This Faculty Newsletter is the first of what I hope will become a regular series throughout the year. It will feature Faculty news, achievements, events and forthcoming activities to enable the good work we do to be shared, communicated and celebrated. We have had a very good start to the year extending a warm welcome to our students and have had a number of significant successes and external recognition for our work over the last few months. I am grateful to all colleagues’ for their contribution to enhancing the student experience and in supporting recently our Open Days, with some 8,500 visitors on campus. A series of open staff meetings have been arranged to meet colleagues across the Faculty at which we can share current activities, discuss priorities for the University/Faculty and celebrate recent achievements. The University’s Planning Framework will set the agenda for our Faculty priorities along with our sustainable plans recognising the increasing difficult economic climate. We are working on the Faculty’s mid year review of our plan for 2009/10 over the next couple of weeks and will be starting to plan student recruitment for 2010/11. It is important that we meet our contract numbers and targets and look at opportunities to grow particular income streams for 2010/11, including international recruitment. My thanks and congratulations go to all colleagues who have contributed to our strong scores in the National Student Survey and International Student Barometer and to all colleagues for their contribution in making further enhancements to the student experience. We have much to be proud of and many areas of excellence to celebrate with a number of recent successes and external recognition for our work. My congratulations to colleagues on their achievements. We have a range of exciting developments underway and the arrival of our new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Price in the New Year. I look forward to our forthcoming open meetings. Thank you for your contribution to making this a successful year. Barbara Colledge If you have any information or news you would like to share with your colleagues please email Ash Mann in the Marketing and Events team.
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The faculty has successfully recruited to its target numbers and we are now starting to receive applications through UCAS for 2010 entry. 2010 will bring with it several new undergraduate and postgraduate courses. These include BSc (Hons) Photographic Journalism, BSc (Hons) Experimental Media, BSc (Hons) Broadcast Media Technologies, MA Audio Post Production and MA Music for the Moving Image . We have seen a marked increase in graduates from the faculty applying to study at postgraduate level and we also dealt successfully with the new visa rules that have been introduced this year.
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Course Admin and Student Support With the students returning at the end of September the course admin and student support teams have been busy with student enrolment and registration. We have also been tying student to their modules for the fees team and so that students can view them on X-Stream. We have also been cross-checking registers and hand-in data to track attendance so that we can intervene where students may be having difficulties with their studies and university life. Kate Homan has qualified as a first-aider and Bethwyn Higgins has received her Certificate for passing the EDCL. On Friday 23 October there was a joint course admin/planning, recruitment and student events away day at Weetwood Hall which briefed staff on the priorities for the year ahead and thanked them for their contributions over the previous year (team-building activities pictured).  |
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It has been a busy summer with Graduations in July followed swiftly by the SAGSET "Learning Through Games" conference, we also hosted the Music and Media Educators conference in association with JAMES at the beginning of September and helped to plan Freshers’ Festival. We have been co-ordinating a drive on postgraduate recruitment, with an open evening and a complete redesign of the postgraduate course brochures in addition to a revamped web presence and a number of advertisements in local press. Look out for the 2010 postgraduate prospectus, which has just been printed. The postgraduate showcase took place on 1 October at Old Broadcasting House. Over 150 guests were in attendance to view the exciting and innovative range of projects. We had two very busy and successful university open days on the 23 and 24 October and work has already begun on the 2011 undergraduate prospectus. Work is well underway on a brand new faculty website, which it is hoped will be unveiled soon. This is the result of many months of work by Sally Paddock. Last but not least, a member of our team, Ash Mann started a series of fundraising challenges on 10 October with a coast-to-coast bike ride to raise money for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, if you would like to sponsor him please visit www.justgiving.com/ashley-mann
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The facilities team have been setting up the faculty’s new learning spaces in the Coach House, a process which has included setting up a purpose-built drum booth and moving all of the existing practise booths over from James Graham. We have also installed the new Mac lab in James Graham and have been undertaking a process of updating and installing new software and hardware. We have completed the first phase of updating staff PCs and have now started working on updating the machines used by academic members of staff. We have also provided technical support at the Staff Development Festival, the Postgraduate Showcase, held at Old Broadcasting House, and the Eurogamer Expo, held at the Royal Armouries.
