University of Westminster Research and Innovation
westminster.ac.uk/impact 1 Contents
Welcome...... 2 Allied Health Professions...... 4 Psychology and Neuroscience...... 10 Area Studies...... 14 Modern Languages...... 18 English Language and Literature...... 22 History...... 28 Art and design...... 32 Communication, Culture and Media Studies...... 38 Computer Science and Informatics...... 44 Architecture and the Built Environment...... 50 Geography and Environmental Studies...... 56 Business and management studies...... 60 Law...... 66 Politics and International Relations...... 72 Education...... 78
westminster.ac.uk/impact 1 Welcome
The University of Westminster was founded 175 years ago by Sir George Cayley as The Polytechnic Institution – becoming The Royal Polytechnic Institution from 1840 to 1891 – to promote innovation in science and the arts, and to support the development of a new generation of ‘professional scientists’. Throughout our history and manifestations as Regent Street Polytechnic and then the Polytechnic of Central London, the institution has advanced its agenda for innovation through interdisciplinarity, its interface with the world of practice and its internationalism. Today, we continue to celebrate our research that makes a real difference to people’s lives in London and across the globe.
Professor Geoffrey E. Petts Vice-Chancellor
2 westminster.ac.uk/impact Here at Westminster we Architecture and the Built are proud of our reputation Environment, as well as Law, in applied research with a Life, Health and Environmental professional focus and global Sciences, Computer Science impact. We have a rich and and Informatics and Business diverse profile of activity across and Management. We also a broad range of subjects, and have centres of excellence in as highly as we value pure Asian Studies, English Literature, academic research, we are French, Psychology, Politics and equally committed to ensuring International Relations. that our knowledge delivers real-world benefits through As a University we are knowledge transfer and committed and determined to applied research. play a significant part in shaping and creating our future. If you In this brochure we have feel that you want to make a arranged our research and difference too and would like to innovation themes into the work with us, then please get in areas of impact that focus on touch. I look forward to hearing key issues that affect us all; from you. this helps to keep our research focused and relevant to the changing world. By doing so, Professor G.M. Megson we can make a real difference Pro Vice-Chancellor to society. We have proven (Research and Knowledge strengths in Communication and Exchange) Media Studies, Art and Design,
westminster.ac.uk/impact 3 4 westminster.ac.uk/impact Allied Health Professions
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 5 Incorporating complementary therapies in the NHS
For over 25 years, Professor David Peters has pioneered the use of complementary therapies in the NHS. Health centres countrywide have employed the collaborative model he developed with the team at Marylebone Health Centre (MHC) in the 80s and 90s. The growth of interest in the use of complementary therapies, notably osteopathy and acupuncture, for NHS musculoskeletal services is in part the legacy of his work. The model pioneered at Peters co-authored and edited Marylebone Health Centre the pivotal workbook Integrating “As GPs we had a had national impact when Complementary Therapies in problem coping with management of funds transferred Primary Care. Published in patient demand for help to GPs in 1991. Subsequently, 2002, it earned praise even with musculoskeletal when Primary Care Trusts from those with reservations pain – low back in (PCTs) took over responsibility about complementary therapies particular of course. in the late 90s, NHS access to in mainstream healthcare. Cooperation with the acupuncture and osteopathy In the light of his leadership University Westminster became available PCT-wide in in complementary therapies helped us solve it.” as many as 60 per cent of PCTs service development, Peters Dr Susan Rankine, in some regions of England. has been invited to speak London Victoria GP at many high profile events, The Marylebone model has including giving evidence to been used by the House of the House of Commons Health FACULTY OF Science Lords Science and Technology Select Committee. and Technology subcommittee as a key case study. In 2001, the Royal College of General Practitioners included osteopathy in their guidelines and the increasing popularity of complementary therapies led the Department of Health and the Kings Fund to support Peters’ team to produce clinical governance guidelines for complementary therapies in the NHS.
6 westminster.ac.uk/impact Recovering from mental health problems
Recovery from depression has been described as “building a meaningful and satisfying life, as defined by the person themselves, whether or not there are ongoing or recurring symptoms or problems” (Shepherd, Boardman et al. 2008). Although recovery from mental health problems has been talked about for decades (and implemented by authorities such as the NHS), less attention has been paid to outlining what this means in practice. A leader in the field, Professor like re-establishing control and a Damien Ridge, has published sense of responsibility to others. “…makes a significant various well-cited papers on impact in respect the subject and a book for Ridge advocates a hitherto of establishing the practitioners. His work has neglected form of working with therapeutic potential moved the field on from rhetoric the treatment of depression, of narrative… a time and explains what that practice that the patient narrative itself when health care might entail for patients. is an important form of working practitioners are with depression/treatment obliged to reconsider Ridge’s work shows that that was hitherto neglected. their practices in recovery involves telling a Ridge is now applying these the context of better and less detrimental narrative and recovery concepts models advocating story about oneself, embracing more widely, and has been recovery, [Ridge] a ‘recovery’ attitude, using funded to investigate the role of provides significant ‘recovery tools’ such as meditation in men’s distress, how signpost as to what counselling, and allowing space to alleviate distress in men in that practice might to develop insights, showing primary care, and understanding entail… balanced and that it is possible to have this the role of Western herbal considered.” attitude even during the depths medicine consultations in Roddy McKenzie, of depression. Ridge has also women’s distress. NHS Highland, Scottish revealed that ‘coming out’ for Journal of Healthcare those with depression (and as Chaplaincy part of recovery) shares the language and tasks that sexual minorities identify with, like FACULTY OF Science feeling different as a child and and Technology wondering about how much to tell others. Specifically, men’s recovery frequently involved an assertion of their masculinity,
westminster.ac.uk/impact 7 Re-invigorating Chinese Medicine as a living tradition
Prior to Professor Volker Scheid’s arrival in Shanghai, the Menghe medical current – a style of Chinese medicine developed in the early 17th century – had declined, apart from a small amount of local activity. His interest, collaboration with local historians and physicians, and subsequently his research, have helped stimulate resurgence in the practice.
Scheid’s research provided a Further impacts of Professor crucial spark for revitalising the Scheid’s work are evident in “A superb study that Menghe medical current, both in several recent scholarly studies speaks both to medical China and abroad, building on on the Menghe current. Inspired historians and fieldwork carried out in China in directly by Scheid’s own anthropologists, and the mid-late 1990s, firstly while research, and internationally, to the increasingly studying for a PhD, and then Chinese medicine practitioners globalised during postdoctoral research, now recognise Menghe communities of followed by ongoing research as medicine as an important contemporary a postdoctoral research fellow, tradition and as such, it helps practitioners of reader and professor here at shape the identity of individual Chinese medicine.” University of Westminster from physicians and the wider Charlotte Furth, 2004 to the present. medical tradition. Professor of Chinese History, University of Impacts of Professor Scheid’s Volker Scheid’s book Currents of Southern California, on research are visible in various Tradition in Chinese Medicine Currents of Tradition in forms: the establishment of the 1626 – 2006 appears in the Chinese Medicine 1626-2006 Changzhou Menghe Current Menghe current museum at the Development Association, which Chinese medical hospital in publishes a regular newsletter Changzhou city and also at the FACULTY OF Science documenting the history of the Menghe memorial park and and Technology practice, organises meetings buildings, demonstrating the and conferences and has scholarly exchange and living become instrumental in bringing tradition he has helped preserve. history alive in the Chengzhou region; homes belonging to two major families belonging to the Menghe current have been rebuilt and renovated, helping to reclaim aspects of family history that had been forgotten.
8 westminster.ac.uk/impact westminster.ac.uk/impact 9
Psychology and Neuroscience
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 11 Online dating romance scam project
Professor Tom Buchanan from the University of Westminster, in collaboration with Leicester University, has produced the first significant academic work on a serious individual fraud known as the online dating romance scam. International organised criminal gangs target users of dating websites by creating fake profiles; they then establish trust with victims in order to extort large sums of money.
