BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE the way forward APR | MAY 11
Editor Sarah McGregor Senior communications officer Assistant editor Alison Crowe Communications officer Channel magazine is published every two months by Marketing and Communications. Channel is available online at www.brighton.ac.uk/channel. Alongside this publication our online newsletter eChannel is produced monthly at http://community.brighton.ac.uk/ echannel. For the latest news about the university, please see www.brighton.ac.uk/news. For an insight into research conducted at the university, see www.brighton.ac.uk/research.
Contact details Channel Marketing and Communications Mithras House Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4AT +44 (0)1273 643022 communications@brighton.ac.uk Send your news to communications@brighton.ac.uk. Front page image Hastings staff take a look at their new building in Priory Square. Photo by Andrew Weekes. Print and reproduction By Innovative Output Solutions registered to environmental standard, ISO 14001. This magazine was printed using inks made from vegetable-based oils and without the use of industrial alcohol. Ninety-five per cent of the cleaning solvents were recycled for further use and 94 per cent of the dry waste associated with this production will be recycled.
Contents News 04 Comment Professor Julian Crampton
04–07 Round-up News from across the university
16–17 Research briefing Helping England’s batsmen
Lead features 08–09 Preparing graduates for employment
10–11 Six reasons to study at the University of Brighton
12–13 Bridging the gap between university and employment
20–21 Supporting the community
23 Helping Haiti
Features
14–15
14–15 New academy schools in Hastings
16–17
18–19 Team in focus Development and Alumni Office
12–13
22 On campus Cutting carbon emission
24 Events
20–21
18–19
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 03
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
Comment Professor Julian Crampton, Vice-Chancellor
None of us that work in higher education can have failed to have noticed the intense media and public interest in the debate about future funding of universities. The decision by the coalition government to permit universities to charge undergraduate fees of between £6,000 and £9,000 has been one of their most controversial to date. As a result we are now set on a course of action that, however regrettable, is nevertheless unavoidable. Each university has had to submit its proposed access agreement for consideration by OFFA. In this we are required to specify how much we intend to charge, and how we will encourage and support students from non-traditional backgrounds to go to university. After much careful consideration and debate we have decided to set our fee levels at £9,000 for undergraduate degrees delivered by the University of Brighton and at between £7,000 to £8,300 for students at our partner colleges. In making this decision we have taken into account a range of factors including: the real costs of delivering our courses; the fact that many require highly specialised facilities and equipment; the significant uncertainty as to the amount of future public funding the government will provide for our courses; the distinctive value of our courses many of which are approved by statutory and professional bodies; our growing reputation for research excellence, and our continuing popularity with prospective students. Should our proposed fee level be approved it will mean that we can continue to develop and deliver our wide range of professionally focused education in fields including architecture, pharmacy, engineering, computing, construction and design as well to continue to innovate in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. The new fee income would allow us to make up most of the funding shortfall from government, enable us to continue to invest in improving the quality of the student experience, to develop state-of-the-art building projects such as the Huxley and Checkland buildings and in the near future help us to deliver on our plans for a new University of Brighton business school.
04 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
This university has a proud history of creating innovative ways to help talented students regardless of their background to study with us; our work in Hastings, and the development of a second major academic building in the town are testament to this. To support this aim we will make more than £5m available, each year, for fee waivers, bursaries and other forms of financial support. A further £2.8m will be invested in outreach work with local schools and colleges, and for academic and pastoral support for students most in need, to help them make successful applications to Brighton and to support them in their studies and beyond. Although there are many reasons to be confident about our future, we will (like all universities) face many challenges to justify the much higher fees which the coalition government policy has made inevitable for all institutions. This issue of Channel highlights some of the ways in which the university is working to meet these challenges. For example, our efforts to ensure that our graduates have excellent employability prospects (page 8), the innovative ways that we are working with industry (page 12), how we are exploring alterative sources of income and ways to support our work (page 18) and also the implementation of the positioning project by ensuring that we articulate what this university stands for, recognise our distinctiveness and the value that we bring to society (page 10). You’ll also have the opportunity to find out more about our involvement with the Hastings and St Leonards academies which further consolidates on our commitment to the transformation of the town through education-led economic regeneration (pages 14 and 15). I hope that you will find this work interesting. I’ll look forward to discussing some of these issues with you at the next round of open meetings in May.
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
BRIGHTON BUSINESS SCHOOL The fuse is lit A £1m grant has been awarded to expand the creative, digital and IT sector in Brighton and Hove. The project, Brighton Fuse, will bring together a consortium of experts with the aim of supporting innovation, creativity and economic growth and generating new business and employment opportunities. The university is leading the project. The initiative was developed by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) and it will involve the city’s two universities and Wired Sussex, which works with over 2,000 digital, media and technology companies in the region. The consortium will examine the city’s large cluster of small digital and creative businesses and develop new ways for them to benefit from both the University of Brighton and University of Sussex.
FACULTY OF ARTS Hidden talent A treasure trove of historical artwork by MacDonald (Max) Gill, younger brother of the sculptor and type designer Eric Gill, will be on public display for the first time at the university’s gallery this summer. Max Gill was best known for pictorial maps and in 1914, his Wonderground map of the London Underground system sold in its thousands and inspired a resurgence of pictorial and decorative map-making in Britain, the United States, Latin America and Australia. Much of the work going on display lay hidden in a Sussex cottage where he once lived. Caroline Walker, Max’s great-niece who is writing his biography said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes – the treasure trove of material I was shown was a researcher’s dream come true.”
Above: Max Gill in his studio.
