[Heading one] Message from Vice-Chancellor John Vinney

“Welcome to the latest edition of InsideBU – the magazine that shares some of the enriching

and inspirational stories from the BU community.

Last year, we asked our students and staff for their feedback on our plans to shape the

future direction of BU. Our vision is that by 2025 we will be recognised world-wide as a

leading university for inspiring learning, advancing knowledge and enhancing society

through the fusion of education, research and practice. We’re delighted that the vision and

strategic plan – known as BU2025 – has been approved. We’ve already started planning to

implement it, as the new strategic plan starts in August. Find out more about BU2025 on

page 4.

BU2025 includes a focus on enriching society – and the impact of our research is one way

that we will do this. Take a look at pages 8 and 9 to learn how the work of two of our

academics is benefitting society, through their collaboration with government departments

and organisations.

And it’s not just our staff who are having an impact on our wider community. On page 10 you

can read about one of our BA (Hons) in Business Information Technology students, who has

set up his own award-winning digital web agency, based in Bournemouth.

Finally, it was great to welcome the new universities minister Sam Gyimah, MP to an event

at BU. He met staff and students and took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for our new

Poole Gateway Building (page 20).

This is an exciting time as we shape BU’s future journey to 2025. Please do continue sharing

your stories and successes at insidebu@bournemouth.ac.uk.”

[Heading two] BU2025

The consultation for BU2025 is now closed and the vision and strategic plan approved. Vice-

Chancellor Professor John Vinney shares how this plan builds on the work undertaken since

2012.

I am delighted that the BU2025 vision and strategic plan have been approved, following a

consultation process that engaged staff from across BU. We still have until the end of July to

deliver the objectives we set for ourselves in the BU2018 plan. In the meantime, we are

working on the detail of how we will implement BU2025, so we can get off to a flying start in

August.

The new vision builds on the work that we have done since 2012 to embed Fusion as the

way that we do things at BU – for BU2025, we want to focus on how we make sure that we

are really achieving an impact from Fusion across BU. In BU2025 we have set out two ways

that we want to do this – firstly by ensuring that all staff understand why Fusion is relevant to

your role, and we will be talking about this more over the next few months. Secondly, we

want to make sure that the outcomes of our Fusion approach add up to more than the three

separate activities – education, research and practice. Each of these activities should

support, inform and improve the others. There are actions in the BU2025 plan that support

each of these aspects of Fusion, and in the meantime I invite you to think about how your

team can fuse its activities and develop their impact.

When we are implementing the actions set out in BU2025, it is important to bear in mind why

we are doing things and what the intended outcome and impact of our actions will be. To

help with this, two new features of the BU2025 vision and strategic plan are that we have set

out our purpose – to inspire learning, advance knowledge and enrich society – and we have

defined a set of BU2025 outcomes that describe what BU will be like in 2025. Please take

time to review these elements of BU2025 – they will set the context for our activity over the

next seven years.

When I launched the BU2025 development at the leadership conference in February 2017, I

talked about the importance of quality and consistency, teams and resilience and talent and

performance. These themes are reflected in BU2025 – people are at the heart of our

strategy, and there are actions throughout the whole plan to develop and support all of these

elements across all of our activity.

The next seven years will be very exciting – I look forward to working with you to build BU’s

reputation for inspiring learning, advancing knowledge and enriching society though Fusion.

[Heading three] News from around BU

[Sub-heading] BU student in record-breaking attempt

Second year BSc (Hons) Sports Management student Vedangi Kulkarni is also an ultra-

endurance athlete and writer. In June, she will attempt to become the Guinness World

Record holder for the fastest and youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe,

unsupported, on a bicycle. She will leave Perth in Australia to tackle a journey west to east

of over 18,000 miles, travelling across Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Canada, Portugal,

Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Mongolia, China

before flying back to Perth to cycle to the finish line. She aims to cycle about 200 miles a

day.

Visit www.vedangikulkarni.com to find about more about this attempt as well as her

#StepUpAndRideOn project.

[Sub-heading] Funding secured by BU student supports restoration work in Bali

Zach Boakes, a second year Environmental Science student, has received funding from the

Society of Conservation Biology to continue his placement work into the restoration and

protection of the marine environment on the Indonesian Island of Bali.

As part of his placement, Zach co-founded a non-government organisation with Balinese

locals and established a marine protected area, designed to help with the problems of

pollution and overfishing. Some of this work has involved the construction of artificial

sections of reef, designed to restore structural complexity and encourage recruitment of

coral, fish and other marine organisms.

“The money is vital to allow us to create 50 more artificial reef sections and to help restore

the area to how it was before it became so damaged. The project is ongoing, with both locals

and volunteers monitoring the reef and contributing to the education of the local community.”

More about the project can be found at: northbalireefconservation.com SUBU President.

[Heading four] Daniel Discusses

[Sub-heading] Driving the Students’ Union Forward

We’ve witnessed some great achievements over the past two years, with more students

engaging with the Students’ Union than ever before.

