Connection

The facts about fees

What the new fee structure means for

Bucks, students and employers

In very good healthKeeping pace with

developments in the Faculty of

Society & Health

Building a bridge with business

Enterprise activities are just what’s needed

to get the local economy growingIssue 15 Winter 2011

The Magazine of BuckinghaMshire new universiTy

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16Connection is produced by the Strategic Marketing & Communications Directorate at Buckinghamshire New University. Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate at the time of going to press.

If you have any questions or stories, please contact the editor, Anne Whitehouse, on 01494 605 249 or email anne.whitehouse@bucks.ac.uk Contributions may be edited for length or style.

Buckinghamshire New University Queen Alexandra Road High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

Telephone: 01494 522 141 Fax: 01494 605 023 Web: bucks.ac.uk Twitter: @bucksnewuni Facebook: bucks.ac.uk/facebook

Designed and produced by Raffertys

© Buckinghamshire New University

Issue 15 Winter 2011

We will consider any requests for accessible formats. Please let us know what you need.

IN THIS ISSUE THEFACTSABOUTFEES05 What the new fee structure means

for Bucks, students and employers

INVERYGOODHEALTH09 Keeping pace with developments

in the Faculty of Society & Health

CLAREBUSINESSSCHOOL12 Announcing a new partnership

for businesses and students

BUILDINGABRIDGEWITHBUSINESS

13 Plans to revitalise the local economy

ENTERPRISEFESTIVAL15 Big-name speakers, big ideas

and big prizes

GRADUATIONS16 Awards for distinguished individuals

and inspiring tutors

ENDOFYEARSHOW20 A photographic record of some

of the highlights of Bucks EYeS

NEWDEVELOPMENTS21 Buckinghamshire UTC gets

Government go-ahead

SPORT22 Why our Foundation Degree in Applied

Coaching Science scores so highly

FORTHCOMINGEVENTS See the back cover for our end

of year shows, open days and other University events

Front cover: Mighty Boosh stars NoelFielding and DaveBrown (see page 16)

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12 13

20 26

FOREWORDMessagefromtheViceChancellor

Debates over the effects that fee changes will have on the higher education sector have been prominent in the news recently and have also been top of the agenda at Bucks. In this edition of Connection, we look at the implications of the new arrangements which come into force from September. The changes will certainly bring challenges, but we feel we are in a good position to meet them with confidence.

We have long been known for our close links with employers, and we believe that this will mean we continue to be a popular choice for university applicants for 2012 and beyond. This employment-led approach is exemplified in the newly launched Clare Business School, an exciting educational and entrepreneurial partnership that will support business initiatives across the county.

This edition also features other aspects of our work with business, including the Wycombe Business Summit, which we supported alongside Wycombe District Council, and our annual Enterprise Festival, which is now in its seventh year.

The future of healthcare is another issue that is rarely out of the headlines. We have been chosen to host The Thames Valley Health Innovation and Education Cluster (HIEC), which is dedicated to the development of ideas that improve the experience of NHS patients.

We were one of the first universities to receive approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Council to implement new pre-registration nursing education standards through our Registered Nurse programmes, and have launched a number of initiatives designed to support the development of the healthcare workforce.

In the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics, we also look at some of the activities being undertaken at Bucks that encourage participation in sport.

Sadly, we pay tribute to Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training student, Carly Beattie, who was killed in an accident in Florida. We also remember Alun Evans, who worked as a senior lecturer in Sports Management at Bucks from 2001–10.

I hope you enjoy reading about all the other news from Bucks New University. Please feel free to get in touch with your comments, and take a look at the back cover for details of forthcoming events.

ProfRuthFarwellVice Chancellor and Chief Executive

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ProfRuthFarwell, vice chancellor and chief executive of Buckinghamshire new university, has been re-elected for a second term as chair of the higher education representative body, guildhe.

guildhe represents universities, university colleges and specialist institutions. its members include institutions with a specialist mission or subject focus and those that are among the most dynamic and fastest-growing in higher education.

Prof farwell began her second two-year term in november 2011. she also serves on the boards of Buckinghamshire Business first, the higher education funding council for england (hefce) and Laser Learning awards, formerly the open college network, south east region.

Prof farwell is supported by ProfJoyCarter,vice chancellor of The university of winchester, and ProfChristopherGaskell, Principal of The royal agricultural college.

AndyWestwood, ceo of guildhe, said: “i am delighted that ruth will be continuing as chair of guildhe. she has been an excellent chair and shares the inclusive values of guildhe members. we are grateful to her for promoting the diverse contribution of guildhe member institutions.”

Prof farwell said she was looking forward to continuing to work with guildhe members over the next two years and building on guildhe’s recent successes.

for further information visit guildhe.ac.uk

vc re-elected as chair of guildhe

NEWS

ShawnNicol:gettingintoIT

THE MUTUAL BENEFITS OF APPRENTICESHIPSApprentice ShawnNicol left a job working at a supermarket chain to pursue his dream of a career in IT – and has found the perfect platform as an apprentice at Buckinghamshire New University.

Shawn, 21, is one of three apprentices Bucks has taken on. Bucks has plans to employ two more. The other apprentices are Events Coordinator and Operations Assistant UmberHussain and Faculty Finance Apprentice FerlyJacob.

Shawn joined Bucks after working for Sainsbury’s in High Wycombe. Fulfilling a dream to work in IT, he now works in Desktop Services. He said: “I was becoming frustrated with my job at Sainsbury’s and thought that if I really wanted to work in IT then I had to save some money and make the move,” he said. “I knew that if I put my mind to it I could do well in my chosen career – I just needed someone to give me a chance.”

Shawn spotted the apprenticeship opportunity at Bucks while attending an open day at Aylesbury College, a partner organisation. His enthusiasm impressed many at the University.

Shawn’s responsibilities include managing day-to-day problems, including computer repairs, ensuring printers and other equipment are working correctly, as well as responding to staff who are having software problems.

He works at Bucks four days a week and is studying for a Level 3 NVQ in IT at Aylesbury College one day a week. Shawn is on a 12-month contract and hopes to pursue a more senior position, either inside or outside the University, when he finishes.

“The apprenticeship seems to work for both parties as I have found something I enjoy and the University is benefiting from my enthusiasm, expertise and willingness to work hard,” he said.

AnnetteGimbert, People Engagement Director at Bucks, said the apprenticeship scheme was a good opportunity to tie up on-the-job exerience at the University with a qualification from Aylesbury College.

She said: “Apprentices have the training opportunities and we have the work opportunities. We give people skills and training over a 12-month period and there is always the chance that if vacancies arise, they could be in line to apply for those roles at the end of the apprenticeship. They are all doing really well here and it is fantastic for us to be able to benefit these young people by developing and challenging them in the workplace.”

Bucks’s investment in apprenticeships comes at a time when the Government’s Business Secretary VinceCable is looking to boost apprenticeship opportunities for young people. Latest figures, to September 2011, put the number of unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds at 1.02m but Mr Cable has said that apprenticeships provide ‘hope’ for young people seeking work.

THE FACTS ABOUTWe appreciate that the coming

months and years will bring challenging times but we feel

well-equipped to deal with the altered fee structure necessary

for 2012 and feel that our continued popularity among applicants puts us in a strong position.

fEaTurE

FEESProfRuthFarwell

Spare a thought for the strategic planners – the people responsible for forecasting future student numbers and determining how universities will satisfy the changing demands on higher education under the new tuition fee regime.

The new fee structure, which allows universities to charge up to £9,000 per year for undergraduate programmes, sparked political division, angry protests and gap year postponements, with some universities taking the unprecedented step of writing to candidates who requested a 2012 deferred entry place, asking if they wished to switch to 2011 entry.

The flexibility of our offer is key – students are individuals and no two students expect the

same experience from university.

SteveDewhurst

“The headlines haven’t been helpful for the sector,” says SteveDewhurst, Director of Business Planning at Bucks New University. “But for the newer universities like us, it hasn’t been as difficult to adapt as it has for others.”

Steve puts this down to Bucks’s employment-led approach to programme delivery which, he says, creates a partnership between the University, students and parents, and employers.

“Degrees have become much more employment-driven and we’re structured to deliver that. The flexibility of our offer is key – students are individuals and no two students expect the same experience from university. Of course there are those who pursue a completely academic route, and those who want to immerse

themselves in student life. But many others want to earn while they learn, and absorb themselves in employment early on. This makes perfect sense for employers and many of our students.”

Steve cited training for prospective police officers as an example: >>

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Forfurtherinformationonfees,

pleasetelephone08000565660

oremailadvice@bucks.ac.uk

From September 2012, Bucks New University will offer a differentiated structure of tuition fees to ensure that fees are realistic both for prospective students and the University.

