Issue 293 ▸ 22 march 2016 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community Stepping up Three Imperial women rising to the challenge of their potential → centre pages CAREER BOOST BAT MOBILE GET INVOLVED A look at Nature inspires Calling for Imperial’s miniature volunteers career robot fliers at Imperial Coaching PAGE 6 Festival 2016 Academy PAGE 11 PAGE 10 2 3 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 22 March 2016 • issue 293 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 22 March 2016 • issue 293 >> newsupdate Education Secretary launches Professor Simone Buitendijk appointed Too many avoidable errors women’s leadership report Vice Provost for education Leading university educator EDITOR’S CORNER in patient care Nicky Morgan, Education Secretary and Minister for Women and and clinician Professor Simone Equalities, launched a report on women’s leadership in UK universities Buitendijk is to become Imperial at Imperial this month. College London’s new Vice Making Avoidable harm to patients is Provost (Education) from still too high in healthcare in the WomenCount: Leaders in Higher Education 2016, authored and presented 1 August 2016. the most UK and across the globe and safety by Norma Jarboe OBE, considers women’s representation in senior therefore must be a top healthcare leadership positions across the university sector and tracks progress Professor Buitendijk will join the priority for providers and made since the 2013 report on the same topic. College from Leiden University in Few would question policy makers alike – according It concludes that the higher education sector is making steady the Netherlands to lead Imperial’s that Imperial is a unique to the Imperial authors of two progress towards gender balance, and highlights an encouraging rise vision for education and student workplace with a plethora new reports. of women’s representation on governing bodies and an increase of experience. of different opportunities gender balanced boards. Professor Buitendijk is for students and staff Both reports, produced by Speaking at the event, currently Vice-Rector Magnificus at all levels. But the NIHR Imperial Patient Safety Nicky Morgan MP noted that at Leiden with responsibility for scale and complexity Translational Research Centre there was a clear business case education and student affairs. of the place can be (PSTRC), provide evidence on for improved gender parity in Over her five year tenure she has places excellence at the heart overwhelming at times the current state of patient safety be done to prevent them. Although called the National Reporting leadership positions: “Bringing led university-wide strategies to of everything we do, and in and it can be easy to and how it could be improved we currently face many changes and Learning System (NRLS). women into roles where glass enhance students’ educational Professor Buitendijk we have hunker down and retreat the future. They urge healthcare – such as increasingly complex The second report, Patient ceilings previously existed gives experience, promote innovation an inspirational leader who can to your corner of the providers to embrace a more patient cases and limited resources Safety 2030, suggests a ‘toolbox’ us the opportunity to harness in teaching and grow support take our educational offer and College. Every now and open and transparent culture to – we must focus on creating safer for patient safety. This would our entire pool of talent, rather for students. She has served on quality of student experience to again though it’s good to encourage continuous learning environments for patients. This include: using digital technology than just a portion of it. League of European Research the next level.” remind yourself of what’s and harm reduction. should involve a systems-based to improve safety; providing “Unlocking that potential Universities (LERU) steering Professor Buitendijk said: out there. This issue we Professor Ara Darzi, Director approach, and coordinating action robust training and education, gives Britain and our institutions groups for teaching and learning “Imperial is among the top take a look at just a few of the NIHR Imperial PSTRC and across all levels of the political and and strengthening leadership the best chance to succeed.” and for gender equality. universities in the world, drawing opportunities, including senior author of the reports, health systems.” at the political, organisational, However the report notes An internationally respected an extremely motivated, talented Imperial’s own coaching said: “For too long the mind-set The first report focuses on the clinical and community levels. that the two most senior roles in expert in maternal and child and international group of academy, which presents has been that patient harms are current system used by NHS staff university governance – the Chair health, Professor Buitendijk is students. I am very excited about —KATE WIGHTON, COMMUNICATIONS AND the chance to boost your inevitable, and that nothing can to report patient safety incidents, PUBLIC AFFAIRS of the Governing body and the Professor