processed manually, but we are working on streaming it into a ‘warehouse’ where it can be processed in real time and linked directly to maps, allowing law enforcement agencies to track where each person was at a particular time.”

For Professor Anjum, the logical next step is using all these different devices – whether they are trains, cameras, engines or even CERN – not just as sources of data but as computers to process the data they generate.

“This will not only allow us to capture the data, but also process it at the source in real time,” he says.

“The biggest bottleneck in processing data is not the algorithms we use; it is that there is too much redundant data collected in the first place, so being able to process it at the source would allow us to filter out everything that is weak, ‘noisy’ or simply not required.

And if the data is good, we will be able to produce something truly useful.”

WHAT YOUR SMARTPHONE USE SAYS ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

O

ver four billion smartphones are used around the world, but is there a link between our mental health and how much we use our phones? Research by Dr Zaheer Hussain, Lecturer in Psychology, has shown that people who are less emotionally stable are more likely to be addicted to their smartphones.

The online survey of 640 smartphone users was carried out in conjunction with Nottingham Trent University. It showed that people who struggle with their mental health are more likely to intensively use their smartphone as a form of therapy, and as their anxiety levels increase, so does their smartphone use.

The study also found that people who are ‘closed off’, or less open with their emotions, are more likely to have problems with smartphone use.

As Dr Hussain explains: “They may be engaging in passive social network use, where you spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, browsing other people’s comments, pictures and posts, and not posting anything of your own or engaging in discussion with others, so there is no real positive social interaction while social networking.”

In addition, the study found the most used smartphone applications among participants were social networking applications (49.9%), instant messaging applications (35.2%) and music applications (19.1%).

35

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE BETWEEN RICH AND POOR E

conomics books don’t often become bestsellers, but that’s exactly what happened when the English language edition of Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century was published in 2014. He argued that wealth, over time, naturally concentrates itself in the hands of the few and only government intervention can stop the growing divide between rich and poor.

Needless to say, not everyone agreed with Piketty. But rising inequality is a concern that is attracting ever more attention in the public debate. Jeremy Swan spoke to Dr Eugene Michaels and Mel Powell, both Senior Lecturers in Economics at the University of Derby, to find out what can to be done to address this growing issue.

Income and wealth “We first need to be aware of the differences between income and wealth inequality,” begins Mel, “because they are connected but separate issues. Piketty is concerned with wealth inequality, but the problem is we have less data available on wealth. So most of the time, we start by talking about inequality in income, which we have more information on.

“Economists can measure inequality in a number of ways, but the Gini coefficient is perhaps the most widely used method. This is effectively a scale from

36

zero to one, where a lower score indicates higher levels of equality. The UK’s score is currently around 0.35 for income and 0.64 for wealth. Our society is quite unequal, especially when compared to other countries.”

Employment is the biggest driver of income inequality and people’s earnings depend on a wide range of factors including access to work, skill levels and the rate of inflation. However, individuals can also use their wealth to generate additional income, through renting out property, for example.

Even putting aside questions over fairness, it is clear that high levels of income inequality come with serious consequences.

“The bottom line is that inequality has a detrimental effect on economic growth,” says Eugene, “because it is the poorer segments of society that slow down productivity. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an increase of only three Gini points causes economic growth to drop by about 0.35% per year. Conversely, if you were to increase the income of the bottom 20% of earners by 1% then this would add 0.38% to GDP per year. By redistributing income more evenly, the poorest can benefit from things like improved education and healthcare, which in turn allows them to deliver increased benefits to the economy.”

The University of Derby Magazine

"One of the problems with the existing system is the so-called ‘welfare trap’, where the benefits of going to work are cancelled out by reduced welfare payments" Mel Powell

What is to be done?

Governments can reduce income inequality through cash transfers, of which the benefits system is a prime example. One idea that has gained popularity recently is the introduction of a Universal Basic Income, under which everyone would be entitled to an allowance from the state.

“One of the problems with the existing system is the so-called ‘welfare trap’, where the benefits of going to work are cancelled out by reduced welfare payments,” explains Mel. “A Universal Basic Income would remove a lot of those traps. But to make a real difference to people’s lives it would have to be financed through tax rises, which would be politically unpopular. We also don’t know how it would affect people’s behaviour.