The police class it as a serious the way victims are treated by crime, but there has been police and the legal system. “What I really value surprisingly little research in about this research the area. The results have attracted is that by working considerable media coverage with partners outside Initial work by the team showed and stimulated public debate. academia – especially that many more people than Practitioners like the police in law enforcement previously believed may have have directly benefitted from the – we’ve been able to been victims. A second study project’s findings on prevalence do work that can explored psychological and rates, the characteristics of victims actually help crime demographic risk factors. It also and how they were affected victims and inform found that there were often very by the scam, and the criminal police practice. significant emotional effects processes involved. Now in its Collaboration on victims, in addition to any second phase and with a further has been vital in financial loss. Further research grant from the Economic and achieving that.” involving victim interviews Social Research Council, the Professor Tom Buchanan, confirmed this, and revealed project team is working with Department of Psychology, that subjects were vulnerable partners to apply the findings in University of Westminster to repeat or follow-up scams. practical settings such as police The team also examined the practice and training. persuasive techniques employed FACULTY OF Science by criminals to con their victims. and Technology
Previously, most law enforcement bodies have lacked information on the scam’s processes, victim characteristics and experiences. The findings around emotional effects have demonstrated a need for, and have led to, changes in
12 westminster.ac.uk/impact Motion sickness, clinical vestibular diseases and vertigo
Motion sickness can occur in almost anyone, with about 10 per cent of the population highly susceptible. In extreme motion environments, such as agile military aircraft, motion sickness can affect even the normally insusceptible person. The symptoms of vestibular disease (problems with the inner ear) are very similar. Increasing with age, it is experienced by about 10-20 per cent of the population at some point in their lives. It is important to identify those College where Golding is most susceptible, so they can Visiting Professor. “I have been out on receive suitable treatments, or our lifeboat this in extreme cases, be advised Desensitization training was morning, and on an against taking up certain improved for patients with vertigo exercise that would professions. University of and related disorders, based on normally leave me Westminster’s John Golding the results from motion sickness feeling at the very least developed the Motion Sickness experiments. Progressive and nauseous, instead of Susceptibility Questionnaire mild exposure to physical and getting to stage 3 (MSSQ) after finding those that visual stimuli, together with or stage 4 (extremely existed were deficient in many breathing exercises, was found motion sick), I barely ways. Its success as a predictor to offer an efficient route to got to stage 2. Thank of motion sickness was validated desensitization. This research was you for your help.” by using both laboratory motion accomplished in collaboration Robert – Lifeboat-man, simulators and actual exposure with Imperial College. given desensitisation in parabolic Zero-G flights. training by John Golding Golding’s impact has been Golding’s research assessed widespread, influencing the various existing treatments guidelines and training FACULTY OF Science for motion sickness for their methods, with practitioners and and Technology efficiency. It established the best professionals using his research choice of particular anti-motion findings in conducting their own sickness drugs for specific work, and has improved patient situations. The research was outcomes. In partnership with initially conducted with the Imperial College, Golding’s Royal Navy and RAF and more research is now focused on recently in collaboration with Meniere’s disease and the various European universities, current inefficient treatments that the European Space Agency, can lead to inner ear damage. the US Military, and with the Medical School at Imperial
westminster.ac.uk/impact 13 14 westminster.ac.uk/impact Area Studies
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 15 Gender, sexuality and social change in China
The work on gender in China has been disseminated through diverse outlets including the BBC and other radio broadcasts; TV interviews; blog postings; YouTube; workshops and meetings with NGO and commercial personnel; activist networks; and consultancy with human rights organisations and legal firms.
In Chinese translation, Harriet • his work with the Ford Evans’ work has reached diverse Foundation (Beijing) in “During the past few audiences in China, evidenced sponsoring activist work weeks the team has by a dialogue with Li Yinhe, on sexual rights in China worked on a creative one of China’s leading feminist (2011-2012) direction and idea activists. It has been filmed • and with Ogilvy and Mather that was initiated at CASS and distributed on (Shanghai), where he spent and stimulated by YouTube, and in reports and a week conducting the workshop and reviews of her work in popular gender-training workshops wider discussions outlets in Hong Kong and China. (November 2011). during those two days. It appears that Evans’ work has influenced the Hird and Evans have also held the topic, the agenda, ideas and work of significant a highly successful gender the breadth and members of the provincial and training workshop, as the first depth chosen for the Beijing branches of the All of a series of workshops, with China Women’s Federation, and workshop has been UK-based NGOs working in ideal for us and we activists working on women’s China (June 2011). and gender rights. Her work with would be looking international and Chinese NGOs forward to any similar The impact of these activities has working on gender issues in law, initiative if planned in been to: family, health (including HIV/ the future.” • change attitudes about the AIDS) and reproduction, led to significance of gender Simon Usifo, an invitation to join the UK-based Account Director, China Rights Practice as trustee. in social and political campaign work OgilvyOne Worldwide, Beijing Despite his status as an early • open up debate in China career researcher, Derek about gender identities in Hird’s work has already had same-sex and heterosexual FACULTY OF Social Sciences a significant impact in non- contexts academic circles, through his • explore new avenues for and Humanities contribution to: advertising campaigns, • founding the Queer Chinese specifically with Ogilvy and Working Group (2011) Mather’s Volkswagen Team.
16 westminster.ac.uk/impact Visual culture, history and memory of Mao’s China
Harriet Evans’ research on Cultural Revolution (1966 – 1976) posters departs from standard treatment of them as transparent ‘propaganda’ and argues that they were complex and often ambiguous visual components of a revolutionary discourse. In her view, they are a rich resource for thinking about China’s recent history, and for opening up critical reflection about the links between China’s recent past and her global importance today.
In this research, Evans engages newspaper and media reports with a range of non-academic and reviews of the exhibition “Posters like these offer audiences including curators, referred to its significance as many innovative and journalists, film-makers, art a site for the discussion of interesting possibilities practitioners and the general migrants’ experiences of the for thinking outside public. She has given numerous Cultural Revolution. ‘Poster the box about the public talks and lectures about Power: Images of Mao’s links to China’s recent the University of Westminster’s China, Then and Now’, past and its global Chinese Poster Collection, and curated by Evans at the Regent importance today.“ has worked with a number of Street Gallery, University of Harriet Evans, primary and secondary schools Westminster, May – July 2011, Faculty of Social to develop Westminster’s was visited by more than 4,500 Sciences and Humanities, collection as a resource for people. In correspondence, University of Westminster the teaching of modern and conversations, media reports, contemporary China. She is and guided workshops in the currently working with a group gallery space, many visitors FACULTY OF Social Sciences of pupils of a Camden primary testified to the challenging and Humanities school to use poster images as questions the exhibition the ‘lead-in’ for an interactive gave rise to about standard online project on China. interpretations of China’s social and cultural transformation. Blog The exhibition co-curated by reviews of the exhibition posted Evans, together with Stephanie on the innovative blog China Hemeleryk Donald, on ‘China Beat are further evidence of the and Revolution, History, Parody exhibition’s challenging appeal. and Memory in Contemporary Art’, held in the University Gallery, Sydney, and then at RMIT, Melbourne, January – March 2011 was visited by 14,000 people. Over 30
westminster.ac.uk/impact 17 18 westminster.ac.uk/impact Modern langUAges
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 19 Museums, Galleries and the International Visitor Experience
Initial research was conducted during an AHRC-funded research workshop series (June-December 2007). One original feature was that fieldwork and native language focus groups were conducted in France, Spain, Germany, Russia, the Arab Gulf States and Hong Kong.
All the participating museums The major beneficiaries were and galleries recognised the museums and galleries involved “Following sector’s need for information to in the workshop series, and participation in this be available in languages other their international visitors. The Workshop Series, than English. However, there National Gallery in particular the National Gallery was open acknowledgement that implemented changes to a identified excellent it remained variable in quality range of information areas, quality, culturally and quantity. Furthermore, some despite the fact that preliminary aware information museums and galleries believe research showed that the quality for our large numbers they have developed a global of its information guides for of international brand which obviates the need international visitors already visitors as a priority for different types of information exceeded that of other leading area for development for international visitors. UK museums and galleries. in the increasingly competitive global The project team developed a After taking part in the workshop cultural tourism new model of effective high- series, the National Gallery market. We learned a quality, culturally-informed, considered that the research lot and implemented a audience-targeted information allowed it to provide culturally- number of changes to – Communication for Intercultural specific resources to suit all our language policy.” Navigation (CIN) – which its visitors; to facilitate the Elena Lagoudi, informs the process of producing preparation of visits and to (former) Head of high-value information for encourage more meaningful on- Information, National use by linguistic/intercultural site engagement with collections. Gallery, London specialists in discussion with the needs of a particular museum or gallery, and meeting cultural FACULTY OF Social Sciences and linguistic expectations of and Humanities international visitors.
20 westminster.ac.uk/impact The London French: Liberty, Equality, Opportunity ransport for L ondon imes M agazine’ © T f L Reproduced by kind permission of T and ‘ T he S unday
Kelly’s work addresses the many ways in which the French presence has contributed to the life of the British capital – from the late 17th to the early 21st centuries − with particular attention to the reciprocal exchanges between people and place. It examines the varied exchanges that characterise the relationship between French ‘exile’, ‘migrant’, ‘visitor’, and focuses on establishing new historical and contemporary evidence. The research was conceived The potential of the initial research and directed by Kelly from findings was identified by the “An especially exciting 2010 to 2013 and has three project launch at the French aspect for me, is the main components: Institute in 2010. This public way this work gives • British Academy-funded event brought together invited historical dimensions workshop/public event series representatives of the French to contemporary lives” (2011 – 2013) population in London together Debra Kelly, • the resulting multi-authored with other members of the London Faculty of Social Sciences book (Institute of Historical French community. It led directly And Humanities, University Research Publications, 2013) to a six-part series on French of Westminster • the ‘London French’ Special Radio London about the Collection digital archive contemporary French in London for the UK Web Archive and several media interviews. FACULTY OF Social Sciences Project (supported by the There was also support for the and Humanities British Library). research from the French Embassy and Consulate which readily The workshop series facilitated admits to gaps in data and the collaborative multi-authored knowledge concerning the current book and a public dissemination London French population. event at the University of Westminster (July 2013). The work is also of interest for: business/professional The research is interdisciplinary associations; cultural institutions; and takes an interpretive government departments dealing approach in the search for with urban migration and social understanding and meaning inclusion; public engagement in the representations of the with the city; debates on French in London and in their immigration; on-going political motives, experiences, practices debate in France around French and contributions. national identity and countering France’s current brain-drain.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 21 22 westminster.ac.uk/impact English Language and Literature
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 23 China in Britain: Myths and Realities
Interest in China has dramatically increased since its emergence as a dominant global economy over the last two decades. The British-Chinese community is the fastest growing non-European ethnic group in Britain, but long-established stereotypes of China and the Chinese are surprisingly widespread and perpetuated by the media.