Our 2016 Freshers’ Fair was recognised as number one in the UK and there has been a

huge increase in students engaging with our 120+ clubs and societies. The annual Sports

and Societies Festival has proven to be a massive success with students, and our new

initiative, the Inclusion Sports League – which gives students with disabilities more

opportunities to take part in sport – have been huge steps forward for both SUBU and

SportBU in ensuring each student feels that our services are accessible and fair.

When it comes to student welfare, we’ve put mental health and inclusivity at the top of our

agenda. We introduced the Mental Health Zone, a student led initiative to raise awareness

of, and reduce the stigma around, mental health. Alongside this, we launched six new

student-led Liberation Campaigns this academic year, each made up of and run by students

of self-identifying marginalised groups here at BU.

SUBU Debates has been another initiative which, after a humble beginning, has become a

major part of the Students’ Union this year, offering students the space to discuss and

debate on sensitive and often controversial issues in a safe space, and in a healthy and

constructive way. We’ve also recognised the achievements of our Black, Asian, and minority

ethnic students through our BME Awards, celebrating diversity and showcasing the talent

and hard work of students of colour.

I am truly proud of the work we have done to create a more inclusive environment for

everyone at BU, and am excited to discover what lies ahead for SUBU after my tenure as

SUBU President comes to an end this summer. I can only imagine how much further our

Students’ Union will climb, with the fantastic partnership we have with BU, to positively

impact on the journey of every BU student.

[Heading five] GDPR; Are you ready?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the most important change in data

privacy regulation in 20 years. Find out how it will affect you and the university.

Coming into effect on 25 May 2018, the GDPR will introduce higher standards for data

protection, changing how businesses and organisations approach privacy and information

security.

[Sub-heading] What you need to know

Enhanced transparency: Privacy notices – what we say to individuals when collecting their

data – will need to include additional information

Consent: Must be an affirmative agreement (opt-in) and explicit consent (e.g. by a clear

informed statement)

Subject access requests: Individuals can access their data within one month of request

Deletion: Individuals have a ‘right to be forgotten’. Data on individuals must not be kept for

longer than required

Data portability: New right for individuals to export their personal data in a structured,

commonly used format, such as CSV file

Accountability: Requires organisational and technical controls to ensure and demonstrate

compliance. BU must maintain records of its data processing activities, such as;

Data subjects, types of data and any third party recipients

Processing purposes

Security standards

Retention periods

Any transfers outside the European Economic Area (EEA)

Data Protection by Design: Requires Privacy Impact Assessments to mitigate risks

associated with handling personal data

Data Breaches: Certain types of breach need to be reported within 72 hours

[Sub-heading] Serious implications

The introduction of this new law has huge implications and there are severe penalties for

non-compliance, including fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of global turnover, whichever

is higher. It’s important for you to know and understand the effects the GDPR could have on

you, both as an individual and as a member of the BU community.

For more information, please visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ico-gdpr or contact James

Stevens, BU’s Chief Data Governance Officer, at jstevens@bournemouth.co.uk.

[Heading six] Venus Awards

Founded in 2009 by Tara Howard, the Venus Awards recognise and reward women in

business in Dorset who deliver business and personal development to others. The scheme

has now grown nationally with an annual ceremony celebrating nominees in each region.

The finals of the local awards were held at the Bournemouth International Centre on

Thursday 2 November 2017 and for the third year running BU sponsored the Inspirational

Woman category with plans already in place to support the 2018 award. The awards

showcase local women in business, who may otherwise be invisible. According to the Venus

website, ‘raising awareness of the successful women in our midst and publicly

acknowledging them underlines the economic force women have become.’

The Inspirational Woman category is one of the most popular, with over 100 nominations,

which are whittled down to five semi-finalists and then three finalists. Ian Jones, Head of

Regional Community Partnerships, alongside Melissa Carr, Senior Lecturer in Leadership

Development, Deborah Taylor, Lecturer in Human Resources and Organisational Behaviour,

and Dr Parisa Gilani, Lecturer in Human Resources and Organisational Behaviour, have this

unenviable task before picking a winner. Melissa brings judging experience to the mix as she

was involved with the ‘Women in the City’ awards before coming to BU and Deborah and

Parisa were both delighted to come on board with Ian.

Melissa explains, “It’s looking at women who go above and beyond their day-to-day

activities, who impact others within their community, and who become role models for

others.” The five semi-finalists are invited to BU to meet the judges, but also to meet each

other. Last year’s five developed their own activity network following this invitation. Deborah

mentions that each of the women came from very diverse areas and not from competing

industries, which made choosing the top three finalists a very difficult job.

Parisa shared details of the winners of the Inspirational Woman category from the last three

years:

2017 – Angela Piromalli – Rock Recruitment Solutions, an agency that styles itself as the

champion of honest staff solutions for businesses. The key to Angela’s success at the Venus

Awards was that the agency supported young people who were not getting help from

elsewhere.

2016 – Sally Harvey - AOK Rucksack Appeal, a Bournemouth homeless charity working with

professional agencies, whose priority is to get people off the streets, into accommodation,

and back into the community, providing emergency rucksacks of essential items to new

homeless people. The charity empowers clients to combat isolation and to ‘move on’ from

support accommodation.