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The Innovation North Finance and Resources Team based at Civic Quarter has recently moved to Floor 3, C building to form part of the Civic Quarter Campus Finance Team. Areas of good practice are being identified and will be shared across the Campus Finance Team to improve efficiency of financial administration processes and have consistent high levels of customer service across university. The Innovation North Finance and Resources Team based at Headingley will join the Headingley Campus Finance Team in the near future. Congratulations to Ged Davies, our Resources Manager, who graduates with an Executive MBA at the Faculty of Business and Law's winter graduation ceremony. The university's Financial Regulations have been updated and address relevant issues and recommendations from the recent KPMG audit. The new version will come into force after 31 October 2009 and incorporates changes which improve clarity in terms of definitions, financial approval processes and authorisation limits
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Recruitment has been an interesting activity with trends currently showing a high volume of applications for posts. For example, the Library Graduate Trainee post alone attracted over 200 applicants. Tracie and Gillian have been very involved with the ongoing IMTS restructure. An ‘online recruitment tool' is being developed via a project group in Corporate HR, with Gillian involved in the ‘recruitment process group’ and Sarah in ‘web content and employer branding’ – watch this space! The PDR process has been revamped and PDRs in the faculty are underway. Bruce has recently qualified as a First Aider, and Sarah will be very busy over the next 2 years having just commenced her Post Graduate qualification in Personnel Management. Tracie and Siobhan have now been accredited in SHL psychometric testing procedures. During the Staff Development Festival the team took part in a range of activities including orienteering around Beckett Park, outdoor pursuits in the Lake District and Cookery School in Halifax. The whole team was delighted to be invited to the ACTS dinner (see picture taken by the Dean!). Tracie and Gillian can also be seen striding around the Headingley campus on lunchtimes (weather permitting) in an effort to include some “steps” into their working day. Feel free to join them!
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Information, Media and Technology Services (IMTS) The University's YouTube channel - http://www.youtube.com/leedsmetuni - has been added to YouTube EDU, in a move which will see lectures and other academic content available to view online. According to YouTube EDU statistics, Leeds Met is the 16th most viewed educational channel in the world this month, and is currently the highest ranking educational channel in the UK, joining the ranks of heavyweights such as Harvard, Yale and M.I.T. Leeds Met's YouTube channel has become established as one of the foremost university YouTube channels in the UK, with more than 245,000 viewings and with over 14,000 visitors viewing the YouTube channel directly since the launch. The site's rich and engaging content has seen it peak as the 31st most viewed YouTube channel in the UK, beating heavyweight broadcasters such as Sky News. Following the success of the Google partnership, the university was invited to form a corporate YouTube channel on similar lines of the royal family website. The channel was designed by Martin Wan and the release was timed with the launch of the new website complete with its Video News section and prominent video window. The content for the channel is produced by the Video Production Team within Information, Media and Technology Services who plan, record and edit content filmed at events at the university and for our partners. This content gives students, prospective students, partners and staff an idea of the culture of the university. With the help of academics throughout the university this can now be widened to include educational content that is targetted via YouTube EDU to a larger audience. With the unique blend of courses, academic staff and excellent facilities within Innovation North the faculty is well placed to provide interesting content for the channel. If you have existing content or ideas for content ranging from introductions to courses, whole lectures, demonstration of techniques, conferences, research, keynotes, field trips or other ideas for unique and interesting content then please get in touch with the video team who can record, edit and tag the content for YouTube.
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Libraries & Learning Innovation Web 2.0 Books
Staff and students can now follow The Library on Twitter (follow LeedsMetLibrary). The application is available at http://apps.facebook.com/leedsmetlibrary/ in order to search the Library Catalogue as well as check what they have on loan etc. This idea was originally suggested by staff member, Anna Hepworth, as a result of her MSc Information Studies thesis and was a finalist in the 2008 Staff Development Ideas Factory before being developed by a team led by Adam Watson alongside colleagues from IMTS.
