Digging For Diplomas - University of Derby

May 2007
The University of Derby Magazine Issue Fifteen
Digging For
Diplomas
New Courses For
Industry Page 3
Relocation, Relocation
Spotlight On University Moves Pages 6-7
Spreading The Word
Focus On International Activity Page 8
www.derby.ac.uk
UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

2
Flipside With Coyne
This month sees us commence the physical
occupation of the new buildings on
Markeaton Street – the first population of
our new development as we consolidate into
the University Quarter.
After so much planning, waiting and hoping,
Contents
Page 3
Top Prospects:
New Courses
Unveiled
Page 4
Digital Age:
Forensic Computing
Pages 6 & 7
Golden Moments:
Green Lane Reunion
Acknowledgements: Words by the Press
Office. Photography by CEDM. Print and
Design by Print Services.
If you have a story for Connected, please
contact Senior Press and PR Officer
Simon Redfern in the University of Derby
Press Office on 01332 591942, or email:
s.redfern@derby.ac.uk
it’s good to begin putting this important new
development into action. It looks the part, but
it’s how we use it and what our students
achieve in it that will be the ultimate test!
A major user of the new facility will be
colleagues in Art and Design. We were
reminded of the fine tradition of art education
in this city when former students and staff of
the various manifestations of our Arts School
met for an Alumni event at Green Lane on
March 31. It was a well attended event and I
had the chance to meet some very passionate
supporters of our work.
The event also saw the launch of John
Fineran’s book – Derby Schools of Art,
Science and Technology 1853–2003. The book
is a fascinating account and also introduced
me to some of the distinguished former
students of the school, including Arnold
Machin, whose design for the Royal Mail
produced the most famous representation of
the Queen’s head – know as ‘The Machin’ –
that had appeared on nearly 200 billion stamps
by 2001.
Our colleagues in Education have notched
up a further success in being awarded a Centre
of Excellence in Teacher Training for the post
compulsory sector.
They are key members of a regional
consortium that includes the Universities of
Leicester and Northampton, and South
Leicester College. It’s a great tribute to the
work put in by Lynn Senior and Jo Pickering.
There’s so much going on at present that we
hardly have time to pause for breath – but with
so many exciting possibilities opening up it
can never be dull.
It’s great to see applications up so much,
attendances at our Open Days smashing all
records, and such consistent achievement
across the piece. We might even enjoy the
budget round this year!
Dave Has The MiDAS Touch
Dave Mansell
(pictured) from
Facilities Management
at Kedleston Road has
become a minibus
master. He’s now a
fully qualified Driver
Assessor/Trainer,
enabling him to train
and assess minibus
drivers at the
University.
“MiDAS is the
Minibus Driver
Awareness Scheme,
organised by the UK’s
Community Transport
Association (CTA),” said Dave.
“It’s a national standard for the assessment and training of minibus drivers and this
certificate will ensure staff can be properly trained and assessed to check they have the skills
and confidence needed to drive groups of people safely in our minibuses.”
Announcements And Appointments
Our current Dean for Arts, Design and
Technology, Professor David Manley is
taking up a new post as Director of
Cultural Development.
The University currently has a rising
agenda with regard to our engagement with
the cultural strategy of the region and the
development of cultural industries.
Peter Wyer has become the new Subject
Leader in Enterprise and Entrepreneurial
Management in the Faculty of Business,
Computing and Law, and the Faculty has also
welcomed a new Head for the School of
Computing, Kamal Bechkoum.
Professor James Elander has become the
new Head of the Centre for Psychological
Research, within the Faculty of Education,
Health and Sciences.
Congratulations to Transport Administrator
Russell Maw, who won our Bill Bryson
competition, launched in the last edition of
Connected. He receives a copy of the book
The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid,
having correctly guessed the title of Bryson’s
latest book.
All our thoughts are with Dorothy Nelson,
who died on March 30 after a short illness.
She retired in 1998 having worked at the
University for many years, first in the
Business School and finally as PA to Roger
Waterhouse, the former Vice-Chancellor. The
funeral took place on April 11 at the
Christadelphian Church in Derby and
mourners included University staff.

News
New Courses A World First
We’ve launched an exciting new learning
opportunity with the UK’s £6bn quarrying
and road surfacing (asphalt) industry.
