Multiple successes for Business School Academics

The last few months have been incredibly successful for Business Academics and highlight the School’s growing reputation for high-quality research. Here is a round-up of the fantastic work being done by lecturers:

  • Dr Hossein Hassani has been working with a team which is investigating the Buruli ulcer, a disease prevalent in developing countries that could be spread by changes in rainfall patterns. Read more.
  • A team led by Professor Jens Holscher has recently won a research bid to provide seminars addressing access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The seminars will bring together key stakeholders to discuss the most pertinent issues of SME finance and credit risk, with a view to developing new research and policy agendas relevant to lenders and regulators. Read more.
  • Dr Julie Robson was the Conference Chair for the prestigious Academy of Marketing’s 2014 Conference here at Bournemouth University. The Conference included presentations and papers from many Business School Marketing lecturers. Read more.
  • Argyro Karanasiou, a member of CIPPM and Lecturer in Law at BU, was invited by the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Representative on Freedom of the Media to join the expert meeting on Open Journalism. Presentations and discussions focused on new ways to protect media plurality and the rights of non-traditional voices online. Read more.
  • Dr Sascha-Dominik Bachmann, Associate Professor in International Law, was invited to present as a panel member the subject of Hybrid War/Threats/Ecothreats and Armed Conflict at the 5th International Symposium on Security and Military Law 2014 (the ISSML), held on September 25-27, 2014 in Seoul and organized by the Office of Judge Advocate General, Republic of Korea Army. Read more.

Business School Law students get published

Many congratulations to LLB students, Joan Mahoney and Samantha Bell, whose work with Law academics, Dr David Yuratich and Argyro Karanasiou, has been published in the open access Entertainment and Sports Law Journal.

Joan and Samantha originally presented their work at BU’s Festival of Learning event last June. Joan considered how far the class systems experienced by the Ood in Doctor Who and by the Eloi and Morlocks in War of the Worlds reflected the willingness of law and politics to resolve social problems in the respective time periods. Samantha presented her research entitled How Not To Run A Country, which drew on separation of powers theory to explain why Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic was able to consolidate and abuse its position.  Read more.

Business School holds Economics Forum for Russian students

The Business School hosted an Economics Forum for Russian students, arranged by M.L.S International College in Bournemouth.

The event, on Thursday 24th July, involved approximately 90 students from Financial University in Russia.

Students from Financial University study with M.L.S for a tailored programme each year and the Business School was invited to participate by delivering a guest lecture and being a member of the Economics Forum Panel.

The event took place in the Executive Business Centre and Dr Dermot McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in Economics, was also joined by the following external panel members:

  • Adrian Simpson, Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Director of own Accountancy and Tax company
  • Bill Cotton, Executive Director, Environment and Economy at Bournemouth Borough Council
  • Barry Bull, specialist tutor at M.L.S. teaching on the Financial University programme

Students prepared questions in advance of the event, which included the following themes: Migration; Scottish independence; the Euro and Europe; Education; Starting up a business and the World Cup.

Moscow’s Financial University visits the Business School

A delegation from the Financial University in Moscow has visited the Business School, for the first of two events arranged in conjunction with local partner M.L.S International College.

Approximately 90 students – together with academic colleagues from M.L.S and Financial University – attended a lecture on Tuesday 17 July, entitled ’25 Years of Economic Transition – Successes and Failures’, which was delivered by Professor Jens Holscher, Head of Accounting, Finance and Economics at BU.

Next week, the School will be hosting an Economics Forum in which the students will prepare questions for an expert panel. Dr Dermot McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in Economics at BU will be representing the Business School.

Financial University is a leading Russian higher education institution with a student population of over 80,000 students.

The university is interested in exploring collaborative opportunities for students and staff in the Business School and School of Tourism at BU.

Further information about Financial University

First foundation students graduate from Guernsey Training Agency

Ten students studying the part time Foundation Degree in Business & Management will be the first graduates from the Guernsey Training Agency University Centre (GTA).

The GTA partnered with Bournemouth University’s Business School in 2010 to provide the first on-island alternative for Guernsey students, who wanted a recognised university education without having to study on the mainland.

This year’s graduates will be the first at GTA to successfully complete a university-level qualification and the FdA is the equivalent of two year’s of an honours degree, allowing the students to top-up to a full honours degree at a later stage. The course is open to those who recently left full time education and also mature students who are already in the workplace, a second chance at university education.