The majority of our full-time undergraduate courses will have tuition fees of £7,500 per year, reflecting our desire to offer good value for money, whilst acknowledging the costs of delivering our courses.

The £7,500 fee will be set for the bulk of our provision, including the majority of our applied management, health and social care courses. Art, design and production-based courses that involve workshop or studio facilities will attract a fee of £8,000.

We will also be offering an innovative new business degree at a fee of £6,000 per year. This will provide an alternative option for students looking for greater flexibility in delivery.

ProfRuthFarwell, Vice Chancellor of Buckinghamshire New University said: “Prospective students want to know that they will be getting good value for money when they commit to higher education and to a particular university and course. Our primary purpose is to put our students first and we have done our best to ensure that our fees are realistic both for our prospective students and the University.

“Previously police officers joined the force straight after A-levels. Now they have the option of an academic path combined with working as a Special Constable.” (See story on page 26.)

Bucks has set its fees at £7,500 per year for the majority of its courses, a level Steve Dewhurst said reflected the profile of the Bucks student. “We had to set fees that were justifiable, and we had to offer a range of fees to ensure they were commensurate with the types of degree we are offering,” he said.

“The big change”, he adds, “is the greater consideration students, and more particularly their parents, are giving to

the value relationship between courses and employability. They are no longer just looking at a subject area but identifying a career then building their HE choices around that. There’s a much greater articulation between what degree they can get and what they will ultimately do with it.”

This will result in greater scrutiny of what universities are offering for the price, and the degree of specialisation.

It also brings into focus the value of part-time degrees and the need for universities to work much more closely with employers to determine what those needs might be.

THE FACTS ABOUT

FEES

“We are confident that we will continue to attract students to the University, and maintain the quality of our teaching and learning provision. Our close working links with a range of partners will enable us to continue to provide graduates who are well-prepared for professional careers or work in the creative industries.”

The University is committed to widening participation. It has an excellent track record for its outreach activities with local schools and colleges as well as for enabling mature people in work to participate in higher education.

Prof Farwell said: “Offering opportunities to everyone with the potential to benefit from higher education is fundamental to us, and so we have decided to go beyond the minimum requirements for a university with our success in widening participation, and will invest 22.5% of our income from fees over £6,000 in a range of new access measures.”

The University will match its allocation of £303,000 from the National Scholarship Programme, and will offer a voucher

scheme which will provide each eligible student with £6,000 of support over three years. Eligible students will be able to redeem their vouchers against fees, accommodation or a similar institutional service, or receive a cash bursary of up to £1,000 a year.

In addition, all students will have access to the University’s successful ‘Big Deal’ package which encourages participation in a range of sporting, recreational and social activities, and provides a paid student representative scheme.

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UNIVERSITY

VIEW

fEaTurE

9. FOR MANY £9,000 DOESN’T COSTMORE THAN £6,000Many won’t earn enough to repay in full before the 30 years ends; even some on starting salaries as high as £30,000 (which then rises) are unlikely to fully repay at £6,000 fees with the maximum maintenance loan. So there’d be no increase in the total amount repaid even if you took a £9,000 course.

10. PAYING FEES UPFRONT COULDBE A BIG MISTAKESome are considering paying the course upfront to avoid the tuition fee loan. Worse, others are considering getting other types of lending to avoid it. Student loans are the only type of lending which you don’t repay if you’re not earning enough. Paying upfront could mean you repay £27,000 in fees to a uni which you never needed to repay. It’s worth thinking about this before taking the plunge.

YOU CAN

AFFORD TO GO

TO UNI IN 2012

the 10 things everybody shouldknow about student fees in England

Going to university in 2012 may well mean coming away with

£50,000 worth of fees and loans, but because the ‘price tag’ of what

you borrow is very different to the cost - many of you will only need to

repay a fraction of that, whereas those who become high earners will

pay many times more. Read the following ten tips to find out more...

This poster was created by the Independent Taskforce on

Student Finance Information with thanks to Santander

for print funding. Further copies can be downloaded

from www.studentfinance2012.com/resources

To download our free mobile app

UniFees2012 scan the QR code or search

for Uni Fees 2012 in your app store.

1. YOU DON’T NEED CASH TO GO TO UNITuition fees for first time undergraduates are automatically paid for you by the Student Loans Company. You only need to repay if you earn enough once you graduate.

2. THERE ARE NO DEBT COLLECTORSEmployers take repayments before paying you (like tax) simply reducing your pay packet. So no debt collectors come chasing.

3. EARN UNDER £21,000 AND REPAY NOTHINGYou repay 9% of earnings above £21,000 in any tax year (and this will start rising with average earnings too). So earn £21,000 and you repay nothing, earn £31,000 and you repay £900 a year.

4. AFTER 30 YEARS THE DEBT WIPESThirty years after graduation the debt is wiped – you don’t have to pay any more – even if you’ve never repaid a penny.

5. REPAYMENTS WILL BE £540 A YEAR LESS THAN NOWToday’s graduates repay 9% of everything above £15,000. As this rises to £21,000 in the new system more cash remains in graduates’ pockets.

6. REPAY THE SAME PER MONTH AT £6,000 OR £9,000Graduates’ monthly repayments are based only on how much they earn, not how much they borrow, so monthly repayments are the same.

7. YOU WILL OWE LONGER ANDMAY PAY MORECombining the facts you pay less each year, but the original debt’s bigger and the interest rate is higher than for students now, it will take MUCH longer to repay the loan and you may repay more (see www.studentfinancecalc.com).

8. LOANS AND GRANTS FOR LIVINGCOSTS ARE GIVEN TOOStudents also get maintenance (living) loans on the same terms for food, books, accommodation and travel of up to £7,675 depending where you live and study and your parents’ income. For households with income under £42,600 some of the loan is replaced by a non-repayable grant.

PostercourtesyoftheIndependentTaskforceonStudentFinanceInformation.

Availableat:studentfinance2012.com/resources

The research provides a very

positive reference to our graduates’

employability, and acknowledges the strength and success

of our applied courses

Buckinghamshire New University has been identified as one of the top 30 universities in the UK when ranked in order of ‘value-added based on graduate salary’.

The research, which was published in a lead article in Times Higher Education and entitled ‘Salary premium from post-92s can trump that of bigger names’, considered the impact of universities’ contributions to adding value for students on graduate salaries.

Conducted by international consultants, The Parthenon Group, the research cited elements such as subject mix and location which may be key factors in the results of the survey, and recognised Bucks as one of the few, newer ‘post-92’ institutions to feature in the top 30 ‘highest value’ UK universities, alongside universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.

ProfRuthFarwell, Vice Chancellor of Bucks New University, said: “It is encouraging and

very satisfying to see that a new university such as Bucks is able to compete with the longer-established universities when it comes to providing added value for students when measured alongside graduated salaries.

“The research undertaken by The Parthenon Group provides a very positive reference to our graduates’ employability, and acknowledges the strength and success of our applied courses for students at Bucks.”

It is explained in the Times Higher Education article that The Parthenon Group assembled its table of ‘value-added’ institutions from looking at the Higher Education Statistics Agency’s data of students’ qualifications upon entry to university, and the salaries they earned six months after graduating. Parthenon ranked universities based on graduate salaries across a range of courses, and used their average ranking to identify the leading institutions.

GREATER VALUE FROM ‘NEW’ UNIVERSITIES

Fees increase wouldn’t have put me off university, says SU President

Bucks Students’ Union President AshColes said he would not hesitate to take on a degree if he had to pay the higher fees, but said he did harbour fears that the huge increase in costs could put students off higher education.

Ash studied for a BA (Hons) Sports Management at Bucks, was elected as SU President this year, and was among 300 students and staff from the University who took part in the controversial fees protests in London a year ago.

He said he was keen to stress the importance of a University education, but acknowledged that the fees hike could prove a big deterrent.

Ash said: “The big message from me is that you should not choose your university based on whether it is charging £6,000, £7,000 or £8,000 for a course but think about whether you are going to enjoy it or not and whether it will benefit you.

“Degrees from England are valued across the world and you have to think about it as an investment for your future.

“I think there is a real chance that perhaps those students who are willing to pay the fees will be thinking about accommodation and living costs more and choosing universities closer to them, meaning we could end up with a lot of local and international students, but not that mix from across the country.

Students’UnionPresidentAshColes

“This would be a shame as that mixture of people contributes to making Bucks what it is.”

Ash regularly meets with the University’s Senior Management Team, including Vice Chancellor, ProfRuthFarwell, and says he thinks the University has got its fee structure about right.

