New Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology

BU is delighted to welcome Professor Christine Maggs as the new Executive Dean of Bournemouth University’s Faculty of Science and Technology.

Christine joins BU from Queen’s University Belfast where she held the role of Head of the School of Biological Sciences and Professor of Phycology. Christine was appointed to Queen’s in 1995 and has held the roles of Lecturer, Reader and Director of Research before taking on the role of Head of the School of Biological Sciences and Professor of Phycology.

In addition to serving on a number of leadership groups and committees at the university, Christine played a critical role in the School achieving Athena Swan Gold, which recognises the commitment to advancing women’s careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine. Christine has also served on a Research Excellence Framework (REF) panel, advised the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and has an award of Excellence from the Phycological Society of America.

Christine has a strong track record in improving and maintaining a high student experience; she has a strong research profile and has engaged with organisations and businesses throughout her career.  Christine’s experience will be a huge asset to the university as we move further forward in achieving our strategic goals.

 

Events Management student discusses choosing BU in The Guardian

BU BA (Hons) Events Management student Leroy-Winston Scott has appeared in The Guardian, discussing his reasons for picking and sticking with BU.

Leroy, aged 27, was featured in the Education section of the newspaper, and highlighted Bournemouth University as his top choice for travel opportunities.

His excursions with the student union’s Raising And Giving (RAG) charity hitchhike Leggit, and a possible opportunity to travel to South Africa as part of his final semester were among his top reasons to attend BU.

When asked the best way to secure these opportunities at BU, Leroy advised students to take advantage of the many extracurricular activities available to them.

“Lecturers want to know what you’ve done outside of your 16 or so hours contact time in first year – so pick activities that will make the lecturer look at your CV and think, ‘They’ll really make the most of an overseas experience’.”

Speaking after the article was published Leroy said: “Bournemouth the town and Bournemouth the uni matches my character and allows me to express myself and grow.

“I hope by being featured in The Guardian, it has allowed me to spread a message that says to somebody somewhere that they can grab a part of Bournemouth and BU and enjoy it. And for the ones already doing it? Keep going – you got this.”

Read The Guardian article

By Anushka Naidoo, Final year BA (Hons) Communications and Media student at BU

BU commended for the quality of student learning opportunities by QAA

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Bournemouth University has achieved a “commended” judgement for the quality of student learning opportunities from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). This is the first time the judgement of commended for this category, the highest award possible, has been given to any university.

The term ‘learning opportunities’ describes the different mechanisms and facilities that a university provides in order to enable a student to succeed. For this category, the QAA look at many areas of how an institution supports students, including the quality of teaching students receive, academic support, the resources available to students including the library and IT facilities, and the general support they receive.

Professor John Vinney, Vice–Chancellor of Bournemouth University, said: “I am extremely proud that Bournemouth University is the first university to be commended for the quality of students’ learning opportunities. We work really hard to provide a unique top–quality academic experience that combines excellent education, research and professional practice with personalised student support.

The commendation is both a testament to the hard work of the staff and Students’ Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU), and a reflection of the continuing investment in our facilities. Everything that we do is focused on quality, and we will build on this success to ensure that we continue to give our students the opportunity to succeed throughout their career – wherever it may take them”.

The review identified a number of examples of good practice which led to the award. These include the many constructive measures BU takes to engage and involve all members of staff in its mission, values and strategic priorities, including those articulated in its Strategic Plan.

The review also highlighted the way that the University engages students individually, and collectively through the Students’ Union, in its development of academic strategy and policy.

The team of QAA reviewers who visited Bournemouth University also judged that the University’s academic standards, the quality of student learning opportunities‚, and the quality of information about learning opportunities all meet UK expectations.

The QAA review team made no recommendations on any issues for further improvement.

The review team included Professor Richard de Friend (previously of the College of Law), Dr Andrew Eadie (Hazeldene Educational Consultants Ltd), Dr Wendy Gill (the University of St Mark & St John), Ms Elizabeth Dobson-McKittrick (student reviewer from the University of Essex), and Ms Jessica Greenlees (review secretary).