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nti Leeds has this month launched the new Snow Leopard operating systems and Final Cut and Logic Studios from Apple. As a taster of the new developments, nti Leeds’ trainer Chris Roberts gives you some highlights at new updates for Apple Courses. A wide range of events have been hosted at Old Broadcasting House including the first Expo Leeds unconference that launched the UK’s largest annual free festival of Sound Art and Experimental Music. To read more about the event go to Expo Leeds Unconference article. Leeds’ first encounter of the independently run TEDx event and organised by nti Leeds, Imran Ali (Carbon Imagineering) and Codeworks, was a huge success that you can read more about at TEDx Leeds. The joint venture between nti Leeds and Yorkshire Forward, Open Source for Business has hosted the third Business Breakfast. An eager audience listened to Guest Speakers David Patterson, of Learning Light and operator of “the e-learning centre” site, to find out how efficiencies from online learning tools will improve business profits. You can find out more about the project and event at http://www.opensourceforbusiness.co.uk/. For upcoming nti events including the Leeds Hack Space HackDay, visit out website at http://www.ntileeds.co.uk/category/events/
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The Regional University Network (RUN) has welcomed new and returning learners at the RUN Freshers’ Festival 2009. Over 180 RUN students came to the Headingley Campus on Thursday 24 September to attend the main RUN Freshers' event. Students from a variety of colleges including Kirklees College, Calderdale College, Dearne Valley College, Wakefield College and Leeds City College attended the day to find out more about the RUN and Leeds Met. All the learners are studying at a partner college, on a Leeds Met validated award. Following presentations on the RUN and HE life, students were able to engage in the activities around campus. Bishop Burton College gave their own workshop on expert flower arranging while Kirklees College had a stall, Owt' Couture in the helpzone, selling jewellery and clothing created by students at the college. One learner found the day, ‘Very informative; a good insight into HE life’. Mature RUN learners attended an evening event at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday 22 September, to gain information about the RUN and the HE learning experience at Leeds Met. On Monday 14 September learners from RUN partner colleges and partners Ashton and Holy Cross Sixth Form Colleges visited Headingley Campus for a Freshers' transition event. In collaboration with the Carnegie Faculty of Sport & Education, new and returning learners on Foundation or Honours Degrees in the Early Years/Childhood Studies sector spent the day finding out more about how the University can support their learning experience. Students had discussions with staff from University facilities and services such as The Library, Students' Union and Skills for Learning, and were shown around the campus by current students. A learner commented, ‘After having the chance to network and talk with staff, it has helped me to understand what my next steps are’. Ant Main, Senior Officer from the Regional University Network, has successfully won an ACTs 2009 award in the field of Pioneering Partnerships, Volunteering & Community Work. Ant was team leader on the 2008 volunteering trip to Archelon in Greece. Leeds Met's volunteer team leaders set a very high standard in all aspects, not just the many additional hours contributed before, during and after the trips. Ant was nominated for exceeding this already impressive norm. His 110% approach to every aspect of his role has added value to the student and staff experience and created an environment for personal development and experiential learning which has led to one member of staff taking a sabbatical to work with Archelon, and a second group returning in 2009 to further develop the relationship. Ant had the opportunity to volunteer through the Community Partnerships and Volunteering (CPV) team at Leeds Met. The CPV team has a varied role with many components all based at either supporting community organisations and helping staff and students at the university to access volunteering and community experiences both locally and abroad.
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Research & Academic Achievement This summer's graduation ceremonies saw eight PhD students graduating. Ben Dalton showcased the Our City, Our Music project at Light Night with Ben Halsall and Megan Smith, and has also been working on a generative logo design with the Leeds Temple Works project. Dr Nikos Stavropoulos' latest composition has just secured first prize at the First Punto de Encuentro Canarias Internacional Contest in Spain and is expected to be released on CD and featured in the next PUNTO DE ENCUENTRO CANARIAS festival. Rory McLeish won Best Digital Artist in the Games Design category of “Digital Artist 2009”, www.digitalartistawards.com/winners. Brian Larkman’s work in an exhibition at Harewood House called “Closer to Home: 250 years of artists' views of Harewood”, including works by Turner, Malton, Girtin, Roger Fenton (the American Civil War photographer) John Piper and Norman Ackroyd. Tom Jackson has an exhibition of a collection of his photographic work from April 12th – May 8th 2010 at The Carriageworks theatre (on Millennium Square in Leeds City Centre). This is a solo exhibition entitled ‘Converging Light’, which seeks to illustrate the aesthetic potentials of aperture and shutter speed. Adam Stansbie invited to attend Electronic Music Midwest Festival 2009 to perform a new pieces of electronic music called “Point of Departure”. Now in its 9th year, Electronic Music Midwest Festival is rapidly establishing its reputation as one of the most significant electronic music events in the United States of America. Richard Stevens has been appointed chair of the IASIG Game Audio Education Working Group (www.iasig.org/wg/eduwg/). In this role he is to coordinate an international team of academics and industry representatives in developing guidelines for a curriculum for teaching audio for games. Richard England, a postgraduate alumnus, has been nominated for a Bafta (his third nomination) in the Children's Baftas for "Learning - Secondary" for the Mencap Plannet website and Gamelab. www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/awards-2009,886,BA.html
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