edge hill university annual review 2012/13

AnnualReview2012-2013

Contents

Welcome from the Vice-ChancellorTop 10 Achievements of the YearFeature: Creative EdgeStudent ExperienceResearch and ImpactInternational PartnershipsFeature: A Year of Culture External EngagementPeopleFeature: 80 Years in Ormskirk SustainabilityFuture PlansHonorary GraduatesFinancial SummaryPrincipal Officers of the UniversityDonors

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Annual Review 2012-2013

Welcome

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Welcome from theVice-ChancellorThe start of the academic year in 2012saw the withdrawal of most Governmentsupport for undergraduate teachingand the introduction of the £9,000tuition fee. Applications to Englishuniversities fell by 9% and entrants by 14%. As one of only four Englishuniversities to see an increase inapplications for 2012 entry (+7%),Edge Hill University was unaffected bythis seismic change. It was alsogratifying, as the year progressed, tosee applicant numbers for 2013increase still further.

Why is Edge Hill bucking the trend? I believeit’s because we have clear, achievable objectiveswhich everyone at Edge Hill, regardless of theirrole, is committed to supporting. These goalsare reflected in our recently-launched StrategicPlan which sets out our priorities aroundStudent Experience, Research and Impact,International Partnerships, ExternalEngagement, People and Sustainability.

The University has invested more than £41 million this year in state-of-the-art sportsfacilities, the new Creative Edge building,additional capacity for both Biosciences andGeosciences, and a further 273 student rooms of the highest quality. But more important thanthis physical infrastructure is the commitmentto the student experience, and I am delighted to report that, taking an average across all 23questions in the 2013 National Student Survey,Edge Hill was the top-performing university inthe North West of England.

Thanks to our strong partnerships with externalemployers, the University came top in theregion in the First Destination Survey, whichdetails destinations six months after graduating,with 93.4% of Edge Hill graduates in work orfurther study and just one in 20 seekingemployment.

Having moved up 40 places in the Times/Sunday Times league tables in the past sevenyears (and 30 places in the past four), we arealso sowing the seeds of our future progress. We now know that we will be submitting morethan two-and-a-half times as many staff into the forthcoming Research EvaluationFramework, ensuring that our teaching isunderpinned by nationally and internationallyrecognised publications.

Our financial strength, reported in the figures atthe end of this Review, ensure that we willcontinue to invest in both staffing and facilitiesto continue this upward trend. Further studentresidences (making 1,400 in five years) and anew Sports Centre are among the prioritiesplanned for the current year.

And finally, none of this can be achieved withoutthe professionalism and commitment of mycolleagues and the student body. More thannine-tenths of staff and students think this is anexcellent or good place to work and study, as isrecognised by a series of national awards, andwe are determined to sustain this reputation inthe future.

Dr John CaterVice-Chancellor


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Top 10Achievements of the Year

Topin the North West for overall student satisfaction(National Student Survey 2013)

BestStudents’ Unionin the North West(National Student Survey 2013)

Ranked in the

Top Five Best Universities in the North West(Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014)

A rise of 40 places in the Times/SundayTimes Good University Guide over the last seven years, making us one of the

Top Threeuniversities in the UK for continuous improvement

Top 10 Achievements of the Year

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93.4%of our students are in study or full-timeemployment within six months of graduating, putting us in the top 10% nationally for graduate employment(DLHE survey by the Higher Education Statistics Agency)

£41mspent on capital projects this year, including our flagship £17 million Creative Edge building

The

SafestCampusin the North West and fourth most crime-free university in the country (Complete University Guide 2014)

19,296applications for 2013 entry – up 2.3% on last year

280-320 UCAS points is now the minimum required for our courses, highlighting the increasingly high calibre of our students

We welcomed

577of the top achieving ABB students in 2013,showing that Edge Hill University isattracting the VERY BEST to the North West


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CreativeEdge

Employability, creativity,collaboration – Creative Edge raisesthe bar for teaching and research

With facilities to make full length feature films,render CGI animations and work on livetelevision, Edge Hill University’s new £17 million Media and Computing hub, Creative Edge, is set to make our students even more employable.

Opened in 2013, the latest addition to EdgeHill’s ‘creative campus’ features industrystandard equipment for film and TV production,animation and computing to rival any in UKhigher education. It also brings Media, Film,PR, Animation, Advertising and Computingstudents and staff together for the first time,encouraging teaching and researchcollaborations and reflecting the way thecreative industries work in the real world.

The building features TV and radio studios,digital editing suites, high-spec computer labsand innovative teaching spaces, all designed toreplicate the kind of working environmentsstudents will be entering when they graduate.There is also a 250-seater lecture theatre,complete with cinema-style surround sound, toshow students how their film projects will lookand sound on the big screen.

Creative Edge

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The development of Creative Edge has alsopaved the way for a new Institute for CreativeEnterprise (ICE), which brings together relatedresearch from across the University and will actas the interface between academic research andthe creative industries.

As well as enhancing teaching and research,Creative Edge also offers greater opportunitiesfor external engagement through improvedmedia and IT consultancy, hire of facilities,enterprise projects and a business incubator forfledgling companies.

One of the first collaborations is with Liverpool-based internet broadcaster Bay TV. The jointventure will see Bay TV broadcasting fromCreative Edge, beaming images of Edge Hill’saward-winning campus into homes across theregion and creating exciting opportunities forEdge Hill students to work on live TVprogrammes and secure work placementswithout leaving the campus.

The investment in Creative Edge has enabledthe development of several exciting new coursesto add to Edge Hill’s growing creative portfolio.

New, state-of-the-art facilities mean that theUniversity can now offer a range of additionalprogrammes in Animation and Computingincluding Games Programming, Security andForensics, Mobile and Embedded Systems andMotion Graphics. These new programmes aredesigned to help Edge Hill students stay aheadof developments in these fast-moving industries.


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Students, staff and external organisations now have access to resources and equipmenton a par with those used by the BBC atMediaCityUK, including:

- TV studios with broadcast capacity and full production capabilities for news, drama,documentary and experimental work

- Recording studios- Lighting studio- Sound-editing suites- Radio studio- Animation studios- Photographic studio- Multimedia laboratory- Practice rooms - Networking and forensics laboratories- Computer laboratories

Student Experience

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Student Experience

A growingcampus thatmirrors thepersonaltransformationof our studentsOutstanding student support, passionate andnationally recognised teaching staff, innovativelearning and teaching spaces, industry-focusedcourses, and excellent graduate outcomes – plus a welcoming community atmosphere thatremains the same no matter how much we grow– make the student experience at Edge HillUniversity officially the best in the region.

Student Experience

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Creative Showcase

Edge Hill hosted its mostspectacular end-of-year show to date when students fromdepartments across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences came together at The Lowry in Manchester toshowcase their talents to friends,family and potential employers.

Exclaim! brought students from Media,Performing Arts, Creative Writing, Computing,Film, Television and Advertising together underone roof for the first time to exhibit work fromacross Edge Hill’s creative degree programmes.As well as film screenings, animation, dance,drama and readings, there was also a showcasefor computing and web development activities, showing the breadth of Edge Hill’s ‘creative campus’.

The event drew praise from some of the biggestnames in the region’s creative sector, includingHelen Bullough, Head of CBBC Children’sProgramming, Carol Crane, casting director and documentary maker, David Pichilingi,Director of Liverpool Sound City, and TVproducer Colin McKeown.

Carol Poole, event organiser and Edge Hill’sAmbassador to MediaCityUK, said: “In previousyears we have had an end of year show withinindividual departments but we wanted to extend this to embrace the sheer diversity of ourtalented students within arts and culture. It wasa great chance for students to demonstrate thequality of their work to the industry.”

Investment in Biosciences

Edge Hill University has invested more than £4 million innew accommodation and state-of-the-art facilities for Biologystudents and researchers.

The new Biosciences building features high-specteaching spaces and dedicated laboratories, with brand new resources including DNAanalysis equipment, a scanning electronmicroscope plus several insectaries for breedingand studying disease-transmitting insects.

“Practical experience of molecular biology isvital for a range of careers, and essential forfurther study,” says Paul Ashton, Head of theBiology Department. “Our new facilities willgive students the opportunity to work with thelatest equipment, broaden their knowledge and develop skills that are highly prized by employers.”

Investment in Biology also supports two new degree programmes for September 2013 –BSc (Hons) Human Biology and BSc (Hons)Ecology – to complement Edge Hill’s successfulBSc (Hons) Biology course.

Three new members of staff have also beenrecruited to strengthen the Biology team:mosquito expert Clare Strode, Anne Oxborough,who specialises in spider diversity, andmicrobiologist Dr Angela Ryan-Kewley.

“Our new staff bring significant expertise intothe department,” says Paul. “They will have amajor impact on the breadth and depth of ourteaching as well as opening up exciting newareas of research within the University.”


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Gothic Pioneer

Leading gothic scholar Dr BenBrabon, Reader in EnglishLiterature and Digital Education, ishelping to keep Edge Hill at theforefront of curriculum design anddelivery with the launch of twounique teaching resources.