2015 - Emma Willis – Shine Cancer Support network, whose ‘mission is to provide tailored

information and peer support for anyone in their 20s, 30s or 40s diagnosed with any cancer.’

The finalists, once they have been showcased, are invited back to BU by Ian, who works

with them on a range of projects and actively encourages them to engage with students to

further inspire them to be involved in these projects and activities beyond their immediate

studies.

The 2018 awards launched in the new year and the BU team is already looking forward to

shortlisting this year’s inspirational women.

For information on the awards and how to apply, support or nominate, visit

www.venusawards.co.uk.

[Heading seven] Making an impact

We meet Dr Sascha-Dominik Bachmann and Dr Anya Chapman, BU academics involved in

two very different pieces of research, but whose collaboration with organisations and

government departments nationally and internationally demonstrated a quality that is

recognised for originality, significance and rigour. These two pieces of work have been

identified from the stocktake of research ahead of the next Research Excellence Framework

(REF) in 2021.

[Sub-heading] Hybrid Warfare

Dr Sascha-Dominik Bachmann is an Associate Professor in Law at BU with a particular

focus on the combination of International Law and Security and the multi-faceted areas that

this complex subject involves. His areas of research are interdisciplinary but include the

fields of hybrid warfare, anti-terrorism litigation, war studies, the holocaust and holistic

responses to 21st century security threats. He is the head of the Centre for Conflict, Rule of

Law and Society (CRoLS), which brings together academics at BU who are engaged in

research around these subject areas.

A former Lieutenant Colonel in the German Army Reserve, Sascha served as a

peacekeeper in Kosovo on three occasions, is a trained Mountain Warfare Officer and was

seconded to 23rd Marine Regiment of the US Marine Corps as an Exchange Officer.

Educated in Munich, Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Portsmouth, Sascha has worked with

colleagues from South Africa, Israel, Sweden, the UK, USA, Qatar and Australia on research

projects and international legal subjects.

While the concept of hybrid warfare is fairly new and may be unfamiliar to many people, the

results of such warfare can be regularly seen in the headlines. Hybrid war is the use of a

range of non-conventional methods (e.g. cyber warfare and lawfare) in order to disrupt,

discourage and disable an opponent’s actions without engaging in open hostilities, which

uses the full range of military options. Such hybrid warfare operations take often place with

the intention of being able to influence or destabilise aspects of our lives. Russia’s actions in

the Ukraine, election interference in the UK and USA and effects on social media news

services are all different examples of the way in which online technology in particular is

being utilised in order to disrupt and spread disinformation. Fake news abounds these days,

but where does it originate from? And why is it becoming more common? How concerned

should we be about the source of our information and the accuracy of the reporting? How

much trust do we have in our electoral system if a state can meddle? All these questions are

being discussed in Sascha’s newest research project on election meddling.

The impact of Sacha’s work has led to co-operation between organisations and government

bodies on a national and international level. He is recognised as a Subject Matter Expert

(SME) on Hybrid Warfare and Lawfare (using international law as a means of warfare) by

NATO and has worked with the Austrian, Danish, Qatari, Swedish and South African

Defence Ministries on this topic. Sascha was made extraordinary Associate Professor in War

Studies by the Swedish Defence University in 2016 in recognition of his work in the field of

armed conflict and a Professorial Research Fellow at the Centre for Military Studies (CEMIS)

of Stellenbosch University in 2017.

[Sub-heading] Pier review

Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management Dr Anya Chapman’s research focuses on resort

regeneration projects in the UK and Malta and on revitalising coastal tourism in the UK with

an emphasis on the pier.

These iconic Victorian, cast iron structures, synonymous with the seaside, are unique to the

UK. Anya has visited all 59 piers once and has almost completed a second circuit. Growing

up in Southport, home to the oldest cast iron and second longest pier in the country, sparked

an interest at an early age.

Her UK research looks at resort regeneration and how the pier acts as barometer in a wider

socio-economic context. The 2016 reopening of the pier at Hastings led to a town revival

with construction of boutique hotels and a skate park. Hastings is one of the piers in trust

ownership; a large community campaign, alongside a £11.4 million Heritage Lottery Grant

secured by the Hastings Pier Charity, led to the redevelopment intended to become a

people’s pier with a large community open space. Sustainability is a key issue, as piers are

expensive to maintain with huge insurance costs and damage caused by boats, fires and

bad weather. Sadly, Hastings pier did go into administration four weeks after being named

as the 2017 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) ‘Building of the Year’ and the 2017

National Piers Society (NPS) ‘Pier of the Year’.

Several of Anya’s undergraduate students have based dissertations on resort regeneration,

but of note is the work done by Liam Richardson, who has collaborated with Anya on a

paper on creating a best practice model for seaside regeneration projects. Interviewing ten

high-profile regeneration projects in the UK, Liam looked at the difficulties, the critical

success factors of the projects; and the importance of community involvement, having a

viable business plan and ensuring out-of-season activities to create this best practice

regeneration guide.