The maps and artwork had lain for more than half a century undisturbed. Because the work has been protected from light, many of the poster maps are in mint condition, their colours as bright as the day they were printed. Shortly after Caroline’s discovery, a conversation between Professor Bruce Brown, the university’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (research), and
Andrew Johnston (a fellow trustee of Ditchling Museum) brought Max’s artwork to the attention of the university. Professor Brown said: “It is quite an amazing story and I am delighted the university is hosting the exhibition and bringing Max Gill’s exceptional work once more to the public’s attention.” The exhibition will run from 22 July–29 August 2011.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 05
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
EASTBOURNE CAMPUS New gym at Eastbourne campus A £750,000 investment has brought stunning state-of-the-art strength and fitness equipment to the Eastbourne campus. The new gym includes treadmills, rowers, crosstrainers, weights machines, six lifting platforms, a punchbag rail and a full television and sound system. As well as helping users keep fit, the facility will be used for teaching by Chelsea School, particularly on the popular strength and conditioning modules. One of the lifting platforms is equipped with a force plate and a three-camera system to analyse weight-lifting actions. A side room houses scientific isokinetic dynamometers to allow precise measurement of muscle strength.
CENTRE FOR COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP Three new KTPs The university has been awarded three Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) worth more than £282,000. One KTP, worth £125,372, is with the Guinness Partnership and its subsidiaries (www.guinnesspartnership. com) which owns and manages almost 60,000 homes throughout England and provides quality housing for people on low incomes. The two-year project involves refitting Guinness’ offices to deliver environmental and financial benefits. The project will enable Guinness to introduce the same sustainable features to their residential homes and offices. Involved in the project from the university are Dr Jonathan Gates and Dr Ahmed Abdullahi from the School of Environment and Technology. A second KTP, worth £119,372, sees the university working with Plastipack Ltd (www.plastipack.co.uk).
06 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
Plastipack make energy and resourcesaving swimming pool and reservoir cover materials, and are based in St Leonards, East Sussex. This project builds on the our long-term relationship with Plastipack, which has already participated in two KTP programmes and in the Profitnet scheme. The two-year project aims to develop an understanding of alternative markets for Plastipak, with the aim of helping them to expand into wider geographical sectors and manage the seasonal demands for their products more effectivelys. The project will involve Jane Priddis, Gary Priddis and Peter McCullen, from the university’s Brighton Business School.
The third award is a shorter KTP worth £38,000. Kalimex Ltd specialises in the provision of high-quality, innovative repair and anti-friction compounds. Kalimex’s main brand, K-Seal, is the automotive market’s premium cooling system leak repair additive. The 40-week project will develop a validated test-rig to demonstrate that K-Seal and associated products meet the American Society for Testing and Materials standard for cooling system leak repair additives. Dr Nicolas Miché and Professor Morgan Heikal, from the university’s School of Computing Engineering and Mathematics, are involved in the project.
Above: Lifting the weights is final year sports science student James Blanchard.
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
HASTINGS All about radio The Hastings campus welcomed 50 visitors aged 16 to 60 for a full day of events including presenting the university’s live radio show. The event was co-hosted by The Radio Academy, the charity dedicated to excellence in UK radio broadcasting and audio production. Sessions included The Future of Radio with James Cridland, Radio Academy trustee and managing director of Media UK, and The Secrets Behind the Design of Radio Playlists with BBC Sussex presenter David Miller. One aim of the day was to help build a network of local programme makers. Presenters met radio station managers and interviewers met podcasters. One of the most popular activities was drive the deck which enabled visitors to present the university’s live radio studio. The surprise of the day was the discovery of a great presenter, who once presented on Independent Radio News, but who gave up her career for family commitments. Station manager Andy Bantock said “She’s got to be on the radio!”
FALMER Clean and green Staff at Falmer campus gave up their lunch breaks to go litter-picking, as part of the university-wide Green Week activities. Nigel Sherriff, a senior research fellow in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, set up the initiative to raise the standard of cleanliness in and around the campus and to ensure that it looks its best for staff, students and visitors alike. Litter-picking is one of many grassroots activities taking place through the university’s Environmental Action Network (EAN) to protect and improve the environment. Nigel said he wants to develop a cross-campus awareness campaign which he hopes will prevent
Above: In the Burst radio studio.
litter being dropped in the first place: “We want to show how looking after our working and home environments is everyone’s responsibility.”
a small club at the university, inviting all levels to come and learn boxing. Over the years this flourished into a huge success for learners, novices and advanced boxers alike.”
FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND SPORT Packs a punch!
Adam said: “I could see Jake was going to be a good boxer. He has a great range of accurate powerful punches and mental toughness. Some boxers are very tentative and cautious, whereas Jake is certain he will win. His focus is absolute.”