We have a rich 110-year heritage in
teaching geology and have now teamed up
with the Institute of Quarrying and the
Institute of Asphalt Technology to unveil the
first-ever university level academic diplomas
for the industry.
The initiative has the backing of the major
international operators in the industry –
including companies with operations in
Derbyshire such as Tarmac, Lafarge, Hanson,
Cemex and Bardon Aggregates, who will
each sponsor some of their staff to take their
places amongst around 250 students on the
two three-year diploma courses every year.
Dr Derek Walton, Head of Subject in the
Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences,
said: “This is outstanding news for the
University and the industry.
“It has been looking for a way of upgrading
its educational provision through academic
accreditation at university level, to recognise
the skills and knowledge of its highly trained
managers, engineers and technicians.”
Mike Smith, General Manager for the
Institute of Quarrying, which represents
6,000 people in the industry worldwide, and
Ian Walsh, President of the Institute of
Asphalt Technology, which has over 1,500
members making and using asphalt in
construction, were at the course launch, at
Kedleston Road. Central News East, The
Loughbough Echo and trade press attended a
media launch took place at Cliffe Hill Quarry.
They were joined by Cedric Hollinsworth,
International Operations Director for the
Tarmac Group and President of the Institute
of Quarrying, who said: “Our industry is a
fundamental supplier of the products which
enable us all to enjoy a civilised lifestyle.
“We need to ensure that we are able to
recruit and train a competent and responsible
core of managers.”
Picture Gallery
Above: Back: (l to r) Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Learning, Teaching and Scholarship) Professor
Michael Gunn; Dr Mike Greenwood, Head of
School of Science; David Sharman, Chairman IQ
Council; Mike Smith, General Manager Institute of
Quarrying.
Middle: (l to r) Dr Derek Walton, Head of Subject;
Jukka Laitenen, IAT Education Officer; Anthony
Morter, Secretary IAT; Jack Berridge, Executive
Director, IQ.
Front: (l to r) Ian Walsh, President of the Institute
of Asphalt Technology; Vice-Chancellor Professor
John Coyne; Cedric Hollinsworth, International
Operations Director, Tarmac Group and President
of the Institute of Quarrying.
Below: FROM INDUSTRY: (l to r) Mike Smith,
General Manager, Institute of Quarrying; Stephen
McDonough, (Nottingham) Unit Manager, Tarmac
Group; Bob Davies, Acting Quarry Manager, Cliffe
Hill Quarry; Ian Walsh, President, Institute of
Asphalt Technology; Dave Gazzard, Health and
Safety Manager, Cliffe Hill Quarry.
Front cover, THE STUDENTS: (l to r) Carly
Denton, 28, Trainee Quarry Manager; Mick
Brookes, 26, Asphalt Supervisor; Tom Shenton, 19,
Technical Assistant – all Bardon Aggregates.
Page 2, Contents column, THE ACADEMIC
TEAM: (l to r) Dr Derek Walton, University Head
of Subject; Mark Osbaldeston, course tutor; Dr
Stan Salmon, University Senior Lecturer.
Pedal Power
ON YER BIKES: Intrepid riders (left to right)
Roanna Vickers, Tim Stevens, Conor Moss, Leigh
Smith and event organiser Helen Cooper.
Cyclists from University of Derby Buxton
are heralding the launch of a groundbreaking
new Foundation Degree in Sports
Coaching, by riding a gruelling 140 mile
route from coast to coast, to raise money
for a local cancer charity this May Bank
Holiday weekend.
“There is no better way to celebrate the
launch of the new ‘Cycling Pathway’ option
for our Foundation Degree in Sports
Coaching,” said Programme Leader Paul
Jakubowski. “We believe this degree choice
is the first of its kind in the world,” he said.
One of the cyclists on the charity bike ride
will be lecturer Brendan Meehan, who codeveloped
the new cycling degree with Paul
and Strategic Sports Management Master’s
student Richard Clark, 70, an experienced
sports coach.
Brendan will be joined by other Buxton
staff including Events Management
programme leader Conor Moss and
Adventure Tourism lecturer Duncan Marson.
The coast-to-coast cycle ride will raise
money for Challenge Cancer Through
Adventure, an inspiring charity set up by
seven Peak District adventure activity
enthusiasts, each of whom has or has had
cancer. It aims to provide adventurous
activities for people with terminal illnesses
living in the Peak District.