Dr Witchard’s research has fascinating reminder of how traced the history of these attitudes and prejudices needed “A beautifully written clichéd or sinophobic (anti- to change.” book that combines Chinese) representations and literary biography their effects on our multicultural Witchard’s translating cultures with a remarkably society, which is still structured network research project, China succinct account by racialised inequalities and in Britain: Myths and Realities, of British modernism, orientalist stereotypes. It has had has been selected by the Arts & as viewed through an impact on representations Humanities Research Council as Chinese eyes. Anne of China and the Chinese in a case study in “beginning to Witchard reminds us the media, generating numerous help us understand some of the eloquently of the key benefits including better key challenges facing the UK role played by Chinese public understanding of the in its ever-changing interactions influences in literary Chinese community and its with other countries and modernism … a great history in Britain. cultures” commenting on British- contribution to our China issues for the BBC, Hong understanding of Lao Witchard’s first book Thomas Kong’s RTHK, Radio 3 Hong She’s London years.” Burke’s Dark Chinoiserie: Kong and the Asia Society’s Julia Lovell, Limehouse Nights and the ChinaFile channel. Her work Birkbeck College, Queer Spell of Chinatown has informed stage, TV and University of London (2009) examines the notoriety of film productions on historical Chinatown in turn-of-the-century representation of the Chinese. London spread by popular She has been invited to speak FACULTY OF social sciences contemporary literature and at literary festivals and related and humanities film. Her second book Lao She academic conferences in the UK, in London (2012), examining USA, Hong Kong and China. Beijing writer Lao She’s time in 1920s London, has been described by the curator of Chinese Collections at the British Library, Frances Wood, as “a
24 westminster.ac.uk/impact Representing Urban Cultures
How we conceive and interpret our modern urban culture is a subject of widespread public interest to which researchers from the Department of English, Linguistics and Cultural Studies have made substantial interdisciplinary contributions, including creative non-fiction writing.
Research in this field has helped Rachel Lichtenstein’s work takes deepen public understanding the form of non-fiction creative “For Lichtenstein, of, and engagement with, the writing, alongside oral history the past animates the aesthetic and political issues and contributions to the visual present. This is not surrounding representations of arts, focused on London. It is just an intellectual historical and contemporary specifically intended to bring to exercise, but a deeply city cultures. life the memories and realities felt reality for her of particular communities. A ... Although she is Dr David Cunningham’s work sense of place is central to her well aware that the is inherently cross-disciplinary practice, meaning that cultural neighbourhood and provides benefits for impact and benefit are fully has become a both specialist architectural integrated into her research mythologised and urbanist practice and from the outset, working landscape ... she is thinking, and has informed with and within the specific concerned not only the work of activist groups. neighbourhoods she depicts. to record the past, Focused on the relationship Interviewed by major British but to preserve a way between the development of media, with a number of film of life.” capitalism and urban forms, credits to her name (contributing Jo Glanville, Cunningham communicates the to tourism in specific areas), and New Statesman often philosophically complex with exhibitions across London, insights of his research beyond including at the Tate Modern, an academic audience, Lichtenstein is committed to FACULTY OF social sciences something apparent in public directly enhancing public and humanities talks at galleries and museums understanding and engagement. including the Royal Academy, In 2008 she was shortlisted for London, Círculo de Bellas Artes the Royal Society of Literature’s in Madrid, and Hordaland Art Ondaatje Prize. Centre in Norway, as well as contribution to other media such as BBC Radio 4.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 25 Modes of learning
Dr Patricia Ashby’s research is largely responsible for the University of Westminster’s esteemed reputation in the teaching of phonetics – the study and classification of speech sounds. Her pioneering of Applied Field Notebooks (AFN) and implementation of the Flipped Classroom (FC) has led to lecture invites and keynote addresses around the world.
Ashby developed an innovative knowledge and more confidence form of assessment, AFN, where and enthusiasm for the subject “… Patricia’s students revisit an utterance (Ashby, 2011). development of (a small unit of speech) on a student-centred, weekly basis to show evidence Ashby’s innovative and enquiry-based of the concepts learned in class. highly original work in the learning-through- Students write up their findings teaching of phonetics has been assessment strategies in more and more detail as acknowledged not only by has demonstrably they accumulate knowledge, so international recognition of her enhanced success. they eventually end up with a ideas but with various awards, Her fieldwork-based full description of the utterance including a National Teaching techniques have (Ashby, 2007). This method Fellowship from the Higher spread beyond her has been incorporated as an Education Academy. own courses to approach by other university, other disciplines and language and linguistics countries – from departments in the UK and foreign languages to abroad and also in many English literature and secondary schools. speech science.” Professor Jeanine The FC approach to teaching Treffers-Daller, involves delivery of a lecture Director of the Centre online, leaving the time for Literacy and originally set aside for the Multilingualism, lecture for a practical approach University of Reading to what has been learned, for discussion, one-to-one assistance and peer-assisted study. On FACULTY OF Social Sciences evaluation of this idea it was and Humanities found that students experienced an enhanced depth of
26 westminster.ac.uk/impact westminster.ac.uk/impact 27 28 westminster.ac.uk/impact History
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 29 A synthesis of social, urban and town planning history
Dr Mark Clapson’s research is unique in combining social history with that of urban history and town planning research, bringing together general and specific ideas, global, national and local views, emphasising the contribution of housing and town planning to rising living standards and their relationship with growing levels of choice due to financial prosperity.
Questioning media myths about The significance of Clapson’s the suburbs and new town impact, both nationally and “Clapson is a respected environments, Clapson shows internationally, can be seen historian of planning. that although unfashionable through invitations to speak He painstakingly in professional and academic for public and professional records every step circles, they are genuinely audiences, references in official in Milton Keynes’s popular with most of the reports, The Independent and growth, from a population. His research reveals by journalists who write for The cluster of academic that new towns have been Times and The Economist. He ideas to a city of places of integration as much has been chairperson of the 209,000 people which as segregation; that rather than International Planning History John Prescott plans to subjects of suburban neurosis or Society and editor of Planning expand yet further.” ‘new town blues’, since 1945, Perspectives, the international Paul Barker, new towns have been areas peer-reviewed Journal of History, review of A Social of community formation and Planning and the Environment. History of Milton Keynes, effective alternatives to ‘urbanist’ He was also invited to write a The Independent conceptions of city life. comprehensive introduction for the republished The Plan For Clapson has argued that the Milton Keynes (Routledge), to be FACULTY OF social sciences new city of Milton Keynes released later in 2013. and humanities reveals the nature of social and urban change in late 20th- century Britain, an approach that has informed publications by Milton Keynes Council and the Department of Communities and Local Government.
30 westminster.ac.uk/impact The response of navies to operational and political needs
Professor Richard Harding is considered a leading organisational and naval historian. His research is focused on how navies have responded to changing operational and political needs. Acknowledged within the naval circles as having produced ground-breaking work on amphibious warfare, he has also been noted as almost single-handedly rewriting the naval history of the mid-eighteenth century.
Harding’s work is both national The development of naval and international, the impacts leadership is the subject of “… we have consulted of which were made clear in his Professor Harding’s current a wide range of role as Chairman of the Society research for which he has sources – none, for Nautical Research, as trustee co-edited a volume on naval though, more useful of the Royal Naval Museum leadership 1650 – 1950. The than the volume you where he was subsequently research is moving into a new edited in 2008: A Great appointed to the management phase of a longitudinal study of and Glorious Victory: board, as it evolved into the a cohort of officers who entered New Perspectives National Museum of the Royal the Royal Navy in 1965 in order on the Battle of Navy. Here Harding worked to explore how leadership and Trafalgar… (it) has been on the curatorial committee, followership developed in a of great assistance in ensuring that the history of the period of major organisational our work.” Royal Navy was presented to and social change. James Davey, as wide a public as possible. Curator of Naval History, As Chairman, he led the National Maritime Museum Centenary Events of the Society across the UK, which aimed to widen the audience FACULTY OF social sciences and public understanding of and humanities maritime history.
Professor Harding has been asked to contribute to the development of a new gallery at the National Maritime Museum where his influence upon an exhibit, upcoming in October 2013, on the Battle of Trafalgar has been pivotal.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 31 32 westminster.ac.uk/impact Art and Design
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 33 Genocide and Genre
The scale of the Indonesian government’s genocide of up to 1.5 million people during the political violence of 1965 – 1966 has been revealed in the public domain for the first time. The Genocide and Genre film research project, run by Joshua Oppenheimer and Joram Ten Brink, has broken political, social and cultural taboos in Indonesia. Its artistic and commercial success has attracted significant attention from the international media, film industry, and political and cultural commentators. In collaboration with key are constant requests for more. Indonesian human rights groups, The most important to date was “I have not seen a historians, victim support, art the first screening for journalists film as powerful institutions and journalists, the which led to a special edition and surreal and team developed material to of the Indonesian leading news frightening like this open the door for reconciliation magazine, Tempo, in which in at least a decade.” and resolution, greater the events of 1965 – 66 were Werner Herzog, government accountability and reported for the first time; the film director freedom of expression. Indonesian National Human Rights Commission has since The film ‘The Act of Killing’ declared the ‘communist’ purge FACULTY OF media, arts made public both perpetrators’ in 1965 – 66 a crime against and design and victims’ narratives. No humanity. It also resulted in a perpetrators have ever been documentary ‘Indonesian brought to justice and this part Killing Fields’ produced by of Indonesian history was Al Jazeera Asia TV for the ‘erased’ from public life. It Indonesian market. has initiated and increased the effectiveness of Indonesian The first Indonesian TV report government accountability and about the film was aired from the deepened public understanding, Berlin Film Festival in February achieving a major stage en 2013; the first time that the route to an open discussion of events were critically discussed Indonesia’s history. on public TV.
