Bulletin SPRING 2019 STAFF MAGAZINE
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bulletin SPRING 2019 STAFF MAGAZINE Fair field and no favour A University anniversary coincides with International Women’s Day Don’t cross Out of An Edinburgh Spot the the line office perspective difference Zero tolerance of bullying What do you get up to The Edinburgh Global Win vouchers for in the workplace outside of working hours? photography competition Filmhouse, Edinburgh welcome to the spring Welcomeedition of your staff magazine. The cover of this issue is an illustration of Sophia Jex-Blake – one of the Edinburgh Seven. We celebrate the legacy of these women, and more, in our cover story on pages 8 and 9. How do you like to spend your time out of the office? In this issue three staff members share their ultimate hobbies. Find this on pages 16 to 18. Our Dignity and Respect policy is extremely important to staff and student wellbeing. We caught up with Denise Boyle and Dr Caroline Published by Wallace in Human Resources (HR) to ask them about the latest Communications and Marketing campaign, Don’t Cross the Line. You can read this on page 15. Printed by J Thomson Colour Printers On pages 10 and 11, you can see the stunning winners of this year’s This publication is available in alternative Student Photography Competition, run by Edinburgh Global. Read our formats on request. Please contact [email protected] lunch mates feature set at the King’s Buildings on page 19, and don’t © The University of Edinburgh 2019 forget to try our competition on page 20 for the chance to win a great The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, prize. registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336. 8 If you would like to to submit ideas or feedback to bulletin, please contact us at [email protected] or +44 (0)131 650 6508. For regular updates, visit Staff News at www.ed.ac.uk/news/staff Cover image: Courtesy of Lothian Health Services Archive, Edinburgh University Library Cover image: Courtesy of Lothian Health Services Archive, and follow us on Twitter @EdinUniStaff Return to Old College This January the Law School returned to Old College after the refurbishments were completed thanks to LDN Architects and Graham Construction. The Estates team and the Law School collaborated to ensure that the new facilities are state of the art and fully support the School’s academic vision to become a world top ten law school in the next decade. New additions to the facilities include the Quad Café which is open to all staff and students, and the stunning Law Library. Pictured here is the Senate Room. Sam Sills; Chris Close; Paul Dodds 2 bulletin SPRING 2019 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine university update Defining our values by Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor he new year gives for the most talented people from all our values. So far, I have met with us an opportunity over the world. We aim to be not only staff at a series of five open town hall Tto look ahead and accessible and inclusive to all but relevant meetings across our campuses, with define what is important to the whole of society, recognising University Court, the Heads of School, for the coming months. our obligations to the city, region and the University Executive Group and the Scotland as well as our international Senior Leadership team. I would like to It is fitting, then, that standing. We aspire to create a strong thank everyone that has contributed to we are at an advanced sense of community with, and for, all. these discussions, whether by attending stage of developing the University’s new in person or through email or other strategic plan. The distinctive features of We will always be a Scottish university channels. the new plan will be greater emphasis on with global outreach and international values than previously; a more people- partnerships. We will invest in excellence On that note, there are too few focused approach; and the definition of to attract and retain the best students opportunities to say a public thank you to a small number of high-level strategic and staff but we will not grow for growth’s all of you who do so much to make the priorities for our research, teaching and sake. We will lead the way in data-driven University the success that it is. Thank knowledge exchange that will contribute innovation to become the data capital you all for your hard work, dedication and to our overall aim of making the world a of Europe, building public trust in the commitment. We have much to be proud better place. I believe it is important for the ethical use of data. We will extend porous of and no one should be in any doubt University to define carefully its principles boundaries not only between our schools that they are working at one of the world’s in relation to its people, city, region, nation and colleges, but also with industry and great universities in one of the world’s and the rest of the world in this way. government. We will celebrate critical great cities. I look forward to contributing thinking so that all our graduates are to making it even better, and I urge you to The people-focus of the new strategic equipped to make a difference in the join in that effort. plan will see us cherishing our students, world. staff, alumni and friends and celebrating 8 To stay up to date with the latest their many achievements. We will make I am keen to engage with the entire developments visit www.ed.ac.uk/ the University a destination of choice University in exploring and defining strategic-plan/2019 Widening Participation strategy progresses October 2018 saw the University launch a new Widening Participation (WP) strategy. It focuses on four strands; aspiration and early engagement, support to get in, support to succeed and support to progress, all working towards a whole student lifecycle approach. Already in progress is a new cross-University working group, Edinburgh Annual Review Cares, who have revised the Corporate published Parenting Strategy. February saw the workshop for the WP strategy toolkit, launch of the Edinburgh city partnership which will take place in May 2019. There The Annual Review 2017/2018 is now service for care-experienced students: will also be open sessions for all staff available, highlighting the University’s the Hub for Success. wanting to implement the strategy in their achievements from the previous own area. The first of these will take place academic year. The publication is The Widening Participation team have on Friday 5 April at 12.30 at the King’s available both in print and online. also initiated a pilot of Your Ed, a schools’ Buildings. Details can be found on MyEd. Printed copies are available from partnership programme, while the Centre Communications and Marketing. The for Open Learning has seen its first 8 You can find more information about online Annual Review includes pictorial cohort of students progress through the guiding principles of the WP and video highlights. the new part-time access course for strategy and what is taking place arts, humanities and social sciences. around the University at edin.ac/ 8 www.ed.ac.uk/annual-review Sam Sills; Chris Close; Paul Dodds To get involved, look out for the launch widening-participation-strategy The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin SPRING 2019 3 university update Improving exam experiences e all know that exams can be a accurate exam timetables, and changes daunting time. Even more so if could be difficult to spot and understand. Wyou don’t have the comfort or Following developments to personalised confidence of knowing when and where timetables last year, the SEP team your exams are or, importantly, if there is joined forces with colleagues in Student a last-minute change to time or venue. Administration and Support to develop Student wellbeing during exam season is and launch a smart digital solution giving vital to allow our students to perform as our students quick and easy access to best they can. their exam timetables. From this summer, Work from the Service Excellence this service will extend to all student Programme (SEP) means our students will timetables, meaning up-to-date daily now have personalised exam timetables at schedules will be easy to find at the touch their fingertips on their Office 365 devices, of a button. This will ensure our students on campus, at home or on the move. are happy, feel supported and can focus their time and efforts on their studies. Our students told us that it was often complicated and time consuming finding 8 edin.ac/sep-news Support for our technical staff Discounts for staff in University hotels A £6.7 million investment into improving The University signed the Technician Commitment in 2017, joining 75 other higher Salisbury Green Hotel & Bistro and KM education institutions driving change for technicians in four areas: visibility, ensuring Central has created an unrivalled choice technicians are identifiable and their contribution visible; recognition, supporting of accommodation for staff, visitors professional registration and celebrating achievement; career development, working – including friends and families – and towards progression through provision of clear pathways; and sustainability, event organisers. As they are University- ensuring technical skills and expertise are retained and fully utilised. owned, and operated by Accommodation The University formally launched the Technician Commitment at McEwan Hall in Catering and Events’ commercial brand, December. More than 300 technicians heard Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal Edinburgh First, the surplus generated is and Vice-Chancellor, pledge his support for the initiative.