First year Events Management students
Holly Alldred, Mark Butland, Helen Cooper
and Adam Hayward have organised the ride
as part of their course.
“The ride will go from Whitehaven to
Sunderland along a national route,” said
Holly. “Find out more by emailing:
coast2coast_udb@hotmail.co.uk and you can
donate online at: www.justgiving.com/
buxtonunicoast2coast.”
In June, for the third year running during
national ‘Cycle To Work Week’, staff from
Derby and Buxton will have the opportunity
to ride from Derby to the Devonshire
Campus, Buxton.
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4
News
Are Digital Signatures Safe?
Digital signatures which feature on
millions of UK documents such as our
driving licences differ from the signatures
we would write with a pen – opening up
possibilities of fraud.
Final Year BSc Forensic Science student
Nazia Mehrban and Dr Ian Turner, Lecturer
in Forensic Science and Biology, made the
discovery during their research.
They explored 150 signatures created with
ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen inks,
and looked for variations between these and
digital versions of the signatures generated on
a flatbed scanner.
There were many reported variations, and
in one example alone, using forensic
signature identification principles, a digital
signature differed from the original signature
in six different ways.
Senior Research Fellow Susie Dinan struck a
chord with people following her research into
the prevention of falls.
Susie, who teaches on our Postgraduate
Certificate in Osteoporosis and Falls
Prevention and Management, says that telling
the elderly to take it easy could do more
harm than good and that not being active
could lead to more falls.
She says accidents result from a
combination of factors, including medical
history, physical fitness and whether a person
has lost their confidence, or is scared of
falling over.
The story featured in dozens of newspapers
including the Brisbane Times, the Derby
Evening Telegraph and the Birmingham Post,
and a number of health magazines are now
looking at the story for follow-up features.
Dr Frank Faulkner’s recent trip to Salzburg for
the Evil and Human Wickedness Conference
featured in the Times Higher Education
Supplement and the Financial Times.
Disabled and Supportive Carer and Tourism
For All magazines are set to feature the story
of Sarah Robinson and her fellow Travel and
Tourism students at Buxton who took part in
a fact-finding accessibility tour of Poland, an
emerging tourist destination.
Nazia (pictured left with Ian) was the only
undergraduate student to present work at a
lunchtime seminar at the recent Set For
Britain science enterprise event at the House
of Commons.
Set For Britain sees researchers present
posters at Westminster on ‘frontier’ science,
engineering, medicine and technology
research, and compete for prestigious
national medals, awards and prizes.
Dr Turner said: “The forgery of signatures
is a problem in today’s society and, as a
result of technological advancement, the
introduction of digital signatures has become
increasingly popular on UK documents such
as driving licences.”
Nazia has also met Derby North MP Bob
Laxton and officials at the European Union to
present her findings and highlight the issue.
She plans to undertake further research work
in this area to see if digital signatures can be
forged.
Based within the University’s School of
Science, Dr Turner and Nazia used thin layer
chromatography and ultraviolet/visible
spectroscopy in a series of laboratory
experiments to identify variations.
Nazia said: “This study shows a
statistically significant difference between
original and digitally scanned signatures.
“Our methods showed that a different ink
type used to create the original signature
affects the number of differences found.”
The Times Higher Education Supplement also
recently featured a profile of erotica author
Mitzi Szereto; and it profiled the opening of
our Markeaton Street building.
Meanwhile, the journal of the British
Association of Medical Managers featured
the success of our academics who recently
confirmed our position as a leading UK
authority in interprofessional education, after
winning the John Horder Award for
Innovation.
The University beat a host of teams
including
Lancashire
Teaching Hospitals
NHS Trust and
Leeds Primary
Care Trust, with a
courtroom scenario
for aspiring public
sector professionals (pictured).
Our winning team featured academics Dr
Katie Cuthbert (IPE), Fran Fuller
(Social Work), Wendy Lowe (Social Work),
Kevin Bampton (Law), Tony Wragg (Law),
Donna Holdcroft (Radiography), Maggie
Summerlin (Radiography), Larry Mead
(Law) and Julia Giaramita (Law).