Deputy Chief Executive of the GTA University Centre, Simon Le Tocq, commented on the students’ achievements,

“To have 10 students graduate from what has been a three year commitment is fantastic and demonstrates the enthusiasm that islanders have for continuing professional development. All of the graduates feel they have benefitted enormously from having this opportunity and I am confident that their commitment will be recognised by their employers and that they will progress in their careers based on what they have learnt.”

The foundation degree involves a mix of classroom teaching from BU lecturers, online support from BU’s Business School and work-based learning supported by GTA staff. Study includes units in marketing, finance, HR, law, economics and management. Students also undertake complete a work-based project on a subject of their choice in a real business environment.

The graduates were presented with their awards by Professor Richard Conder, elected member of Guernsey’s States Assembly and external board member at BU.

BU Accounting Professor receives Lifetime Achievement Award

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A Professor from Bournemouth University (BU) has received a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for the contribution she has made to the accounting and finance industry.

Stella Fearnley, a Professor in Accounting in BU’s Business School, received the award from the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA).

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to individuals who have made a substantial or direct contribution to the UK accounting and finance industry through teaching, research or public service.

Stella, who has worked at BU since 2007, has published over 100 journals, books and articles – as well as speaking as part of various government committees looking at accounting and standards.

She said: “The award did come as a complete surprise for me because I don’t fit the stereotype role for an academic.

“As there are getting on for 300,000 accountants in this country, my passion has always been to do research which will be of value to practitioners and public policy, not just to other academics.

“I am paid mainly out of taxpayers’ money so society deserves to benefit from academic work. Besides which I have had a lot of fun.”

The award was given to Stella at the BAFA Annual Conference in London, but was also celebrated with an event at BU, attended by colleagues and industry representatives.

A tribute to Stella was given by Professor Jens Holscher, Head of the Accounting, Finance and Economics Department at BU.

He said: “What is unique about Stella is her close engagement with industry practice and regulation.

“This is a great achievement for not just the department or the Business School but for the whole institution.”

There was also a Question and Answer session with Stella, who spoke about her experiences and achievements, and gave her thoughts on the accounting and finance industries.

She said: “I have had a lot of fun interviewing people – I’ve worked very hard at chatting up the people at the top of the organisations, and making professional contacts to get access. They won’t do it unless they trust you.

“If you engage with businesses, you inevitably have fun. You engage with so many people that you come away having enjoyed it.”

Stella, who has become known for her quick wit and controversial comments about leading industry figures and bodies, added: “If you are going to be really rude about something, make them laugh. You can get away with it without insulting them too much, which is very important.”

This is the second major industry prize that she has won – in 2007, Stella was given the Wildman Medal Award by Deloitte and the American Accounting Association, which recognises leading edge research and innovative teaching methods.

BA Business Studies launches alumni panel of successful graduates

BU’s Business School has launched an alumni panel of highly successful BA (Hons) Business Studies graduates.

The aim of the panel is to develop and strengthen the Business Studies course by sharing industry experience and trends with students and academic staff.

The panel consists of eleven alumni who graduated between 1989 and 2013.

They recently joined current second year students at their Pre Placement Seminar to share their experience of the world of work, and give advice to students about how to make the most out of their placements.

After the seminar, the panel met with academic staff to talk about industry trends and the skills graduates need to be successful in the workplace.

One of the Alumni panel, Holly Bathurst from Siemens, said: “I thought it was a great start to something extremely positive for the Business School and it will be interesting to see how it shapes both the students learning and their engagement with the working world!”

Gbola Gbadamosi, the Framework leader for the Business Studies course, added: “This panel and the event is a refreshingly alternative that represents a win for all stakeholders.

“For students, it provides a rare opportunity to engage with both recent and long standing alumni. For staff, to rekindle their industry engagement, reconnect with industry trends and catch up with the progress of their former students.

“For the alumni, they were able to reconnect with their peers, older and younger alumni and give back to their university.”

BU Team wins national enterprise competition

A team from Bournemouth University has won a national competition that encourages student teams to promote a good cause.

The BU team – made up of students from across the different academic schools – won the Rise To Enterprise Challenge, with their campaign called Thanks To Mothers.