Chelsea sport and fitness student Jake Towse has been crowned British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) boxing champion following his triumph over Portsmouth student Richard Tyler in the final held in Coventry. Jake, who competes as a lightwelterweight, follows in the footsteps of his coach, Brighton sports science graduate Adam Haniver, who won silver in the BUCS heavyweight division in 1998 and now trains Jake and the university’s team. Adam said: “I started
Together with Jake’s father Graham, Adam has developed Jake into a ‘rounded boxer’. Jake’s next challenge is to compete in the Southern Counties Senior Amateur Boxing Association competition.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 07
LEAD FEATURE
Promoting graduate
employment
Sam Rhodes, student services manager, talks about the approaches taken to ease students’ transition from university to work
The University of Brighton’s Careers Centre is more than just a support service operating quietly in the background. We strive to be an asset that attracts students to study here. A recent survey suggested that employment opportunities for our graduates remain strong despite the economic doom and gloom. Over 75 per cent of graduates and 93 per cent of postgraduates were successful in finding employment within six months of their graduation. In recent years, we have adopted a number of new approaches to ease students’ transition from university to work which complement their academic study, help them acquire new skills and improve their employment prospects. Sam Rhodes, student services manager, career development
08 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
The Momentum mentoring scheme provides students with employer-mentors, many of whom are from leading companies and organisations. This enables students to gain first-hand knowledge of business practices and helps to build their confidence through a structured programme. Our events programme includes employability skills sessions giving students the chance to develop transferable skills. Last year 2,500 students attended some part of the events programme while thousands of others requested individual guidance or attended course-based workshops. Here, members of staff from the careers centre, REASE and Students’ Union describe their roles, and how they support and help students develop.
LEAD FEATURE
Katherine Hope, student and graduate employment coordinator
Beth Thomas-Hancock, student volunteering manager
Clare Griffiths, business development manager, entrepreneurship
Emily-Ann Nash, Students’ Union vice president, academic affairs
I work in the careers centre with students and local and national employers. Working closely with employers gives me knowledge and insights into their expectations and recruitment needs which I am able to share with our students. I help employers by linking them with students who have the skills they need to run their businesses.
I joined the university in 2002 to set up Active Student, our awardwinning volunteering programme. Each year we place around 300 students in volunteer positions in the local community. The main reason they volunteer is to gain valuable work experience and to enhance their CVs. Active Student workers at each of the university’s five campuses find them suitable opportunities and support them throughout their volunteering experience.
The ability to generate and turn ideas into reality is essential for graduates in any sector or industry, whether they decide to become self-employed or work for someone else.
I am responsible for academic policy and for enhancing students’ learning experience in the Students’ Union. The union offers opportunities in four areas: academic, activities and events, campus and community, and wellbeing which cover a huge range of development and volunteering opportunities.
Students are encouraged to reflect on their experience by writing learning logs and attending workshops that help to them to identify the skills and experience gained. Students recognise that volunteering is a real opportunity for putting theory into practice, helping to develop useful networks and providing them with valuable references. I am passionate about volunteering and believe that it is a great way for students to feel they are taking an active part in their local community, where they can meet new and interesting people and develop their skills.
We offer workshops and masterclasses, lectures and one-to-one business support sessions to students and alumni. We also run a business start-up course for recent graduates and an annual ideas competition. At a strategic level, I am working with academics and the careers service to embed enterprise education in the curriculum. Whilst an entrepreneurial career may not be for everyone, those who take part in beepurple recognise the importance of being enterprising for their employability and future careers.
The Brighton internships programme, funded by the HEFCE enabled 38 graduates to be placed with local and national companies on paid internships last year. The success of this programme was founded on the years of expertise and contacts that have been built up within the university. The media paint a pretty glum picture of the UK economy but, when it comes to graduate employment we ensure that our students are well prepared to meet any challenges they may face. Increasingly work experience is what makes the difference as to whether graduates find a job or not.
With Brad Crescenzo, I manage beepurple, our extra-curricular entrepreneurship programme with the aim of encouraging enterprise skills and entrepreneurial thinking amongst students, staff and alumni.
Employment opportunities in our shops and cafes allow students to gain an understanding of customer service, working to deadlines, health and safety compliance, communication skills and team working. The union has a range of elected positions where students can develop skills in leadership, communications, finance, management, dealing with a diverse range of stakeholders, project management and delivery. We offer training and support for all student roles in the Students’ Union and we are always encouraging students to get involved.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 09
LEAD FEATURE
Reasons to choose
UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON How the positioning project is helping us bring clarity to the way we communicate with prospective students. With a new system of fees and funding, students applying to start university in 2012 may have increased concerns about making the right choice of course and university.
the project, through focus groups and online surveys. We also sought opinions from stakeholders including students, graduates, employers and partners.
It is our responsibility to help potential applicants make the right decision or choice about us by offering clear information, supported by real facts.
At the end of 2009 Marketing and Communications, supported by the senior management team, began a positioning project, aimed at defining our strengths, knowledge and skills, and how we can best communicate these to our diverse audience.
All of this meant that we were able to gain an in depth understanding of our strengths, knowledge and skills, and what these mean to the people we work with. With the sector becoming more and more competitive it is important to be confident about what we have to offer, ensuring that we get credit for the excellent work that we do, and to enable us to address inaccurate perceptions.
The 2012 undergraduate prospectus focuses on six key messages that express the value of the University of Brighton degree. These messages will be communicated to prospective students at every opportunity, including the new guide for students, at open days and online.
Many colleagues from across the university were involved with the research that informed
10 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
LEAD FEATURE
Innovative and relevant
A leading professional university
Brighton has over 150 years of experience of anticipating and responding to change.
Our courses are informed by the latest professional knowledge. Our partners in industry and the professions contribute to course development and teaching.
We pioneered the UK’s first degrees in computing, podiatry and sports journalism. Our research contributes to deeper understanding of issues that touch all of us including sustainability, ageing, diabetes, gun crime and social inclusion.
Our staff combine professional practice with teaching and research activity. Many of our undergraduate courses are accredited by professional and statutory bodies.
Each year our students graduate prepared for careers in fields like medicine, architecture, business and pharmacy, sport science, education, engineering and fashion design.
Many courses involve work-based learning – through projects, placements and workshops.