of Women’s and Family working to support them to fulfil career – both as a coach Vice-Chancellor – are much further from parity, with women holding Health at the Leiden University their dreams and their potential”. or coachee (page 8 ). We only roughly a fifth of these roles. Medical Centre, having held the Professor Buitendijk succeeds take a look at volunteering The report also profiles women recently appointed to senior leadership Netherlands’ first professorial Professor Debra Humphris at Imperial’s events roles in the Higher Education sector, including Imperial’s President chair for primary care in as Vice Provost (Education). programme which affords Sustainable mobility in focus Professor Alice Gast, Professor Jenny Higham – Principal of St George’s obstetrics. Professor Humphris became Vice- a special vantage point at Business challenge week University London and former Vice Dean for Institutional Affairs at Imperial, Welcoming Professor Chancellor of the University of of Imperial’s research and Professor Debra Humphris – Vice-Chancellor at the University of Buitendijk, Provost Professor Brighton in December 2015. (page 11). And we hear A car sharing service for women and a concept for more Brighton and Imperial’s former Vice Provost (Education). James Stirling said: “Our —JOHN-PAUL JONES, COMMUNICATIONS AND about fundraising for eco-friendly air travel were the winning ideas in this College Strategy for 2015-20 PUBLIC AFFAIRS —DEBORAH EVANSON, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS one of Imperial’s worthy year’s Imperial Innovation Challenge. health development charities (page 11). Students from the Full-Time MBA programme were Alongside evening classes challenged to come up with a business proposal for Clean through Triple crown Baber booster for staff at the Centre a product or service around the theme of “Smart and Plans to build a ‘cleantech A team of MBA students from A new app to guide and remind for Languages Culture Sustainable Mobility” and present their ideas to a panel The winning team behind WforW cluster’ for west London were Imperial College Business School pregnant women about vaccines and Communication, of visiting experts, following a week of guest talks, unveiled at Imperial’s White have won the Financial Times has been launched. The Maternal City Campus this month. A FTMBA Quiz for the third year in Immunations (MatImms) app informs it’s an enviable choice. demonstrations and workshops across Imperial. in brief report, launched by the London a row. The Quiz, hosted at the and guides pregnant women about Of course, you can’t The annual challenge is designed to test the business Dr Charles Donovan, Principal Teaching Fellow Sustainable Development Financial Times’ London office, infections that could be harmful to do everything – but I’d skills that the students have developed during their MBA, and lecturer on the Full-Time MBA said: “The Commission (LSDC), proposes and compered by FT Management them and their baby, such as flu and certainly advise making and encourage them to come up with innovative solutions purpose of this year’s challenge was to look at how a new business district for low- Editor Andrew Hill, saw competing whooping cough, and which could the most of it, however to pressing societal challenges. technology can produce solutions for businesses in carbon industries and ensure the business schools from across be prevented by getting vaccinated city can lead the way in tackling Europe testing their business in pregnancy. Researchers and long you’re at Imperial for. One such solution was WforW (Women for Women) the sustainable mobility space. Through exposure to the causes and effects of climate knowledge. Imperial’s team clinicians from Imperial College – a proposed app that provides advice to women on how guest speakers and the wealth of innovation taking ANDREW CZYZEWSKI, EDITOR change. The concept is supported was made up of Full-Time MBA London and Imperial College to make a safer, more sustainable commute to work. In place across the College, students were inspired to by Imperial College London whose students Jimena Gonzalez Healthcare NHS Trust teamed up Reporter is published every some countries, travelling by public transport can be come up with disruptive ideas in a very short space new White City Campus would Mardjetko, Charaf El Mansouri and to develop the app after becoming three weeks during term time particularly intimidating or even dangerous for women. of time. The best proposals looked at how a change be part of the cluster and house Sylvain Poncet, Weekend Executive concerned about the low uptake of businesses in the early stages of MBA students Simon Broomfield certain vaccines amongst pregnant in print and online. Contact In India, for example, a study found that 95 per cent of in business model can unlock the potential of a Andrew Czyzewski: their development in its Centre and George Gowers, and Executive women. Download the app here: [email protected] women said their mobility was restricted because of fear technology with high commercial potential.” for Cleantech Innovation (CCI).