Looking at the wider impact of her research, Anya, in her role as Honorary Secretary of the

NPS, has also worked with Penny Mordaunt MP and the Department of Communities and

Local Government to develop the Coastal Revival Fund – which helped to address the

difficulty of accessing funding that many family-owned piers in the private sector faced. By

working with community teams, they could tap into previously inaccessible funding – so

piers, like the one at Bognor, benefitted.

Anya also worked with Blackpool Council in a bid for World Monuments Fund Watch Status

for Blackpool’s piers, the only place in the UK with three remaining piers, which achieved

success in October 2017. The watch status is very significant and covers heritage sites

worldwide – Angkor Wat is a site with World Monuments Watch Status already. This year,

the status focused on climate change as these heritage structures are more at risk from tidal

surges rather than a general sea level rise. She is lead organiser for the NPS’s AGM in June

2018, which coincides with the first World Monument Watch Day and which is coincidentally

the 200th birthday of Eugenius Birch (the Capability Brown of the pier world) who built and

engineered one of Blackpool’s piers as well as Bournemouth’s pier.

Anya will be presenting a ‘Pier Review’ on Tuesday 19 June at the BU Festival of Learning.

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/fol.

[Heading eight] Best of the bunch

Having started his first business aged just 13, BU graduate Luke Fribbens was always

destined to be his own boss.

Since graduating with a BA (Hons) in Business Information Technology in 2005, Luke has

combined his interests in IT and entrepreneurial flair to forge a successful career in web

development.

His agency, Cold Banana, was named the 2017 winner of the Creative and Digital Impact

Award at the Dorset Business Awards. The accolade follows a busy two years, during which

the business has gone from one-man band to an 11-strong team, providing web

development for big-name clients including National Grid.

Luke says: “I have been surprised by how quickly we have grown. I was operating on my

own for the first six months, but as the projects and clients kept coming in, I was taking on

new staff at a rate of around one a month. It all happened as a result of recommendations

and referrals, which is a really great way to grow.”

Reflecting on his time at university, Luke acknowledges that his placement year proved to be

a defining moment. Having joined the technical support team at a local company, a series of

changes meant he quickly became the most experienced member of staff and ended up

managing the team of five. “It was daunting, but a huge opportunity. I’d had some

management experience from part-time roles, but this was different because I was managing

people at different ages and stages of their careers,” he says. “It made me realise that I

enjoyed managing people and sharing in the successes you can achieve as a team. The

experience and opportunity I gained from my placement year certainly set me up for where I

am today.”

Having made a good impression during his placement, Luke was offered the chance to join

the company permanently after graduation. The offer included covering the cost of his

student fees, leaving him free to focus on making the most of his final year and dissertation.

He went on to graduate with First Class Honours.

After some time back with his placement year employer, Luke moved to Greenwood

Campbell, a recent digital start-up cofounded by another BU alumnus, Ian Campbell. Luke

reflects: “I learnt so much by being part of the team at Greenwood Campbell. I became a

director at a time when the company was growing quickly, which meant I could complement

my natural, technical skills, with new skills in managing client relationships and leading

negotiations with senior personnel.”

Now, as an employer himself, Luke is clear on the virtues of a university qualification

incorporating a work placement. He says: “In my eyes, graduates who have completed a

placement have about six months’ head start on those who haven’t. They already

understand what working life is about and how to operate as part of a team. That takes a lot

of the early training and development needs out of the equation.”

Still based in Bournemouth, Luke is also flying the flag for graduates who decide to stay and

build their business in the region. “Bournemouth has so much to offer; and all the reasons I

chose it as a university destination still hold true as a business owner. It offers an outdoors

lifestyle, beautiful scenery and easy links into London at a lower cost of living. I am proud to

be able to build my business here and invest in new talent as the business grows.”

[Heading nine] Deeply Dippy

An iconic attraction at London’s Natural History Museum since 1905, the diplodocus skeleton

affectionately known as Dippy is now on display at Dorset County Museum.

“It’s probably the most famous dinosaur skeleton anywhere in the world and it’s a fantastic

opportunity for the university to showcase its talents and those of its students.”

Dorset’s Jurassic Coast is known as the birthplace of palaeontology and the museum, in

Dorchester, is the first stop on the famous skeleton cast’s tour of the UK. BU staff and

students have worked with Dorset County Museum to help showcase Dippy’s visit to Dorset

and enhance the visitor experience.

RedBalloon productions, based in BU’s Faculty of Media & Communication, are working with

staff, students and graduates to produce a promotional film documenting Dippy’s installation

and time at Dorset County Museum.

Visitors can also see for themselves what Dippy would have looked like in the flesh, with the

PaleoGo augmented reality app created by BU researchers.

BU Professor of Environmental and Geographical Sciences Matthew Bennett, who helped

develop the app, said: “The app allows us to produce a digital version of a diplodocus that

you can view full-bodied with the skin and the skeleton next to Dippy.

Dippy measures 21 metres long and more than four metres high and will be on display at

Dorset County Museum until 7 May 2018. To find out more visit

www.dorsetcountymuseum.org.

[Heading ten] Kickstart your future

BU’s Career & Employability Service is fundamental to empowering students to be confident

in making informed choices about their future aspirations. InsideBU finds out more.

