Issue 601 Reporter December 2016 Double success for Leeds academics Two Leeds academics have been awarded prestigious National Teaching Fellowships by the Higher Education Academy. Page 4 Paving the way for international partnerships Leeds academics attended the Tech Summit in India to highlight the University’s world- leading research. Page 9 New centre for engineering and physical sciences gets go-ahead Postgraduate researchers put on a show Plans to create an international centre for engineering and physical sciences were The work of the University’s outstanding postgraduate researchers was presented at this approved by the University Council. year’s Showcase Postgraduate Research Conference. Page 11 Page 3 02 Leader column Reporter 601 December 2016 Leader column Looking to the future – a joint statement from Sir Alan Langlands, Jack Palmer, Melissa Owusu, the University and Vice-Chancellor, Union Affairs Officer, Education Officer, Leeds University Union University of Leeds Leeds University Union Leeds University Union This has been a great year for the University. We have achieved notable success, progress and recognition. Some of the most significant achievements of students and staff and our determination to create a world-class environment for education and research are detailed in a new University publication – the The University broadly supports the TEF and Away from fees and costs, both the University Annual Review 2015-2016*. will use its influence to help ensure that it is and LUU are concerned that the Bill threatens the This provides an overview of major initiatives implemented carefully and that the methodology autonomy of universities. Specifically we believe including the establishment of our first China-UK is refined in light of experience. Our opposition to that the new regulator, the Office for Students joint school; a step-change in digital learning the link between the TEF and fee setting is firmly (OfS), should be an arms-length body that can provision; the launch of important new research on the record. Nonetheless, the Government speak truth to power, and not an organisation that facilities in structural biology, clinical imaging appears to be proceeding with this approach. slavishly implements the will of Ministers. and robotics. The Priestley International Centre At Leeds we have tried to implement the recent We are also concerned about the proposal that for Climate, the Cultural Institute and the Leeds TEF-linked £250 fee increase as fairly as possible the OfS “may assess, or make arrangements Institute of Teaching Excellence will also add by exempting current and deferring students; a for the assessment of…the standards applied lustre and academic rigour to the work of the step that LUU agrees was necessary in light of its to higher education.” It is reasonable that the University. Please take time to read the Review overall opposition to fees. OfS should have an interest in the process of and be proud of the depth and breadth of your determining standards but the assessment of More broadly, in recent years we have seen the achievements. standards should be a matter for autonomous financial burden for higher education increasingly universities. We hope that this concern will be It has also been an exceptional year politically; shift from the taxpayer on to graduates and tackled during the passage of the Bill in the the result of the EU Referendum, changes in their families. This represents a reduction in the House of Lords. political leadership in the UK and policy changes permanent investment which society makes in for higher education and research will result in future generations. Passage of the Government’s Finally, we want to see very careful consideration new challenges and new opportunities. Against Bill should not be read as setting the pattern of of the proposal to allow the OfS to award degree this background, it is more important than ever university funding for all time. awarding powers and university title to institutions that we continue to foster the strong Partnership and to close under-performing universities. We are very conscious of the financial pressures that exists between the University and Leeds Unless implemented very carefully, this could faced by students and we recognise that recent University Union (LUU). In a departure from the damage the lives and life chances of students changes – including the ill-advised shift from usual Leader Column, this edition is shared with and put the reputation of UK higher education at grants to loans – only serve to make these Jack Palmer and Melz Owusu through a joint serious risk. statement on higher education reform. pressures more acute. We also recognise that the available loans cannot fully cover the cost The University and LUU have a strong record of “The University of Leeds is proud of ‘The of study, creating challenges for students from working together to deliver an excellent student Partnership’ which was developed by students families less able to contribute. education and experience. This applies to all and staff some time ago to