Facilities fit for the twenty-first century
Excellence in teaching and support
Our modern campuses reflect our professional focus. Over £100 million has been invested in our learning environment. Facilities enable students to build realworld skills and include internationally significant design archives, a radio station and TV studio, podiatric hospital, physiotherapy clinic, flight simulator, industrial textile looms, rapid prototyping facilities, a real-time trading room, human movement labs, molecular biology facilities, a dispensing pharmacy and two of the most powerful electron microscopes in south-east England.
Brighton’s courses and the learning experience we offer attract students from over 140 countries. Our courses and academic standards received the highest level of recommendation from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). We have received five National Teaching Fellowships. We hold the Matrix Standard, recognising the quality of our student advice and guidance services. After graduation the Brighton Graduate Association offers personal and professional benefits, and membership of a global community with around 100,000 members.
Career-focused Course delivery and support services help you realise your career aspirations. Project work prepares students for professional life, and career planning provides focus from the start of your course. Our Careers Service is in regular contact with over 1800 businesses and organisations who post vacancies and attend our events and careers fairs. Careers workshops and mentoring, volunteering and entrepreneurship schemes build confidence and experience. Students will graduate with a qualification and practical experience.
Outstanding locations We have campuses in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. Transport links across Sussex, to London, mainland Europe and further afield are excellent. All three towns are situated by the sea and have their own distinct character. Each offers many cultural and leisure opportunities, with something for everyone. Our open days offer a great opportunity to find out more about the area and the university.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 11
LEAD FEATURE
MASTERING THE SKILLS Bridging the gap between university and employment
One of the main reasons people attend university is to get a launch pad into the workplace, and in this increasingly competitive world, anything that brings students and employers together is more important than ever. Here, Channel highlights two ways the university is doing just that. Sheila Flavell, FDM’s chief executive officer, says: “Julian Crampton is a very enlightened and entrepreneurial vice-chancellor and was instrumental in the fast and efficient setting up of the masters programme at the university. We recruit from several universities including Oxford and Cambridge, but we chose the University of Brighton to run the masters programme as we believe it shares our values. It is well placed to meet the changing needs of our industry as we are able to recruit graduates of a very high calibre.” On the fast track International IT company FDM runs a two-year programme designed to bridge the gap between university and employment and equip graduates with technical expertise and commercial experience enabling their fast-track progression into the IT industry. FDM Group was recently voted Best Technical Graduate Recruiter at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards. It has offices in Brighton, London, Manchester, New York, Frankfurt, Luxembourg and Zurich and offers eligible students a new, fully funded Applied Computer Science MSc. The training directly involves participants in the company’s work and sees them making a difference to client projects from day one.
12 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
Sheila co-owns FDM with husband Rod and, as well as being graduates of the university, they are also ambassadors making personal donations to support the work of the university. Many of FDM’s management team are also graduates of the university, including their finance manager and training director. Sheila sees the city of Brighton & Hove and the university as central to the company’s formation and operation. She studied for both an MA and MBA at the university and says: “I found the university to be a great learning environment. I was studying parttime and running a business while bringing up two small children. The staff
and my fellow students provided an atmosphere of tremendous support and camaraderie.” The first intake of University of Brighton students was recruited to the FDM programme in January this year and, as well as being paid while studying, they can look forward to a guaranteed job after graduating. Excellent route into industry Eight graduates have become the first to complete the Excellence with Industry (EWI) programme. The EWI programme enables undergraduate students to work with some of the UK’s most prestigious employers in the water, engineering and construction industries, and also gets them a foothold into highly competitive industries. Eligibility for entry to the programme is based on their performance at the end of the second year of their degree and then two years are spent with 4D, a consortium of industry leaders from within the utility and construction sectors – United Utilities, Costain and MWH. Working with 4D, students can choose which companies they want to work
Left: FDM CEO, Sheila Flavell
LEAD FEATURE
Left to right: Sam Wrightman, Liam Green and Sam Matthews
with, helping them pick up a range of skills and experience. Placement modules are carefully structured with specific targets demonstrating what students have learned and achieved. Successful completion of the course means the guaranteed offer of a job. But what do the employers get out of it? Quite simply, companies are beating the competition by recruiting students before they graduate, effectively interviewing candidates over two years, assessing their academic potential and observing how they work in a team. At the end of the programme, their standard of knowledge and skills is far higher than a normal graduate, as is their industry awareness. Liam Green, Sam Matthews and Sam Wrightman are three of the graduates now working full-time with engineering contractor Costain and talk enthusiastically about the programme.
“I worked on two flood alleviation projects at Bexhill-on-Sea and Haywards Heath in Sussex,” says Liam. “At Bexhill, this involved the sinking of huge storm shafts and there was a lot to see and get involved in, including liaison with the local community. I saw the different design stages of the flood scheme as well as its implementation, which was a very valuable experience.” Sam Matthews is also extremely positive about his experience: “I’ve been involved in every aspect of a wastewater treatment project – speaking to different industry professionals and finding design solutions. I’ve also developed my people skills through negotiating with subcontractors and local community groups.” But it’s not just the industry experience that gets the thumbs up. The university and, in particular, the staff’s involvement is crucial for the students.