He added: “Our fees are in line with our competitors and that is important because we need to appreciate our market but also not overstretch ourselves or look to undercut students, because the standard of delivery in courses will be scrutinised more than ever by students.

“This could be a great opportunity for a university like ours. Bucks needs to

invest the additional income that comes straight from students to deliver the best possible experience. That’s what students will demand from now on, and rightly so.”

The SU President said were he transported back four years to his open day at Bucks he doesn’t think fees would alter his decision to come to University. “I think now if I came to this University and gained the same impression I did when I went to an open day four years ago I would not do anything differently and I would still come. I believe in a University education and the increase in fees does not change that.”

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STUDENT

VIEW

ProfRuthFarwell

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Bucks New University was delighted to welcome the Most Reverend and Right Honourable the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury to its High Wycombe Campus.

The Most Revd DrRowanWilliams’s visit to the University followed prayers at nearby All Saints Church, and formed part of his visit to the Diocese of Oxford.

This special occasion marked the first time an Archbishop of Canterbury has made a formal visit to the Oxford Diocese since 1999.

Dr Williams attended a breakfast meeting in the University’s Gateway building, which was chaired by the BishopofBuckingham and RevdDavidPicken, Area Dean of Wycombe and vice chair of the Council for Christian and Muslim Relations (CCMR).

The meeting gave the Archbishop the opportunity to meet local community representatives and leaders of other faiths, primarily members of the CCMR, which was launched at the University in 2007.

The Council, which still regularly holds its meetings at Bucks, was established with the support, endorsement and involvement of local church leaders and imams, along with other lay civic figures, to promote mutual respect, understanding and community cohesion in the High Wycombe area.

ProfRuthFarwell, Vice Chancellor at Bucks, said: “The Archbishop’s meeting with local faith leaders reflected local endeavours to achieve mutual respect amongst those of different faiths or none.

“We are firmly committed to working with the wider community through our multi-faith chaplaincy and student volunteering, as well as providing education and facilities for those in High Wycombe and beyond, to explore constructively and collaboratively how communities can work together.”

L–R:ProfRuthFarwell,TheMostReverendDrRowanWilliams,ProViceChancellorProfDavidSines,andtheBishopofBuckingham

ARCHBISHOP PAYS A VISIT

NEWS

Universities Week 2011 focused on five key themes including the value universities bring to their communities and local businesses and how the research currently underway will benefit UK society in 20 years’ time (see page 23).

Bucks’s groundbreaking work on a new telecare centre of excellence in Aylesbury was included in the Big Ideas for the Future report, in a chapter entitled ‘Humanity and Society: Ageing Society’. The report was published by Research Councils UK and Universities UK, and pulls together leading research projects from UK universities.

Bucks’s involvement in the centre includes project development, trial and evaluation and is led by FirasSarhan, Senior Lecturer with the School of Advanced & Continuing Practice. You can find out more about Universities Week and read the report at universitiesweek.org.uk

TELECARE CENTRE IS THEBIGIDEA

Furniture students from Lahore, Pakistan, visited Bucks New University on an educational and cultural study tour to find out more about furniture-making techniques and skills.

The students, in the final year of a BA (Hons) Furniture: Design and Manufacture degree at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, Lahore, also gained a closer look at architecture in London and Oxford.

Their visit coincided with the LondonDesignFestival, showcasing the capital’s role in global design. The Pakistani students also met Bucks graduates who had gone on to forge careers in the industry and were exhibiting their work as part of the festival.

The visit to England was arranged by AndrewShenton, course leader for BA (Hons) Furniture: Design and Craft,

Pakistani furniture students link with Bucks

and RizwanAmjad, Lead Tutor on the course in Pakistan, who graduated from Bucks with an HND in Furniture in 2006.

Mr Shenton wrote the programme for the furniture degree in Pakistan.

AndrewShentonpassingoninstructionstostudentFatimaKhan

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Health developments at a glance

Bucks has been chosen to host TheThamesValleyHealthInnovationandEducationCluster

We are one of the first universities to have receivedapprovalfromtheNursingandMidwiferyCouncil to implement new pre-registration nursing education standards through our Registered Nurse programmes

TheCentreforHealthCommunicationResearchandExcellence has been established to focus on the communication challenges and issues within the health sector

Community nurses and allied health professionals are benefitting from a year-long ‘NurseFirst’programme

Training for Allied Health Professionals and service redesign consultancy is being delivered by TheAlliedHealthEnterpriseDevelopmentCentre

Bucks New University’s Faculty of Society & Health, which offers a range of programmes geared towards the needs of health workers in the NHS and the independent sector, fully supports the focus on research-led reform, innovation and training.

Significantly, the University was chosen to host TheThamesValleyHealthInnovationandEducationCluster (HIEC), an organisation dedicated to the development of ideas that improve the experiences of NHS patients, and the safety, quality and effectiveness of the clinical services they receive.

HEALTH IN VERY GOOD

Bucks was one of the founding members of the HIEC, which brings together a range of NHS Foundation Trusts and primary care trusts, universities, district and county councils, and other organisations. The University will provide back-office services such as finance and HR support and also have responsibility for ensuring that the HIEC’s contractual compliance and governance requirements are met.

ProfDavidSines, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean: Society & Health, said: “We have a long tradition of working with the very best partners to influence,

If there’s one sector with that stirs the passion of the nation, it’s health. The future shape of the NHS, underpinned by the need to make the service stronger, more efficient and more accountable, is the subject of considerable consultation and debate. Discussions centre on changes to service commissioning, the level of patient engagement, clinical quality, and how to implement changes that will make the service robust enough to meet the challenges of the future.

Developing the healthcare workforce is a critical component. The Government, in its response to the NHS Future Forum Report, led by Prof Steve Field OBE, says “the best health and care professionals in the world should be supported by a world class training and education system”. Further, research and innovation are considered “vital” to continuous quality improvement.

fEaTurE

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IN VERY GOOD HEALTH

inspire and nurture talent for the diffusion of innovative ideas and solutions that promote clinical excellence, safeguard patients and enable the design and delivery of responsive educational solutions for the benefit of the health and social care workforce and for the wider community.

“Innovation in healthcare is of benefit to everyone – patients, their friends, carers and families, and the many nurses and healthcare professionals that we educate. It is entirely fitting for us to support the HIEC in encouraging the adoption and dissemination of good ideas across the Thames Valley region.”

The HIEC focuses on four main areas: integrated services; patient safety; care closer to home; and capacity and capability development. A particular focus will be working with GPs on the design and implementation of care pathways – enhancing opportunities for the provision of care closer to home for defined groups of patients.

Another key development in the health and social care arena is the

DrBillNicholsandJohn

Underwood

fEaTurE

establishment of the CentreforHealthCommunicationResearchandExcellence (CHCRE), a research centre focusing on communication challenges and issues within the health sector. CHCRE operates within the Institute of Applied Leadership and seeks to achieve national and international recognition for both academic and commercial research. It aims to establish strong relationships with both public and private sector health organisations.

CHCRE Director JohnUnderwood said much of the Centre’s work will involve NHS organisations and the tremendous communication challenges they face.

“Effective communication is never more important than in times of great change and, of course, the NHS is currently facing greater change than at any time since its creation over 60 years ago. We are looking forward to helping the NHS address the communication challenges of the immediate future.”

CHCRE will undertake academic research, postgraduate level teaching, short courses for health practitioners, and practical/commercial research and communications consultancy.

Deputy Director DrBillNichols said the Centre will help the healthcare sector through a challenging time: “We will be

L–R:AHEDC’sdirectors,JuneDavisandProfMaryLovegrove,withHeatherMullin(centre),ChiefExecutiveofNHSOuterNorthEastClusterandkeynotespeakerattheCentre’slaunch

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JillRobinson has joined the West London Mental Health NHS Tust and Bucks New University as Professor of Mental Health Nursing, Wellbeing and Recovery.

Jill, a highly experienced mental health practitioner, will use her background to establish and support a programme of innovative development work within the clinical and research teams. The appointment marks a key point in pushing forward the University’s provision for mental health nursing.

Jill is a qualified mental health nurse and nurse teacher. She joins Bucks from the University of East Anglia, where she held a number of roles, most recently Research Institute Director and interim Head of School for Nursing and Midwifery.

JillRobinson

NEW PROFESSOR OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

Jill said: “I am passionate about gaining a better understanding of how people who use mental health services and their carers view recovery and how their often powerful first-hand accounts can lead to improved nursing practices on wards.”