E-Gothicist is an educational web resourcedeveloped following a prestigious grant from the Higher Education Academy’s TeachingDevelopment Grant Scheme, which is given toprojects that demonstrate innovative evidence-informed practice in learning and teaching. The first resource of its kind for gothic studies,it combines a variety of e-learning methodsincluding an educational app with practicalteaching materials, academic blogs, reviews and critical analysis of major gothic novels.

Dr Brabon was also instrumental in launchingEdge Hill’s first Massive Open Online Course(MOOC) on Vampire Fiction, which isrecognised as the UK’s first undergraduateMOOC to offer credit and the first MOOC in the world to provide a discrete 20 creditvalidated undergraduate course.

As a result of his pioneering work, Ben is nowworking with the Quality Assurance Agency on a national MOOC code of practice andcontributing to a report on MOOCs for theSwedish Ministry of Education.

He said: “There is no denying that MOOCs are going to play an important role in thedelivery of degree programmes over the comingyears, and Edge Hill University is, again, aheadof the curve in teaching developments.”

Top Role for Caring Students

Three compassionate Nursingstudents have been selected to act as ambassadors for theGovernment’s new national visionfor nursing, which aims to put the‘6Cs’ – Care, Compassion, Courage,Competence, Communication and Commitment – back into the profession.

Gill Neary, Natasha Carroll and Charlene Knoxare among 50 volunteer ‘care-makers’, selectedfrom more than 250 applicants, tasked withcommunicating the 6Cs to their peers.

The trio was handpicked by Chief NursingOfficer, and Edge Hill Honorary Graduate, Jane Cummings as they embody theprofessional values set out in the new strategy, Compassion in Nursing.

As part of their role Gill, Natasha and Charlene have spoken at a number of nationalconferences as well as giving presentations totheir fellow nursing, midwifery and other healthcare students. They were also instrumental inorganising a student-led conference in theFaculty of Health and Social Care whichhighlighted the importance of care anddedication in looking after service users.

“Being involved in the project is great for ourpersonal and professional development,” saidGill Neary. “As well as enhancing our CVs, thecare-maker role offers opportunities to networkat the highest level, improve our leadershipskills and see how nursing policy is developed.”

Student Experience

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Supporting Role

Struggling students now have evenmore support thanks to the launchof a new advice centre run for andby students.

Edge Hill Students’ Union opened its one-stop-shop for support and advice in 2012, offeringhelp on a range of subjects close to students’hearts including finance, welfare, debt, benefits,accommodation and academic issues.

Since its launch, the Student Advice Centre’steam of highly qualified full-time advisors hasdealt with more than 530 cases, and helpedcash-strapped students gain around £416,000through applications for grants, funding andbenefits they were previously unaware of.

Mental Wealth

Getting students and staff to ‘feel good’ was the idea behind theUniversity’s successful MentalHealth and Wellbeing Day,designed to raise both smiles and awareness of mental healthissues and support.

The event, hosted by the Students’ Union, aimed to move away from the term ‘mentalhealth’, and instead asked the simple question,‘Do you feel good?’ Activities were grouped intosix categories – Keep Fit, Stay Safe, Just Relax,Keep Laughing, Eat Well and Be Positive – alldesigned to highlight potential problem areas.The event included a ‘Feel Good’ food stall, freelaughter yoga classes and free screenings ofcomedy films.

Geosciences on the Map

Investment in Geosciences has seen the expanding Department of Geography move into dedicatedaccommodation with specialistfacilities that reflect thecontemporary workplace.

The new accommodation features a large lecturetheatre, a seminar room, a geology laboratoryand geoinformation laboratories.

“The move will really enhance both staff andstudent research,” said Head of Department, Dr Nigel Richardson.

“It will also allow the Department to expand its range of specialist equipment even further,ensuring students become competent using the technologies that will be found in theirfuture workplaces, helping to secure their long-term employability.”

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Student Experience

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Success Againstthe Odds

Jayne Rowlands was awarded an impressive96% for her ground-breaking work on theeffects of alcohol on young people, despite beingdiagnosed with breast cancer half way throughher studies. She went on to receive first classhonours in Integrated Children and YoungPeople’s Practice.

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The only university with beachfront apartments!Thanks to inventive landscaping around the newCreative Edge building, Edge Hill students can

now go from bedroom to beach in seconds.

Sun, Sand and Studies

Student Experience

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Help for Teachers

A new initiative in the Faculty of Education is helping first-timeteachers make the transition fromlecture theatre to classroom.

The Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT)Programme aims to support teachers throughtheir first year of work by providing mentoring,practical advice and networking opportunities,including a series of conferences where aspiringand new teachers can share information andbest practice.

Paul Spencer, Senior Lecturer and leader of the NQT Programme team, said: “The NQTprogramme is a clear expression of Edge Hill’s commitment to supporting new teachers with outstanding professionaldevelopment through what can be a difficulttransitional period.”

Postgrad Collaboration

Postgraduate students have beeninstrumental in a collaborativeproject to support undergraduateenquiry and research skills.

Working with academics from Edge Hill and Roehampton University, the team of fivepostgraduates is developing e-learning tools forstudents on History degree programmes at bothinstitutions, with the aim of influencingteaching practice across the UK highereducation sector.

“The online toolkits will improve the studentexperience by providing a rich resource tocomplement the learning support already beinggiven,” says project leader, Dr Alyson Brown. “Italso gives our postgraduates a taste of workingon a collaborative research project.”

Designed for Industry

Edge Hill is complementing its newlearning and teaching resourceswith a range of innovative newcourses, designed to give studentsthe most up-to-date industry skillsand knowledge.

To enhance employability in the fast-movingworld of computing, the University haslaunched new programmes in GamesProgramming, Security and Forensics, Mobile and Embedded Systems and MotionGraphics, while in the expanded BiologyDepartment, students can now take courses in Ecology and Human Biology.

There are also new programmes in the growingarea of Psychology, including Counselling andPsychotherapy, Psychosocial Analysis ofOffending Behaviour, plus an MA in DanceMovement Psychotherapy – the first in theNorth West – designed to meet demands withinthe NHS for more holistic therapies.

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Home from HomeMore students than ever can enjoy a home from home on campus with the opening of EdgeHill’s latest phase of student accommodation.The extension to Founders Court brings thetotal bed spaces to more than 1,700, meaningthat Edge Hill can, for the first time, offer on-campus accommodation to all first years.

Triple AwardLearning Services has been recognised for itsdedication to supporting students throughouttheir studies. The team not only met all thecriteria for the Government’s coveted CustomerServices Excellence Award for the eighth yearrunning, but also received three compliancepluses, given only to services that go that extra mile.

Preparing for the FutureStudent Services continue to encourage newstudents to ‘drop in, not drop out’ with a HigherEducation Drop-In residential programme for Media students. The three-day retention-boosting programme, run in conjunction withthe Department of Media just before the start ofterm, aims to prepare applicants for universitylife, establish any support requirements, andgive them opportunities to make new friendsbefore starting their studies.

Industry InsightsLeading musicologists shared behind the scenesinsights into the music industry during a seriesof talks aimed at enhancing the employability of Media students. Guest speakers includedProfessor of Musicology at Goldsmiths,University of London, Keith Negus, and NicolaDibben, Professor of Musicology at theUniversity of Sheffield.

Pioneering Training for ODPsEdge Hill is one of the first universities in the country to introduce essential new traininginto its Operating Department Practitionerprogramme. The new ‘enhanced scrub’ module,developed in response to changing nationalguidelines, ensures Edge Hill students are job-ready on graduation.

Living is EasyEdge Hill is helping new students settle into university life with the introduction of Residential Life Advisors. This small team of dedicated on-site staff is trained to helpstudents make the transition to independentliving, particularly those leaving home for thefirst time. Through a programme of dedicatedsocial events and activities they help newstudents feel part of Edge Hill as a living,learning community.

Same DifferenceEdge Hill University showed its support for the UN’s International Day of Persons withDisabilities with a packed schedule of events,designed in consultation with disabled students,and aimed at making all students aware of the differences – and, more importantly, thesimilarities – between the university experienceof disabled and non-disabled students.

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Student Experience

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Top Rolefor Tope

Accountancy graduate Tope Sadiku claims that“determination and resilience” won her a placeon Asda’s prestigious Graduate TrainingScheme. She recently returned to talk tostudents about her role as a Graduate TradingAssistant and to share her tips on applying forgraduate jobs.

Research and Impact

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Research and Impact

Exciting,unique andrespectedresearch thatmakes a realdifference topeople’s livesIncreasing diversity, capacity and leadership in research remains at the top of Edge Hill’sstrategic agenda. Continued investment, despitea tough economic climate, has seen theUniversity go from strength to strength,building on existing areas of research excellenceand encouraging ambitious new academics tobring their ideas and enthusiasm to Edge Hill.

Rapid Rise in Research

Increased investment in research at Edge Hill University has morethan doubled the number ofsubmissions to the 2014 ResearchExcellence Framework (REF), theGovernment’s system for assessingthe quality of research in UK highereducation institutions.

Research is being submitted from across allthree Faculties, covering subjects as diverse asstudent retention, specialist palliative careservices and black civil rights in America.