Over 500 screenings of the film in 93 Indonesian cities took place in the last year. Authorities have cancelled some screenings and blocked websites connected to the film, but there
34 westminster.ac.uk/impact Reframing Ceramic Practice onders 2010 aal, S igns and W E dmund de W
The Ceramics Research Centre-UK (CRC-UK) has pioneered new approaches within contemporary ceramic practice and the field of museology, concentrating on installation and intervention, new approaches to curatorial practice, the interpretation and animation of historical collections and audience engagement.
Two exhibitions by CRC-UK museum culture, members of members, Edmund de Waal’s the public were invited to take “The University ‘Modern Home’ (1999) and home the 3,000 Jasperware of Westminster’s Christie Brown’s installation bluebirds displayed throughout Ceramic Research ‘Fragments of Narrative’ (2000) the Cast Court. Centre has proved led the way in shifting the to be a powerhouse perception of ceramics and In 2010, to commemorate the of research and expanding its potential as an refurbishment of its ceramic dissemination. It is art practice. galleries, the V&A commissioned remarkable that so ‘Signs and Wonders’ by many of the most In 2004 de Waal was advisor Edmund de Waal, a permanent significant outputs in and exhibitor in the ground- 425-piece exhibit made in the field of ceramics breaking exhibition ‘A Secret response to the collection, of the last decade or History of Clay’ at Tate Liverpool, described by the museum as so can be linked back inspired by his acclaimed book “the largest commission of its to CRC-UK.” 20th Century Ceramics. The type in recent years”. Alun Graves, exhibition made an important Head of Ceramics contribution to the public profile The CRC-UK has also helped and Glass, Victoria & of ceramics, giving the discipline establish ceramic art as a Albert Museum a new historical context. major discipline within national exhibition programmes. At In 2006 Clare Twomey, the internationally acclaimed FACULTY OF media, arts whose innovative installation Middlesbrough Institute of and design ‘Conscience/Consciousness’ Modern Art, three recent ceramic had also featured in the Tate exhibitions have featured exhibition, created the interactive CRC-UK artwork. The newest installation ‘Trophy’ for the member, Julian Stair, continues Victoria and Albert Museum, in these developments in ceramic partnership with Wedgwood. installation with his challenging In an unprecedented act of ‘Quietus: The Vessel, Death and audience engagement with the Human Body’ (2012).
westminster.ac.uk/impact 35 Adapting stage productions for the screen Patrick S tewart in Macbeth , 2010, courtesy I lluminations/W NET 13
John Wyver’s research which takes the form of ambitious productions, made with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the BBC, American public and NHK, Japan, moved beyond the conventional form of ‘capturing’ live performance by camera in a theatre. Instead each staging was transplanted to a distinctive real world location and re-worked for a single camera and a cinematic screen language.
The screen versions retained download-to-own, and are also many of the essential qualities available on DVD and Blu-ray. “On Boxing Day, BBC2 and values of the original screens an adaptation staging. Each production was These films revived the long- of David Tennant’s critically praised and each was established but largely declining Hamlet, which should recognised as advancing the form of television adaptations settle for some imaginative possibilities for of classic theatre stagings, time the debate over stage productions on screen. and specifically versions for whether it’s possible to contemporary audiences of transfer theatre to TV.” Television productions co- Shakespeare plays. They Mark Lawson, produced by Wyver include explore in practical, pragmatic The Guardian, Hamlet (2009), Macbeth (2010) and high-profile ways how best 17 December 2009 and Julius Caesar (2012), each to take successful theatrical of which was seen on television, productions and make them on DVD and online by significant available on screen to broad- FACULTY OF media, arts audience numbers, in Britain demographic audiences. and design and internationally. Engagement has been Hamlet and Macbeth attracted extensively documented online, extensive journalistic and and in essays, as well as the online discussion. The films ongoing work of the ‘Screen demonstrated an engagement Plays: Theatre Plays on British with questions of creative Television’ project. adaptation outside of academia. Achieving large audiences at Since their initial transmissions, their initial screenings, each the films have become valuable of the films has subsequently educational resources for the been screened by broadcasters teaching of Shakespeare, and around the world. They are for the exploration of adaptations available for streaming and from stage to screen.
36 westminster.ac.uk/impact westminster.ac.uk/impact 37 38 westminster.ac.uk/impact Communication, Culture and Media Studies
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 39 Online platforms and creative users
Based in the Communications and Media Research Institute (rated as the leading media and communication research centre in the UK, RAE 2008) at the University of Westminster, this research concerns the value of digital platforms for fostering creativity. This work enables citizens to contribute to culture, while helping businesses to offer something of value to their customers.
Professor Gauntlett’s research businesses, LEGO Serious Play. provides evidence that in order His work on digital opportunities “Professor Gauntlett’s to be effective, such platforms for LEGO fed into LEGO Life of research helped us should embrace all the kinds George, which was shortlisted to develop new ideas of participation that users wish for the ‘e-Connected Toy of the for connecting the to engage in; they should Year’ award, 2013. digital and physical enable identifiable, authored realms with LEGO contributions which can be Gauntlett has peer-reviewed tools. His work recognised and responded to academic publications and his has been central to by others, and should seek to work has appeared in books a number of LEGO foster supportive conversations, including the widely-cited Making reports exploring storytelling, and learning within is Connecting (2011). He has creativity, play and communities of enthusiasts. won successive awards from the learning in the 21st UK Research Councils, including century. This thinking The research has had an five awards from the Arts and feeds into strategy impact on the media and Humanities Research Council at the very top of cultural industries, specifically in since 2007. He uses a range of our organisation.” commissioning processes at BBC media to engage the public with Cecilia Weckström, Children’s; digital media policy his research, and YouTube videos Head of LEGO.com, The and overall corporate aims about his work have been viewed LEGO Group, Denmark at S4C (the Welsh-language 150,000 times. public television service); and policy, training and product FACULTY OF Media, Arts development at the LEGO and design Group. He has co-produced products, including a training pack which has been used by every new LEGO employee in Denmark since 2009, and the ‘open source’ release of the consultancy process for
40 westminster.ac.uk/impact Media and Communications Policy in Britain
As specialist advisor to the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications over four separate inquiries, Steven Barnett has advised on the scope and content of each inquiry and helped to ensure that each committee’s recommendations and reports were informed by rigorous research.
One of only two academics and help guide decision-making. to appear twice in front of the She advised on whether the “We (also) wish to Leveson Inquiry, he was also BBC should publicise a charity thank our Specialist invited by Lord Justice Leveson to appeal for Gaza, finding that Adviser, Professor draft a statute on media plurality. the appeal was essentially Steven Barnett from political and therefore not the University of Barnett has advised both Labour permissible, and resulted in Westminster. We and Liberal Democrat ministers historical documents being have been fortunate and shadow ministers on various posted on the BBC website to to benefit from his areas of media policy, and clarify the situation. expertise throughout has submitted research-based the course of this evidence to Ofcom and the As an advisor to the BBC Trust inquiry.” Competition Commission in its she has been asked to advise on Taken from The Leveson investigations around media numerous issues, including BBC Inquiry, House of Lords ownership. In 2009, he was structural changes, appointing Select Committee report commissioned by Ofcom to write a Director General, and the a paper on media plurality and history of political relationships local democracy, and in 2012, with governments. She has FACULTY OF Media, Arts he was appointed to an advisory provided historical background and design committee for a new European for programmes including the Parliament initiative aimed at role and design of Television producing a new EU directive on Centre, the role of women for media ownership. Woman’s Hour, and the impact of Rough Justice. As an expert As the BBC’s official historian, on the BBC’s past, she has sat Jean Seaton has frequently on working parties for the World advised the BBC Trust, the Service, BBC Radio, and the Director General’s Office and BBC’s Northern Ireland History BBC productions on matters of Advisory Board. history and policy, in order to enhance institutional memory
westminster.ac.uk/impact 41 Arab media law and policy
Since 1999 Professor Naomi Sakr’s research has provided significant insights, in terms of political change and human rights observance, into the emergence and subsequent expansion of Arab-owned satellite channels, the implications of changes in media ownership and control, and the depth and breadth of liberalisation in regulation of Arab television and other media.