Key contacts

TheThamesValleyHealthInnovationandEducationClusterEmail: knowledgeteam@tvhiec.org.uk

TheCentreforHealthCommunicationResearchandExcellence Email: bill.nichols@bucks.ac.uk

NurseFirstprogrammeEmail: agnes.fanning@bucks.ac.uk

TheAlliedHealthEnterpriseDevelopmentCentreEmail: june.davis@bucks.ac.uk

focusing on a range of issues including engagement and consultation, media coverage of the health service, the challenges surrounding lifestyle health campaigns such as smoking cessation and obesity, and the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and public health systems.”

In clinical training, Bucks was delighted to be one of the first universities to receive approval from the NursingandMidwiferyCouncil (NMC) to implement new pre-registration nursing education standards through its Registered Nurse programmes for Adult, Child and Mental Health. The new standards are designed to ensure newly-qualified nurses are prepared to meet patients’ and employers’ future needs and will enhance students’ skills in a wide range of areas including: broader knowledge of fundamentals across all fields of nursing; preparing them for new ways of working and greater use of technology; and giving greater practical experience in the community. In addition, universities have been encouraged to take an innovative approach, and are now required to involve patients in student selection, course design, and teaching.

RitaNewland, Director of Education at the NMC, said: “The standards will ensure nurses are well-prepared for an increasingly complex role, working in interdisciplinary teams, often based in

the community, and requiring a broader and deeper range of knowledge than ever before. In the future nurses will need to think even more broadly, and have the confidence to lead and manage, as well as recognise and anticipate trends and future challenges.”

The first 24 community nurse and allied health professionals to undertake the new year-long‘NurseFirst’programme have started their initial three-day workshop.

The programme, developed and delivered jointly by The Queen’s Nursing Institute, Bucks and The Shaftesbury Partnership, consists of seven three-day workshops during which participants will each develop an innovative project from idea to reality. The aim is to have new services or approaches funded, and up and running, by the end of the programme. Participants will learn business and finance skills, and practise presentation and negotiation, as part of the course. They will carry out ‘cross fertilisation’ field exercises within and outside the NHS, and they will have access to a range of successful entrepreneurs and leaders.

AgnesFanning,Departmental Manager for Primary Care and Public Health at Bucks, said: “The Faculty of Society & Health is working at the forefront of community nurse education. Our ethos is to promote innovation and creativity in

practice, whilst inspiring and empowering communities to find sustainable solutions to their health care challenges.

“‘Nurse First’ is building on this philosophy to enable those community health practitioners joining this programme to develop the skills of social entrepreneurship and to enhance their existing practice to enable real change and high level impact on the communities they serve.”

Workforce training is also being delivered by TheAlliedHealthEnterpriseDevelopmentCentre (AHEDC) which is dedicated to supporting the allied health workforce and the services they provide.

AHEDC is the first centre of its kind in the UK and builds on the work of partner organisation Allied Health Solutions’s efforts to raise the profile of the contribution allied health professionals (AHPs) and services make to patients within health and social care settings.

The centre is working with allied health providers within the NHS, primarily in North West London and Buckinghamshire to deliver bespoke leadership and management products and services, including preceptorship programmes, bespoke master classes and short courses, service redesign advice and integrating services symposia, a wide range of learning services and academic credit and modules of study.

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Businesses in Buckinghamshire are set to benefit from an entrepreneurial and educational partnership hub designed to support business initiatives across the county.

Developed with MikeClare, one of Buckinghamshire’s most successful serial entrepreneurs, the Clare Business School, launched in October, will support local businesses by giving access to:

• Specialists in sales and marketing, finance, procurement and HR;

• Professionals that offer business solutions via consultancy and research as well as live projects undertaken by students;

• Knowledge transfer partnerships part-funded by Government sources;

• Market research through specialists as well as live student projects;

• Business networking in the UK and overseas;

• State-of-the-art business facilities.

The Clare Business School will be delivered by Bucks and Aylesbury College, along with schools across Buckinghamshire, through the Bucks Association of Secondary Heads (BASH). It aims to bring together businesses and students in a proactive, efficient and productive way to give students real experience within the business world, whilst simultaneously providing tailored solutions to local business needs.

Local firms and students to benefit from new business partnership hub

This unique cross-sector education and business collaboration is supported by many high profile organisations including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Hands of Wycombe, Jarvis Hotels, Dreams, Eden Shopping Centre, NatWest, Amazing Retreats and more.

Mike Clare, Executive Chairman of Clarenco, will play an active role in the initiative as patron. He said: “I am delighted to lend my support to this initiative which is ground-breaking in its formation due to the unique integration of education and local business.

“Buckinghamshire is considered the entrepreneurial heart of Britain and the School aims to inspire and help managers and business leaders to develop solutions to deal with challenges within their business. I believe the Clare Business School will be a great success and I urge organisations to get in touch to see how we can help.”

The Clare Business School is the brainchild of ProfChrisKemp, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean: Design, Media & Management. Chris said: “The strength of the educational collaboration that forms the School is unique and we can really help local businesses by providing them with sustainable solutions to their needs. Given the strong Government focus on employability

BuSINESS

(L-R):HelenRyder,PaulReilly,SuzanneTaylor,MikeClare,ProfChrisKemp,ProfJohnBoylan,PeteRoweandKarenMitchell

ProfChrisKemp

MikeClare

and driving forward UK business, this is exactly the right time to launch such an important initiative.”

To find out more, please contact JulieCatlow, Clare Business School administrator, on 01494603153 or email info@clarebusinessschool.com

building a bridge with business

TheWycombeBusinessSummitwasheldattheArts4every1CentreinHighWycombe

The Office for National Statistics’ confirmation in November that youth unemployment had topped the one million mark for the first time since records began has served only to energise the local partnerships formed to improve employment and economic prospects for the region’s youth and businesses.

In June, some four months ahead of the ONS announcement, Wycombe District Council, together with Bucks New University, Wycombe Enterprise, Buckinghamshire Business First and a host of other local businesses and organisations, convened at the WycombeBusinessSummit to discuss how to encourage economic growth and improve the district’s chances for success.

“We wanted to get local organisations together and create an opportunity for them to help us plan where Wycombe goes from here,” said CllrArifHussain, Wycombe District Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Property

Services. “Unemployment has been high on the agenda for the past two to three months but the national figures came as a shock,” he said, adding that there was much the partnership could do to facilitate job creation, especially for university students.

Partnership working is key, according to DrLorraineWatkins-Mathys, chair of Wycombe Enterprise and Head of the School of Applied Management & Law at Bucks: “If companies, organisations and people are to thrive it is essential that we work together to develop strategies for growth.”

In the spirit of joint working, the University launched an innovative new scheme >>

If companies, organisations and people are to thrive it is essential that we work together to develop strategies for growth.

DrLorraineWatkins-Mathys

DrLorraineWatkins-Mathys

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BuSINESS

The Council is giving a high priority to helping businesses thrive in our

area and ensuring action is taken to bring down unemployment,

especially among students because they are the future. We hope that

many students will get involved in the Bucks Innovation Lab – a new

idea to help students take their business or product ideas further

with the help and support of local mentors and businesses.

CllrArifHussain,DeputyLeaderandCabinet

MemberforEconomicDevelopmentand

PropertyServices,WycombeDistrictCouncil

at the summit to give local businesses access to talented students who could undertake entrepreneurial activities to support future business growth.

Entitled EnterpriseProjects,the initiative helps students studying entrepreneurship to gain real, first-hand experience of working in a business environment. At the same time the employing company benefits from access to emerging talent and fresh ideas, and free work that they otherwise would not have the time to undertake.

Cllr Hussain said the initiative provided young people with the inspiration to run their own businesses and develop the practical skills that can only be learnt in a real-world business environment.

“The experience will also help students who are leaving university who find it difficult to get jobs because they have no previous experience – the traditional catch 22,” he said.

Bucks students participating in the scheme will be in a stronger position to apply the skills they are learning at university in a practical context. “The beauty of the scheme is that they can learn from business leaders who themselves have learnt through experience,” said Cllr Hussain.

The other benefit, of course, is that more local people will stay in the Wycombe area and help the region avoid a “brain drain” common in less economically advantaged areas.

Cllr Hussain believes that local authority cuts are no obstacle to making progress.

The Council has to make itself available to businesses, understand their needs and the reasons why some have left the area. “Bucks New University has a vital role to play in this regard. We go to them when we need to get things done. Initiatives like Enterprise Projects, and the Enterprise Challenge staged at the Festival in November (see page 15) really inspire students and employers.”

Local feedback from the Wycombe Business Summit would seem to confirm the need for a joined-up approach to economic regeneration. Feedback from the event, attended by over 100 delegates suggested that “education, skills and training” were the most important factors in creating the right environment for business growth. There was a genuine need for “apprenticeships, training and better awareness of what is available” and a need for “stronger links between businesses and schools”.