University offers many amazing opportunities, but the ultimate goal – after years of studying

into the small hours, attending lectures and seminars – is to graduate with that all-important

degree to gain a career in your chosen field.

Based in the Careers Centre, next to The Sir Michael Cobham Library on Talbot Campus,

the experienced careers advisory team supports students and graduates to enhance their

employability skills and employment opportunities. They offer a range of services, including

advice and guidance on career options, opportunities to meet employers, preparing and

applying for jobs and work experience, and advice on how to make your CV stand out.

Students and graduates will find an extensive range of resources at their fingertips –

including access to thousands of jobs – by heading to MyCareerHub at

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ mycareerhub.

You can also get advice and help at any time by popping into the Careers Centre and

speaking to one of the advisers.

“The BU Careers & Employability Service helps equip students with the tools and knowledge

needed to stand out from the crowd and succeed in the world of work,” says Robert

Coldwell, Graduate Employment Officer. “We can help boost short-term prospects and long-

term career aspirations, as well as link up our students and recent graduates with a massive

range of potential employers to develop transferable skills.”

MyCareerHub is updated daily and includes the following tools:

• Search for graduate jobs, placements and part-time roles

• View bookable and drop-in appointments with careers advisers

• Access CV and covering letter builder tools

• Practice psychometric tests

• The facility to practise for interviews by recording and reviewing your own interview

responses, helping to increase your confidence

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ mycareerhub

[Sub-heading] Developing Global Talent

It’s a big wide world out there and BU is committed to making our students become

graduates who are universally employable – and globally employed. Our cutting-edge Global

Talent Programme (GTP) was developed in collaboration with employers to help students

discover and demonstrate their potential and succeed in the highly competitive global

workplace.

200 students took place in the pilot programme back in 2015/16 and, to date, over 900

participants are developing new skills and meeting employers by giving up just a few hours

of their time each week to achieve a number of digital badges, and, ultimately, the Global

Talent Award. To gain the badges, students take part in a series of workshops and events,

and undertake various practical activities and online challenges.

“Ensuring we follow all the latest research to help our students develop their unique talents

and enrich the world is a privilege,” says Mira Koseva, GTP Officer. “Seeing the advantages

the GTP has given them when participating in placement interviews, exchange programmes

and competitions is inspirational.”

The GTP is designed and delivered in cooperation with local, national and international

employers, ensuring the programme remains relevant to the industry demands. Completing

the GTP means the students will have experienced unique challenges and gained new

practical skills, setting them apart from others and helping them stand out to future

employers.

Carina Dias, a BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance student, reflects on how the programme

will help her, and her fellow students, in the future: “The GTP offers the amazing opportunity

to enhance our global personality and CV, making us more employable. It’s also a chance to

connect and build relationships with professionals and other students at BU.”

“The GTP really opened my eyes to how we all need to be global thinkers in today’s

societies,” says Bethany Bristow, a BA (Hons) Communication and Media student. “We must

be mindful and respectful of other cultures, norms and attitudes; this will expand our

knowledge of how the world works on a global level and we’ll be able to communicate more

effectively to create change and break cultural barriers.”

To find out more about the GTP, head to: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/student/global-talent.

[Heading eleven] Sustainability at BU

BU has consistently delivered a strong record in embedding sustainability throughout the

organisation and we should all be proud of what we have achieved over the years.

Infographic one portrays some of our achievements, but there are many more. For 2016/17,

we have cut our carbon emissions by 20% compared to a 2005/06 baseline, despite the

increase in the size of the estate and the rise in the number of staff and students. This is

thanks to continued investment in low and zero carbon technologies, such as those found in

both the Student Centre and Fusion buildings.

Image: Infographic One

We are currently changing all the lights in the Executive Business Centre (EBC) for energy

efficient LEDs and last summer replaced the old, inefficient boilers in Christchurch and

Dorset Houses. But it’s not all about new technology; we also need our staff and students to

adopt more sustainable behaviours, such as recycling or taking the bus. Over 550 staff have

signed up to Green Rewards, the scheme that rewards you for taking positive action for the

environment and your health and wellbeing. If you haven’t signed up yet, please go to

www.bournemouth.greenrewards.co.uk and start earning points – after all, points mean

prizes!

We were also delighted to have Curriculum and Community projects as Green Gown finalists

last year and you can learn about them on our webpage: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/

sustainability.

[Sub-heading] BU Sustainable goals

Image: Infographic two

If you want to know more about sustainability at BU, then visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/

sustainability, email sustainability@ bournemouth.ac.uk or follow us on twitter.

[Sub-heading] What’s in a name?

The word sustainability can sometimes be a barrier to adopting habits that impact less on the

environment and those around us. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer

us an opportunity to see what we can do, as individuals and as a university, to help achieve

its aims to end poverty, combat inequality and tackle climate change. The goals have helped

shape BU2025 and we are promoting their use in the curriculum so that our graduates leave

with the skills and knowledge needed to help tackle the world’s grand challenges. Working

with SUBU, we encouraged academic staff to pledge to include the SDGs within their

teaching, learning and assessment on their course(s) during the National Union of Students

(NUS) SDG Teach-In week, held in February.