Sakr’s research challenged the Arab Knowledge Report widespread assumptions 2009, which was conceived as “It is the best book that Arab satellite television a tool of policy and advocacy, written on Arab channels, especially Al-Jazeera, sending a message to Arab television. It focuses were bringing about change in policy makers that knowledge mainly on the Arab countries. It showed how involves more than advances production side they enabled Arab regimes to in technology alone. In 2013 of transnational postpone liberalising terrestrial UNESCO invited her input television and gives television, and that innovations to its assessment of media a profound insight in content merely reflected development in Egypt, which about the institutional internal divisions among serves policy advisers inside foundations that our ruling elites, while curbs on and outside government. reviewer describes as freedom of expression and ‘simply stunning’ association persisted. Sakr has been invited to speak in character.” about her research at events in British Society for Middle Sakr’s background papers on Arab, European and US cities, Eastern Studies on Arab media, commissioned including a plenary session Sakr’s Satellite Realms: by departments of the of the first World Summit on Transnational Television, United Nations Development the Information Society in Globalisation and the Programme, including the Geneva in 2003. Her book Middle East Regional Bureau for Arab States, Satellite Realms, published at fed into wider reports about the height of interest in Arab development in the region. Her media and society after the FACULTY OF Media, Arts paper Civil Society, Media 9/11 attacks and during Al- and design and Accountability in the Arab Jazeera’s coverage of the war Region informed the Human in Afghanistan, won 1st prize Development report 2002, in the Middle Eastern Studies which was circulated in over Book Prize, awarded by the 100 countries. She wrote The British Society for Middle Impact of Media Laws on Arab Eastern Studies. Digital and Print Content for
42 westminster.ac.uk/impact The Family Legacy
Jane Thorburn’s work is largely practice-based, consisting of six documentaries made in Nigeria over the last five years, built on her research into the Nigerian film and video industry. Her UK-shot drama The Family Legacy, which she directed, produced and edited, aims to inform people about sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease affects The Family Legacy has inspired haemoglobin, the part of red innovative viewings, being “The project blood cells responsible for shown in barbers shops and demonstrates carrying oxygen around our other male environments in substantial body. It causes extreme pain and the black community – without information needed can lead to lifelong problems seeming confrontational – and among priority including strokes and blindness. at mosques, churches and populations and that The gene is carried by one in doctors surgeries. proactive outreach four people of West African is an effective origin living in the UK and is Published on DVD by the NHS, way to engage often misinterpreted as the result the film has been screened at audiences outside of a curse, superstition or that it festivals, medical conferences normal channels. can only be cured by God. and on multiple TV channels The Family Legacy in the UK and West Africa, drama contributed Funded by the NHS Sickle Cell informing a broader public not to NHSSCTSP core and Thalasaemia Screening directly affected by sickle cell objectives of Programme (NHSSCTSP), The disease. It continues to be supporting informed Family Legacy is an emotional, shown around England and is choice, engaging three-part production, inspired promoted by the NHS and the men, developing by the popularity of Nigerian Sickle Cell Society. materials for the public home video dramas and and hearing their originally targeted at West views. The NHSSCTSP is Africans living in London. The now extending the story explores the impact that the project around the UK.” birth of a child with sickle cell NHS Independent disease has on four generations Evaluators of the same family and is taken from real-life experiences. It has challenged the taboos, FACULTY OF Media, Arts superstitions and religious beliefs and design that surround the disease.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 43 44 westminster.ac.uk/impact Computer Science and Informatics
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 45 P-GRADE: High Performance Computing in the Cloud
P-GRADE is a framework of complementary and interoperating technologies for the development and execution of both high-performance computing (HPC) and high-throughput computing (HTC) programmes on massively distributed computing infrastructures (DCIs) in the Cloud. P-GRADE enables businesses, organisations, communities and individuals anywhere in the world to access powerful computing capabilities within a cloud environment quickly, easily and cost-effectively. Unnecessary technical details hardware and software, that are completely hidden from the can be owned or leased “P-GRADE effectively user, making P-GRADE very easy • simplified workflow creation separates the to learn and use. The distributed and management through concerns of users computing resources in the user’s user-friendly portals and from those of system cloud can be assembled and graphical tools providers, releasing combined from manifold sources, • orchestration of desired creative synergy and such as: private clusters controlled computational workflow on delivering results by the user; volunteer computing chosen infrastructure. incredibly quickly.” resources; and resources rented from public cloud service Impact on industry, the public Gabor Terstyansky, providers. Thus, users may tailor sector and citizens: Faculty of science their cloud to suit their own • enhanced user productivity and technology, circumstances; for example, through focus on requirements University of Westminster extracting additional value from independent of computational their existing infrastructure, infrastructure renting cloud services as the • efficient and cost-effective use FACULTY OF Science need arises, or a combination of of resources and Technology both. All resources – whatever the • enhancement of products and Project funded by European Framework type, wherever the location – are services using HPC. (FP7) and UK Research Councils marshalled by P-GRADE to create a seamless set of resources for Some companies using P-GRADE the end-user to run their high- in their products and services: performance computing tasks • Correlation Systems Ltd (Israel) and workflows. – Video Stream Analysis and Sea Vehicle Tracking Technological impacts of • Simsoft Ltd (Turkey) – P-GRADE: Commercial Gateway for • efficient and seamless business process optimisation engagement with a wide • E-Group Ltd (Hungary) – range of interoperable Document Conversion Support computational resources, both for Facebook communities.
46 westminster.ac.uk/impact Balanced Model Truncation (BMT) and its Applications in DSP System Modelling and Complexity Reduction
At the heart of the findings, relating to the impact claimed in this case study, is the ability to rapidly and painlessly design a DSP system that comprises digital filters from a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) start point – with very high dimensionality – that delivers an equivalent performance with a very low dimensionality through the novel deployment of the BMT approach.
Work in the commercial This work started as a purely exploitation and use of this theoretical exercise in deriving “The BMT approach approach continues to date an equivalent IIR model for an has many wide with the most recent being an FIR filter and ended up being ranging applications applied research contract from a very powerful, practical from hearing aids the European Space Agency approach that is capable of to binaural headsets in partnership with Astrium solving a plethora of problems and more recently UK Ltd. That work started in in real-life systems, holding its making DSP satellites September 2011 and involved currency and popularity to date. more efficient.” the deployment of BMT derived complexity reduced IIR filters Izzet Kale, One outcome of the work is an Faculty of science in their onboard digital signal example of the BMT approach processing engines on the and technology, being deployed in a sound University of Westminster commercial communication analysis/synthesis scene. This satellites to notably reduce led to the use of the approach power consumption and area. for the generation of compact FACULTY OF Science and superior models for musical and Technology The approach was generalised instruments, notably percussive from just being a humble filter sounds. This has found its design strategy to one that way into use on commercial could take a signal or system synthesisers. This work has that was defined by a very high also led to the deployment of dimensionality time series, to the approach as an alternative one that was able to recreate the original time series from to Linear Prediction in speech a much reduced complexity coding and efficient motor car model that encapsulated all the acoustic response modelling, characteristics of the original time hearing aids, binaural headsets series. This approach continues and Head Related Transfer to open the way to many Functions (HRTF). novel practical applications for commercial products.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 47 Modelling length of stay in health and social care systems
The research team, which included a geriatrician, worked with a view to make real impact on the health and social care sector. The initial research (2002 – 2004) was rated “outstanding” in terms of “benefit to society” by the funder, EPSRC. It has had immediate impact on improving long-term care (LTC) planning at the London Borough of Merton, which subsequently funded consultancy to enhance the models developed earlier. The project contributed to the based, improvement solutions following areas: through process and system “The local authority • modelling length of stay and changes across multiple local now has a clear view patient flow authorities, commissioned of the survival pattern • development of costing HSCMG to deliver the FLoSC of residents supported framework project. This project included by both residential • design of a long-term care the development of a tool for and nursing home (LTC) database. long-term care commissioners in settings. This can local authorities in the UK. By inform our capacity The same modelling approach February 2008, FLoSC had over and budget planning, was applied in 2007 to NHS 120 users in 75 different local and our negotiations continuing care in Richmond authorities, increasing to 420 with care homes and Twickenham PCT. As a users by May 2010. on prices.” result, University of Westminster’s Peter Crowther, Health and Social Care Between September 2010 then planning and Modelling Group (HSCMG) and September 2012 NHS commissioning officer was commissioned in 2008 by Hounslow, EPSRC and TSB at LBM the NHS London Procurement funded a two-associate two- Programme to assist Deloitte year KTP programme to provide in the Development of a models and tools for evidence- FACULTY OF Science Demand Planning Tool for NHS based planning for primary and Technology continuing care across London, care organisations. According and later to enhance and to the then Director of Strategy maintain the tool. and Knowledge Management, the intangible financial benefits, Concurrently, attracted by the driven by the evidence base team’s work, the Care Services and its influence on contract Efficiency Delivery (CSED) negotiations with service Programme, which was formed providers, are in the region by the Department of Health of £4 million for the duration (DoH) to deliver evidence- of the project only.
48 westminster.ac.uk/impact Component-based highly productive software development
Modern high-performance distributed systems, such as grids and clouds, have developed rapidly through the wide use of component-oriented approaches, usually using the Java programming language.
