Edge Hill University “Edge Hill is a great success story...” Annual Review 2014 — 2015 Edge Hill University Times Higher Education University of the Year 2014 — 2015 Annual Review 2014 — 15 2 Annual Review — 2014 — 15 3 “Edge Hill is a great success story... an institution that improves and impresses year after year. Its achievements in student satisfaction and graduate employment were noted by our judges as was the part it plays in transforming lives in the local region.” John Gill — Editor of Times Higher Education University of the Year announcement 4 Annual Review Contents — 2014 — 15 5 “Edge Hill is a great success story...” p.8 “...the part it plays in transforming lives...” p.56 – – An introduction from our Vice-Chancellor p.10 Research with Impact p.58 Good Sports p.14 Body & Mind p.60 Live & Learn p.18 Taking the Myth out of Maths p.62 Surreal Life p.20 Rebuilding Lives p.64 Sound as a Pound p.24 Transforming the Patient Experience p.68 Winning Ways of GTAs p.28 Seen to be Green p.70 Royal Recognition p.30 What is Britishness? p.72 Honorary Graduates p.32 Thinking about Drinking p.74 Stories Must Be Heard p.75 “...achievements in student satisfaction p.36 “...an institution that improves and p.76 and graduate employment...” impresses year after year.” – – A Degree of Employability p.38 University Income p.78 Happy Campus p.40 University Expenditure p.79 Their Chance to Shine p.42 Key Performance Indicators p.80 Academic Texts p.44 Total Income and surplus for p.81 Lights, Camera, Athens! p.46 Re-investment Step Back in Time... p.48 Financial worth of the University p.82 Animation Graduate Brings p.50 Applications for Fulltime p.83 Clangers Back to Life Undergraduate Programmes Educating the Educators p.52 Principal Officers of the University p.84 High Flying Career p.53 Donors p.86 Scholarship Awards p.54 Publication credits p.92 6 Annual Review Introduction — 2014 — 15 7 8 Annual Review Section One — 2014 — 15 Success story 9 The Edge Hill ‘success story’ continued through “Edge Hill is a great success 2014/15. With more and better-qualified applicants, Edge Hill’s popularity has continued an upward trend. The University’s own staff story... an institution that voted Edge Hill to be the Best University Workplace in the Times Higher Education improves and impresses year annual survey. after year. Its achievements The award-winning campus has been developed further, with the opening of a state- in student satisfaction of-the art Sports Centre (page 14) and more accommodation (page 18). Extended links into the region with some high profile partnerships and graduate employment including Tate Liverpool (page 20), and the Sound City festival (page 24). The University’s were noted by our judges deep links into its disciplines are also apparent in the impressive array of honorary degree as was the part it plays in recipients presented at our graduation transforming lives in the ceremonies (page 32). local region.” John Gill — Editor of Times Higher Education University of the Year announcement 10 Annual Review Section One — 2014 — 15 Success story 11 An Introduction from our Vice-Chancellor The award of Times Higher University of the points on entry were also at record levels, Year has had a positive effect on everyone who though the University remains committed studies and works at Edge Hill, and strengthened to assessing applicants’ potential, not simply our already flourishing reputation in the Higher their prior achievements. Education sector. What underpins our success? We believe that it There has also been a surge of interest and is down to the fact that we work hard to consistently excitement around Edge Hill, with record numbers deliver on our promises to improve as a place to of visitors at open days and greater interest from learn, live and work. external organisations. Businesses in the North West are increasingly realising the potential We have built more student accommodation this resource that’s on their doorstep; we are working year; the newly completed Palatine Court brings the with the Local Enterprise Partnerships and forming total number of beds spaces on campus to 2,091, collaborations that are having a real impact on our over fifteen hundred new en suite units having been student experience and employability, which in added in the past six years. We are also continuing turn is having a knock-on effect on our national to broaden our portfolio of degrees with new and international profile. programmes in computer software engineering, biotechnology and policing. The status of University of the Year has also had an impact on our performance in the major league Finally, in a year of accolades for Edge Hill, we were tables. The Times and the Sunday Times placed us delighted to be voted Best University Workplace top in the North West for Teaching Excellence and 2015 in the Times Higher survey of all UK in the top four in the region overall. We currently universities. Our relaxed, supportive workplace is have our highest placing nationally, up 59 places enabling us to recruit and retain high quality staff, in less than ten years, putting us in the top ten including many from prestigious universities both of all post-1992 universities. in the UK and abroad. Applications rose again this year, as they do every We will now build on our year in the spotlight year, and the numbers making Edge Hill their first and ensure Edge Hill University continues to choice were the highest-ever. As a result average grow and improve. 