Would it disincentivise them from going to work, or would they feel released to pursue their interests?”

Providing benefits in kind, such as free healthcare, is another option: “Evidence shows that education and health are the most redistributive components of government spending,” says Mel. “They really do make a difference and there would be a hugely increased level of inequality without them.”

Governments could also look to reduce income inequality through the tax system. The UK has a progressive income tax system, where the amount you

pay depends on how much you earn. The question, Mel and Eugene agree, is how far can you push it? There is a danger that higher rates would encourage people to avoid tax by exploiting loopholes and tax havens.

“You see a lot of lip service paid to tax co-operation and transparency,” says Eugene, “but very little is being done on this, partly because we make a lot of money from tax havens as a country.”

Wealth inequality One solution to the problem of tax avoidance would be to shift the focus of taxation from income to wealth, suggests Mel: “Wealth taxes – like capital gains or stamp duty – are harder to avoid, and the government could use this revenue to fund policies that promote greater income equality.”

A tax of this kind is Piketty’s solution to the growing wealth divide between rich and poor. Only then, he argued, can we avoid severe social and political upheavals.

“There is evidence that extreme inequality erodes social cohesion,” concludes Eugene, “and in Europe over the last few centuries we have seen how that can lead to conflict and revolution. But ultimately, this all comes down to politics, not economics. If the political will is there, then we can build a fairer society for all.”

37

Graduate Profile Melanie Gullett

advise my director on the budget required to set the Gin Spa up, the equipment we needed and the products.

Course and year graduated: BSc (Hons) International Spa Management, 2016.

The additional support the University offers through events like the Wellness Conference, which puts students directly in front of industry contacts and speakers, was invaluable and a good stepping stone for me.

What are you doing now?

I am the General Manager of the Gin Spa in Glasgow, the world’s first botanically inspired day spa, which opened in December 2017.

What does the future hold?

We are looking at expanding our existing premises with plans to open more Gin Spas across the country one day!

We use botanical products, inspired by gin, in all of our treatments and serve complimentary gin cocktails to our guests. Since launching the spa at the end of last year, its popularity has exploded and we are now fully booked most days.

I’m responsible for the daily operations of the spa, from managing the team and developing our treatment menu, to working on new aromatherapy oil blends with our botanicals partner.

What attracted you to study International Spa Management at Derby?

I worked as a beauty therapist at Center Parcs in London and on various cruise ships before deciding to go back to university to study. I looked at other universities, but when I visited the University of Derby’s Buxton campus, I just felt the size and atmosphere there suited me better. I also thought the Dome building, where the award-winning Devonshire Spa is based, was absolutely beautiful.

How did the University help you achieve your goals?

The International Spa Management course gave me the skills to move my career on. I learned about management and developing a spa business, which I have since put into use in my current role. I was able to

38

What are your tips for success?

For anyone looking to get into spa management, as with most industries, experience is the key. I worked in beauty therapy for many years before studying and going into management and it gave me the confidence and knowledge to get where I am today.

Having said that, if you aren’t currently in the beauty industry and want to make the move, don’t be held back. There are plenty of transferable skills that you could bring to a role in the industry.

On a more personal note, I would say, never give up.

Don’t listen to negativity and keep trying if you get knock-backs along the way.

Visit www.ginspa.co.uk to find out more.

The University of Derby Magazine

"I worked in beauty therapy for many years before studying and going into management and it gave me the confidence and knowledge to get where I am today."

Melanie Gullett

39

UNIVERSITY OF AMBITION There is no better time to be involved with the University of Derby. With a growing reputation for teaching and research excellence, a strong student base and superb industry connections, our future is looking bright.

Our commitment to providing opportunities for all is stronger than ever, and, with your help, we want to offer students the opportunity to broaden their world view and expand their ambition, perspective and focus.

Supporting the University of Derby with a donation will directly benefit the individual experience and future of our students. By funding a Student International Travel award or Scholarship, from just £2,000 you can make a difference to someone’s life.