“At Brighton there’s a strong focus on getting graduates jobs,” says Liam. “Even before entering the EWI programme there was help with things like CV writing and university staff made every effort to improve our employability skills.” And Sam Wrightman is equally complimentary: “I found teaching staff really influential in helping me to think on a global scale about the subject and the way I approached my work, this helped me to link up all the different facets of the programme.” Five more graduates have been employed by other companies within the consortium. They all agree that the EWI programme was ‘too good an opportunity to miss’ and, given the current job market, one they would definitely recommend to others studying at the university.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 13
SPECIAL FEATURE
ACADEMIES
Social and community activity is a important part of the university’s core purpose. We are committed to economic and social engagement, and to forming productive working partnerships with local communities. One such initiative is helping to regenerate the Hastings and St Leonards area. The university is lead sponsor of the establishment of two new academy schools in Hastings and St Leonards. We are joined by East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and co-sponsors BT. The multimillion pound academies will provide a twenty-first century education for many young people in the Hastings area, with new facilities and opportunities expected to make a very positive impact in local communities. The academies will be state funded, will accept students of all abilities, and will bound by the same school admissions code as all other state-funded schools. They will replace Hillcrest, Filsham Valley and The Grove secondary schools and more than 60 per cent of the town’s 11–16 year olds will attend
14 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
the two new academies. The establishment of the academies is the second of a two part strategy to transform the education experience of pupils in the town. In 2008, Hastings was the thirty-first most deprived borough in England, the most deprived in the south-east and the lowest attaining borough out of 354, based on summer 2008 GCSE results. It was decided by ESCC that a radical intervention strategy that would combat disadvantage and raise standards in the long term was required. The first part of the strategy was to create a federation of the three schools to implement educational best practice. Through the work of the federation significant improvements have been achieved and in March 2010 Hillcrest was recognised as the second most improved school in the country.
ESCC approached the university to lead on the second stage of the strategy, the creation of two new academies, to ensure that these improvements are sustained. Both academies will open in their existing buildings in September 2011 and will move into their new purpose-built accommodation in September 2013. At a cost of just over £32m (funded by the government and ESCC) the two new buildings will have state-of-the-art information technology and facilities that will inspire and motivate students and staff, and be flexible enough to change with the times. The St Leonards Academy has places for 1,500 pupils and will specialise in English and ICT. On the eastern side of the town, The Hastings Academy will accommodate 900 pupils and specialise in mathematics and
SPECIAL FEATURE
ICT. Newly appointed principal designate for The St Leonards Academy Jenny Jones said: “The sponsors will influence and contribute to the experience of our students through projects and enrichment programmes which draw on their expertise and knowledge. The small school model which is at the heart of the sponsors’ vision is integral to delivering personalised provision where every child is known, and will be the core focus of this academy.” Theresa Phillips, principal designate of The Hastings Academy, said: “We expect the university to bring exceptional professional development opportunities for all staff at the academy. They have brought skill and professionalism to the branding and marketing of the academies which has contributed to
increasing numbers of pupils applying to join this academy.” Parents and pupils have been fully consulted about the academies and a pupils’ brief recorded thoughts and ideas about every aspect of the academies. Fashion design students from the university’s Faculty of Arts ran a series of workshops with pupils to choose the new school uniforms and Mark Toynbee, a graphic designer based in the university’s Marketing and Communications department designed the distinctive lion’s head logos for the academies and also their prospectuses.
Top left: Artist’s impression of The Hastings Academy. Top: Theresa Phillips, principal designate of The Hastings Academy and right, Jenny Jones, principal designate of The St Leonards Academy. Below: Students developing school uniforms for the academies.
The university already has strong educational links in the area through our campus in Hastings and partner Sussex Coast College.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 15
RESEARCH BRIEFING
VIRTUAL BATTING: THE NEXT TEST
How do batsmen cope with fast bowlers hurling cricket balls at them at speeds close to the blink of an eye? Groundbreaking research at the University of Brighton might just give the Kevin Pietersens of this world an extra weapon in their armoury. Researcher Karl Stevenson, explains how he and colleagues at Chelsea School are developing computer programmes to improve anticipation skills – to put one over on the bowlers. England fast bowler and Ashes hero James Anderson bowls to batsmen at around 90 miles per hour. At this speed, it takes the ball 500 milliseconds or half a second to reach the batsman from the point of release. If this isn’t challenging enough, research has shown that batsmen take 900 milliseconds to make the decision to move the ball leaves the bowler’s hand. So, the question is: how do world-class batsmen play this level of fast bowling consistently and still make it look as if they are playing a game of schoolyard cricket? The answer is anticipation skill.
16 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
To counteract the 400-millisecond deficit, the batsman needs to be able to anticipate the bowler’s intention. It is not about mind-reading or premeditation but about a skill developed over thousands of hours of practice. It is the ability to read the bowler’s pre-release delivery kinematics, or body movement, in order to anticipate the type, direction and length of delivery that the bowler is about to make. Batsmen learn to do this as a coping mechanism, developing strategies enabling them to focus on the most information-rich areas at the right moment. This allows them to
RESEARCH RESEARCH BRIEFING FEATURE
start preparing a response before the bowler has even released the ball, narrowing the 400-millisecond deficit in their favour and allowing them to execute a shot, which, in real time, would have been impossible. We at Chelsea have been researching these mechanisms as well as developing a programme which allows anticipation skill to be taught. In the early stages of the programme, researchers used a simple two-choice reaction task, asking batsmen to watch video footage of a bowler filmed from a batsman’s point of view. They then had to anticipate which way the bowler would spin the ball based on their pre-delivery body movement. These initial studies found that batsmen decreased their reaction times and became more accurate over a four-week training period. However, the researchers did not know whether the results we observed in the study would actually carry over onto the playing field.