The main goal of this work in The research team, led by this area has been the design Vladimir Getov, was a main “The wider adoption and implementation of a partner in the European of component-based highly productive and efficient GridCOMP project. GridCOMP programming models component-based framework designed and built a fully and frameworks for the rapid development of functional platform which has can significantly complex distributed applications. been used for highly productive increase the software development of user applications development The impact created by this by industrial partners in the areas productivity of research is based on the of grid and cloud computing. future applications.” invention of a new abstract Professor Vladimir Getov, model and corresponding The GCM definition and Faculty of science and implementation approach for a specification have been technology, University component-oriented distributed approved and published in of Westminster software development with much four official industrial standards higher productivity. documents by the Technical Committee GRID/CLOUD of the FACULTY OF Science Following the initial ideas European Telecommunications and Technology and results introduced in the Standards Institute (ETSI). component-oriented approach for distributed and high- Two large companies – IBM performance computing, and Atos Origin – both partners the European Network of in the European GridCOMP Excellence, CoreGRID, advanced project, have been using the significantly in this new field. It is GCM specification, standards used as an enabling approach and results. Two small for the ‘invisible’ grid concepts enterprises – GridSystems and and for developing the Grid ActiveEon have also adopted Component Model (GCM) this component-oriented specification, as well as initial approach and framework. proof-of-concept experiments.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 49 50 westminster.ac.uk/impact Architecture and The Built Environment
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 51 Archigram Archival Project
The research was principally archival but involved designing a new kind of archive. Around 10,000 images and more than 200 projects were documented, indexed, digitised and made publicly available to be seen together for the first time. This was accompanied by descriptive/interpretative texts, essays, contextual information and related ephemera. This included the first really substantial bibliography of Archigram and new interviews with members of Archigram and their heirs. The Archigram Archival Project launched with a two-day event (AAP) has had a wide cultural at the Institute of Contemporary “Archigram’s work impact. Beyond the professional Arts (ICA) in 2006. The has been one of the and design community, completed project was launched greatest forces in audiences are discovering it in an event at the Old Cinema, recent architectural through social media. From University of Westminster, in thought. Through its launch, it has had a strong 2010, with a parallel hook-up Archigram’s generous following of popular viewers to The Architect’s Newspaper collaboration, the browsing and disseminating in New York. Alongside this, full range and extent the material through outlets like the project was tweeted, which of their astonishing Twitter – just the sort of electronic generated a huge response from work is now available and informal communication the online community. to a new generation.” which Archigram’s own Kester Rattenbury, technological predictions Numerous public lectures about Faculty of Architecture foresaw and arguably helped the website/database have and the Built Environment, generate. been given in Britain and University of Westminster around the world. The website (archigram. westminster.ac.uk) received The project was conceived as a FACULTY OF Architecture approximately 42,000 visitors new kind of archive operating and the Built Environment and almost 250,000 page-hits both at an academic and a in its first couple of weeks after popular level. Its success in both launching in 2010, and has fields has been encouraging had steady electronic traffic and ongoing. The AAP’s ever since. highly accessible format has been praised by international The project was widely academics and it was shortlisted publicised in the design press. for the RIBA Research Awards. The inception of the project was
52 westminster.ac.uk/impact Green freight transport and logistics
Work in urban freight transport has established monitoring techniques, performance measures and benchmarking for urban freight operations. It has also had a major impact on the direction of Transport for London’s (TfL) freight knowledge and insight, which has fed through into its strategy and policy-making.
The research and advice modal shift without the need for provided to TfL has made a key major capital funding. This has “Our research and contribution to the development informed the discussion about analysis provides of a range of policy measures appropriate policy measures. objective evidence to achieve greater freight for better public sustainability (economic and The knowledge developed in and private decision- environmental) in London the area of freight transport making in sustainable eg the Low Emission Zone (LEZ), energy consumption and freight transport Fleet Operator Recognition carbon emissions has led to and logistics.” Scheme (FORS), Delivery and the University being invited Michael Browne, Servicing Plans (DSPs), freight to join the Department for Faculty of Architecture planning advice for businesses Transport’s Low Carbon Supply and the Built Environment, during the Olympics and the Chain Steering Group. In University of Westminster trial and evaluation of conjunction with Defra and the Consolidation Centres. freight industry, the researchers helped develop a spreadsheet- FACULTY OF Architecture Rail and water freight has based toolkit for goods vehicle and the Built Environment been one of the major areas of operators to utilise in assessing environmental policy-making transport fuel use and carbon Project funded by EPSRC in transport in Britain, and the emissions together with an research here has included accompanying guidance report. actions to encourage greater ‘rail/water friendliness’. This has The University was also invited led to a better understanding of to become a member of the rail (and water) freight activity European Norm Committee, and trends. The research has CEN TC320/WG10, which involved the development of established a standard on new video-based data collection greenhouse gas emission methods to monitor various types calculation methods for transport of rail freight flows and the results in Europe, in co-operation with have identified greater scope for the British Standards Institute.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 53 Delay cost management in European aviation
This quantitative framework is the industry benchmark reference for strategic and tactical delay costs. The core cost components are: aircraft maintenance, fleet financing, passenger costs, crew expenditures and fuel and carbon costs.
This work is differentiated from pre-implementation phases with that of other research in the field three other airlines. “The University because it furnishes associated of Westminster costs of delay for specific aircraft Another major European airline Report represents and for specific phases of flight, uses the work directly. Based the most recent and includes the ‘knock-on’ on the research findings and and comprehensive effect for the rest of the airline methods, and in consultation appraisal of the cost network. Unlike high-level with the University, this airline of delays in the air aggregate models – which are has produced a guidance traffic management difficult to apply operationally – briefing for all its pilots. system in Europe.” this work allows users to apply The calculations presented EUROCONTROL (2011), the findings to specific scenarios. demonstrate numerous impacts Standard Inputs for This makes the research unique of current operational practice EUROCONTROL Cost Benefit and is the reason why it is cited and illustrate to pilots the specific Analyses, Edition 5.0 beyond Europe. cost benefits of changing some of these practices in day-to-day The output parameters have flight planning, using a mixture FACULTY OF Architecture been used by a global provider of both direct values from the and the Built Environment of optimisation software as a reporting, and other values base-model for driving aircraft adapted specifically to this scheduling and turnaround airline’s operational context. decision-making. The parameters have been used either as a There are further examples platform for the development of the methodology being of airline-specific costs or for used in the industry, as well direct use in the absence of as the corresponding impacts airline-specific values. Such on scholarly practice. The decision-support systems are researchers have also held already live with one European several industry workshops and flag carrier, close to going live liaise closely with various groups at another flag carrier and at within EUROCONTROL.
54 westminster.ac.uk/impact The Night-time Economy in Town and City Centres
In 2000, the University was approached by local residents in Westminster who were troubled by the impacts of late night disorder in London’s West End. The research underpinning the claimed impacts were carried out between 2001 and 2006 in four distinct projects; each built on the other, and Professor Roberts was PI for all.
The University’s research operators in centres with high demonstrated that more people levels of crime and disorder. “The University of would go to town centres at Westminster has night if centres were more Together with other experts, provided a strong accessible, had less anti- Professor Roberts contributed foundation of social behaviour and offered expertise to the campaign research and analysis more choice with regard to by ‘Object’ to redress an for the development places to eat and drink. These unintended consequence of of Civic Trust thinking findings were reinterpreted the Licensing Act 2003. This on the night time and repackaged as assessment included an appearance economy – as part criteria and evaluation on a Channel 4 Dispatches of a Government- methodology for the Purple documentary. The campaign funded research Flag accreditation scheme was successful, and the Policing programme. This has that started in 2009. A study and Crime Act 2009 gives local led to the development commissioned by Purple authorities powers to control lap of the Purple Flag Flag found many economic dancing on licensed premises. accreditation scheme benefits from this accreditation which is successfully experienced by both businesses Roberts’ research has had established and and individuals. These include a an international impact on growing in the UK 13 per cent increase in footfall practitioners and professional and overseas.” and a wider patronage from services. The Alcohol Advisory Paul Davies, different social groups. Council for New Zealand called Association of Town attention to the local authority Centre Management Roberts’ work has contributed survey in their comments on to legislative change. Some rebuilding Christchurch after recommendations from a House the earthquake. Vienna City FACULTY OF Architecture of Commons Select Committee, Council is disseminating the and the Built Environment on which she acted as a innovative methods used in one specialist adviser, have since of the studies. been incorporated into statute, for example a late night levy on
westminster.ac.uk/impact 55 56 westminster.ac.uk/impact Geography and Environmental Studies
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 57 Low carbon society and green economy transition policies
Research by the PSI Environment group has contributed to the creation of the new policy domain of ‘the transition to low carbon society and green economy’. It has shaped key elements in the UK government’s transition policy, arising initially from the ESRC New Opportunities research programme on environment and behaviour led by Paul Ekins.
A significant impact of the his colleagues outlined a new PSI’s research was in Dr framework for transitions-oriented “Think tanks (Steward, Nazmiye Ozkan’s placement sustainability policy. The idea of 2008)... are translating at the Department of Energy transformative innovation was aspirations into and Climate Change. Ozkan taken up in a Defra-commissioned real proposals and demonstrated the possible review before being incorporated progress... interest combinations of energy, such into their strategy in 2010. in transformative as renewable and nuclear, over innovation extends a period of up to 50 years. It Following consultations with Fred around the world, underpins the policy commitment Steward, a Government Office and involves major in the Government’s Carbon for Science report recognised the industries.” Plan to maintain a diverse importance of ‘new innovation Transformative portfolio of innovation options actors’, expanding its traditional Innovation: A report and to make informed choices focus on firms to include different to the Department for about the transition. innovation actors such as clubs, Environment, Food associations, user groups, or and Rural Affairs, SPRU, Another UK policy impact parts of local government, University of Sussex 2009 is through a new concept of supporting local businesses and innovation adopted by the networks, fostering innovation Department of Environment, and contributing to balancing FACULTY OF Social Sciences Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). regional growth. and Humanities Innovation policy and practice has traditionally focused on International policy debate has singular technologies, but also been informed by the PSI’s the new orientation toward work, through presentations by ‘transformative innovation’ Fred Steward to policy makers, proposed by Fred Steward, arose drawing upon the ideas PSI during a 12-month placement developed from 2005 onwards as Senior Fellow at Nesta, the and made from his position UK innovation foundation. In a within the PSI Environment group. report to Defra, Steward and
58 westminster.ac.uk/impact Policy context for environmental tax reform
Research in the PSI Environment group has shown that the main obstacle to environmental tax reform lies in its social and political acceptability, rather than in its economic or technical feasibility. Although research on environmental taxes is long established, the PSI research programme has a distinctive focus on the influences of its social and political acceptability.