The summit, themed Mission Possible – Strategies for Growth in Challenging Times – analysed business growth, sector growth and skills growth, concluding that faciltation, networking and communication were the most important issues governing the future strength of the Wycombe economy.

To this end, an online portal has been developed to provide local businesses with information on starting up a business, the support available, networking opportunities and information on skills and training providers.

Go to wycombeforbusiness.co.uk for more information.

“the initiative provides young people with the inspiration to run their own businesses”

Key contacts

WycombeDistrictCouncilVisit wycombe.gov.uk

BuckinghamshireBusinessFirst Email lynne@bbf.uk.com

EnterpriseProjects Visit enterprisebucks.co.uk

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Buckinghamshire New University hosted its annual Enterprise Festival in the autumn, with each day themed to provide participants with skills vital for their future careers and businesses.

Students and the public at the festival picked up a wealth of information and ideas about enterprise, and how to be enterprising. Now in its seventh consecutive year, the event took place just before Global Entrepreneurship Week, which was held in November.

“enterprising”enterprise week

TheEnterpriseAwards2011winners SirWilliamCastellandProfRuthFarwell

The Enterprise Festival attracted a host of inspirational speakers and, in the words of festival organiser Mike Watson, gave students the chance to “put their ideas to the test, think big and explore their potential”.

Speakers included WillKing, founder of Beaconsfield-based King of Shaves Ltd, TimNicol, owner and founder of innovation consultancy, Making Innovation Happen, and RoystonGuest, CEO of global consultancy and training organisation, Pti Worldwide. Also on the podium were SirWilliamCastell, Chairman of the Wellcome Trust and a Director of General Electric and BP, and ThomasBrown, Head of Insights at The Chartered Institute of Marketing.

The Festival was built around business themes, which changed each day and included careers and leadership, sales and marketing, and finance and legal.

The climax of the event was the announcement of the winner of the

Enterprise Challenge Final – a Dragon’s Den-style competition attracting a prize fund totalling more than £2,000. Five teams were selected to pitch at the event.

BA (Hons) Business and Advertising Management students NicolaHayes,LaurenCleave and PatrickWaithanji picked up a first prize of £800 for their proposal of an online jobsite for students.

Second prize went to student SanderSaar with his idea for Monkey Productions as a way to connect business students with design-based students for mutual benefit.

BucksstudentsatthegalaeveningfilmingthebandDaytonaLights

ENTErprISE

GraDuaTIONS

HATS OFF!

Television personality FernBritton and Mighty Boosh stars NoelFielding and DaveBrown were among distinguished individuals who received honorary awards during a week of graduation celebrations at Buckinghamshire New University.

Fern, who lives near High Wycombe, and Noel and Dave, former students who studied for what was then a BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Advertising degree at Bucks, joined students and their friends and families at the University’s graduation ceremonies at Wycombe Swan Theatre.

Renowned author and campaigner, LoisGraessle;TomRobinson, a longstanding champion of new talent at BBC Radio 6 Music; and ChanderVasdev, Managing Director of High Wycombe-based software services and solutions company ION IT Ltd, were also recognised in this year’s ceremonies.

Bucks New University honorary degrees were also received by:

AntonyBall and MarkHamilton in recognition of their very close associations with the University and the support they have provided in a variety of ways over recent years.

MichaelLangley in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the success of the University’s aviation courses.

SteveLevinein recognition of his outstanding business credentials, his strong influence on the University’s music degree programmes and the invaluable support he has given to the University in the past.

DrHamadounTouréin recognition of his involvement in the development

of two of our master’s degree courses and his significant achievements internationally, particularly in the field of telecommunication.

An honorary professorship was received by ProfDrIoanVasileAbrudan in recognition of his professional and academic expertise within the field of forest management and conservation.

The status of Emeritus Professor was bestowed upon ProfDavidBrodie in recognition of his international research record and his work supervising research students within the University, as well as his charity work.

You can read more about our honorary awardees and student successes at bucks.ac.uk/news

ProfRuthFarwellandFernBritton

Focusrite and Sennheiser recognise graduate talentaudio & Music Production graduates were presented with awards from focusrite engineering and sennheiser – two of the world’s leading music equipment manufacturers – at their graduation ceremonies.

NicholasPerry, LiamTillyer, and KyleSchamel were recognised for the high standard of their music production recording. The focusrite accolade was the focusrite Prize for Best Music Production recording 2011 and the sennheiser award was the sennheiser Prize for Best Music Production recording 2011.

kyle, nicholas and Liam worked with soul, funk and jazz recording artist, RabiaNasim, recording and producing two master tracks as the final project in their production company coursework. The trio, who all graduated with degrees in Ba (hons) audio & Music Production, put together pre-production and marketing plans for the two tracks. GilesOrfordandPhilDudderidgeofFocusritewithNicholasPerry(bottomleft)andLiamTillyer

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most inspiring tutor awards24 tutors won ‘Most Inspiring Tutor Awards’ which were presented during our 2011 graduation ceremonies. The awards were made on the basis of testimonials from graduating students. We find out from two of the awardees why they were nominated. SaraEaglesfieldandMarkHudson

OPENNESSANDFUNAREKEYFORJANE

Award winner JaneWright says bringing discussion, openness and a fun element into learning is key to being an inspiring tutor.

Jane, Senior Lecturer in Public Health and Co-course Leader for the Foundation Degree in Working with Children and Young People, likes to include variations on games like Trivial Pursuit and Snakes and Ladders in her lessons.

She has worked at Bucks for eight years, having previously worked as a community nurse for schools in Buckinghamshire. Jane said: “I don’t just lecture by PowerPoint. It’s much more about engaging with students, being approachable and having an open door policy where students can come and talk to me about any aspect of their course.

L–R:TrishaJohnson,AileenNisbettandJaneWright

JUSTBEINGTHEREISIMPORTANTFORINSPIRINGTUTORMARK

MarkHudson,Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Graphic Arts, said he believes the key to being an inspiring tutor is to always be there, in the widest sense, for students.

Mark, who has worked at Bucks New University for four years, said he was ‘amazed and honoured’ to be nominated for the award. He said: “It is the teaching accolade I am most proud of to date, by far.”

“As a tutor you sometimes feel that your importance ranks somewhere way below a student’s iPhone and just above their microwave. But in all seriousness, students take their cues from staff, so we need to get stuck in and create a design community that they feel they have a real stake in. This can’t be faked and needs time spent amongst them.

“It is also important to stress that I see this as a nomination for the whole teaching team – not just myself. Students who are unhappy with their course experience would not vote for any individual on the team.”

Mark said notable recent achievements have included students arranging and curating their own London-based show at the Candid Arts Trust in London. He said: “This was hard work but a tremendous learning curve for them. We encourage the students to display work at galleries like this. London is a hugely important international employer in the design industries, and a cluster of this year’s graduates have recently moved into east London.”

“I also think it’s important to respond to things like emails quickly and to give regular feedback. It’s about keeping students on the right track and for students to understand that we are here to help them pass. We all want our students to succeed.

“I guess the idea of playing games dates back to my time as a community nurse when I would work with children and really enjoyed the creative side. It’s a good way of putting points across in a different way.”

Jane said she was proud of the Foundation Degree’s record in producing graduates who have moved on to different areas: “I think that shows that the skills and aspects we are teaching can be taken on and adapted to different vocations within children’s services.”

The full list of inspiring tutors is available at bucks.ac.uk

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Buckinghamshire New University has risen ten places in the People & Planet Green League and is positioned joint second for carbon reduction.

The league table, published in The Guardian, ranks 142 UK higher education institutions according to a range of environmental criteria, including carbon reduction, water reduction, waste and recycling, energy sources and ethical procurement. Each university is awarded a degree-style classification, ranging from a first to a fail.

A total of 63% of the universities have seen their carbon emissions increase since the baseline year of 2005, including many of those at the top of the table. Bucks came joint second for carbon reduction, scoring nine out of ten, having reduced carbon emissions by 29%.

The University also scored well for water reduction, ranking joint 23rd amongst UK universities, with 3.3 cubic metres being used per student, compared to the median of 6.3. The University buys all of its electricity from renewable sources; one in ten universities now purchase significant amounts of renewable energy.

ENvIrONmENT

Bucks New University has also achieved the Carbon Trust Standard in recognition of measuring, managing and reducing its carbon emissions.