“Our strategy has been to build on our currentstrengths, recruit new talent to boost research in those areas, and also help us branch out intodifferent areas of research,” said Dr NikkiCraske, Director of Edge Hill’s Research andEnterprise Support Office.

“While the forthcoming Research ExcellenceFramework has acted as a catalyst for recentinvestment in research, the aim is for highquality, internationally significant research tobecome the norm at Edge Hill. We are puttingadditional emphasis on research leadership,with the appointment of a number of newprofessors as well as some exciting early careerresearchers.”

The Silent Killer

Malaria kills more than a millionpeople every year, and half of theworld’s population – about 3.3billion – are at risk of contractingthe deadly disease.

Finding out how mosquitos become resistant to insecticides could have a major impact on the spread of malaria, and research by Dr ClareStrode in the Department of Biology iscontributing to the global fight against insect-borne diseases. Her work focuses on identifyingwhich of the mosquito’s genes are mutating toresist chemical insecticides, as well as theeffectiveness of current vector control tools,such as bed nets, on mosquito populations.

“Once we’ve identified the genes, the aim is to create a genetic profile which can then beused to inform new products, develop tools totrack and combat resistance and, hopefully,contribute to global public health programmes,”said Clare.

As well as the female Anopheles gambiaemosquito, which passes the parasite responsiblefor malaria through saliva when it bites, Clare is also researching the Aedes aegypi mosquito,which spreads dengue fever, another potentiallyfatal disease prevalent in developing countries.She now intends to expand her research toinclude other insects, such as the triatomid bugwhich transmits Chagas disease, also known asSouth American Sleeping Sickness.

Research and Impact

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Research and Impact

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‘Home Grown’ Rule Questioned

The controversial ‘home grownplayer’ rule has only made limitedimprovements to the competitivebalance in Champions League andEuropa League football matches,according to Professor RichardParrish, Director of the Centre for Sports Law Research.

Richard was one of a team of academicsappointed by The European Commission to investigate the effect of UEFA’s rule, whichwas introduced in 2006 to prevent football clubsbuying in ‘ready-made’ players at the expense of developing local talent, and stopping richerclubs from effectively buying success.

The research looked at whether the rule has had any impact on perceived problems inEuropean football and whether it restricted the employment prospects of professionalfootballers.

“While the study found a significant increase inthe number of both home-grown and under-21players, there was no data to prove this occurredas a direct result of the rule,” said Richard. “It also potentially conflicts with EU law on workers’ freedom of movement.”

The home grown player study adds to a long list of high profile studies produced by theCentre for Sports Law Research, ensuring Edge Hill continues to be at the forefront of influencing decision-making within theEuropean sports movement and the institutionsof the European Union.

A Better Way to Care

A unique project in the Faculty ofHealth and Social Care is giving newhope to parents wishing to care forterminally ill and severely disabledchildren at home.

Designed as a small flat, the Better at Homesimulation suite gives parents the chance to build the skills and confidence demanded by their child’s condition in a realistic homeenvironment. The facility has been designed to replicate the average home, with standardceiling, door and plug heights, to aid thetransition from hospital to home. It is also fitted with cameras to enable staff to giveparents detailed feedback during sessions.

The suite – the only one of its kind in thecountry – is supported by the WellChild charity, which also provides specialist trainingfor parents on all aspects of home care fromusing a hoist to coping with emergencysituations.

David Cobb, Head of Professional Standards,who oversees the project, said: “As well as beingvital for parents, the Better at Home suite willalso be a useful resource for Nursing, Midwifery,Social Work and Paramedic students. It has a lotof potential for real-world learning, which isessential for increasing employability.”

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Coping with Doping

Doping scandals are becomingincreasingly common in thesporting world, with LanceArmstrong the latest high profileathlete to admit taking bannedsubstances.

To help tackle the problem, psychologist Dr Andrew Levy has received funding from the World Anti-Doping Agency to investigatewhether personality traits can be used to predict the likelihood of doping amongcompetitive athletes.

“If we can identify personality profiles for athletes who are at risk from doping,” says Andrew, “there is the potential to target athletes who may be susceptible. This could help maximise the effectiveness of interventions and potentially reduce thelikelihood of doping in competitive sport.”

Short but SweetNow in its seventh year, the EdgeHill Prize for the Short Story isproving increasingly popular amongboth new and established authors.

There were a record number of entrants for the2013 awards but it was acclaimed Irish writerKevin Barry who scooped the main prize for hiscollection, Dark Lies The Island.

Edge Hill film studies lecturer Jenny Barrettwas awarded the MA Creative Writing award,receiving £500 for her story The Last Day atWoolworths which was praised by judges forbeing very believable, moving and for its strongcharacterisation.

Jenny, who is currently combining her academiccareer with an MA in Creative Writing at EdgeHill University, was unfamiliar with writingshort stories before starting her studies.

Research and Impact

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MilitaryHonours

Former soldier, Jon Tomkinson, who left schoolwith no qualifications showed that it’s never toolate to learn after graduating with a first classhonours in Biology. He has now joined EdgeHill’s Graduate Training Assistant programmeto continue his research into genetics.

Improving Outcomes

Educational equality charity, the Education EndowmentFoundation (EEF), has awarded £1.5 million to the Faculty ofEducation for two national projectsaimed at improving outcomes for children entitled to free schoolmeals. One of the projects wasawarded £1 million – the largestaward ever granted by EEF to one organisation.

The first of the two projects being trialled at target schools over two years, Lesson Study,helps teachers develop reflection skills toimprove their teaching. The other focuses ontraining teachers in the use of hi-tech learnerresponse systems and evaluating their impactin the classroom. If successful, both projectscould be rolled out to schools nationally.

Patient Partnership

Edge Hill University has developed a new tool to help cancerpatients get the most from theirappointments with consultants.

The Patient Concerns Inventory (PCI) allowspatients to log their concerns on a touch screentablet prior to their consultation using commonprompts. It identifies 55 issues patients mightwish to discuss, plus 15 professionals they maywish to talk to. The answers are then networkedto the consultation room where the consultantcan see – and act on – the information provided.

A team led by Professor Simon Rogers,consultant surgeon at Aintree UniversityHospital and professor in Edge Hill’s Evidence-based Practice Research Centre, developed thePCI in consultation with patients, regional carenetworks and other academics.

Tweeting FirstPhD student James Burrows is carrying outexperimental research into digital story-tellingusing Twitter and Facebook. The project aims tocreate interactive, digital narratives that can bere-mediated in a curated performance space. Itis the first time that social media and memeticshave been used together in the world ofperforming arts.

Romanian Research The predicted mass arrival of Romanian labour migrants when the UK restrictions are lifted in January 2014 is unlikely, according to Dr Ruxandra Trandafoiu, Readerin Communication. Her book, DIASPORAONLINE: Identity Politics and RomanianMigrants, funded by the British Academy,chronicles the online cultural and politicalexpressions of the Romanian diaspora.

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Cityin Film

Influential film expert Professor Roger Shannonhas contributed to a new book in the renownedWorld Film Locations series, which focuses onLiverpool’s unique place in silver screen history.

Performing Arts graduate and star of BBC3’sHim and Her, Kerry Howard is making her

mark on the world of comedy with a pilot of herown sketch show, Kerry, and a role in British

film, I Give It A Year.

ComedyConnection

Alumni Profile

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Exposing Hidden AbuseDr Helen Baker’s research into parent abuse is helping to raise awareness of this hidden form of domestic violence. Her study, whichadvocates treating young people who abuse aparent with care, as they are usually victims ofabuse themselves, forms part of a new nationalresearch network aimed at influencing law andpolicy reform.

Springtail DiscoveryResearch by PhD student Thom Dallimore intoBritish Springtails – tiny soil-dwelling creaturesthat can prevent crop damage – has beenpublished by the Field Studies Council to helpscientists identify these prevalent yet elusiveanimals. Thom’s ongoing research looks at thevital role Springtails play in our ecosystem andwhether they are vulnerable to climate changeor habitat destruction.

Exposing the TruthDr Tony Keating, Senior Lecturer in SocialSciences, has contributed to a TV series aboutthe history of Irish newspapers, hosted byinvestigative journalist Donal McIntyre. Dr Keating appeared and provided academicconsultancy on Print and Be Damned, whichhighlights the importance of the Irish printindustry in uncovering the truth.

Creating More LeadersThe Faculty of Education has won a majorcontract with the National College for Teachingand Learning to expand its national leadershiptraining programme for headteachers andaspiring middle leaders in schools. Theextended licence means that Edge Hill can now offer the programme in its partner schoolsin China for the first time.

Counting on SuccessBuilding on the success of its Numbers Countmaths intervention programme for 6-8 yearolds, Edge Hill has secured £1.14 million tocontinue the project. New developments includeNumbers Count 2, for older primaryschoolchildren, and 1stClass@Number, a programme for small groups. Since its launch in 2010, Numbers Count has helped almost30,000 children who struggle with numeracy.