To resolve this, we developed the cricketspecific anticipation test (CSAT) with the aim of simulating a real-life batting task which accurately measured batsmen’s responses in a laboratory setting. We tested reactions to varying lengths of live medium-pace bowling by recording foot movements in relation to the distance the ball had landed from the base of the cricket stumps. We then filmed the same bowlers from a batsman’s perspective, editing the footage to create a laboratory test. This footage was projected onto a life-size screen to simulate a real game and then the batsmen were put through their paces. Analysis of the resulting data allowed the researchers to gauge batsman’s reactions. In its early stages of analysis, batting under the CSAT is showing a significant correlation with live bowling. However, my research colleagues and I are carrying out further tests to ensure the validity and reliability of CSAT, which will ultimately lead to the development of effective training programmes.
The margins of success and failure are extremely narrow in the modern world of sport, and we need to ask what benefit is there in having physically fit athletes, if they do not have the sport-specific mental skills to make consistently accurate decisions. With this in mind, it is essential that new training methods are developed to target mental skills and to improve players’ ability to make correct decisions under pressure, thus advancing the boundaries of sporting performance. You can help We are seeking more participants: we need skilled right-handed batters, or non-skilled right-handed players between the ages of 18–30. Testing takes place over the course of a morning or afternoon and consists of a live batting session, with the non-skilled group performing shadow batting and both groups taking the CSAT decision-making test. Please email k.stevenson@brighton.ac.uk if you would like to be involved.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 17
TEAM IN FOCUS
THE MILLION POUND TEAM:
breaking all records In August 2008, the Development and Alumni Office (DAO) was created to establish a fundraising and alumni engagement operation able to raise £1m per year in philanthropic support and to significantly increase the number of former students or alumni, with whom the university is actively engaged. Just over two years later, DAO is celebrating some impressive achievements.They raised almost £1m during the last financial year and are now working with a worldwide alumni community of 100,000. Sam Davies, head of the department, joined the university after 14 years as a fundraiser for the University of Warwick. She is is delighted with the team’s progress: “I am very proud of our results so far, particularly as they have been achieved through a genuine team effort. It’s amazing to see the energy and creativity of my colleagues coming to fruition. New approaches have enhanced our results without resource implications – an important consideration for us all in the current climate.” Work by the team includes introducing in-house telephone fundraising campaigns, undertaking large-scale efforts to trace and contact alumni that the university has had little or no contact with for many years and delivering a series of reunions. In raising funds, a wide-ranging audience has been approached: alumni, friends of the university, honorary graduates,
18 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
corporate bodies, other organisations and more recently, graduating students. A recent trend has been the willingness of staff to make donations to support projects across the university. The DAO team is an excellent example, with the whole team making donations. Faye Brown, alumni engagement manager, told us on behalf of the team: “After hearing so much about the various projects supported through our departmental activities, we were all happy to make a contribution to the projects which inspired us the most. It felt like a natural thing to do and everyone gave in line with their own personal circumstances. If nothing else, we hope our contributions will help to highlight the fact that it is possible for staff to give, as they may not have realised this before now.” Aine Walsh, also from the Development and Alumni Office, added: “I am very happy to support student wellbeing activities, as I feel they are a foundation for academic success.”
Many colleagues are choosing to give to projects which benefit communities and activities outside of the university – for example, A School for Malagiri (www.brighton.ac.uk/malagiri) or the Cupp initiative On Our Doorsteps (www.brighton.ac.uk/onourdoorsteps). Alternatively, colleagues are supporting projects which help enhance our students’ experience, such as the peer2pier volunteering scheme (www.ubsu.net/peer2pier). The matched funding scheme is in force until 31 July 2011 enabling us to attract an additional £1 for every £2 secured in donations. Donations can be made either by cheque or debit/credit card, setting up a modest regular payment via payroll giving or a bank account, or indeed as a result of participating in sponsored activities. To find out more about making a donation, please contact Sam Davies, sam.davies@brighton.ac.uk. Sam would also be pleased to hear from you if you have suggestions for individuals or organisations that DAO might approach with philanthropic support in mind.
From left to right, standing: Alison Montgomery, Sarah Grant, Andrew Scanlan, Faye Brown, Robert Prosser, Aine Walsh, Val Miles. Seated: Tessa Gooding Sam Davies Allan Sherman.
TEAM IN FOCUS
A few staff donors share their thoughts about giving “The reason I got involved in the yoga challenge was that it enabled me to do something I love as a way of raising money. I’m sure that I’m not alone in being continuously asked by charities to make forever larger and more frequent donations, which can get annoying. Taking the time to do something enjoyable as a way of raising money is a win-win situation for everyone and I wouldn’t hesitate in doing it again.” Debbie Smith, Planning and data analyst, Strategic Planning Office
“I was recently able to study an MBA with the university on a fee waiver. The course was hugely enjoyable and helped extend my management skills and develop insights which will bring benefits to the university and of course, the students and graduates. By donating a small sum each month I feel I am showing appreciation for the privilege of being able to do the course without a fee and I’m pleased the money will go to a good cause.” Sam Rhodes, Careers Centre manager, Student Services
“It’s a cliche to talk of wanting to give something back but it’s my own experience at Brighton that makes me particularly interested in supporting projects that widen access when I arrived. I had just failed my A-levels for the third time and on retirement was made Emeritus Professor.” Professor Roger Homan, Emeritus Professor, School of Education and former student of Brighton College of Education
“I believe a university and its students’ union should create a strong partnership for the good of all students. I work for one and donate to the other.” Robert Prosser, Careers development advisor, Student Services/DAO
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 19
SPECIAL FEATURE
For the love of art A firm of Sussex solicitors over a number of years will have injected close to £400,000 into one of the biggest art and design shows in Sussex. The worlds of art and law are not obvious companions but as the people at Burt Brill & Cardens explain, their 16-year partnership with the show is bound not by professional interest but by a commitment to support the community in which they live and work. More than 15,000 visitors are expected to view the exhibits between 4 and 9 June. And this is no ordinary sponsorship. As university academics testify, this one helps create futures.