The University achieved a five per cent reduction in its carbon footprint over the three-year assessment period, and received the following words of support from HarryMorrison, General Manager of the Carbon Trust Standard: “Earning the Carbon Trust Standard requires strong commitment to making real change and is well within the reach of those with a desire to be part of a lower-carbon world.“

Bucks New University, which has recently established a Green Society, is well on its way to achieving its target

to reduce CO2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2020 (based on a baseline of 2005 emissions). Director of Estates, IanHunter, said: “We are working hard to encourage our students and staff to become more energy aware and have a number of initiatives planned to help this. We are also reviewing some of our suppliers, to see where more energy savings can be made over time.”

Agraffitimuralonanenvironmentaltheme,createdbystudentsComeRischmannandRamoneSahid,isondisplayattheHighWycombeCampus.Theeye-catchingartworkwarnsofthethreatsofglobalwarmingandtheneedforusalltotakeaction.Comesaid:“Ihopepeoplewillstopandthinkwhentheyseethemuralbecauseithasanimportantmessage.TheUniversityispromotingtheworkitiscarryingoutinreducingwaste,landfillandenergyconsumptionandlookingtobekindtotheenvironmentandthisisanexcellentwayofexpressingthat.It’sreallyawarningofwhatcouldhappenunlesspeoplethinkgreen.”

Aneyefortheenvironment

MOVING UP THE ENVIRONMENTAL LEAGUE TABLE

TheBucksSustainabilityCommitteecelebratetheirachievement

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SCULPTURE AT THE MANORBucks art students exhibited a striking set of sculptures at the historic Hughenden Manor, near High Wycombe.

The students put together a unique, interactive trail which led families on a journey of discovery through the gardens of the world-famous former home of ex-British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

The eye-catching development was designed and built by students from the School of Design, Craft & Visual Arts.

‘Sculpture in the Park’ saw 13 works of art installed over ten acres at the site and organisers hope the exhibition will help Bucks New University build a national reputation for its work. GemmaO’Shea, commercial manager at Hughenden Manor, said the exhibition was “a celebration and display of fresh talent”. She added: “We set the students a challenge to design, create and install striking sculptures within our magnificent park. The response was amazing.”

The work, sponsored by TheNationalTrust, took five months to complete and will form part of the ongoing development of links between the organisation and Bucks New University.

NEWS

TomMcKeownandCharlotteMillett

Bucks alumnus MarkAllard has produced a 21-minute documentary about freerunning, parkour and tricking in the UK.

Mark and four skilled freerunners and parkour athletes recorded the film in Haverhill, Suffolk, featuring music authorised for use by big and

well-established acts such as UK rapper Mr ShaoDow, major label Indian Hardcore band Scribe, Leeds-based metal act Mishkin and Oxford’s collaboration project Chris Route Zero.

The documentary – We run these streets – looks behind the curtain of this relatively young extreme sport to answer the question of ‘What is freerunning and parkour?’

It includes stunts and tricks that were pushed to another level by being performed on, near or around some well-known monuments.

The film was shot over a three-month period this summer. Also featured in the film are pieces from Nite Watches and established art photographer Alexander James, telling a small part of the story of freerunning and parkour’s astronomical rise in the media and the arts.

The project was directed, shot and edited by Mark. He said: “The film was funded by nothing more than a slice of my wages and a drive to succeed.”

Go to youtube.comand searchmarkallardwerunthesestreets

Look out for these guys...

Picture:DavidDoughty

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NEWS

TaLenT on disPLay aT our end of year show

a PhoTograPhic record of soMe of our sTudenTs’ BesT Pieces of work, showcased aT Bucks eyes – our end of year show.

1HeatherTobiasfoundation art

2EmmaBrettspatial design

3JennyOughtonfurniture: design and craft

4DeniseWilliamsceramics and glass

5YohSakuraifurniture: conservation, restoration and decorative arts

6LaurenDavenportfurniture: contemporary design

7GeorgieTroonTextiles and surface design

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4 5 6 7

BURNING UP THE FLOOR IN OUR NEW DANCE STUDIOInternational dance champions KevinClifton and KarenHauer have officially opened Buckinghamshire New University’s new dance studio, Studio 101.

The studio opened at the beginning of the academic year in response to a growing interest in dance programmes.

Kevin and Karen have both been touring in Burn the Floor, a two-hour show that features a range of different dances, including waltzes, swing, cha-cha and boogie-woogie. Both performers have worked with students at Bucks, leading master-classes and taking the students on a Burn the Floor backstage tour.

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NEW DEvELOpmENTS

GREEN LIGHT FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE UTC

Buckinghamshire UTC (University Technical College) has been named as one of the 13 successful applications across the country that has been given the go-ahead by the Government.

The Buckinghamshire UTC, due to open in Aylesbury in 2013, will specialise in IT and specialist construction. This new College, jointly led by Aylesbury College and Buckinghamshire New University, brings together a range of companies who will be working in partnership to help shape the UTC curriculum so that it matches local employment needs. In turn, students will acquire the skills and knowledge that employers are looking for.

UTCs are a new concept in education. They are freestanding colleges for 600-800, 14–19 year-old students, with a working day of 8.30am-5.30pm. Technical and academic education is integrated and practical work is valued as highly as academic study. Each will provide at least one technical specialism alongside the key GCSEs in English, maths and science, as well as a foreign language, humanities, finance, business, entrepreneurial and employability skills.

The Buckinghamshire UTC will focus on IT and construction in order to fill the skills gaps in the county, including the need for software developers and a skilled workforce to help preserve its historical buildings. By combining Aylesbury

College’s knowledge of the construction industry with the University’s expertise in conservation, this will help to ensure the survival of traditional skills that are core to Buckinghamshire’s heritage, at the same time addressing 21st century issues such as sustainability.

PaulineOdulinski, Principal of Aylesbury College, said: “In collaboration with Bucks New University, we aim to deliver pioneering programmes in IT and construction, which will enable 14–19 year-olds to gain skills that ensure they have a bright and clear future.

“Major global businesses are actively engaged in the design, development and delivery of the UTC qualifications. They are totally committed to playing a full part in this partnership which will help to transform young people’s lives and provide a highly skilled workforce for the region.”

Considered to be the entrepreneurial heart of Britain, Buckinghamshire has the highest number of start-ups in the country and a large demand for skills to meet the requirements of these small businesses. There is a need therefore to increase the skills of those preparing for work and to meet the needs of employers, in order to support a recovering economy.

ProfRuthFarwell,Vice Chancellor of Bucks New University, said: “It is excellent news that we will be working with Aylesbury College as lead partners for the Buckinghamshire UTC. This UTC will provide students with a high quality pathway to success that can lead to apprenticeships, foundation and higher degrees.”

For further information about UTCs visit utcolleges.org

Artist’simpressionsofthenewCollege

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SPORT

LONDON 2012’s JUST ROUND THE CORNER – AND IMPROVING COACHING IS TOP OF OUR AGENDA

FA Skills Coach IainMortimer has been in his job for four years but says the Foundation Degree in Applied Coaching Science has opened his eyes to a variety of new skills and disciplines.

Iain is one of 106 coaches nationwide putting 5–11 year-olds through their paces, teaching them football skills and looking to promote a healthy lifestyle. His role also involves supporting coaches and teachers.

The eager-to-learn coach has continued working while taking on his degree and shared the cost of paying for the qualification with the Government and the FA.

He says it has improved his knowledge of the science and practice surrounding coaching, including understanding the psychology of the participants, planning to support the individuals and groups within the session, delivering and intervening to improve performance and reflecting upon sessions and situations.

Iain, who first started coaching as work experience with Championship side Watford when he was 16, is already taking a BSc top-up degree, which started in September. He is a Level 3 qualified football coach who specialises in coaching children.

Iain said: “I already had plenty of experience but the degree has put it all in more of a context and this has helped improve my coaching practice and move on in work. Obviously, the youngsters

Sport and coaching professionals are increasingly turning to foundation degrees to hone their skills and boost their effectiveness.

With the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games less than a year away many universities are experiencing a rise in the number of applications for sports-related master’s and undergraduate degrees. But Bucks is leading the way in on-the-job training.

The University launched its Foundation Degree in Applied Coaching Science in 2008 and its current intake includes professionals ranging from athletics development officers to Football Association skills coaches.

PaulMorgan, Departmental Manager for Sport Management at Bucks, said the course is aimed at people with a specific interest in coaching.

He said: “The course has been such a success that we have now set up a BSc

Coaching top-up for graduates to move on to. We have had about 50 students through the course and numbers of applications are increasing.

“It is cutting edge, offering sport professionals a flexible course where they can achieve a degree alongside work commitments, and it offers a progression route through to honours degree and master’s level study. We are not aware of any other course like it in the country.