The campaign aimed to provide simple ways for people to express gratitude to their mothers, and they ran a social media campaign alongside events at the BU campus.

They also helped celebrate Mother’s Day by handing out flowers to mums in the local community.

The BU team was made up of Aleksandrs Pereverzevs and Mark Trubetskoy from the Media School, Jana Sirica from the School of Tourism, and Lauren England and Glebs Kiselovs from The Business School.

They worked together in a number of roles – including Marketing, Sponsorship, Sales and Research – and were required to source a mentor and raise sponsorship in order to ultimately raise awareness for their campaign.

The challenge enables students to gain hands on work experience in a business environment which not only helps within the community, but looks great on the CV.

More than 2,100 people said thanks to their mothers through the team’s website over the course of the campaign.

As well as the group winning the enterprise challenge overall, Glebs Kiselovs also won an individual award for his lead role in gaining sponsorship.

Find out more about the Thanks to Mothers campaign

University Business Challenge – BU into the Grand Final

Congratulations to Business School students Ross Warrington (BA Accounting and Taxation, Level H), Tom Flanagan (BA Marketing, Level C) and Daniella Conway (BA Economics, Level C) for their victory at the IBM University Business Challenge (UBC) semi-final, hosted by Serco and The Defence Academy in Swindon on Tuesday 18 March.

The team will now take part in the Grand Final, at IBM in London on Friday 21 March.

This year, 312 teams representing 60 universities and 70 faculties entered the UBC competition. The Business School sponsored 6 teams with a total of 27 students. Two of these teams qualified for the semi-finals and one team is through to the Grand Final.

The BA Business Studies team  Clarissa Barber (Level H), Jamie Seager (Level I) and Alice Barnes (Level I) were the other team to make it through to the semifinals, and after competing again 19 other teams, finished in 8th place, a fantastic achievement.

Deborah Taylor, the Business School Placement Co-ordinator, and Milena Bobeva  as the IBM UBC co-ordinator, accompanied the teams at both semi-finals. Milena said after the competition; “We were incredibly proud with the professionalism of our teams in the face of the challenges they were presented with on the day, and the outstanding feedback we have received from both organisers and business sponsors about our semi-finalists, placement students and graduates.”

You can follow the competition at both the UBC Worldwide Facebook page, the UBC News page or by following @milenabobeva on Twitter.

Olympic gold medallist shooter receives Honorary Doctorate from BU

A world record holder sports shooter, who won gold at the London 2012 Olympics, has received an Honorary Doctorate from Bournemouth University.

Peter Wilson MBE – who grew up in Sherborne, Dorset –  received the accolade during the Business School graduation ceremony.

Peter took a Gold Medal in double trap shooting at the 2012 Olympics, won the World Cup in 2011 and 2012, and holds UK and World records. He was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours List for services to shooting.

He said he felt “honoured” to receive the Doctor of Arts award from BU.

“I couldn’t quite believe it, I still can’t quite believe it,” he said.

“It’s a bit like the Olympics all over again – your heart’s racing, your blood’s up and you’re just so excited and really honoured.

“It’s great to come back. My roots are here, my family’s here and so I feel very privileged, very humbled.”

Peter added that he works closely with local schools to promote sports, and believes it’s important for students to stay active and healthy while at university.

“Find a sport that you enjoy playing and just take part – whether it be team or individual,” he said.

“I think it’s actually quite healthy – it gets you out of the house and away from study for that small segment of the week, and gives you a bit of a breather.”

He added that his advice to the graduating students was to push themselves and do everything they could to reach their best.

“It’s a tough world out there, so it’s not easy – you’ve got to find something you love, you’ve got to be passionate about it and you’ve got to push yourself to be the best you can be.

“I spoke about that a little bit to all of the graduates and parents about that one motto which drove me through the Olympics – and that is do everything in your power to get the best possible result out of yourself.”

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More than 5,000 graduates from across Bournemouth University were handed their degree certificates in six different ceremonies at the Bournemouth International Centre.

Professor John Vinney, Vice-Chancellor of Bournemouth University, said: “Bournemouth University takes great pride in our Honorary Graduates.

“We recognise people who have excelled in their chosen field who will act as inspirational role models, both for our graduates and their families at the awards ceremonies and for our whole student body in the coming years.”