describe the mutual home and EU students and to international This puts an even greater onus on the University expectations of us all as members of the students from about 150 countries around the to provide students with the best possible University community. world and ensures a vibrant, outward looking educational experience and the best possible campus. We therefore ask the Home Secretary It is in this spirit that the University and Leeds opportunities for personal development and to abandon plans to reduce the number of University Union (LUU) have been considering growth. We are committed to preparing genuinely international students coming to study in the UK. the Government’s Higher Education and independent, critical thinkers who can make a Research Bill, particularly in relation to the new real and telling contribution to the world around ‘The Partnership’ between the University and LUU Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and its them. is sector leading and, although we do not agree link to student fees. Our shared position is set out with a number of the recent policy and funding These growing financial pressures also highlight below. changes, we will continue to work closely together why we must continue to invest in supporting to protect students’ access to, and experience of, The Government’s reforms aim to give student access for students from disadvantaged higher education.” education parity with research and, putting aside backgrounds - we will spend nearly £18 million the detail of implementation, this is a principle on this in 2016-17 – and why we must do what We also join together to thank ALL students which both the University and LUU support. we can to drive down additional costs. We are and staff for the part they play in the continued Indeed it is a cornerstone of the Leeds approach taking steps on the latter, such as investing to success of the University and we hope that and is reflected in recent successes, including reduce sports club membership fees, and the everyone will have an opportunity to relax with our National Student Survey (NSS) results and University and LUU will work together to explore friends and family over the holiday period. the Times and Sunday Times University of the what more can be done here. Year award for 2017. *Copies are available to download from www.leeds.ac.uk/forstaff December 2016 Reporter 601 News 03 News Contents News Postgraduate Page 3 Research and innovation researchers Page 5 Jane Blackwell, Postgraduate Marta Giannichi, winner of Students Researcher of the Year the Three Minute Thesis put on a show Page 7 The work of the University’s outstanding postgraduate researchers (PGRs) People was presented at this year’s Showcase Postgraduate Research Conference, an Page 8 annual celebration of the immensely valuable contribution made by the PGR community to the University. News Page 9 Applications were up on the previous year with make for a vibrant campus and community. more than 130 entries received across the four There’s a complete lack of inhibition amongst International categories of Postgraduate Researcher of the these students about working across disciplinary Year, Three Minute Thesis, Research poster and boundaries. Rather than patrol the boundaries, Page 9 Research image. today’s postgraduate researchers realise it is much more exciting to explore areas where Campus Presenting the prizes, Sir Alan Langlands, said: disciplines intersect.” “Postgraduate researchers are the lifeblood of Page 11 the University, and the growing numbers of them To find out more visitwww.leeds.ac.uk/forstaff In the news Page 12 Postgraduate Researcher of the Year Three Minute Thesis 1 Jane Blackwell (Medicine and Health 1 Marta Giannichi (Environment), Honours – M&H), The Paediatric Narcolepsy Merchantable Forest: solution or Project conservation fallacy? Page 13 2 Devesh Mistry (Mathematics and 2 Michellie Young (M&H), Physical Sciences), Novel liquid crystal Scratching the surface of Public engagement optical devices for the ageing eye contagious itch Page 14 3 Andrew Moore (Arts, Humanities 3 (Joint) Adam Churchman and Cultures – AHC), Touching (Engineering), Oil layer inside Events Documentaries microbubbles: a novel production method, towards hydrophobic drug Page 15 delivery FAQs Research poster Sanah Mehnaz (AHC), The honour of Muslim women Page 16 1 Pooja Shah (M&H), Ischemic heart disease: a multicultural model 2 Maria Hayley (AHC), Reconstructing revenge: Thyestes tragedies before Research image About the Reporter Seneca 1 Emily James (Engineering), 3 Faye Bennett (M&H), Forget me not: Water Faberge The Reporter is the University’s staff do medical students want to know more 2 Ben Vincent (Education, Social magazine and goes out to 7,600 about the lives of body donors? Sciences and Law), Ash’s map colleagues. It is produced by the Internal Communications team. People’s choice – Polly Galis (AHC), of their non-binary body French Feminist Erotica If you have an idea for a story or want to comment on this issue please contact us at [email protected] or 0113 343 6699.