“We strongly believe in work-related learning at Bucks as it meets our commitment to offering courses which combine academic content with an industry focus in order to enhance the career development of sport industry professionals.

“Employers benefit because students apply their learning to real coaching-related issues they face in the workplace, plus they network with other students, share best practice, and get involved in quality discussion.

“At Bucks, the Foundation Degree in Applied Coaching Science is exactly

where we want to be – working with industry partners, developing curricula together, and learning from each other to inform future workforce development needs and academic course design directions.”

Primary school PE Coordinator LorraineZymanczyk, who is one year into the two-year course, says she has benefited from using the Human Performance Lab, which was accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and equipped to record and assess many human physiological responses, to carry out work including designing fitness tests for athletes.

She added: “The lab allowed me to bring the theory we learnt in the classroom to life and I also used the experience I gained there as the basis for an exercise with children at school.”

For more information about sports programmes at Bucks, please contact paul.morgan@bucks.ac.uk or go to bucks.ac.uk

On-the-job training just the ticket for football coach Iain

who come to the classes are the ones who are benefitting too so it’s had a good knock-on effect.”

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AshleySmith has juggled a role as Community Trust Manager at University partner, Wycombe Wanderers Football Club, with completing a Foundation Degree in Applied Coaching Science at Bucks and says he has ‘benefited massively’.

The successful graduate, who is in charge of 11 full-time and 50 casual members of staff at the League One club, took two years to complete his qualification and is now stufying for a BSc (Hons) degree.

Ashley, who also plays football for Maidenhead United in the Blue Square Bet South division, says his confidence has grown thanks to the foundation degree and said it had “greatly enhanced” his understanding of sports coaching.

Ashley said it had helped build on what he already knew and cement his knowledge of the rationale of the sports industry.

He added: “My job used to be about getting out as much as possible with balls, bibs and cones and coaching as many children as possible but I took on my more senior role last year and now have to be a lot more strategic.

“The Community Trust is a registered charity and we deliver everything from sports participation, education, and health projects in around 180 schools in the area, not to mention also indentifying talent and welcoming children in to use our education and sport facilities at the club.

“My role has expanded so doing the Foundation Degree has helped build on my basic skills, enhance my understanding of the industry and meant I feel better-equipped to meet with confidence the challenges and goals I set myself.”

Ashley has worked at Wycombe Wanderers for more than ten years, fulfilling several roles in the Community Trust, from apprentice to manager.

For further information visit wycombewanderers.co.uk

The benefits of higher education were celebrated at Bucks as part of Universities Week 2011, which aimed to highlight how universities benefit everyone, whether or not they have gone to university themselves.

Universities Week 2011 followed a successful pilot in 2010, and saw 110 universities, and 68 major organisations taking part in over 330 events.

Bucks held a number of events during Universities Week 2011, including the acclaimed end-of-year art and design show, BucksEYeS, (see pages 20–21), an Open Day, and an information stand in Uxbridge.

The 2012 event will celebrate the sector’s integral role in supporting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in particular the sector’s contribution to the training and hosting of elite athletes, the Cultural Olympiad, volunteering, research, and international links.

The campaign will culminate at the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Outdoor Athletic Championships at the Olympic Stadium, London from 4–7 May 2012 – the last test event scheduled to take place in the Olympic Stadium before the Games begin.

NicolaDandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK, which co-ordinates the Week, said: “In the media maelstrom which currently surrounds higher education funding, it’s easy to lose sight of the huge social, economic and cultural impact of universities. The idea behind this campaign is to tell some of the amazing and inspiring stories of why universities matter to the UK, and how they benefit everyone in the country.”

Find out more about Universities Week at universitiesweek.org.uk

2012 event to focus on universities’ role in olympic and Paralympic games

Foundation degree shows there’s more to coaching than ‘balls and bibs’

An institution has been set up dedicated to the study of the football industry.

UCFB, based at Burnley Football Club in Lancashire, is delivering undergraduate degree courses in the operational and business facets of football.

It is a joint venture between Buckinghamshire New University and UCFB College of Football Business (UCFB) and is the first institution of its kind in the world.

In its first year, the UCFB will deliver three traditional three-year degree courses: BA (Hons) Football Business and Finance, BA (Hons) Football Business and Media, and BA (Hons) Football Business and Marketing. The degrees are validated and will be awarded by Bucks New University.

BrianBarwick, former chief executive of the Football Association, chairs the College’s Advisory Board. Other Advisory Board members include lifelong Burnley fan and former Government communications chief AlastairCampbell and RachelBrown,the Everton and England goalkeeper.

The new institution’s directors say its establishment is in response to and recognition of football’s status as a global multi-billion pound business, requiring particular administrative, managerial and operational skills.

The courses are delivered in lecture theatres, seminar rooms and classrooms overlooking the pitch within the stadium at Burnley Football Club following several million pounds of investment in facilities.

Students will have the opportunity of an internship within the football business and surrounding industries to give experience

SPORT

AlistairCampbellandBrianBarwick

and exposure to the operational side of the football business.

Courses are focused on matters purely off the pitch and are entirely geared towards equipping students with the skills and expertise to work within the football and sports industries.

UCFB will also deliver executive courses for those already working in football, some of which will be designed to support those coming to the end of their playing careers who wish to retrain for a life in football-related administration and operations.

There will also be a research think-tank to make the institution a centre for independent research within the industry.

PhilipWilson, provost and chief executive of the college, said: “The establishment of UCFB is in response to a very clear emerging requirement for increased standards of professionalism, operations and governance within the football world.

“We have established, for the very first time, an institution which is entirely geared towards this multi-billion pound industry and the surrounding business environment, delivering graduates with the skills to walk straight into positions at clubs, governing bodies and surrounding industries.

“Importantly, the content of the courses will also equip students with transferrable skills in areas such as finance and marketing, which will ensure employment flexibility upon graduation.”

ProfChrisKemp, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean: Design, Media & Management, added: “Bucks New University is delighted to become involved with UCFB to offer brand new university degree courses in the practical and stimulating environment of a live football business, which aim to meet the employment needs of the football industry.

“We have a 15-year track record of offering innovative management courses tailored to specific sports management disciplines and of working with football business partners at local, national and international levels, so we are ideally suited to the role.”

For further information about UCFB courses visit ucfb.com

Courses are focused on matters purely off the pitch and are entirely geared towards equipping students with the skills and expertise to work within the football and sports industries.

World’s first institution

DEVOTED TO THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

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Sports Coordinator MattBray and Activator KirstyMcCoubrey are taking a different slant on getting involved with sport. They are giving Bucks students the chance to take part in social sporting opportunities where the emphasis is on fun and meeting new people, as well as competition.

The pair are working on the Bucks New University Multi-Sport Development Plan, known as Sport for Fun, which is one of 40 projects nationwide backed by a £10 million Active Universities Fund investment from Sport England. The fund aims to boost participation before and after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The team is using their allocation of £311,705 to create fun, social and more flexible sporting environments for students to meet new people, socialise with friends and gain new skills. They aim to increase the number of people taking part in a total

of 24 focus sports, including 12 sports new to the University, from sailing, softball and ultimate frisbee, to waterskiing, rounders and rowing.

Matt said: “Our aim is to provide something for everyone. We are giving people the opportunity to try new sports in a more relaxed and social environment, where the focus is on fun and enjoyment, rather than competition. It is an exciting challenge to get more students to try their hand at sport in a fun and informal environment.”

CarinaPage, Sports Development and Strategy Manager, said: “We are complementing the traditional Bucks competitive teams by providing additional friendly, flexible and engaging opportunities for students to play sport. We hope this in turn will positively impact on the student experience whilst studying at Bucks, but also encourage students to adopt lifelong participation and engagement in sport as graduates.”

Two bursary schemes, the Legacy Coaching Bursary and the Talented Athlete Bursary, have also been introduced. The Legacy Coaching Bursary is for students

BUCKS GETS BUSY WITH NEW SOCIAL SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES

CarinaPage,MattBrayandKirstyMcCoubrey

to develop their personal and professional skills through coaching and volunteering, offering access to subsidised Level 1 and 2 coaching qualifications and leadership awards, as well as exploring training opportunities.

The Talented Athlete Bursary has been set up to support athletes competing at a regional level or above, with £350 available for ten athletes a year to pay for their travel, transport and accommodation, gym membership and other costs.

For further details visit bucks.ac.uk/sport or contact the team at sport@bucks.ac.uk

Connection 26

NEWS

ThamesValleyPoliceisonthelookoutfornewgraduateofficers

Thames Valley Police is working in partnership with Bucks New University, Oxford Brookes University, and the University of Northampton (Milton Keynes Campus), to deliver an alternative method of entry to the Force.

