Celebrating the Silent Teacherscontact•February 12 1 Contents News
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The magazine of the University of Dundee • February 2012 www.dundee.ac.uk/pressoffice Celebrating the silent teacherscontact•february 12 1 contents news.................. ....03 from the principal... It’s probably a bit late in the year by the time you read this to wish you all a Happy New Year, but let me do so all the same. As those of you who read my blog will know, I’ve set myself three resolutions for 2012: to complete and implement a new strategy and vision for the University; to improve internal communication; and to agree criteria on which to base rewards for teaching excellence. The first is, of course, well underway, and there has been a lot of very in memoriam..........14 useful feedback which we are putting to good use in making revisions to our approach for the new strategy. The last will be one for Senate and its committees to debate through the course of the year, but I am determined to see it through and ensure we have a meaningful framework for recognising and rewarding excellence in learning and teaching. Before Christmas, the University received its indicative grant letter from the Scottish Funding Council. We don’t usually get confirmation of the funding for the next year until March, but in the past two years, given funding uncertainties, changes to funding mechanisms and the direction of the Scottish Government, the SFC has given us early indication of the level of funding we can expect for the following year. For 2012/13 the outcome looks better than the sector had anticipated, and the teaching funding reductions that we are experiencing this year are to be in effect reversed, particularly when one takes into account the potential additional funding that south georgia..........20 could be gained through the introduction of fees for students from the rest of the UK. This small amount of headroom should allow us to make the kinds of strategic investment that will underpin court news..............28 our emerging vision, particularly in the proven areas of excellence, focus and impact across the University, and it will also allow us to ensure we are well prepared for the Research Excellence Framework, which will be upon us sooner than we imagine. Early in January, the University held its annual Discovery Day lectures. As in previous years - although perhaps this year even more so - it was a fascinating and captivating programme of talks from across the University, setting out research breakthroughs and teaching innovations Graduation week visit for Dalia Lama of which we can rightly be proud. We learnt about facial reconstruction, space technology, the importance of serendipity in learning, fighting cancer, simulation in teaching, the love of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will deliver this year’s Margaret Harris “It is such an honour for the city and the University. Opportunities concrete, the importance of saliva, and a host of other subjects, all proving that Dundee really Lecture on Religion during a historic visit to Dundee in June. to hear from this much loved and respected leader in person are is a place of discovery, innovation and academic excellence. During the event we also presented very rare. He will bring a message of love and compassion that the inaugural Stephen Fry Award for Excellence in Public Engagement with Research. This award The Dalai Lama will visit the city as part of a tour of the UK on Friday, resonates with people of all faiths, and none, from the archives.....32 and the College awards that accompany it represent a further stage of the research journey that June 22nd as guest of the University and Dundee City Council. He I believe universities such as ours should be fully committed to:: making sure the wider society is will give his talk, entitled ‘Education of The Heart: a new world Professor Pete Downes, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the what’s on...............35 inspired by our achievements and can apply the fruits of our labours. As Stephen Fry noted in his order of compassion’, at Dundee’s Caird Hall that afternoon. University, said, “It will be an honour to welcoming His Holiness pre-recorded award introduction: ‘It’s never easy to enable the public to understand the direct The Dalai Lama to Dundee and truly a privilege to have him deliver He will also visit Edinburgh and Inverness during his visit to connection between what can often seem almost comically obscure research and the lives and next year’s Margaret Harris Lecture on Religion. credits Scotland between Thursday 21st and Sunday 24th June. futures of society and our world’. But this is precisely what we have to do if the public is to support Contact is published by the “His visit will enhance understanding of all faiths and cultures, and www.dundee.ac.uk/pressoffice the competitive funding of our universities into the future. The visit is the result of six years of work by Edinburgh Inter-Faith Press Office, External Relations. help promote relations between these different groups. Cultivating Association and the University Chaplain, Rev Dr Fiona Douglas to Contributions are welcome but As many of you will know by now the winner of the award was the team from the Centre for Anatomy love and compassion is central to the Dalai Lama’s teaching, and his cannot be guaranteed publication. bring The Dalia Lama to Scotland, and who are co-ordinating the visit. and Human Identification (CAHId), led by Professor Sue Black. In making the award the judges talk presents a rare opportunity for people in the city to hear from Advertising is also welcome. Printed by David Winter & Son Ltd. recognised the gamut of public engagement work being carried out in CAHId, not least its work with “I was speaking with the Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association six one of the world’s most influential spiritual leaders.” schools and its two BBC2 History Cold Case series. The judges also made a lifetime Achievement years ago when I mentioned how wonderful it would be to bring His Editor l Hilary McNally Dundee Lord Provost John Letford added, “It is a privilege for [email protected] award to Professor Charles McKean in recognition of his long and distinguished career promoting Holiness the Dalai Lama to Dundee to deliver the Margaret Harris Dundee to be visited by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. His spiritual t 01382 388878 l f 01382 385515 and supporting the architectural and environmental heritage of Dundee. Congratulations to all. lecture on religion. We sent an invitation and it grew from there. Design l Andrea Mason leadership and unstinting promotion of human values will be well Design • Print • Marketing “It nearly happened a few years ago but he wasn’t well and so the received in the city of discovery.” [email protected] visit didn’t take place. Then nine months ago Victor Spence from the Professor Peter Downes • Principal and Vice-Chancellor Tickets for the Caird Hall lecture sold out within hours of going on Scottish charity no: SC015096 Inter-Faith Association came back to me and said the Dalai Lama sale earlier this month. www.dundee.ac.uk/pressoffice For more news from the Principal read his blog at http://blog.dundee.ac.uk/principal wanted to honour the original invitation to come to Scotland and to Dundee. His wish was to go further north than just the central belt. 2 contact•february 12 contact•february 12 3 First Stephen Fry Award at Discovery Days The University’s inaugural “I continue to watch with a proud and fatherly eye Dundee’s Stephen Fry Award for reputation continue to grow at home and abroad.” Public Engagement in The work of Professor Black and her colleagues at CAHID was shown Research has been won by to millions of people through the BBC series ‘History Cold Case.’ Professor Sue Black and They are also extremely active in public engagement with schools her team in the Centre and community groups. for Anatomy and Human Identification. A total of 17 new professors appointed to the University in the past year took part in Discovery Days 2012, offering an insight into their Professor Black accepted particular area of expertise in presentations limited to 15 minutes. Tattoos, piercings and superidentity the award at this year’s Discovery Days sessions. An honorary award was also made to Professor Charles McKean for his work in bringing Designed as a showcase of research and ideas the two day event Scottish architectural history to the fore, including his extremely also highlighted the work of the University’s award-winning The Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification has made an Meanwhile CAHID researchers are contributing to a unique popular history walks around Dundee which have attracted around teaching staff. international appeal for people to send them images of their international project to look at the complex nature of identity, both 5000 people over the past decade. tattoos, piercings and other body modifications. in the real world and online. Image shows TQ(FE) The Stephen Fry award, which celebrates the sharing of world- team, winners of the The appeal is to help establish an image database of body The three-year research study, which will investigate ‘Super- class research carried out at the University with the wider public, 2010/11 Honorary modifications as part of an INTERPOL project which may aid in the Identity’, aims to tackle the issues associated with unreliable and was awarded for the first time as part of this year’s Discovery Days Graduates Award for identification of missing persons and unidentified bodies.