12 Annual Review Section One — 2014 — 15 Success story 13 14 Annual Review Section One — 2014 — 15 Success story 15 Good Sports Students, staff and the local community are set to benefit from Edge Hill’s £30 million investment in sports facilities. Heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and philanthropist Barrie Wells opened a new state- of-the-art indoor and outdoor sports complex which houses a 25-metre swimming pool, a sauna and steam room, an 80-station fitness suite incorporating the latest in-screen entertainment technology, an aerobic studio, an eight-court double sports hall with extensive changing facilities, and a café to relax in before or after a workout. New outdoor tennis courts, due to be installed in 2016, will complete the ambitious project, which promises current and future students some of the best sports facilities in Higher Education. 16 Annual Review Section One — 2014 — 15 Success story 17 18 Annual Review Section One — 2014 — 15 Success story 19 Live & Learn More and more students can now live and study on campus with the opening of Edge Hill’s latest suite of high-spec Halls of Residence. The new accommodation blocks, which complete phase ten of the University’s residential building programme, have been named Palatine Court, with the individual halls called Carrington, Glazebrook, Pankhurst and Roscoe after notable Lancashire figures. The new accommodation, which opened in September 2015, includes en suite bedrooms complete with a bed, wardrobe, desk, chair, flat screen computer/Freeview TV. Each room is situated close to a large shared kitchen and living area which also boasts an LCD Freeview TV. The new bedrooms bring the number of students who can be accommodated on campus to 2,091. 20 Annual Review Section One — 2014 — 15 Success story 21 Surreal Life A partnership with Tate Liverpool has helped James Byrne and Tom Jenks. Edge Hill welcomed bring the distinctive, but rarely seen, work of journalist Joanna Moorhead, Leonora Carrington’s an internationally celebrated surrealist painter cousin and co-writer of her biography, Surreal Friends, to a new generation of art lovers. to campus for an ‘In Conversation’ evening to discuss Carrington’s intriguing history and artistic practice. Edge Hill University contributed to an exhibition at Tate Liverpool, which showcased the dazzling The University also hosted Imaginarium, an creations of Leonora Carrington, the first UK solo exploration through dance of the metamorphic exhibition of work by the Lancashire-born artist work of Leonora Carrington. Developed partly for more than 20 years. through a residency at Crookhey Hall, Carrington’s childhood home, the work captures the physicality, As well as sponsoring the exhibition, Edge Hill also colour and energy found within her sketches supported the Tate’s curators through the work of and paintings. Professor Roger Shannon, whose work uncovered several artworks that had never been on public Performed by Edge Hill performing arts lecturers display before. James Hewison and Michelle Man, with original music by Alfonso García de la Torre Rey, Imaginarium A member of the surrealist movement, wowed audiences at both Tate Liverpool and Edge c.1947, Tempera on wood, 1170 x 680 mm c.1947, Tempera Carrington (1917-2011), became a national treasure Hill’s campus. in Mexico, thousands of miles from her origins in Chorley. She worked alongside key members of Francesco Manacorda, Artistic Director at the movement, including Salvador Dali and Max Tate Liverpool, said: “We were thrilled to work Ernst, creating paintings, sculptures, poems, plays, so closely with Edge Hill University on this textiles and costumes based on the extraordinary exhibition. Roger’s input and insight was invaluable worlds of her imagination. and our collaboration with the University as a sponsor of the exhibition is a fantastic example The University also hosted a number of eclectic of the power of partnerships.” events to complement the exhibition and further The Giantess (The Guardian of the Egg) The Giantess (The Guardian explore the artistic possibilities presented by Later in the year, to tie in with Tate Liverpool’s Carrington’s work.