Our leadership in sustainability was verified in December when our external auditors

confirmed our approach to minimising the environmental impact of our activities met the new

international standard (ISO14001:2015). This is a great result for BU, and demonstrates we

are operating at the highest level.

[Heading twelve] BU Sports Scholarship Programme

As part of this season’s BU Big Match, when AFC Bournemouth (AFCB) took on Liverpool in

the Premier League in December, the achievements of BU’s female sports scholars were

highlighted alongside the new support BU now provides to all four age groups of AFCB Girls

teams.

At half-time, the captains of the U10, U12, U14 and U16 teams, all of which wear

Bournemouth University on their kits, joined seven female sports scholars to meet AFCB

Chairman and BU Honorary Doctorate Jeff Mostyn and BU Vice-Chancellor Professor John

Vinney on the pitch to highlight BU’s commitment to developing girls’ football across Dorset

and provide support for sporting talent.

BU has had a partnership with AFCB since 2013, before the club reached the Premier

League. One of the benefits includes professional coaching support to both the women’s and

men’s university football teams, and a number of BU students have also played for the AFC

Bournemouth Ladies First Team.

Currently, the BU Sports Scholarship programme has 70 Sports Scholars, of which 29 are

female and 41 male. Students from nine different nationalities have been awarded Sports

Scholarships, including students from Pakistan, America and Lithuania.

The BU Sports Scholarship programme supports regional, national and international level

athletes with the aim of allowing students to develop in their sport whilst keeping on track

with their studies.

Sports scholars include table tennis player Chloe Thomas, who has been selected to

represent Wales in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Chloe has been training full time in

China since September prior to the Games, which begin on 4 April across the Gold Coast,

Australia.

BU’s team of experts supports students in combining their academic and sporting

programmes by creating a personal programme with each athlete, so that success can be

maintained in both.

The programme is open to any UK, EU or international students who are applying for a full-

time undergraduate or postgraduate course delivered at the university. The scholarships are

supported through the university’s dedicated sports section, SportBU, providing the funding

for scholars to develop their sporting abilities and take them to the next level.

There are many benefits to the sports scholarship programme, so if you think you or

someone you know may be eligible, visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/sport-scholarship.

[Heading thirteen] Global Festival of Learning

The first leg of the global Festival of Learning started in Chennai, India, with talks and

presentations from BU staff and partner institutions.

The festival visited Pune and Delhi, alongside Chennai, as a part of a week of events in India

to showcase the university’s expertise. At the same time, the team also launched a new

report, ‘Global Talent in India: Challenges and Opportunities for Skills Development in

Higher Education’, by BU’s Dr Sonal Minocha, Dr Chindu Sreedharan and Dr Dean Hristov.

The report, launched at a press event in Chennai, provides an insight into opportunities for

students in India and how the UK Higher Education market can play its part.

Speaking ahead of the festival, Dr Sonal Minocha, Pro Vice- Chancellor (Global

Engagement), said, “The global festivals are a chance for us to showcase some of what

makes BU brilliant, while at the same time deepening links with partners, alumni and

influencers in key markets. It is also an opportunity for our staff and students to travel and

represent BU across the world. I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved with our

global festivals over the last few years.”

For 2018, the overarching theme for the Festival of Learning was ‘Global Education 2050:

Inspiring Learning, Delivering Impact’. As the week continued, participants gave

presentations and engaged in debate on the subject of the future of global education.

As well as BU staff, a number of students were in attendance to help run the events, and to

capture the activities, creating social media and multimedia content.

The Festival of Learning will also take place in China and Hong Kong in March, Europe in

April, ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) in May and at Bournemouth

University in June.

A full programme of events for India is available on the Global BU pages:

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/global-BU

[Heading fourteen] We meet...

The Department of Archaeology, Anthropology & Forensic Science addresses some of the

biggest forensic and archaeological questions of the day through a creative and innovative

research culture. Research defines its status and impact on both national and international

decision makers and policy. Archaeology has been taught at BU and its predecessor

colleges since 1967.

[Sub-heading] Dr Emma Jenkins, Associate Professor in Archaeology

I started as a Lecturer at BU in 2010. Before that I was a Post- Doctoral Research Assistant

(PDRA) at the University of Reading and before that, a PDRA at the Institute of Archaeology,

University College London.

I liked BU because the Archaeology group had a strong focus in the areas that I specialised

in: Zooarchaeology, Environmental Archaeology and Archaeological Science in general. I

think for such a small department Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science have an

excellent reputation. We were combined with Life and Environmental Science in the last

Research Excellence Framework (REF) and did well, ranking higher than some Russell

Group institutions, of which we should be really proud. Being based on Talbot Campus is

really convenient as everything I need is easily accessible.

Some of the major challenges I face involve trying to fit everything in and trying not to forget

to do things! I have a to do list by heading, which I can access from my phone, my tablet and

my computers – if it’s not on that list it probably isn’t going to get done! Trying to maintain a

good work/life balance is vital. I have two children and my husband is also an Archaeologist

based at the University of Reading, so trying to schedule field work can be problematic.