Picturing the MindPsychology lecturer Dr Joanne Powell has identified a link between social cognition and brain structure using Magnetic ResonanceImaging (MRI). Working with colleagues fromOxford and Liverpool, Joanne found thatintentionality competence, the ability to infer the mental state of ourselves and others, is associated with greater neural tissue in orbital prefrontal cortex.

History in ContextComputing expert Dr Mark Anderson hasdeveloped a new programme designed to bring historic locations to life using a uniquecombination of virtual world platforms, GIS and agent-based simulations. HistorySpace is an online portal that uses historic data tocreate 3D representations of urbanenvironments that allow users to see howbuildings or streets looked in the past. Thesewill be supported by documentary evidenceenabling historians and social scientists toexplore and further understand the evolution of urban landscapes.


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Research and Impact

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Bridging the Research Gap

Edge Hill University has establisheda new research centre designed tobridge the gap between academicsand teachers, and help raiseeducational standards in schools.

Traditionally, researchers complain that schoolsare more interested in ‘quick fix’ solutions whichmight lack validity, while teachers often arguethat academic research is out of touch withclassroom realities.

The Research Centre for Schools, Colleges andTeacher Education (SCaTE), launched inJanuary 2013, aims to work in partnership withteachers to develop their own practices to raisestandards, as well as change perceptions aboutthe value of academic research.

Living with Technology

Collaborative research between theDepartment of Computing andsecurity systems companySecurecom Ltd is helping elderlypeople enjoy the freedom ofindependent living, while reducingNHS costs.

The team has developed a unique technologythat constantly transmits sensory data from the home to a central monitoring station via the internet to create a picture of a person’sdaily routines. This data is then analysed foranomalies, or gradual changes in a persons’usual activities, to identify and predict whenhelp may be needed.

The research has contributed to enhancing anew commercial product for the assisted livingmarket that is helping local councils bettersupport elderly and disabled people in their care.

New Focus forEducational Research A new Centre for Literacy andNumeracy Research is bringingtogether academics from across theUniversity to share their ideas anddevelop new projects to supportthese vital school subjects.

Current projects include looking at earlyscreening of children for risks of readingdifficulties, and evaluating the national phonicsprogramme. The Centre aims to make evidence-based insights available to education providersand, ultimately, influence local and nationalschool policy-making decisions.

Director of the Centre, Professor Victor vanDaal, said: “This collaboration allows us to look at issues in more depth, increase our workwithin schools and take on larger-scale projects.”

International Broadcast

An Edge Hill University academichas appeared on a prestigious American radio show to discuss her internationally acclaimedresearch into young people andmental health.

Vicki Coppock, Reader in Social Sciences:Childhood Studies and Mental Health, joinedrenowned critical psychiatrist Dr Peter Bregginin New York for his radio show, The Dr PeterBreggin Hour, where she spoke about the over-diagnosis of ADHD and the medicating ofchildren from a children’s rights perspective.This is based on her longstanding researchwhich challenges adult-centred, medicallydominated discourses, policies and practices in child and adolescent mental health.

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Behind the Glamour

Senior Lecturer in Performance Mark Edward,aka Gale Force, presented his latest practice asresearch investigation into the implications ofageing for drag queens at the InternationalFederation for Theatre Research Conference in Barcelona.

International Partnerships

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A Universitythat looksbeyond itsbordersEdge Hill continues to embed internationalperspectives across the University. Students andstaff from across the globe are adding to the richand diverse learning experience enjoyed by all of our students, while our strategic partnershipswith international organisations are enhancingstudent exchange, research and staffdevelopment opportunities.


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ChineseRecognition

Edge Hill’s links with China havebeen further strengthened with the award of prestigious ConfuciusInstitute status.

The Edge Hill Confucius Institute, established in partnership with Chongqing NormalUniversity, is supported by the Chinese Ministryof Education and aims to promote Chineselanguage and culture, support local Chineseteaching and facilitate cultural exchanges.

The initiative opens up opportunities for staffand students to learn more about life in theworld’s fastest growing economy. The initialfocus will be on giving all trainee teachers the chance to learn more about China and itslanguages, with the most promising studentsparticipating in summer camps in Chongqing.

Professor David Law, Director of the Confucius Institute, said: “Our Edge HillConfucius Institute will provide students withnew opportunities and experiences that will help them be better global citizens.”

To celebrate the launch, students, staff and local schoolchildren came together for a day of Chinese themed activities, from calligraphy to chopstick practice, hosted by Edge Hill’sChinese Society.

Li Zhan, who helped plan the event, said: “We were able to use the day to promote allthings China. Edge Hill has students from many countries and it’s great for us to cometogether to celebrate the different cultures and share knowledge.”

Science WithoutBorders

A new cohort of students brought a taste of Rio to Edge Hill when the University welcomed its firstBrazilian students as part of theScience Without Bordersinternational exchange programme.

Edge Hill is one of 70 institutions to participatein the Brazil Science Without Borders scheme,which offers Brazilian students one-yearscholarships to study abroad at bothundergraduate and PhD level.

The programme, run by the BrazilianGovernment, aims to send 100,000 Brazilianstudents overseas to study science, technology,engineering, mathematics and the creativeindustries at top universities around the world.

This ground breaking initiative, will not only see the UK welcome up to 10,000 Brazilianstudents, but will also provide opportunities for ‘Inbound Fellowships’ which will bring 1,250international researchers to Brazil and pave theway for future collaborations.

Bill Johnson, Deputy Director of Edge Hill’sInternational Office, said: “Feedback fromcolleagues working with the students,overwhelmingly confirms that the contributionthese students make in terms of the quality ofthe work they have produced, and the highlevels of engagement and participation insessions has brought substantial mutualbenefits to the cohorts they are in.”


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International Emergency

A group of Edge Hill paramedicshelped respond to emergency callsin South Africa as part of aknowledge transfer exchange withthe University of Johannesburg’sDepartment of Emergency Medicine.

The week-long project saw the team workingalongside South African paramedic lecturersand practitioners, both in the university and in the field. The visit aimed to give insights into practices across the globe, enhancing staff knowledge and improving the Paramediccurriculum, while offering opportunities for further staff and student exchanges in the future.

Indian Collaboration

A collaboration between Edge HillUniversity and the HoldsworthMemorial Hospital (HMH) in Indiais helping to improve the care ofmentally ill patients, particularlythose who have attempted suicide.

Three members of the Faculty of Health and Social Care’s Continuing ProfessionalDevelopment team travelled to India as part of a Tropical Health and Education Trustfunded trip, to give guest lectures at hospitalsand develop links with clinical research staff.

While in India they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with HMH, cementing alongstanding relationship with the hospital andenabling education projects that will help HMHstaff better assess and treat people in crisis.

Creativity out of Crisis

Hot on the heels of hosting theAmerican Ann Arbor Film Festivaltour, Edge Hill’s expertise, researchand knowledge around film festivalshas again attracted a renownedinternational festival to campus.

The Athens International Digital Film Festival,screened in the Arts Centre, featured 12 shortfilms, proving that the economic crisis can’tstifle creativity.

Film lecturer Yiannis Koufonikos said: “Thefestival is committed to celebrating visionaryfilmmaking which chimes with our MediaDepartment’s own mission and builds on ouralready strong links within this area. There are also many exciting opportunities for ourstudents to submit their work for futureinclusion in the festival.”

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Enter the Dragon

Edge Hill students welcomed Chinese New Yearin style with traditional performances, food anddecorations designed to showcase Chineseculture and promote internationalunderstanding and cooperation.

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BSc (Hons) Engineering Management students Genn Seng and Sabrina Loy visitedEdge Hill for the first time to collect their

degrees, after completing their course at the FY Institute of Technology in Singapore.

Singapore Celebrations

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Birthday TreatAmerica’s longest running independent filmfestival made its second appearance at Edge Hill as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.The Ann Arbor festival gave a special seven-filmscreening at the Arts Centre – the only UKvenue on its birthday tour across the world.

International ExperienceStudents in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences can now enjoy a year studying or workingabroad as part of a new range of four-yearundergraduate programmes designed to boostemployability. Edge Hill’s growing internationalpartnerships mean students can study orundertake work experience or ‘sandwich year’industrial placements with organisations inEurope, North America, China and Australia.

Language CentreEdge Hill has launched a new Language Centreto improve students’ communicative andlinguistic competency in a range of languages.The Centre runs a number of courses, includingFoundation and pre-sessional languageprogrammes, aimed at both overseas studentslooking to improve their English and homestudents who want to study, live or work abroad.The Centre will be working closely with theConfucius Institute to develop and promoteprogrammes, and there are plans to develop an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Animated Exchange

A creative collaboration with the Beijing Institute of GraphicCommunication is giving Animationstudents the opportunity toshowcase their work internationally,and has led to the launch of adedicated animation conference.

Edge Hill students and staff visited Chinarecently to share experiences and discussfurther exchanges and research projects. They also started planning the CreativeAnimation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE)conference, which will include screenings,workshops and seminars to promote creativityacross boundaries.

Alex Jukes, Course Leader for Animation, said:“Trips like this allow our students to benefitfrom the cultural and aesthetic differences theyexperience, and develop new ideas and visualapproaches in their studies.”