Student International Travel Awards support opportunities to work and study abroad, enabling students from all socio-economic backgrounds to

experience the world without financial limitations.

Scholarships can make the biggest difference for those students who show exceptional promise but need financial assistance to further their studies.

Wherever our students come from, wherever they are heading, we are the university to get them there.

To give or to find out more about how you can support our students please contact the Development and Alumni Relations Office.

T: 01332 591368 E: development@derby.ac.uk

The University of Derby Magazine

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CHAIR DRIVES AGILE APPROACH TO COLLABORATION

M

ost universities operate in the context of a national and international environment, but the truly successful ones are also grounded as anchor institutions in their region. The University of Derby is no exception, particularly in its relationships with businesses – from micro-SMEs to global industrial giants.

Paul Stewart

Professor Paul Stewart, the University’s Director of Innovation and Research Chair in Intelligent Systems Engineering, has been forging just such a partnership with Derby businessman Mel Morris, who has funded research activity in the field of healthcare and Machine Learning.

“When Mel brokered a meeting for me with a group of medics in the Renal Unit at the Royal Derby Hospital, it set off a chain of events which initiated an ongoing rapid expansion in Medical Device and Artificial Intelligence (AI) research at the University,” explains Professor Stewart.

“Mel has a keen interest in all things medical, and is savvy in bringing together problem-solving teams. In this case, we combined the skills of the Consultant Nephrologists with my background in Control Systems and AI. Once we’d learned to speak a common language, we set about defining what was to become the Intelligent Technologies for Renal Dialysis (iTrend) programme, funded by Mel via his MStart charity.”

The project addresses a fundamental problem with kidney dialysis: while the process keeps patients alive, it also stresses major organs leading to premature failure.

Professor Stewart is developing a completely new approach, supported by a large-scale patient study at the hospital, which will enable an individual treatment regime for each patient to be delivered to reduce these negative effects.

The iTrend programme has now been running for a year, and the strengths and benefits of this kind of agile funding stream are already apparent. As new research opportunities arise which were unknown at the start of the project, they can be incorporated into the programme. Through this funding stream, the team

Mel Morris

'Dave' the mechanical diaylsis patient

has already developed a novel non-invasive method of measuring blood pressure, and the first iteration of a mechanical ‘human’ cardiovascular system (called ‘Dave’) on which the first-ever dialysis treatment on a ‘robot’ was recently performed.

As well as healthcare, Professor Stewart is looking at fundamental issues across a wide variety of sectors, focusing on the shortcomings of current Machine Learning theory and its applications for everything from medical image analysis to air traffic control. Through this work, the team are developing the bridge between fundamental theory, and societal and commercial applications.

A newly created three-year Research Chair in Intelligent Systems Engineering at the University, made possible thanks to a generous donation by Mel, gives Professor Stewart a unique opportunity to develop new approaches to AI. “This kind of philanthropic support is immensely powerful in terms of potential impact, as it’s rare to find sufficient time as an academic to work on the key grand challenges,” says Professor Stewart. “Mel’s passion and interest in my research enables the working relationship to thrive and develop, and the potential impact and benefit to those undergoing treatment is what drives my work.

“The Research Chair provides an incredibly agile approach, which steps well beyond the normal bounds of traditional, often prescriptive, funding streams.

The generosity of our donors offers the University an ideal supportive environment to develop these unique collaborative opportunities, and I look forward to reporting back on our achievements.”

41

STUDENT SUCCESS

"I was impressed with Charlie’s determination towards his studies at the same time as pursuing his cycling. He is very focused and one of my star students."

Dr Yiling Lu

42

The University of Derby Magazine

Derby student rides to victory

C

harlie Tanfield is no stranger to winning medals in cycling.

In the past two years, the 21-year-old from Blackpool has won three medals at three major cycling competitions.

Charlie headed to the Commonwealth Games 2018 and, through his hard work and determination, left with a gold medal in the 4,000m individual pursuit. He scooped another gold at the 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Cup and silver at the 2017 British National Track Cycling Championships.