I also like the fact that BU seems to take green issues seriously and offers staff benefits like

the Cycle to Work Scheme, free bike maintenance and showers for cyclists. I feel quite

proud of that when I visit other institutions.

[Sub-heading] Michelle Feider 1st year PhD looking at microfauna (small mammals and amphibians) from three important Neolithic sites in Anatolia, Turkey

I applied for a BU Studentship – the research project on offer was too good to pass up – and

was lucky enough to be chosen following interview.

The teaching standards and facilities here are both excellent. I studied my Master’s here so

it’s nice to be somewhere familiar.

I’m looking at microfaunal assemblages from three really important Neolithic sites –

Pınarbaşı, an epi-palaeolithic, seasonally occupied rock-shelter site; Boncuklu, an early

village settlement; and Çatalhöyük, a UNESCO World Heritage site and large proto-urban

settlement.

There are four main aims to my research; to undertake palaeoenvironmental reconstruction

of the three sites to see if change in environmental conditions prompted the move from

mobile huntergatherers to settled farming; to see if commensals (animals that live with

humans, e.g. house mice) can be used as indicators of permanent occupation of a site;

whether microfauna played a part in the economy of the people living there, were they part

of the diet, and whether they were used in any ritual practices. I will be attending the summer

Çatalhöyük study season to discuss my preliminary results, and I’ll be going to Boncuklu to

sort sieved heavy residue ready for analysis next year.

I enjoy all aspects of postgraduate research. I find the literature review aspect raises

questions about how to conduct research and what you want to get from your data, and

recording the assemblages themselves is interesting as every day is different.

We’ll be attending several Postgraduate Open Days this year and will be taking part in the

Festival of Learning, giving people the opportunity to drop by and ask questions to see if

postgraduate research is the way forward for them.

[Heading fifteen] By day, by night

Nikki Glendening is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Nursing and Clinical Sciences,

based at the Yeovil campus. She tells InsideBU what life is like as a full-time academic and

working parent.

[Sub-heading] By day

My background is in adult nursing as well as health visiting/public health. I am currently a

senior lecturer in the Department of Nursing and Clinical Sciences (Faculty of Health and

Social Sciences). For the past 13 years I have been based at the Yeovil campus, where we

offer BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing in conjunction with the local NHS trusts and health care

providers for about 150 students. It is a great place to work and we get to know our students

well.

Many of the students are first generation and mature undergraduates with close ties to the

local community, which means they cannot easily move away to start university. They often

start the programme with little confidence in their academic ability, but a great passion to

contribute to society through a nursing career. As such, a significant part of my role is related

to the creation of a psychologically safe learning environment that enables students to

develop both their critical and creative thinking skills and to apply these to complex

contemporary and future health concerns.

As such, I am an enthusiastic advocate of student-centred learning and believe that higher

education should enable people to make a meaningful contribution to their community,

realise their own potential, and cope with, thrive in and adapt to their changing world. It’s this

philosophy that drives my colleagues at the Yeovil Campus and I, and it’s what makes

working there so academically and emotionally inspiring.

Over the years I have been given numerous “You’re Brilliant” awards from students and it’s

always a proud moment for me, as it means I’ve made a positive impact on a student or

provided them with a good experience. However, the best reward is to watch the graduating

students proudly embark on their professional careers with an informed and confident

approach that they never thought possible at the start.

[Sub-heading] By night

By night my intellectual journey continues. As well as being a full-time academic and working

parent, I am also a BU part-time doctoral student. Much of my free time is therefore used in

reading, thinking and writing. My thesis examines nursing students’ lived experience of

independent learning and has been an awe-inspiring adventure as I listen to and make

sense of students’ stories. My role as vice-chair of a local school board of governors has

therefore had to take a back seat, but I still find time to meet regularly with friends for supper

evenings and a very lively book club.

I have also started to pursue an interest in restoring furniture and DIY, as the practical and

physical nature of this is a great balance to my studies. On completion of my research, I

have set myself the goal of enrolling in a stained glass class. In the meantime, I will continue

to enjoy time with family and friends, long walks with our lovable pet Labrador and being a

regular taxi driver and parent to my children.

The nature of being an academic means that work is not 9 to 5. When my children were

younger, they often asked if I had done badly at school because of all the homework I

brought home as an adult! What working at Yeovil has taught me is that, as an academic

community, BU can be proud of its work with people who may not have done well at school

and who may never have thought they would one day be at university studying for a degree.

Giving students the chance to study without having to uproot their lives can help address

such potential inequalities and really can change people’s lives in many ways.

[Heading sixteen] Twitter feed

GlobalBU @GlobalBU Fantastic evening at the British Council, New Dehli with BU staff and

students for the official close of the 2018 Global Festival of Learning in India! What a week!