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A Year of Culture

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A Year of Culture

From acrobatic drummers in the sky to legendary drummers in thelecture theatre, this year has been a whirlwind of cultural activity, with even more events to wow our students, staff and localcommunities.

At the heart of our cultural campus is the refurbished and extended Arts Centre, which recentlycelebrated a year of bringing bothwell-loved and ground breakingartists to Edge Hill.


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Suspended Fascination

Internationally acclaimed French theatretroupe, Trans Express, presented MobileHomme, an aerial spectacular featuringvividly-costumed acrobats, dancers andmusicians performing high above theaudience’s heads.

The highlight of the show was a humanmobile – a band of drummers swept fromthe ground by a crane and suspended in the air to beat out their hypnotic rhythm to a crowd of more than 3,000delighted spectators.

Red Carpet for Top Film Producer

Edge Hill experienced a little bit ofHollywood glamour when American movie producer Evan Ginzburg visited theArts Centre to introduce a screening of hisnew film, Theresa Sareo: Alive Again.

Ginzburg, best known for his work on The Wrestler (2008), took the audiencebehind the scenes of the making of theinspirational story of singer/songwriterTheresa Sareo, whose life was foreverchanged when an accident caused the loss of her right leg. He also read from his book, Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn,and hosted a question and answer sessionabout his work.

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Justice in Focus

Musicians mingled with students, staff and members of the Hillsboroughcampaign for the launch of a newexhibition of photographs celebrating thehugely successful Justice Tonight band.

Justice Tonight: The Photographs – the first public exhibition by Preston-bornphotographer Peter Stevens – featuredcandid shots of founding members, Mick Jones from The Clash, Pete Wylie andThe Farm, including bassist and Edge HillMedia lecturer, Carl Hunter, performing on tour in 2012.

This Charming Man

Mike Joyce, drummer with iconic 80s band The Smiths, shared his uniqueexperiences of the music industry as part of ‘Week 13’, seven days of industry focusedevents designed to enhance theemployability of Media students.

Mike’s inspirational talk and Q&A sessioncoincided with the 30th anniversary of TheSmiths’ seminal performance in the EdgeHill Student Refectory in 1983. A never-before-heard recording of the gig, whichbroadcaster and alumnus Stuart Maconiecalled “a significant event in the annals ofEdge Hill”, was unearthed and released tofans this year.

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A Special Performance

Sir Horace ‘Gentleman’ Panter, bass playerwith The Specials, took centre stage at theArts Centre for an evening of Two-Tonememories, in conversation with fellowbassist Carl Hunter.

During a lively Q&A, Sir Horace spokeabout his journey from member of the most dynamic rhythm section on the Two-Tone scene, to artist, and back again, whenthe band reunited for a tour in 2008.

Painting with Words

A partnership between a poet and a painter brought an intriguing exhibition of paintings, printmaking and poetic text to the Arts Centre in March.

Manifest: poetry beyond text, whichincludes poetic text resembling headlinesand fragmented ‘body’ text suggestive ofRussian Constructivist prints, is the resultof a three-year collaboration betweenProfessor of Poetry and Poetics at EdgeHill, Robert Sheppard, and Peter Clarke,Principal Lecturer in Fine Art at theUniversity of Central Lancashire.

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External Engagement

Sharing ourcampus withour communitiesand our expertisewith externalpartnersFrom public lectures, entertainment and facilities that can be used by all, to our links with businesses and public sector organisations,we endeavor to make a positive and lasting impact on the economic, cultural, social andpolitical life of the region.

A Sound Partnership

Edge Hill University hascollaborated with Liverpool SoundCity on a major annual music event,giving staff, students and graduatesthe chance to work with leadingfigures from the music industry.

Liverpool Sound City, the largest internationalmusic, digital and film festival and conference in the UK, brings together more than 360artists, 40,000 music fans and 300 industryprofessionals for three days of performances,discussions and lectures.

Edge Hill’s contribution to the festival includedacclaimed all-male dance troupe Edge FWD,who performed their latest piece, Wingman, and a screening of Made in Birmingham/Reggae Punk Bhangra, a music documentary by Roger Shannon, Professor of Film at Edge Hill University.

This year’s festival conference saw the launch ofthe UK Student Music Awards aimed atnurturing new talent and helping students getthe first step on the music industry ladder.Created as a result of the ongoing partnershipbetween Edge Hill and Liverpool Sound City,the national competition asks entrants to comeup with an idea that addresses specific music industry issues.

A team from Edge Hill’s Media Department wasvoted the overall winner, securing workplacements as well as making valuable industrycontacts – see page 53 for details.

Image: The Walkmen at the Anglican Cathedral as part of Liverpool Sound City 2013.

Ahead for Business

Edge Hill has built on its strong linkswith employers with the introductionof a dedicated Employer Engagementteam tasked with raising theUniversity’s profile among thebusiness community, forging newpartnerships and improving theemployment prospects for futureEdge Hill students.

The team was established with funding from the Higher Education Funding Council’s Co-Funded Employer Engagement scheme(CFEE), to develop and sustain relationshipswith employers and engage them in workforcedevelopment partnerships. The scheme hasallowed Edge Hill to offer the equivalent of more than 1,000 full-time places for employer-supported students – one of the largestallocations awarded in the UK.

As well as working closely with local andnational companies to meet their staff trainingrequirements, the Employer Engagement teamis also working with other departments withinthe University to expand the provision ofbusiness and research consultancy services and knowledge exchange activities, such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

“There was already a lot of enterprise andengagement activity being undertaken acrossthe institution,” says Lisa Knight, who heads up the team. “Part of my role has been to pull ittogether into a coherent offering, support thosewho are working with industry and share bestpractice across the University.”

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Moving Stories

A dance artist from Edge Hill isusing the power of movement andcreativity to improve the health and wellbeing of children with acute conditions.

Lisa Dowler, Senior Lecturer in Dance, has beencarrying out pioneering practice-based researchwith staff and patients at Alder Hey NHSFoundation Trust since 2006, through hercompany, Small Things Dance Collective. The initial project, From Where You Are,a qualitative study funded by the NationalLottery Awards for All scheme, originally sawLisa and a colleague working with children onthe Neuromedical and Oncology wards to aidtheir rehabilitation through dance.

With the support of Arts Council England and Lottery Awards for All, Small Things beganto work across surgical wards, such as Cardiacand Orthopaedic, with children and youngpeople often experiencing acute pain.

Small Things then developed a film project and a study measuring the effects of thispractice for children and young people withacute pain. This led to a series of intimatefilms, Invisible Duets, which documented their ground-breaking approach. Theproject has since resulted in an apprenticescheme, to mentor and share practice with otherdancers, and a CPD programme that attractspractitioners from across Europe.

Lisa said: “Our findings have been quite astounding:92% experienced a reduction in pain and for80% this was more than a 50% reduction.”

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TopDrawer

A love of cartoons and a passion for drawinghelped Stuart Gibson, who was diagnosed withAsperger’s Syndrome at the age of four, tobecome one of the best 2D animators at EdgeHill and graduate with a 2:1 in Animation.

A Personal View of Hillsborough

Former Bishop of Liverpool, the RightReverend James Jones, gave anemotional public lecture about hisrole on the Hillsborough IndependentPanel (HIP), to an audience thatincluded survivors and members of the victims’ families.

Bishop James, who retired in 2013, was appointedto chair the HIP, which was set up to ensure themaximum possible disclosure of documentsrelating to the disaster, which killed 96 peoplein 1989. As a result of the panel’s work, thepolice ‘cover up’ around Hillsborough wasexposed, finally moving towards justice forthe families.

In his lecture he paid tribute to Edge Hill'scontribution to understanding of the tragedy,primarily through the work of Professor PhilScraton, a member of the panel who began hiswork on Hillsborough when he was at Edge HillUniversity. He also discussed how the HIP hadaffected him personally, making him questionhis own faith, and how moved he had been bythe dignity of the Hillsborough families.

Exploring Social Work ChallengesExperts from Edge Hill andpractitioners from across the UKcame together to discuss social workin the 21st century in a thought-provoking series of public lectures.

Covering subjects from child neglect and thecare of vulnerable people to leadership andemotional intelligence, the lectures provided an opportunity to hear some of the profession’sleading thinkers discuss contemporary, andoften contested, areas of social work.

Speakers included: Edge Hill’s Professor ofSocial Work, Tim Kelly; author Dr NeilThompson; Brian Taylor, Professor of SocialWork, University of Ulster; Professor of ChildWelfare at University of Sheffield, Jan Horwath;and Mike Maas-Lowit, Senior Lecturer in SocialWork at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.

Building Business

Edge Hill University has played amajor role in the region’s biggestbusiness event, further strengtheningits relationship with Wigan Council.

The Wigan Business Expo Twenty13 attractedmore than 140 exhibitors and over 1,000delegates, and has proved one of the mosteffective networking opportunities for NorthWest businesses.

As well as being the main sponsor of the event,Edge Hill also shared its business expertise withlocal companies through a series of ‘businesssurgeries’, covering topics such as the benefits of student placements, finance for growth, usingsocial media to win business, and howKnowledge Transfer Partnerships can harnessacademic knowledge to tackle key challenges.