Despite his success on the track, the keen cyclist has another passion mechanical engineering - and combines the two at the University of Derby, where, when he’s not studying for his degree, he can be found making the most out of the state of the art facilities at its Sports Centre.

“It’s not easy balancing competitive sport with studying but my tutors have been great in understanding my time constraints due to competitions”, said Charlie.

“The University has also allowed some flexibility with my exams which has enabled me to continue my sporting and academic ambitions simultaneously.

"I am so proud to have represented Team KGF this year and to have won medals for our country."

Charlie’s interest in cycling started when he was 10 years old, when he and his brother Harry - now a professional cyclist - would go out for bike rides. Their dad occasionally cycled too, and one day he took Charlie and his brother to their local race track. Charlie’s passion for cycling started right there.

While studying at Derby, Charlie formed an amateur team with his housemates, called Team KGF. Collectively, the team has won seven gold and silver medals at national competitions.

Charlie said: “I am so proud to have represented Team KGF this year and to have won medals for our country.

“The World Championships were bitter-sweet.

Obviously, I was ecstatic to win the gold in the team pursuit and the whole experience was absolutely amazing, but the Commonwealth Games were on another level.”

Team Derby is the focal point for the development, delivery and provision of sport at the University and has supported Charlie through the Sports Scholarships scheme by giving him access to its Human Performance Unit - a specialist facility which provides expert sport science services to athletes - as well as allowing him to defer his studies while he focused on his cycling.

“I’m very happy that taking time away from my studies has paid off. There aren’t many people who get given these opportunities in life and the reality of that is, while I can always go back to my studies, I won’t be able to ride my bike forever.”

Charlie’s tutor Dr Yiling Lu, Senior Lecturer in Engineering, added: “I was impressed with Charlie’s determination towards his studies at the same time as pursuing his cycling. He is very focused and one of my star students. Charlie always asked questions proactively during my lectures and showed good leadership and willingness to shoulder more responsibility. When he was busy with his international competitions, he always found time to complete his work, as well as group work, and never let his team down.”

Charlie will now spend his time away from the University becoming a full-time athlete with GB Cycling. During the summer he will be focusing on road cycling with his proteam, Canyon Eisberg. People can follow his journey through his Twitter page @CharlieTanfield.

2017:

British National Track Championships; 1st team pursuit, 2nd individual pursuit

2018:

UCI Track Cycling World Championships; 1st team pursuit Commonwealth Games; 1st individual pursuit, 2nd team pursuit UCI Track Cycling World Cup; 1st individual pursuit, 1st team pursuit

43

Local Link-up The University of Derby is continually looking for ways to support the region and play an important part in the local community. It’s certainly been a busy year – here are just a few of the latest examples of the work we do and the projects we’ve been supporting.

The UK's largest electric bike scheme comes to Derby

I

n June, the University received the first ebikes as part of the Derby Bike Hire Scheme, which will see 200 bikes available at 30 hubs across the city, including the city centre, train station and 12 University sites.

Developed by Derby City Council in partnership with the University, the scheme is funded by a capital grant from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and match-funded by us.

Once completed, Derby Bike Hire will be the largest scheme of its kind in the UK. Last September, we gave staff and students their first look at the new electric bike when it was unveiled at our Kedleston Road Campus by the Mayor of Derby, Councillor John Whitby, as part of Welcome Fortnight.

The scheme will be managed by Hourbike, the largest bike hire operator in the UK outside of London, working in partnership with Social Bicycle, who will produce the electric bikes.

44

The University of Derby Magazine

Making higher education more accessible

Y

oung people in the region can face barriers to progressing to higher education, so the Widening Access Team – part of the University’s newly formed Equality and Social Mobility Unit – has been working on various initiatives to break down these barriers: The University Explorers Programme, aimed at local primary school pupils, is designed to introduce the idea of university in an exciting and interactive way and build Key Stage 2 children’s understanding about higher education.

Progress to Success is a long-term programme of events including in-school workshops and assemblies, University Experience Days, residential summer schools and Maths and English Raising the Grade sessions. The team works alongside student ambassadors to provide positive role models – often from the same backgrounds as the young people themselves – to address myths around higher education and allow them to see university as an achievable goal.