From 2014, the Force will be seeking to recruit a significant percentage of its future police officers from graduates of Foundation Degrees in Policing at the three universities. The two-year course, which will start in September 2012, has been jointly designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills required for an operational policing role.

DonOldcorn, Thames Valley Police Training Design Manager, said: “Thames Valley Police will continue to select and recruit officers by the traditional methods; however, this course is an additional option that will give university students an opportunity, through operational activity and academic development, to make a positive contribution to policing, while gaining an academic qualification that prepares them for a career within Thames

WE’VE JOINED FORCES

Valley Police. Those who successfully complete the course will have the opportunity to apply to join the Force as student officers capable of undertaking independent patrol.”

StephenFox, Head of the School of Social Sciences, Primary Care & Education at Bucks, said: “The exciting new Foundation Degree in Policing will enable students to gain both academic knowledge and practical experience as a Special Constable, ensuring that they are fully prepared for employment on successful completion of the course.”

For further information about the course and how to apply, please visit societyandhealth.co.uk/courses/policing or call our Recruitment Team on 08000565660.

A new partnership has formed between American InterContinental University (AIU) London, Buckinghamshire New University and the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).

AIU London is now offering new students a chance to gain a competitive edge by registering for dual US and UK degrees. By completing a single programme at AIU London, students can qualify for an American bachelor’s degree and a UK BA honours degree.

AIU London’s bachelor’s degree programme in International Business is now validated in the UK by Bucks, whilst AIU London’s bachelor’s degree programmes in Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Design with Marketing, Interior Design and Visual Communication are validated in the UK by UCA.

AIU London’s Director, DrRandolfCooper said: “We are extremely pleased with the creation of two academic agreements that are testament to our ability to forge innovative learning opportunities for our students.”

For further information please visit: aiulondon.ac.uk

STATE-SIDE LINK-UP

Bucks New University, Oxford Brookes University and the University of Oxford have joined forces to continue to raise aspirations and educational attainment among young people from groups currently under-represented in English universities.

The new partnership, known as Study Higher, will ensure the outreach work with targeted schools and colleges, previously coordinated by Aimhigher across the Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire region, is maintained.

Aimhigher has now ended, but because it made a real difference to young people across the region, the three institutions are

now funding this new project to continue its success. Study Higher will offer students in schools and colleges a wide range of activities to raise aspirations and knowledge of the opportunities that higher education can provide, including helping to develop study skills and helping with preparing personal statements on application forms.

SallyCushing, Widening Participation Manager at Bucks New University, said: “The new partnership is an excellent way to deliver a broad programme of aspiration-raising activities for young people in schools and colleges across the region. We hope to improve awareness of the range of higher education opportunities and progression pathways and to equip students with the information they need to make important decisions about their future.”

For further information, email studyhigher@brookes.ac.uk or call 01865484858.

Connection 27

Colleagues and students have paid tribute to AlunEvans, who worked as a senior lecturer in Sports Management at Bucks New University between 2001 and 2010 and passed away in November, aged 69.

Alun, who was Secretary of the Welsh Football Association between 1982 and 1995 and also sat on several UEFA and FIFA regulatory committees, was hugely respected within the football industry.

DougCole, Employability Project Manager at Bucks, said: “You could not fail to respect a man of Alun’s background and be amazed by the wealth and depth of the experience he had in football.

TrIBUTES PAID TO ‘INSPIrATIONAL’ FOrMEr SPOrTS LECTUrEr

OBITuarIES

REMEMBERING CARLY BEATTIE

Friends of a popular Bucks New University student who was killed with her brother in a plane crash in Florida released balloons at the unveiling of a memorial bench on what would have been her 22nd birthday.

CarlyBeattie studied BA (Hons) Air Transport with Pilot Training and died alongside her brother Daniel, 24, in the accident in the United States in June.

Friends released yellow balloons – Carly’s favourite colour – at the unveiling of the bench, which is marked with a plaque and sits at one of her favourite spots on the Campus, near the Gateway building.

Third-year student RosieHoldsworth,studying BA (Hons) Textiles and Furniture Design, who lived with Carly in her first year at Bucks, said: “It has been quite hard coming back to University and not having Carly around – you always sense that someone is missing.”

RachelMalpas, studying BA (Hons) Spatial Design, said: “I was supposed to share a house with Carly this year so it remains hard to think that I will not see her again. She is terribly missed.”

Principal Lecturer JohnFurley,who taught Carly, said she had been extremely

passionate about becoming a commercial airline pilot and wanting to succeed in gaining her degree. “Carly was a cheerful, bright and highly motivated person who brought out the best in other people.”

Vice Chancellor, ProfRuthFarwell, said the bench, which sits below a willow tree, was a fitting reminder of Carly.

She added: “I don’t think there was anyone at the University who was unmoved at the news of Carly’s tragic accident. I was so pleased when Carly’s friends suggested we have a bench as a permanent memorial for her on the Campus so that all the members of our University community can remember her. The unveiling of the bench on what would have been her 22nd birthday was a moving occasion for us all.”

“He was a huge inspiration to our students and, thanks to his stories and knowledge, made a lasting impression that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”

Doug collected a book of tributes from Alun’s former students, which he presented at his funeral in Cardiff on 23 November. One of the students who contributed, AdamDale, graduated with first-class honours in BA (Hons) Sports Management and Football Studies in 2010, and said he benefited from Alun’s unusual teaching style.

“His football knowledge in particular was second to none and I have never met someone with so many intriguing stories. I really respected Alun due to his vast knowledge and also because he was generous with his time when I needed advice with my work,” he said.

Forthcoming events

MAendofyearshow2011The MA show features work by Furniture and Printmaking students and takes place in the Gateway at Bucks New University’s High Wycombe Campus.

MAFurnitureConservation,Restoration&DecorativeArts

MAFurnitureDesign&Technology

MAPrintmaking

8December: 6.30–9pm (Preview)9December: 10am–3pm10December: 10am–3pm12–15December: 10am–3pm

RSVP to jake.kaner@bucks.ac.uk

CarolServiceThis year’s Bucks New University Carol Service takes place at Wesley Methodist Church in Priory Road, High Wycombe. The event has been organised by the Multi-faith Chaplaincy at Bucks and will include festive singing and readings.

9December: 5–6pmAll faiths are welcome.

OpenDaysOur Open Days are open to everyone and are a great opportunity to sample the Bucks experience. Visitors and their guests will have the opportunity to talk to our staff and our students, to find out more about our courses and to look round our facilities.

MechanicalEngineeringDesignOpenEvening

12December:5pm–7pm,High Wycombe Campus

NursingOpenDays

Uxbridge Campus:

Saturday Open Days run from 11am–2pm

Wednesday Open Days run from 6pm–8pm

14January18April21April20June23June

UniversityOpenDays

High Wycombe Campus: run from 11am–4pm

22February28April13June

ForfurtherinformationonallourOpenDaysandtoregister,pleasevisitbucks.ac.uk/open_days

CreativeTalentShowcaseThe Creative Talent Showcase is a great way for students and alumni to promote themselves, the work they have created and the talents they have developed. Entrants do not have to be taking a course relevant to their talent to enter but just be good at what they like doing. It could be a hobby as a dancer, singer, painter or writer. Prizes available. For more details go to enterprisebucks.co.uk or email enterprise@bucks.ac.uk

16March: All day, including a gala evening. The Arts4Every1 Centre, Desborough Road, High Wycombe

SafeguardingChildrenConference2012SirAlAynsleyGreen, the former Children’s Commissioner for England, will be the keynote speaker at the third annual Safeguarding Children Conference on Early Intervention for Improving Child Protection. For more details contact justine.curtis@bucks.ac.uk

16April: 9.30am–4pm, High Wycombe Campus

BucksEYeS(endofyearshow)The end-of-year art and design show at the High Wycombe Campus will feature an eye-catching host of work from this year’s graduating designers and artists. To find out more or to come along, please email nikki.golding@bucks.ac.uk or visit bucks.ac.uk

8June:6.30–9pm (Preview)9June:10am–3pm11June:10am–4pm12June:10am–8pm13–14June:10am–4pm

CommunityLectureSeriesOur Community Lecture Series features a range of high-profile and successful speakers and focuses on two of the key areas of the University’s work – sport and physical activity, and health care.

The lectures are chaired by ProfPeterThomasMBE, Visiting Professor of Sport at Bucks and Chair of Bucks Sport, and ProfDavidSines, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean: Society & Health. Previous speakers have included SueCampbell, Chair of UK Sport, and SirRogerSingletonCBE, chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

Find out more about forthcoming lectures at bucks.ac.uk/publiclectures