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TalentedTrio

Entrepreneurial students, Daniel Cain, CharlieDenton and Sean Stoakes, beat teams fromuniversities across the country to win theinaugural UK Student Music Award afterpitching their idea for a local gig-finding app to a panel of music industry experts.

“Being a care leaver isn’t easy but since coming to Edge Hill life seems to run a

little smoother thanks to the personal andprofessional support I have around me.”

Pippa Daniels, Health and Wellbeing student

Edge Hill offers a targeted support package for care leavers that includes a £750 annualbursary for three years, year-round halls of residence accommodation and a designatedmember of staff on hand for support on any

aspect of university life.

Life afterCare

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Recycling KnowledgeThe Faculty of Education is helping to develop the workforce of one of the UK’s leading recycling, renewable energy and wastemanagement companies. The partnership withViridor, which has over 3,000 employees, formsthe core of the company’s managementdevelopment strategy by delivering a bespokeprogramme of study accredited to FoundationDegree level.

Legal AdviceEdge Hill is drawing on the knowledge andexperience of law professionals from across theregion with its new Law Advisory Panel. The group, which includes Alistair Fletcher,President of the Liverpool Law Society, wasestablished to ensure the curriculum continuesto reflect external practice, and increasenetworking opportunities for staff and students.

Prisons and the PublicEdge Hill has hosted a special conferencereflecting increasing public interest in the‘private’ world of prisons. Academics from Law and Criminology and English and Historydiscussed topics such as representations of prisons in film, TV, literature, art andphotography, the role of journalism in relation to the prison, and prison museums and exhibitions.

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Computer Ada’dEdge Hill showed that IT isn’t just for boys with an event designed to encourage more girlsto study computing and technology-relatedsubjects at school. Ada at the Edge, named after Ada Lovelace, considered to be the firstcomputer programmer, covered subjects such as wearable technology, stereotypes of computerscientists and creating small computer gamesand apps.

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People

Celebratingthe outstandingcontributionof our staff andstudents to theUniversity and beyondEdge Hill provides an environment where staff and students are valued and supported in their academic and personal endeavours. We recognise and reward strong performanceand celebrate individual achievements, and work hard to ensure our decisions andplans are informed and influenced by all of our people.

Dedication Rewarded

Volunteering has not only changedthe life of Children’s Nursingstudent Tom Holt – it has made adifference to thousands of childrenacross Britain. His outstandingcommitment to helping others hasnow earned him the title of UKStudent Volunteer of the Year 2013.

Tom, who has been volunteering since school,dedicates four hours a week to ChildLine as atelephone counsellor, plus a further four hoursto an Action for Children mentoring scheme inKnowsley. He is also a Beaver, Cub and Scoutleader, working with more than 50 children aweek. As if this isn’t enough, he regularly takespart in CHICKS respite weekends in Cornwallfor disadvantaged youngsters.

Tom, who won an Edge Hill ExcellenceScholarship in 2011 in recognition of hisvoluntary work, is also an active blogger and has had an article published in the internationalonline magazine The Huffington Post aboutwinning his award.

“Winning UK Student Volunteer of the Year wasabsolutely fantastic – I really wasn’t expectingit,” said Tom. “I feel the award reflects what I have achieved and I hope it will inspire othersto put an hour or two aside a week to volunteer.”

Royal Recognition

Edge Hill’s Head of Midwifery, JaneMorgan, has been awarded the MBEin the Queen’s Birthday Honours2013 for her lifelong commitment to the profession.

Jane was recognised for outstanding services to midwifery in the UK, and also for maternityservices in Rwanda, where her lifesaving work is making a real difference to women and theirchildbirth experiences.

As well as raising funds to build a new maternityhospital in Shyira, a village in Rwanda, Jane has also established two scholarships to enablelocal nurses to train as midwives. Since the firsttwo midwives qualified, the maternal and infantmortality rate in Shyira has been significantlyreduced.

Jane, who started her career in 1984 as acommunity midwife in Liverpool, said: “I was overwhelmed to be given an MBEbecause I feel as though I’ve just been doing my job. Even now after so many deliveries I stillwell up at the sight of a newborn baby. Everybirth is so special; it’s just such a privilege to be a part of that amazing experience.”

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Creative Duo’s Dramatic Career

A theatre company set up by two Drama graduates is not onlyshowcasing their talents across the UK, but also giving current Edge Hill students vital skills andexperience to help them succeed in their careers.

Edge of Your Seat Productions, founded byPhilip McGuinness and Emily Frodsham in2010, has recently finished its third successfulproduction using a cast and crew consistingexclusively of Edge Hill students and alumni.

“It’s very difficult to get a job in the PerformingArts without professional experience and youcan’t generally get that without having a job,”said Production Manager, Emily. “Edge of yourSeat aims to fill that gap by giving people theopportunity to take part in professionalproductions while they’re still studying orrecently graduated.”

Philip and Emily are now both enrolled onPGCE courses at the University. Emily plans to become a primary school teacher, whilePhilip wants to teach drama to A-level studentsand adults, to complement their company.

Artistic Director, Philip, adds: “The company is continuing to grow. We’re aiming to set up a youth theatre group and have also branchedout into events and children’s parties. The aim is to become a really big arts organisation andhelp people achieve their dreams.”

Vote of Confidence from BBC

Two Media, Film and TV studentshave beaten strong competitionfrom students across the NorthWest to produce a short animatedfilm on the theme of confidence forthe BBC’s Learning Zone.

Lauren Cholmondeley and Dom Bhattacharjeewere invited to pitch their idea to industryprofessionals at MediaCityUK in Salford. The commissioning panel were impressed by the creativity and innovation of their film, A Journey to the Land of Can-Do, which tellsthe story of a boy who is scared to try anythingnew for fear of failure.

Eleven students are currently working on thefilm, with support from lecturers Carl Hunterand Clare Heney, and are involved in a range of roles from illustration, writing, sound andanimation to production management, editingand administration.

“It’s a very competitive market out there so to be able to have an opportunity like this anddevelop an idea that is to be used on the BBC’sLearning Zone is incredible,” said Dom. “It’s a fantastic experience and looks great on our CVs.”

Lauren added: “To know the BBC like your workis a real confidence boost and there’s even talkof developing it into a game or a mobile app.”


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New LiverpoolScholarship Winner

Edge Hill University has announceda new award for outstandingacademic achievement tocomplement its generous suite of Excellence Scholarships.

Physical Education and School Sport studentThomas Robinson was the inaugural winner ofthe Liverpool Scholarship, created to celebrate theUniversity’s Freedom of the City award last year.The award is given to the student with the highestUCAS tariff points score living in the city. With an impressive 620 points, Thomas was a worthyfirst recipient.

Edge Hill awards a range of scholarships eachyear for students who contribute to Universitylife, either by excelling academically, raisingEdge Hill’s profile, promoting equality,motivating others, or by overcoming personal circumstances to achieve.

Triple Celebrations for FM

Putting customers at the heart ofeverything they do has seen EdgeHill’s Facilities Management teamcrowned In House Client Team OfThe Year at the British Institute ofFacilities Management (BIFM)Awards 2013, with an entry describedby the judges as “inspiring”.

The win tops a successful year for the team. As well as being awarded the Government’sprestigious Customer Service Excellencestandard for its services to students, staff andvisitors, FM’s catering services food@edgehill,won Best Menu in the Public Sector at theBlakemore Food Service 2012 Catering Awards.

Thumbs Up for TeachingEdge Hill students showed their appreciationfor staff who go the extra mile in the student-ledTeaching Awards 2013. More than 700 studentsnominated 383 lecturers, personal tutors and support staff for enriching the studentexperience and providing excellent support andadvice. Fifteen outstanding members of staffreceived the Chancellor’s Award and a personaldevelopment fund to enhance their role.

The Human TouchNational recognition for Edge Hill’s HR team thisyear included the Universities Human ResourcesAward for Organisational Impact, which showcasesexceptional HR achievement. The team was alsonominated for “Outstanding HR Team” in theprestigious Times Higher Leadership andManagement Awards (THELMAs), whichcelebrate the sector’s leadership, management,financial and business skills.

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LadiesDay

The University’s oldest alumni group, the EdgeHill College Guild, was reunited on campusduring the annual Guild Reunion. All of themembers graduated before 1959, when EdgeHill was a ladies-only teacher training college.

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Professor Barbara JackSpecialist in palliative care Professor BarbaraJack, Head of Research and Scholarship andDirector of Edge Hill’s Evidence-based PracticeResearch Centre, has been made trustee ofHospice Africa UK. The appointment reflectsProfessor Jack’s strong links with the Hospiceand her pioneering research to help theterminally ill in Africa.

Dr Dave PutwainDr Dave Putwain, Reader in Psychology, hasbeen elected chair of the British PsychologicalSociety’s Education Section. During his 12-month tenure he will help promote psychologyin education and the interests of psychologistsengaged in schools, further and highereducation, child guidance and the widercommunity.

Dr Chris BeaumontDr Chris Beaumont, Head of the Department of Computing, has been awarded a NationalTeaching Fellowship – the most prestigiousaward for excellence in higher educationteaching and support for learning. Chris wasgiven the award by the Higher EducationAcademy for his innovation and focus onproblem-based learning.