#GlobalFoL18

@BournemouthUni Bournemouth Hospital @RBCH_NHS Helping out in our discharge

lounge today ensuring patients get home safely are @bournemouthuni placement students

Kelsey and Victoria. Both here on their days off, both helping out where they can

#ThankYouNHS DropletUK

@Droplet_UK Say hi to #Droplet designer Ellie! Ellie progressed the idea for Droplet whilst

studying #productdesign at @ bournemouthuni and after a lot of hard work, research &

planning, we’ve now reached launch month! #greatideas #productdesign

#EmployeeAppreciationDay #proud NutritionBU

@NutritionBU Posters in Parliament 2018, amazing day! Emily Rogers-BSc Nutrition@ BU

was on the shortlist for the prize of best undergraduate research

#nutrition,#BUproud,#bournemouthuni Students’ Union

@SUBUBournemouth CONGRATS to our 30 amazing students who travelled over 3,520

miles and raised £3,100 (so far) for charity during Leggit! ‘Cheers Mate’ won by getting all

the way to Prague, Czech Republic! - AMAZING! #buleggit18

@bournemouthuni DORSET DEVILS @dorsetdevils Bumped into @bournemouthuni

students out litter picking on our shoreline today. Brilliant. #LitterHeroes

@SUBUVolunteer Sophia M @spookphia Proud to say I’ll be representing @

bournemouthuni at the @Cyber912_UK #CyberSecurity Policy competition soon! #TeamBU

Bournemouth Uni

@bournemouthuni Izzy Burton graduated from BU in 2015 with a first class degree in BA

(Hons) Computer Visualisation & Animation & now works at BAFTA-award nominated and

London-based animation studio Blue Zoo #BUproud

[Heading seventeen] #BU Proud gallery: A round up of what makes us #BUProud this Spring

Image: Universities Minister Sam Gyimah MP visited BU to meet students and staff and took

part in the ground-breaking ceremony for our new Poole Gateway Building.

Image: Jermaine Defoe, AFCB and England footballer, visited BU to speak to students

about his life and career to date.

Image: Organised by BU’s Centre for Media History, a free talk by eminent Gothic fiction

expert Professor Sir Christopher Frayling marked 200 years since the publication of Mary

Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Image: BU Project Design graduate Ellie van Leeuwen developed Droplet, combining a cup

or mug with electronic alert base to combat dehydration in the elderly. The product launches

in April.

Image: BU Research Assistant Katie Thompson received the Freedom of the City of London

in recognition of her work in the fields of conservation and zoology.

Image: Researchers led by Dr Sarah Bate have created the world’s first checklist for

identifying face processing disorders, in a bid to support the diagnosis of conditions such as

prosopagnosia.

Image: Dr Emma Kavanagh has been selected to be the Sports Scientist (Psychological

Support) for England’s beach volleyball team at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold

Coast in Australia.

Image: AFC Bournemouth’s first team Physiotherapist, Jonny King, visited BU’s Lansdowne

campus to teach first year BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy students about foot and ankle injuries

with a day of intensive seminar and exercise sessions.

Image: BU alumni Mike Mulholland – who studied the BA Computer Animation and

Visualisation course at BU – was at this year’s Oscar’s ceremony in Hollywood, having

worked on Star Wars: The Last Jedi as an effects supervisor. The film was shortlisted in the

visual effects category.

Image: BU built and provided computer programmes and map scenery for teams of

secondary school students competing to engineer, build and demonstrate lego tanks at the

Tank Museum, Bovington.

[Heading Eighteen] Dates for your diary

[Sub-heading] Offer Holder Open Day Wednesday 4 April

Open Day for all applicants looking to study with us in 2018

[Sub-heading] Undergraduate Open Days Open Days for prospective students

Saturday 9 June

Saturday 7 July

Saturday 6 October

Saturday 27 October

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/open-days

[Sub-heading] Postgraduate Open Day Event for those interested in studying for a Master’s degree at BU

Thursday 12 July

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/pg-visit

[Sub-heading] Careers Advisers and Teachers Convention Wednesday 16 May

This convention provides an opportunity to network with colleagues from across the region

and access up-to-date information about Higher Education. You can find out more about our

courses, associated student placements and global mobility opportunities.

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/catc

[Sub-heading] Dorset UCAS Exhibition Wednesday 28 March

The Higher Education fair helps students plan their future options

Register: www.ucas.com/events/dorsethigher- education-exhibition

[Sub-heading] Service Excellence Conference Thursday 12 April

Kimmeridge House & Fusion

A one-day conference on service excellence for all staff across

[Sub-heading] BU Festival of Learning Saturday 16 - Wednesday 20 June

Talbot Campus and across the region Returning for its sixth consecutive year, the festival

encourages the exploration of BU research through drop-in activities, interactive sessions,

talks and lectures. www.bournemouth.ac.uk/fol

[Sub-heading] Summer breaks Tuesday 3 - Friday 20 July

Get a taste of the university experience for free this July, with four days and three nights at

BU

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/summer

[Sub-heading] Festival of Design and Engineering Friday 22 - Monday 25 June

An annual exhibition of final year projects by Design and Engineering students.

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/fodt

[Sub-heading] Bank Holidays Friday 30 March

Monday 2 April

Monday 7 May

Monday 28 May

Monday 27 August

For more information about events at BU, please visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/events or

email buevents@bournemouth.ac.uk.