Work by Paul Ekins and Simon A major initiative to achieve Dresner has led to new insights impact was the Green Fiscal “The Green Fiscal on the design of environmental Commission for which Ben Commission we regard taxes and has played a key Shaw and Ben Watson of the as the best source role in shaping the policy PSI Environment group provided of new thinking on context for environmental tax strategic support. The objective the subject.” reform through promoting and was to prepare the ground for Vincent Cable, informing public debate. a significant programme of taken from speech green fiscal reform in the UK, to Green Alliance, The research approach involved to both assemble the evidence 1st March 2010 interviews with policy-makers base for such a reform, and and business, and focus groups raise stakeholder and public with the general public to awareness of it. Using media FACULTY OF Social Sciences assess which policy designs and other communication and Humanities for carbon/energy taxes activities, the Green Fiscal would best combine social Commission raised awareness acceptability with economic and and understanding of the environmental effectiveness. options for environmental tax The outcome was a new agenda reform and stimulated public for addressing the social and political debate on them. and political acceptability of The variety of impact activities environmental tax reform. It was managed by the PSI demonstrated the importance of Environment group, gaining these reforms as important, and high profile media coverage perhaps essential, to achieve and having been acknowledged steep cuts in greenhouse gas in speeches by key political emissions together with a figures such as George Osborne fundamental policy insight and Vince Cable. that it needed to be part of a ‘policy mix’.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 59 60 westminster.ac.uk/impact Business and Management Studies
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 61 Equivalence of Skills and Qualifications across Europe
This case study is underpinned by research projects on VET carried out in the Westminster Business School (WBS) over the past 15 years under Professor Linda Clarke. In particular, there were two projects since 2006: Bricklaying qualifications, work and VET in Europe (EC) was concerned with the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework EQF in the construction sector (completed in 2011), and cross-national equivalence of vocational skills and qualifications in Europe (Nuffield Foundation), completed in 2009. The Nuffield project compared The Bricklayer project engaged skills and qualifications in users at all stages, including “The impact has been Europe, explored how key VET employers and trade unions. Its to contribute to concepts are understood within conclusions have been endorsed the modification of different national contexts, by CEDEFOP, the European policy on EQF, both and assessed the value and vocational training authority, and in Germany and the difficulties in applying the EQF. the project has been commended European Union. The to the EQF advisory board seriousness with The aim of the Bricklaying project and identified by the European which the work has was to further the recognition of Commission Education and been taken by the bricklaying qualifications and Training Directorate General as German government competences by enhancing their one of the 10 most successful in this respect was transparency and comparability, and valuable learning and evident in their thereby increasing the development projects over invitation to present effectiveness of mobility and the the last five years. It facilitates the findings.” quality of labour. understanding of competences Hermann Nehls, across Europe and provides executive member of the The case has impacted on detailed recommendations on Confederation of German VET policy in Britain and on EQF implementation within the Trade Unions and Chair of European policy-making, labour market. CEDEFOP Employees’ Group including influencing adjustments Governing Board to the EQF and stakeholders’ The impact of the case is approach to its implementation. further evident in invitations to present to policy makers at Westminster business The case represents a European conferences, its wide school rare transnational study of dissemination as an international occupational qualifications within dimension to the Nuffield the EU. The impact has been 14-19 Review, and use of evident in all the participating the Bricklayer template to countries where the outputs have further work on sectoral and been intensively disseminated. occupational qualifications.
62 westminster.ac.uk/impact Pensions: Retirement Age, Planning and Ethnic Minorities
Gough’s work is concerned with the decision-taking process of employees around the age and propensity to retire. It highlights the differences affecting retirement decisions between men and women and between different ethnic groups.
Professor Gough’s research was contribution (DC) pension plans significant in pointing to the and how to address public “we aim to ensure association between defined sector teachers’ pension plans, that our research benefit (DB) schemes and an underfunding, longevity and makes a significant early age of retirement. The mobility problems in the US. contribution to decline in the DB schemes the working and highlighted in her work, and Gough’s work has raised public retirement life of her ideas, were instrumental in awareness and led practitioner individuals.” informing the debate between debate to inform both pension Professor ORLA Gough, policy makers, pension fund fund trustees and executives Westminster Business trustees and employers. on current issues. This has School, University been done through the Pension of Westminster Her research activity focuses Investment Academy (PIA), on the legislation arising which is a joint venture between from the Turner Report which Westminster Business School Westminster business ultimately led to the formation and a consortium of leading school of NEST (National Employment financial services companies. Savings Trust). Gough was This venture was established by asked to submit the resulting Professor Gough in 2005. She observations to both NEST and also established the Pensions the Office of the Minister for Research Network (PRN) in Pensions within the Department 2007, which draws together for Work and Pensions. academics and pension policy analysts in the field of retirement, Arkani and Gough’s (2007) savings, pensions and ageing. research had an international impact. It was used by Education Sector, a US-based independent think tank in Washington DC, in a report. The report discussed different DB and defined
westminster.ac.uk/impact 63 Management theory into practice
The findings from these research projects informed the development of a holistic framework with more than 150 factors that drive value creation in organisations.
These factors were grouped emerged from Professor Hlupic’s in six interconnected and work in the area of improving “Six Box Leadership interrelated areas that form efficiency of business processes Model bridges the gap the basis of the Six Box through more effective modelling between academic Leadership Model: of processes. A specific example research and practice, • culture shows how simulation software and it puts theory • relationships evaluation methodology was into action.” • individuals used in Accenture globally to Vlatka Hlupic, • strategy evaluate and select the most Westminster Business • systems suitable simulation package. School, University of • resources. Westminster Professor Hlupic also advised Dr On the basis of these factors, a Hentrich as he was leading a questionnaire was developed culture and leadership change Westminster business to enable assessment of hidden programme in the Architecture school strengths and bottlenecks in the division of CSC Germany in six areas, and move towards 2009. Her ongoing research emerging management culture. informed the change programme that resulted in the change of Some aspects of this work have leadership practices and more been published in an award- than 100 per cent increase in winning Harvard Business profit in the first year. Review article To Be a Better Leader, Give Up Authority and As a founder and CEO of in an invited seminal article How the Drucker Society, London, Managers Succeed by Letting Professor Hlupic has also created Employees Lead published in the a network of practitioners and Organizational Dynamics journal. academics who are making a positive social and economic Factors related to strategy, impact on UK society. systems and resources have
64 westminster.ac.uk/impact westminster.ac.uk/impact 65 66 westminster.ac.uk/impact Law
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 67 Enhancing legal protection for asylum seekers
This research is significant in the context of the establishment of a Common European Asylum System (CEAS), at the heart of which is a directive that extends the scope of EU member states’ obligations to provide protection and a legal status to persons fleeing ‘indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict’.
Research on asylum for and gender identity in post- victims of armed conflicts was colonial Southern Africa. “My research got undertaken by Professor Hélène There is particular focus on the courts to think Lambert during 2009/10. interaction between criminal law, holistically about how Her work, with co-researcher customary law, constitutional armed conflict affects Professor Farrell of KCL, explores rights and political dynamics in civilians and this the implications of the changing Zimbabwe and South Africa. enables judges to better character of armed conflict on assess asylum claims refugee law. His work has resulted in reviews from people fleeing of the legal and social treatment armed conflict.” Lambert and Farrell’s work of lesbian, gay, bisexual and Professor Hélène Lambert, provides analysis of the transgender (LGBT) people in School of Law, University holistic effects of armed conflict Zimbabwe, which has directly of Westminster on civilians. informed adjudication of LGBT asylum claims from Zimbabwe This research was used in the in the UK. “A country expert in Upper Tribunal in outlining its asylum claims needs to approach to assessing conflict Lambert’s and Phillips’s research be at the forefront of severity and the risk to civilians has reached beyond academia country conditions in Iraq in a country guidance to inform and directly influence and equally adept case HM (Iraq), which is where judicial decisions of the at addressing the Lambert’s claimed impact lies. UTIAC in Country Guidance jurisprudential cases. Their research has also demands the evidence Research on sexual orientation contributed to advocacy for requires – Dr Phillips is and gender identity was sexual and gendered rights and the expert.” undertaken by Dr Oliver Phillips has directly informed a major from 1993 to 2011. UNHCR report on victims of S. Chelvan, armed conflict. Barrister at No.5 Chambers Phillips’s research analyses the relationship between human School OF Law rights, sexual orientation
68 westminster.ac.uk/impact Olympics and the law Arthur Wint 22 July 1948 Arthur Wint
Evidence from University of Westminster researchers for a consultation by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) influenced legislative changes relating to the event zones, advertising and trading regulations for the London 2012 Olympics.