Thousands flock to our Community Day!

A

lmost 3,000 people attended our free Community Day, which took place at Kedleston Road on 29 April.

Visitors enjoyed the day’s Animal Kingdom theme, brought to life with a petting zoo, exotic animals, face painting, animal fancy dress and craft activities, while more energetic family members were able to join in with sports, trampolining, inflatable obstacle courses, bouncy castles and soft play.

Derby Opportunity Area

P

rofessor Kathryn Mitchell, as Chair of the Derby Opportunity Area partnership board, recently hosted a Derby Opportunity Area event for some of the city’s school governors.

Following an introduction from the Department for Education, Professor Mitchell delivered a keynote speech where she talked through some of the work that has been taking place in the city as part of the Opportunity Area local delivery plan, as well as priorities and actions needed to move the initiative forward.

With a strong focus on educational attainment, the plan acknowledges that all children and young people should have access to great experiences that can broaden their understanding of the world and their place in it, as well as inspiring them to be ambitious, and to fulfil their potential.

“Building on the city’s history and current employer base, we want Derby to become a centre of excellence for education and employment in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.”

Professor Mitchell commented: “Building on the city’s history and current employer base, we want Derby to become a centre of excellence for education and employment in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. This can be achieved by ensuring that all our children benefit from better opportunities and wider horizons.”

45

Last Word I

t was 2002 when I first joined the Governing Council, during the University’s 10th anniversary year.

I know there are many, many people still with us from those early days, colleagues who have seen first-hand the transformation that has taken place over the years. For those who weren’t, the University of Derby was a very different place back then.

There was no Buxton campus – now a centre of excellence for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism, no Chesterfield campus featuring world class facilities that will inspire future generations of Health and Social Care students. Markeaton Street, home to our new £12 million STEM centre, wouldn’t open until 2007, and One Friar Gate Square, or the ‘Copper box’ as it’s often referred to, would only become our Law School in 2015. The former Playhouse was transformed into the University owned Derby Theatre, which has placed learning, mentoring and artistic excellence at its heart. Then there is our stunning multi-purpose Sports Centre, providing superb health and fitness facilities to our students, staff and other selected partners, organisations and community groups. So much positive change and development; I could go on and on.

Student fees were £1,000 a year and the majority of our funding came from the government. That has of course changed quite dramatically and will no doubt change again with the forthcoming post-18 education and funding review, which was launched by the Prime Minister in February.

46

There is no question in my mind that the student experience and what our students can expect has changed beyond recognition in my 16 years.

They really are front and centre of all that we do and plan for, and rightly so. I am particularly proud of ensuring students now sit at the heart of all our decision-making processes; their contribution has been immense as we have plotted our successful future.

Whilst our estate has enjoyed significant growth, our student numbers have increased and staff have come and gone, I’m heartened that our values remain as true today as they did many years ago. A university committed to a high quality learning experience irrespective of our students’ background, beliefs or ethnicity runs through everything we do here and has provided an opportunity for thousands of students to access higher education at Derby.

Finally, appointing a Vice-Chancellor was always going to be my real legacy. I learnt plenty from our previous Vice-Chancellors Roger Waterhouse and John Coyne, but the appointment of Professor Kathryn Mitchell is my undoubted highlight. Her drive, passion and intellect are leading us to what I see as a very bright future. We will hold on to our TEF gold, focus on our research strategy, which is already paying dividends, continue to invest in our estate and facilities, but most importantly I’m sure we will never compromise on those founding values that make the University of Derby such a brilliant place to work and study.

Chris Hughes Chair of the Governing Council

Ranked 29th in the Guardian University Guide 2019

Listed in the top 250 modern universities in the world (THE Young University Rankings 2018)

Midlands Business Awards 2018

THE Student Experience Survey 2018

Listed in the top 1,000 universities in the world (THE World University Rankings 2018)

74.1% of students are in graduatelevel employment within six months of finishing their course (HESA 2015/16)

Ranked 2nd in the HEPI fair access table (2018)

47

derby.ac.uk