Dr Paul GreenbankDr Paul Greenbank, Reader in EducationalDevelopment, has been made a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in recognitionof his commitment to professionalism inteaching and learning in higher education.

Daniel RobinsonDaniel Robinson, Inclusion Officer in StudentServices, was named Teacher of the Year in theDaisy UK Desire to Inspire Awards 2013 for hisrole in organising Edge Hill’s International Dayof Persons with Disabilities. Liverpool-basedcharity Daisy UK helps disabled people fulfilltheir potential through sports, education and employment.

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Rewarding ExcellenceDuring the year several Edge Hill University academics have been recognisedfor their contribution to teaching, learning and research.

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PitchPerfect

Sports Development student Helen Byrne is oneof only a handful of female football referees inthe country. Her commitment to encouraging

girls to take up the beautiful game earned her anEdge Hill Scholarship for Excellence in Sport.

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Taste ofSuccess

Entrepreneur and food fanatic, Helen Tse, whocompleted a PGCE in 2010, returned to EdgeHill to talk about the inspiration behind herbook, Sweet Mandarin, which tells theremarkable story of her Chinese grandmother,who came to the UK and set up one of thecountry’s first Chinese restaurants.

80 Years inOrmskirk

In 1933, Edge Hill College movedfrom its original location in Durning Road, Liverpool to the“wide horizons” of rural Lancashire. In 2013, local residents joined staff and students to celebrate 80 years of Edge Hill in Ormskirk.

More than 2,000 people flocked onto campusfor a spectacular anniversary event to enjoy food,family activities and live outdoor entertainmentincluding Edge Hill’s award-winning all-maledance troupe, Edge FWD, and Granny Turismo,the world’s first and only shopping trolley dancedisplay team.

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The ChangingLandscape

The purpose-built Ormskirk campus is officially opened by Lord Irwin,President of the Board of Education.

1933

During the Second World War, the college is evacuated to Bingley in Yorkshire.

1939

Edge Hill unveils its public Sculpture Trail, which today features 17 permanent artworks.

1989

The first new Halls of Residence, built to accommodate an ever-increasing student population that now includes men, is opened by Princess Margaret.

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Main gates 1933 Main Building

The occasion also saw the launch of a speciallycommissioned book and exhibition to mark themilestone anniversary. Wide Horizons: EightyYears in Ormskirk 1933-2013 by Mark Flinnchronicles Edge Hill’s journey from ladies-onlyteacher training college through its requisitionas a military hospital during WWII to thethriving and respected university it is today.

The celebrations continued with a CommunityDay – a chance for local people to sample someof the University’s outstanding communityfacilities, such as Sporting Edge and the Arts Centre, discover more about the way Edge Hillhas developed over the past 80 years, as well as get a glimpse of future plans.

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Visitors to campus were also intrigued by aseries of unusual signposts around the site, part of an art installation commissioned tocommemorate the 80-year anniversary.Habitus, created by award-winning artist Robyn Woolston, contrasts the precedinggeological periods with our current, humaninfluenced ‘anthropocene era’ to make viewersquestion their behaviour and its impact on theenvironment. The signposts, which referencevarious geological eons, eras and epochs,culminate in a flashy Las Vegas-style signdeclaring ‘Welcome to the FabulousAnthropocene Era’.


The Western Campus transformation begins with theopening of the Business and Management Centre.

1999

The iconic residential tower block, Lancashire Hall, is demolished, making way for the Wilson Centre.

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The Faculty of Health building, a masterclass in sustainable construction, marks the completion of the Western Campus.

2008

The Arts Centre, with the Rose Theatre at its heart, enables Edge Hill to bring even more cultural events to Ormskirk.

2012

Creative Edge, the flagship building in the new Eastern campus, openssurrounded by state-of-the-art student accommodationa second lake, and even a beach!

2013

Edge FWD Habitus

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Sustainability

Robustfinancialhealth and acommitment to investing inour campusensures thatEdge Hill willflourish forthe long-termAs a sustainable organisation, Edge Hill investsin attracting the best staff and students, andgenerating surpluses that can be reinvested in the campus and the University community. Eco-friendly policies and practices are a keyaspect of overall sustainability, reducing wasteand maximising the potential of our green campus.

Onwards and Upwards

Edge Hill University’s continuingsuccess is reflected in a further riseof four places in the Times/SundayTimes Good University Guide 2014– making a total rise of 40 places inthe last seven years.

This remarkable advance in the UK’s foremosthigher education league table places Edge Hillin the top three for continuous improvementover the past decade. The Guide also ranked the University joint best in the North West for student satisfaction, and in the top fivenationally for ‘Cheapest Rents’.

Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Cater, said: “Another positive ranking for Edge Hill in thepre-eminent guide for potential students andtheir parents reflects our commitment to thestudent experience. Our investment in excellentlecturers, state-of-the-art facilities and astunning campus continues. Our latest intake of students are moving in to some of the bestaccommodation in the country, studying in new facilities for film and TV, computing,music, biosciences and geography, andsocialising in a refurbished student bar. We are confident that we will maintain our upward trajectory.”

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Once again, Edge Hill students areamong the most content in the UK,voting the University top in theNorth West for overall studentsatisfaction in the 2013 NationalStudent Survey.

Edge Hill was also ranked highly in a number ofsubject areas with Biology coming top in the UKfor overall satisfaction, teaching and academicsupport, and Psychology and Dance in thenational top two for assessment and feedback.Dance also came second in the UK for personaldevelopment. Sociology features in the top threein the country for personal development andacademic support while Creative Writing isthird in the UK for academic support. PhysicalGeography and Environmental Science is fourthin the UK for teaching, and History is fifth foracademic support.

Many other subjects were voted best in theregion in one or more categories, includingoverall satisfaction, teaching, personaldevelopment, academic support, assessmentand feedback, and organisation andmanagement.

The high profile annual census, which canvassesnearly half a million final year students on allaspects of their university experience, fromteaching to personal development, givesprospective students, families and advisors anindependent view of higher education institutions.

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Green and Pleasant Land

A string of ‘green’ awards is helpingto boost Edge Hill’s reputation asone of the most attractive andenvironmentally friendly campusesin the country.

For the second year running the University has been awarded Green Flag status – thenational benchmark for parks and green spacesin the UK. The award recognises the University’shuge efforts in minimising the environmentalimpact of its activities, maintaining naturalhabitats through its commitment tobiodiversity, and developing a sustainablecampus for the enjoyment of students, staff and the local community.

This latest accolade builds on the success of theUniversity’s recent shortlisting for the EAUCGreen Gown Awards, which recognise theexceptional sustainability initiatives beingundertaken by universities and colleges acrossthe UK, and the award of ‘Upper Second Class’in the People and Planet Green League for 2013.

Bill Hancox, Director of Facilities Management,said: “Environmental sustainability is at thecore of our decision-making. The positiveengagement and commitment of our staff,students and the wider community has helpedus create a truly stunning campus – arguablyone of the finest in the UK.”

Business with Benefits

Edge Hill is helping enterprisingstudents, staff and alumni to taketheir ideas forward with the launchof a new social enterprise project.

The University’s partnership with UN Ltd, a charity that supports businesses that have a positive effect on society, has received fundingfrom the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to award grantsto budding social entrepreneurs.

More than 70 students and staff are nowengaged in the project, which has awarded£17,000 to help them get started and developtheir concepts.

Among the projects funded through the UNLtd/HEFCE social enterprise scheme isADDvanced Solutions, a community-basedorganisation set up by Edge Hill alumni RitaJones and Vanda Reeves to deliver services andtraining to help children with ADHD and theirfamilies better manage their lives.

The award has enabled the pair, who both havechildren with complex additional needs relatedto ADHD, to set up an office and start marketingtheir services. Within six months of startingthey have already tripled their initial projectionsof working with 15 families and now have threecommunity-based programmes working with 45families across Merseyside.


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Vegetarian staff and students can now eat their polenta with pride, as Edge Hill’s

catering operations have been approved by the Vegetarian Society. The University is one of only a handful of institutions in the UK to be given this external recognition, and is

the first in the country to receive fullaccreditation for all its vegetarian dishes.

VeggieVictory

Sustainability

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GrowingTheir Own

Students and staff, with the help of a localBrownie group, have produced a bumper crop offruit and veg in brand new allotments, establishedas part of NUS project Student Eats, whichencourages students to grow, eat and share food.

Future Plans

Transformation of the campuscontinues with construction of a£25 million sports complex, whichwill give Edge Hill students andlocal communities some of the bestfacilities in the country.

Work has already started on the 80-acre site onthe Eastern Campus, with new 3G pitches,hockey and football pitches, and a newcompetition standard athletics track already inuse by students and residents.

By September 2014 these will be complementedby a new 8-court sports centre plus a range ofhigh-spec indoor and outdoor facilities.

Future Plans

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The development supports Edge Hill’s vision ofa ‘green campus’ with new ecological featuresand wildlife habitats, including mixed-woodlandareas and footpaths linking to Ruff Wood,wildflower meadows, open grassland, a newwildlife pond, and structural screen planting andhedgerow replacement. The whole developmentwill incorporate sustainable drainage and lowcarbon design and building technologies.

Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Cater, said: “The new sports complex will not only give our staff,students and communities access to outstandingfacilities, it will also enable us to bring highprofile sports events to campus, which willenhance teaching and research and bringeconomic benefits to the local area.”

Facilities will include:- Sports Centre building including: 8-court

sports hall with viewing gallery; 25m swimmingpool; 100-station fitness suite; aerobics studio;sauna and steam rooms and a coffee shop

- 3 x 3G small-side football courts with anaccredited surface for rugby training

- Full-sized floodlit hockey pitch of nationalmatch-play standard

- Full-sized floodlit 3G football/rugby pitch

- 8-lane floodlit competition standard athleticstrack with grass banking for spectators

- Fitness conditioning trail with changes ingradients and fitness stations along the route

- 5 new high quality grass pitches

- 4 x floodlit tennis/netball courts


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HonoraryGraduatesEach year Edge Hill Universityrecognises people who excel in theirchosen field, and who share ourcommitment to using and sharingtheir knowledge, skills and experiencefor the benefit of society.

Dr Peter Carter OBEChief Executive and GeneralSecretary of the Royal College of Nursing

Before taking the helm at the world’s largestprofessional union of nurses, Peter spent almost12 years as the Chief Executive of the Centraland North West London Mental Health NHSTrust, one of the largest mental health trusts in the UK.

He started his NHS career by training as apsychiatric nurse and has held a number ofclinical and managerial posts. Peter wasawarded the OBE for services to the NHS in the 2006 New Year’s Honours List. He alsoplayed a pivotal role in developing modernmental health services and, in recognition ofthis achievement, Peter received the President’sMedal from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dr Carter, a regular visitor to Edge Hill, received his honorary doctorate for his extensive knowledge and experience of the nursing profession and his close links with the University.

Honorary Graduates

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Frank Cottrell BoyceBritish screenwriter, novelist and occasional actor

Although Frank Cottrell Boyce is renowned forhis children’s fiction and for his collaborationswith film director Michael Winterbottom, it wasas the writer for the 2012 London Olympicsopening ceremony that he became a truehousehold name.

Frank has written sequels to Chitty Chitty BangBang: The Magical Car, a children’s classic byIan Fleming, and has won two major Britishawards for children’s books: the 2004 CarnegieMedal for Millions, which originated as a film script, and the 2012 Guardian Prize for The Unforgotten Coat, which wascommissioned by a charity.

He also worked with Edge Hill’s media lecturerCarl Hunter on Grow Your Own, a Britishcomedy film directed by Richard Laxton.

Frank was honoured by Edge Hill for hiscollaborations with the University and hiscontributions to children’s literature, film and TV.

Jane CummingsChief Nursing Officer for England

Taking the most prominent role in nursing at one of the most challenging times known for the NHS, Jane Cummings is driving forward the national agenda in health care anddeveloping clinical leadership at every level for the benefit of patients.

She recently launched the national strategy for nurses, midwives and care staff, which putscare and compassion as well as technical skillsat the heart of what the profession does.

Jane qualified as a registered general nurse in the early 1980s and has fulfilled a variety of senior management positions within theNHS, including Director of Nursing andCommissioning, Deputy Chief Executive of a large NHS Trust and a senior positionwithin the Department of Health.

Jane has been awarded an honorary doctorate in light of her notable career, her passionate vision for the future and her links with Edge Hill.

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Dr Giles FraserFormer Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral and columnistfor The Guardian

As one of the country’s leading Anglicans, Dr Fraser has sought to encourage debate and develop understanding around some of the Church’s most difficult issues includingsame-sex marriage and homosexuality withinthe priesthood. In 2003, Giles founded theInclusive Church, which supports lesbian and gay members and champions all aspects of equality.

Dr Fraser is most widely known for his role at St Paul’s Cathedral, from which he resignedin October 2011 following the decision of theChurch to evict Occupy London protestors from their camp outside the Cathedral.

He has been involved in social and politicaladvocacy and has lectured on moral leadershipfor many years. His award, which was given forhis work in this area and for his campaigningaround social inclusion, resonates closely withthe ethos of the University.

Colin McKeownDirector, LA Productions

Colin McKeown is responsible for some of themost iconic film and television productions tocome out of Liverpool in the past 25 years.

He helped to set up Mersey Television in 1982,which launched Channel 4’s flagship soap,Brookside, and through his own company, LA Productions, he remains at the forefront of British television drama.

Colin is also heavily involved in charity workwith young and disadvantaged people in theNorth West, and has contributed greatly toeducation and training in the region. He createdthe Liverpool Film Academy charity, which usesfilm as a vehicle to engage young people withissues that concern them. He has also worked in partnership with Edge Hill for several years,helping talented students gain vocationaltraining and employment at LA Productions.

Colin's honorary doctorate was awarded inrecognition of his outstanding career and hiswork in the local community.

Honorary Graduates

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Austin ThomasChief Nurse for the BritishParalympic Association andAssociate Lecturer at Edge Hill University

A passionate healthcare professional andteacher, Austin Thomas has dedicated 40 years to helping disabled athletes.

He originally became involved with the StokeMandeville Games, a forerunner of the modernParalympics, and in 1992 he was appointedChief Nurse for the British Paralympic squad in Barcelona, a role he again filled at Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000 and London in 2012.

In 2003, Austin was involved in a near fatal carcrash which left him in a wheelchair for two and a half years. This gave him an even greater senseof admiration and respect for what he describesas “the Herculean efforts made by some of ourParalympians to achieve world class status”.

He received an honorary doctorate for hisselfless commitment to ensuring disabledathletes receive the best nursing care.

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Key Performance Indicators

Year Ended 31 July

Total income in £0’000 Surplus for re-investment in £’000 Cash generated by activities in £’000 Cash for investment in £’000 Financial worth of the University in £’000 Applications for University FT UG programmes (1) Total number of FT students of the University (2) Percentage of staff who rate the University as a good or excellent employer (3) Employee turnover Level of University staff absence

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009

108,541 99,163 102,405 92,576 82,770 17, 693 13,036 13,875 10,633 6,273 25,990 16,131 21,627 18,027 11,288 32,359 39,611 40,410 28,596 20,486 108,347 85,160 80,589 65,613 51,303 18,867 17,628 16,013 12,226 11,461 10,649 10,110 9,488 9,039 7,543

91% 89% 90% 88% 85% 8.8% 10.4% 7.9% 7.3% 10.0% 3.4% 3.0% 3.5% 3.1% 3.6%

Notes (1) Based on UCAS statistics. (2) Based on HESA Student Record (3) From the University’s independently scrutinised Staff Survey

Cash for Investment in £’000

2012201120102009

39,611

2013

32,35940,410

28,59620,486

Financial Summary

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Financial Worth of the University in £’000

20132012201120102009

Applications for University Full Time Undergraduate Programmes

2011/12201120102009

11,46112,226

16,01317,628

85,160

108,347

80,58965,613

51,303

Surplus for Re-investment in £’000

2012

2013

2013201120102009

13,03613,875

10,633

6,273

17,693

18,867

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Principal Officersof the UniversityChancellorProfessor Tanya Byron

Pro ChancellorsMichael Pinfold

Chris Trinick

Vice-ChancellorDr John Cater

Deputy Vice-ChancellorsProfessor Bill Bruce (Academic)

Steve Igoe (Resources)

Pro Vice-ChancellorsLesley Munro (University Secretaryand Clerk to the Board of Governors)

Seth Crofts(Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Care)

Robert Smedley(Dean of the Faculty of Education)

Professor George Talbot(Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences)

Acknowledgements

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Donors

Judith AshallPat BaronChristine BennettSylvia BostockAnn BowdenJudith BroughtonEileen BrownRuth CaineAnnette CarterJohn CaterPaul CullenBetty DansonRob DermotMargaret DuckerBeryl EvansMargaret EvansPeter FordPam GavinMuriel HarrisonSandy HayesJenny HealeyKathleen HolmesDes Hope

Donors

David JacksonDavid JeffriesMaureen JenkinsonEmma LeesAndy Lees Betty LeitchSarah Lindsay Joan Mair VernonOlive McCombDiane MeliaSteven MullingtonEsther OwenAnne PagendamAngela PoyserDuncan PoyserSarah RileyIsabel RobinsonAislin ShieldsPolly ShieldsLilian ShoesmithCarole SodoMelanie White


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EditorRoy Bayfield

Copywriter/Project ManagerSophie Wilcockson

Creative Direction/Print ManagementAndy Butler

DesignMatt Lewis and Sam Wiehl

PhotographyStuart Rayner (cover and throughout)Infinite 3D (pages 6-7)Peter Stevens (page 44)AB Photography (page 49)Dan Monaghan (page 54)Iron Bird (pages 70-71 )

Printed byPrint Room UK Ltd

Acknowledgements

Edge Hill UniversitySt Helens Road, Ormskirk L39 4QP01695 575 171edgehill.ac.uk

edge hill university annual review 2012/13

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