The Government consulted on regulations. The British Library the advertising and trading also commissioned a research “Mark James and Guy regulations in March 2011, in project about ticketing policies Osborn submit to the run up to the London 2012 and regulations, see: bl.uk/ scrutiny the dedicated Olympics. Mark James (Salford) sportandsociety/exploresocsci/ Olympic legislation and Guy Osborn (Westminster) parlaw/law/law.html that has been passed by responded to the consultation. the British Parliament in James and Osborn indicated 2006. However, as the Key research published in the that although the Olympic law authors demonstrate, Modern Law Review led on to of the host country is crucial for the assumptions and a chapter of The London 2012 the success of the games, the application of law can Olympics by Girnigov, where assumptions and applications of also create tensions they examined the inherent the law can create tensions and and controversies.” contradictions at the heart of controversies. Following their Handbook of the the Olympics and the tension response to the consultation, the London 2012 Olympic between commercial imperatives regulations were amended to and Paralympic Games – and broader cultural, policy and reflect their concerns. Making the Games, educational aspirations. Vassil Girginov, 2012 With future mega events on the This foundation study has led horizon and the next edition of to a number of subsequent the Olympics in Rio in 2016 School OF Law research projects that have there is much scope to develop examined specific aspects of this research. the legislative background and context of law relating to the Current projects include Olympics. These have included further work on the regulation the legal status of the Olympic and commercialisation of Charter, an examination of the public space focussing upon over-extension of intellectual impacts and legacies of property laws and an analysis Olympic brandscapes. of the advertising and trading
westminster.ac.uk/impact 69 Diversity in the legal profession
Researchers at the University of Westminster were commissioned by the Legal Services Board (LSB) – the legal profession oversight regulator – to conduct a qualitative study to examine the barriers and individual choices facing women and black and minority ethnic (BME) lawyers in England and Wales.
The team carried out socio- sexual orientation by role, and biographical in-depth interviews to make this available to their “The research with 76 lawyers and would-be frontline regulators. demonstrated that lawyers including solicitors, much progress has barristers, legal executives, law Aggregated data will be made been made in the graduates and law firm diversity available to the public, and the legal profession managers drawn from the north LSB reserves the right to require but there is more to and the south of London. This the frontline regulators to remedy do to ensure that research, building as it did diversity problems within firms suitably qualified people upon their previous Law Society and chambers, where they are appointed and research, indicated the need for persist over time. promoted regardless the legal profession to engage of gender, ethnicity with inequality of opportunity as This work has also shed light or background” regards entry and progression on the segmentation of the Lisa Webley, within the profession. profession, and it has led to the Faculty of Law, University further development of a range of Westminster One of these recommendations of diversity initiatives that seek to was that diversity monitoring encourage pupils from minority should be introduced to and lower socio-economic FACULTY OF Law highlight areas of positive groups to aspire to a career in progress and areas that require the legal profession. further attention as regards diversity and equality issues. These initiatives have the Following a LSB consultation potential to change the in 2011, the Board issued demographic make-up of the statutory guidance that now legal profession and have requires all law firms and already improved opportunities chambers to collect diversity for BME and women law and equality data on age, students and lawyers in England gender, ethnicity, disability, and Wales. socio-economic status and
70 westminster.ac.uk/impact westminster.ac.uk/impact 71 72 westminster.ac.uk/impact Politics and International Relations
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 73 Speaking out on Tibetan politics and international relations
While China occupies Tibet, seeking to convert it into ‘China’s Tibet’, University of Westminster’s Dibyesh Anand asserts that Western ideas and practices are equally complicit in the Chinese control; contrary to the widely held myth of the West as an observer of the occupation.
Anand’s research concentrates Respected by all sides in the on three themes, each dispute over Tibet, Dibyesh “Dibyesh’s prolific and contributing to the impact he Anand’s research has been objective research has had on public policy and published and cited worldwide, and his willingness debate: the role of the West prompting invitations from and ability to engage in the international problem governments, think tanks, with the Tibetan of Tibet; China’s policies and organisations and institutions – communities in practices to legitimise its control including in China, India and London and in India over Tibetans; and Tibet and the the Tibetan Government in Exile on various vital issues Dalai Lama as factors in India- in Dharamsala – to discuss and including challenges China relations. help influence policy. of survival and democratisation, Coming to prominence in Anand is now focusing on the self-immolations 2008, following protests in China-India border dispute, and non-violent Chinese-controlled Tibet, giving again establishing himself as a protests are admirable interviews and comment to significant commentator on the and helpful.” major international media (BBC issue. Last year his reputation Mr Thubten Samdup, TV, Al Jazeera, New York Times, was reinforced by the Dalai UK Representative of His and The Times amongst others), Lama’s appearance and only Holiness the Dalai Lama, Anand has become a sought public talk in the UK, at the Office of Tibet, London after commentator on Tibet’s University of Westminster. political issues. His international profile increased further when he FACULTY OF Social Sciences publicly spoke out in support of and Humanities the Karmapa Lama (the second highest ranking Tibetan religious leader in exile in India) who in 2011 was accused of being a Chinese spy in Indian media and then subsequently cleared by the Indian Government.
74 westminster.ac.uk/impact Islam, Democracy and Political Change
Collective research by Abdelwahab El-Affendi, Maria Holt and Roland Dannreuther has impacted on modern Islamic public debate, helped to improve policy making in the UK, Europe and USA and assisted international agencies in understanding key issues regarding democracy.
El-Affendi’s research has Following the terrorist attacks consistently argued that on the Moscow metro in March ErdoG˘ an read insecurity and mutual mistrust are 2010, and the continued Sudanese author the greatest threat to democracy, destabilisation and radicalisation Abdelwahab El-Affendi’s and not the incompatibility of of the conflict in Dagestan Who Needs an Islamic it with Islam. He refutes that and other parts of the North State that was published an Arab-Muslim culture is an Caucasus, Roland Dannreuther by Ilke. He says the book obstacle to democratisation. was much in demand given his proposes an alternative El-Affendi’s work has received expertise on Russia and Islamic model of state and international recognition, being radicalisation. His project describes it as an highly influential in both Muslim ‘Radicalisation and Violence: the original work. and Western worlds. Russian Dimension’, on Islam in Russia was generously funded Maria Holt’s research has by an ESRC grant and reviewed FACULTY OF Social Sciences focused on the role of women in as “outstanding”. and Humanities the Middle East and has been active in raising the profile of The group’s work has enabled a women in Islamic resistance. Her better understanding of political book on women in the occupied violence and peace-keeping in Palestinian territories was Islamic countries and has helped published in English and Arabic. promote a greater understanding of the challenges facing Muslim communities in the UK.
westminster.ac.uk/impact 75 Agonism and politics: theory meets practice
As one of the key intellectual figures in the development of the ‘agonistic’ idea of democracy (the positive channelling of political conflict), Chantal Mouffe’s research, comprising a series of books and essays written during her time at the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at the University of Westminster, develops the agonistic model of democracy as an alternative to models that currently dominate.
Mouffe’s research seeks to Mouffe’s ideas on agonistic move political conflict from democracy have most notably “Mouffe represents ‘antagonism’ (a struggle had a profound impact on the a position that every between enemies) to current Argentinian president, serious student ‘agonism’ (a struggle between Christina Fernandez de Kirchner. of contemporary adversaries). She has shown She is credited within Argentina political thought must that if conflicts cannot take an as one of the main intellectual acknowledge and agonistic form, they are more resources for the National and come to terms with.” likely to become antagonistic Popular Model of Democracy The Philosophers’ and pose a danger to the (NPMD) that has dominated Magazine survival of liberal-democratic Argentine politics over the last societies. For Mouffe, the lack decade. She has also affected of a real difference between the both the political response to FACULTY OF Social Sciences politics of centre-right and centre- far-right parties and the work of and Humanities left parties is encouraging the the artistic community within her emergence of the right wing. native Belgium.
The intellectual culture of CSD has played a significant role in the development and circulation of Mouffe’s ideas; she has interacted with important political theorists based in the CSD, as well as major international theorists. A significant part of CSD’s intellectual standing rests on the reputation of Mouffe.
76 westminster.ac.uk/impact westminster.ac.uk/impact 77 78 westminster.ac.uk/impact Education
westminster.ac.uk/impactwestminster.ac.uk/impact 79 Making Assessment Count
A study by the School of Life Sciences at the University of Westminster suggested that students did not make strategic use of the feedback they received on their coursework, and that students did not see the feedback as helpful. To address the dichotomy between staff provision of feedback and student expectations, a Making Assessment Count (MAC) process was developed and trialled with 350 first year undergraduate students.
The MAC process is based a consortium of universities to on a three-stage model of maximise the benefits of the “It’s made me think feedback: Subject specific, project outcomes and to explore more about the Operational and Strategic (the how the SOS model and e-Reflect assignments. Before if I SOS model). The student uses can be exploited in different got a good mark I just the subject tutor’s feedback on institutional and subject contexts. thought yeah that’s an assignment to complete an a good mark and left online self-review questionnaire. This led to further support from it at that. But now I’m The student’s answers are the JISC in 2011 to realise actually going back processed by a web application some of the benefits of MAC and thinking about called e-Reflect to generate a at other institutions. Similar what I could have further feedback report. This evidence of the efficacy of MAC done better.” report contains operational was collected through pilots feedback designed to help the at three other institutions (City Student, University of student reflect on approaches to University London, Cardiff- Westminster their work. Metropolitan and Greenwich), and they have introduced MAC The evaluation evidence processes into the curriculum Westminster Business gathered throughout the project of significant undergraduate or School suggested that the MAC process, postgraduate cohorts. Project funded by Joint Information based on the SOS model and Systems Committee (JISC) incorporating e-Reflect, is an The JISC is also supporting effective tool in assessment an evaluation of the work strategy, and it can have a across a total of six institutions positive effect on students’ (including Westminster) through engagement with feedback and its Feedback and Assessment their subsequent performance. Programme (2011 – 2013).
Since the start of the MAC project, the University of Westminster has worked with
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17 5 YEARS OF INNOVATION
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