This summer’s Burt Brill and Cardens graduate show is being billed as the biggest and brightest ever, brimming with novel exhibits from fashion to photography and from sculpture to design.
The show often leads to work being bought and commissioned by art lovers who are looking for emerging talent. And for the students, the show is the climax to years of study and, perhaps, the first steps along the paths taken by alumni such as Turner Prize winners Rachel Whiteread and Keith Tyson, artist Alison Lapper and fashion designers Barbara Hulanicki and Julien Macdonald OBE. Brighton & Hove and the University of Brighton are big names in the art world. Only last year, fashion guru Gok Wan was at a showcase fashion event at Grand Parade when he described the city as a creative space. He said: “If you want to do fashion, textiles or design then Brighton is like no other city in the country.”
The Brighton-based solicitors are supporting the university in showcasing the work of 500 students who will transform the faculty’s Grand Parade campus into the biggest gallery in the south-east, and this year extends out into the city, with photography students exhibiting at nearby Lighthouse, the leading arts agency and commissioners based in Kensington Street, Brighton.
It is thanks to 16 years of sponsorship from Burt Brill & Cardens that the graduate show has grown into one of the city’s cultural highlights, complete with a student prizegiving, family day and undergraduate open days. Burt Brill & Cardens’ association with the show started in 1995 and David Edwards, managing partner with Burt Brill & Cardens, said: “We were very happy to
Maureen and David Edwards, Burt Brill & Cardens.
20 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
become involved. Burt Brill & Cardens has a long history of supporting all sectors of the community and an art show at which every graduating student has the chance to show their work fitted the firm’s philosophy of providing legal services for all.” David and his wife Maureen, marketing and customer support manager, have long shared an interest in art. David said: “I can remember coach trips around Europe, looking at the great cathedrals of France and that then led to an interest in Renaissance art. The challenge of all art is to say something original and that is why we find the student work so invigorating. Often, the most exciting art and design are produced at these times before they have commercialised or refined their work.” He said sponsoring the graduate show was important on many levels: “It provides a focal point and a joyous conclusion to the students’ degree courses. It provides a great opportunity for the city and the university to come together in a moment of celebration and acts as a vital stimulus to the vibrancy of the city. “All law firms are not the same and with the impending arrival of companies such as Tesco, RAC and the Co-op into the legal market, our sponsorship helps to demonstrate that the interest of law and justice are best served by law firms which engage with and support the local community rather than just pursuing commercial profit. Working in a profession where precedent and experience weighs heavily, we gain considerable enjoyment from our sponsorship of the show and the exposure to students whose aim is to challenge, stimulate and inject fresh ideas into old situations. That is a very useful counterbalance for us.”
SPECIAL FEATURE
Burt Brill & Cardens, he said, has long been embedded in the fabric of Brighton life: “The firm was founded by Herbert Carden and has operated from its office in the Old Steine, Brighton, since 1897. Sir Herbert was three times mayor of Brighton and one of the key figures in the town’s history. “We are continuing those close ties. All of our staff will be at the show, many attend separately with their families, and we will also be introducing the show to many of our clients. We have always been a firm that acts for and looks after people and businesses in Sussex.” Mr Edwards said that deep commitment didn’t end when the graduate show finished: “We run a display of works on rotation in our offices, and we also have some work on permanent display.” And there’s one tradition he intends maintaining: “Every year, we purchase one or more works – and 2011 will be no exception.” Anne Boddington, dean of the Faculty of Arts, said: “Burt Brill & Cardens’ continued sponsorship and support for our graduate show has been vital as a springboard for the wealth of emerging talent and for our students’ graduation experience. Their friendship, generosity and commitment to the faculty and to promoting creative careers and emerging artists is greatly appreciated by staff and students alike. It has been a great privilege to have worked with them over the years to develop this annual celebration for our students and the city to enjoy.” Professor Julian Crampton, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, added his endorsement and thanks noting that: “Burt Brill & Cardens’ backing has helped the university provide a showcase for the tremendous talent that emerges each and every year from the Faculty of Arts. Their professional and philanthropic contribution has benefited the university, our graduate experience and our engagement with our many public audiences.” For more information on the graduate show, go to http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/graduate-show. Burt Brill & Cardens offers a 10 per cent discount to university staff and alumni. Go to www.bbc-law.co.uk.
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 21
ON CAMPUS
UNIVERSITY PLEDGES TO HALVE ITS
CARBON FOOTPRINT
The university has set itself the ambitious target of cutting its carbon footprint by 50 per cent in five years. At the moment we produce over 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, equivalent to driving around the world 1,424 times. Carbon dioxide is one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. Cutting carbon emissions as part of the fight against climate change is an important priority for the university. Over the past 10 months, with support from the Carbon Trust, we have started to look at ways to save energy and reduce carbon across our activities, including heating and lighting our buildings, operating computers and IT servers, running our catering outlets, travelling between sites, and collecting and recycling waste. A carbon management team has been set up, headed by energy manager, Abigail Dombey, with students and staff from across the university taking part. This initiative is actively supported by senior management, and the project is sponsored by Sue McHugh, director of Finance, and Mike Clark, director of Estate and Facilities Management.