  • The review carried out at Bournemouth University was an Institutional Review (England and Northern Ireland) (IRENI). More information on IRENI is available at www.qaa.ac.uk/institutionreports/types-of-review/ireni/pages/default.aspx.
  • The report on Bournemouth University is published on 6 September 2013. It is available at www.qaa.ac.uk/InstitutionReports/Reports/Pages/IRENI-Bournemouth-13.aspx.
  • QAA safeguards the public interest in the quality and standards of UK higher education. The QAA checks how UK universities and colleges maintain their academic standards and quality. They review and report on how they meet their responsibilities, identify good practice and make recommendations for improvement. The QAA publishes guidelines to help UK universities and colleges develop effective systems to ensure students have the best learning experience. Further information is available at: www.qaa.ac.uk.

Bournemouth University’s media success with this year’s Clearing campaign

This year’s Clearing campaign has been a huge success with a number of media appearances.

Bournemouth University was mentioned in the following media outlets:

  • Two Mentions on the Telegraph online
  • Coverage on the Guardian online
  • Five Mentions in the Guardian
  • Coverage in the Independent
  • Two mentions in the i paper
  • Two reports on BBC Radio Solent
  • A report on Wave FM
  • A report on Fire
  • TES coverage

Second year Law student Diana Dimofte explained her clearing experience and coming to Bournemouth University through the clearing system in the Telegraph online video that really showed off Bournemouth University and the local area.

“University Clearing was the best thing that happened to me,” said Diana Dimofte.

Team leader for askBU enquiry service, Helen Elsey, gave advice on what to say on the phone during clearing on the Guardian online website, adding; “We [the clearing team or person taking the clearing phone call] will look at your grades and talk about the subject you enjoyed and the career you have in mind.”

TES  shared multi-media journalism undergraduate, Emily Reason’s clearing experience.

“After almost having a breakdown, I noticed that Bournemouth University were advertising opportunities to get in through clearing. I rang the clearing helpline and was put through to a woman who was very helpful.” Emily added. “I went from crying my eyes out to screaming with joy, all because of clearing.”

Mark Ridolfo, Associate Dean of student experience at Bournemouth University, added comment to an article in The Guardian about balancing time. “Students have to balance work time, study time, social time and time for eating and sleeping; which is difficult.” He added, “Sometimes they [university students] sacrifice the sleeping and eating, and sometimes they sacrifice their studies”.

Matt Usher, student recruitment officer at BU, explained student funding in The Guardian during the clearing period; “The most important thing to say is that there’s lots of support available and students don’t have to pay anything up front”.

“Regardless of how much you’ve borrowed, your repayment is based on your graduate income. You’ll be charged 9% of all income over £21,000 – so if you get a £25k job, you’ll expect to be repaying around £30 a month”

Patricia Obawole, a law student at Bournemouth University and David Stock, manager of Bournemouth University’s Student Union advice service featured in both The Independent and the i Paper, adding comment about the essential skill of budgeting and finance. “We do all get a bit excited when the first loan instalment is in your bank account”, she added.

“For the typical 18-year-old fresher, it’s the largest amount of money they’ve ever had, and they’ve never had to think about setting a budget,” Stock tells the papers. The report claimed that he has encountered the odd student who’s blown several hundred pounds at a casino in their first night and students in £25,000 debt. “Even then there are some things we can do at that stage. It’s never too late to get help”.

Anastasia Stankovsky also featured in The Independent explaining her adjustment experience after adjusting her course to a BA (Hons) in Television Production at Bournemouth University.

“My predicted grades were not good, I really wanted to go to Bournemouth University because it is one of the best in the country for TV production, and was so upset when I found out my grades weren’t going to be good enough”, Stankovsky explained. “Opening the results was a strange feeling, because I had got such good grades, but I was going to a university I really didn’t want to go to. But on my results it actually said I was eligible for adjustment and then I was so excited.”

“I checked my points and called Bournemouth University and said my grades were higher than predicted. They checked my UCAS profile and then I had a ten minute interview on the phone with the TV production department. It was nerve-racking, but it was really much easier for me than for people who had actually had to go and attend interviews. It was all over surprisingly quickly. I thought I was going to be living at home and going to Middlesex University, but within a few days of getting my results I was on my dream course and getting ready to move to Bournemouth”.

Many thanks to everyone who featured in the papers and on the radio during clearing week.

By Dean Eastmond

Dean is a student at Budmouth College in Weymouth, who is working at Bournemouth University in the Press and PR Department. He joined BU on a Sir Samuel Mico Scholarship, which provides 10 students from his college with essential work experience for four weeks over the summer.