22 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
“I am delighted we have committed ourselves to this important challenge, Abigail said, “Carbon management needs to be embedded into university culture, with each department addressing its own ways to save energy and reduce carbon emissions.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Julian Crampton showed his support: “Our target of 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions will require us to do things differently and this is a challenge we are ready to face with commitment and enthusiasm.”
“We need to work together, staff and students, to do what we can to help reduce the university’s emissions. We aim to become a cutting-edge carbon management university, and to do that, we need to get everyone across the university involved.
Abigail is asking people to contact her with their energy and carbon saving ideas. She is planning to offer prizes for the best suggestions, and can be contacted by email at a.n.dombey@brighton.ac.uk.
Our target of 50 per cent reduction in five years is about aiming high and getting everyone on board. The university’s carbon management plan was signed off by the Board of Governors in March. Tim Pryce from the Carbon Trust, who supported the university in producing the plan said, “I very much enjoyed reading your plan, which is one of the most ambitious to come out of the higher education carbon management programme this year.”
SPECIAL FEATURE
HOW WE ARE HELPING TACKLE HAITI EPIDEMIC A University of Brighton scientist is helping fight a cholera epidemic among thousands of earthquake victims in Haiti. Dr Huw Taylor saw the suffering firsthand during a recent visit to the Caribbean island, and is now working back at the university on a manual for the treatment of cholera wastewaters for future epidemics. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the French humanitarian organisation, invited Dr Taylor to Haiti to help control the spread of the deadly disease. The epidemic recently became so serious that MSF had to convert a partially constructed maternity hospital in Port-au-Prince into an emergency cholera treatment centre. MSF discovered that traditional wastewater treatment and disposal methods ran the risk of contaminating drinking water sources. MSF
heard of Dr Taylor’s expertise and asked him to help design and operate a new treatment plant. With a team of international engineers and local Haitian staff, Dr Taylor designed and monitored the treatment plant and trained local staff to run a water-quality laboratory that he set up. Dr Taylor, from the School of Environment and Technology, described how desperate conditions have led to greater dangers for aid workers: “MSF provides all staff and consultants with US $100 to hand over quickly in case of armed attacks, along with a note in Creole to say that MSF does not pay ransom demands.” Despite the dangers, Dr Taylor said he was glad he had been able to help: “You never know when your research work will find its most useful application.” Dr Taylor carried out his postdoctoral research in Brazil to develop a low-cost treatment system for urban wastewater. His research focuses on the ecology of waterborne
pathogens and methods for monitoring the quality of drinking and recreational waters. In 1998, he set up the university’s Environment and Public Health Research Unit, a centre for excellence in waterborne disease research and in postgraduate research training. Six PhD students have graduated in recent years and another six are currently studying. Dr Taylor’s long-term aim is to continue working with MSF on a guidance manual on the treatment of cholera wastewaters for other organisations working in future epidemic zones. He said: “Haiti was an unforgettable experience and it was a great pleasure to work alongside MSF staff. My respect for the organisation is enormous and I must thank those who did my job for me in Brighton while I was away. I am very grateful for the willingness of my colleagues to step in at short notice to cover my teaching.”
April | May 2011 Channel Magazine 23
Events INAUGURAL LECTURE Professor David Taylor Welfare and well being in an age of responsibility Thursday 28 April Huxley Lecture Theatre, Huxley Building, Moulsecoomb, University of Brighton 6.30pm
BRIGHTON FESTIVAL FRINGE EVENTS A World of Sport Tuesday 3 May Talk Sport/Between ethics and contingency: do sports have a specific relationship to history? Thursday 5 May A Tale of Two Peters Thursday 12 May
INAUGURAL LECTURE Bob Brecher Knowledge and belief: the immorality of capitalism Thursday 19 May Checkland Building, Falmer, University of Brighton 6.30pm
PUBLIC EVENTS Final year students’ London fashion show Saturday 3 June Candid Arts, Islington, London EC1 4pm Burt Brill and Cardens graduate show 2011 Saturday 4 June Faculty of Arts, Grand Parade 12 midday
Full details at www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk
BRIGHTON FESTIVAL EVENTS Lynette Wallworth exhibition until 9 June 2011 Kutlug Ataman installation 7–29 May Full details at www.brightonfestival.org
A world of sport
f le oeters a t A oP tw
Bob Brecher Professor of Moral Philosophy Thursday 19 May 2011 at 6.30pm Asa Briggs Hall, Checkland Building, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9PH All are welcome – if you would like to attend please email events@brighton.ac.uk or book online at www.brighton.ac.uk/events.
24 Channel Magazine April | May 2011
Book launch To celebrate the publication of his book The World Atlas of Sport, Professor Alan Tomlinson hosts an evening about the world’s major competitive sports and the forces behind them. Tuesday 3 May 2011 at 7pm. Jam, 9–12 Middle Street, Brighton, BN1 1AL Free entry by advance ticket only: www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk Brighton Festival Fringe box office 01273 917272
Image used with permission of Myriad Editions, Hove, East Sussex
Knowledge and belief:
the immorality of capitalism
George Grosz , Die Besitzkröten (Toads of Property), National Gallery of Scotland, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Dean Gallery, © DACS 2011
Inaugural lecture
Best selling crime author Peter James and Professor Peter Squires discuss crime, criminals and justice. The Sallis Benney Theatre, Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 OJY Thursday 12 May 2011 at 7–8.30pm Tickets are £5 and are available online from www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk or by phoning the Brighton Festival Fringe box office on 01273 917272