Innovative Master’s
Tackles Real-World
Threats
Computer crime is estimated to cost the
global economy as much as $1 trillion a
year, according to recent US reports, and
IT disasters and mismanagement can
destroy valuable business information
costing organisations even more.
“Whilst computer crime gains much more
publicity, businesses are constantly at risk of
losing data due to unforeseen circumstances –
for instance, the incorrect configuration of
networks or ‘Acts of God’ such as flooding or
fire,” says Harjinder Singh Lallie,
Programme Leader for the School of
Computing’s forthcoming MSc in Forensic
Computing and Security.
“We have designed this new MSc to teach
skills needed to protect data in the face of a
range of threats, to assure network integrity
and combat high tech crime,” he says.
Principal Lecturer in Law, Chris Poole, will
also add his expertise to the course, teaching
the legal ramifications and ethics associated
with tackling ‘cyber crime’. “There’s a
demand from local police forces for these
kinds of skills,” says Chris. “Medium sized
or larger companies will also be interested in
developing the ability to protect their digital
assets and track wrongdoing on their
networks.”
TECHNOLOGY IN FOCUS: Students will learn how to
keep data safe to tackle crime.
“Business is under increasing pressure to
comply – and be seen to be complying – with
legislation concerning protection and correct
use of data,” said Harjinder. “They must
ensure that data is held secure from hackers
and unanticipated data loss. The MSc will
benefit IT managers and staff who need to
protect their networks and information.”
Dr Kamal Bechkoum, the new Head of the
School of Computing, said: “Security is
certainly a growth area for IT, but businesses
also need skilled IT professionals who can
solve problems confidently in the event of a
crisis, and plan strategically for any
eventuality.”
This is just one of a series of innovative
postgraduate and professional qualifications
introduced this year by the Faculty of
Business, Computing and Law and designed
in close consultation with specialists.

News
Fishing For Our Top Ideas
Derby graduate Matt Stevenson has
returned to the University, where his ideas
for creating unique fishbowls first
materialised.
Since graduating in 1998, his BiOrb
fishbowls have featured on Big Brother and
other TV shows – and his company is now
recording an incredible annual £5.8m
turnover.
He has set a challenge for today’s Product
Design students at Derby to come up with a
way of pumping the water out of tanks
without manually having to do it. Some
BiOrbs hold 60 litres of water.
Car production giant Toyota
Manufacturing UK has donated a
substantial range of mechanical and
engineering equipment to our Motorsport
team.
More than 50 students on the BSc (Hons)
Motorsport Technology degree currently use
a variety of older specification Ford, Rover
and Vauxhall engines to practise mechanical
skills and learn about engines.
As well as learning about modern aspects
of engines such as fuel injection, second and
third year students may be set projects to
design and build a race car around the newly
acquired engines.
Derby’s Head of Motorsport, Steve Hill,
said: “This donation is more than just a
gesture. It equips our students with top of the
range engines and components they will be
able to use as part of the engineering and
technical aspects of the course.
“These latest engines are a welcome
extension to our resources and will help raise
the profile of Motorsport even further.”
Karen Bradley, Manager of
Communications and External Affairs for
He said: “I had great memories of Derby as
it was here where my first fishbowl idea
developed. I have always kept fish, but it was
for my degree project that I decided to look
at how to try to improve traditional designs.”
Studying on the BSc Product Design
Innovation and Marketing course, Matt used
inspiration from giant aquarium tanks to
develop a system of filtering and infiltration
in smaller fish bowls.
His unique products offer excellent
environments for fish and feature simple
cartridges which collect waste, unique
filtration from the bottom of the fishbowl
Students In The Driving Seat
Toyota Manufacturing UK, said: “We were
delighted to be able to support the University
and hope that our equipment will enhance the
training of Motorsport engineers and
technicians of the future.”
At its vehicle plant at Burnaston, near
Derby, the company produces the Toyota
Avensis and the new Toyota Auris –
production of which was recently launched
during a blaze of publicity by Chancellor
Gordon Brown.
where waste naturally settles, and special
‘aquarium gravel’ made from ceramics which
encourages biological filtration.
Today, his BiOrb is not only selling well in
the UK and employs 35 people, but he has
set up a company called Reef One Inc in
America which will sell to major pet store
outlets in the States. He is pictured here with
a BiOrb.
Our Head of Product Design, Mike Veveris,
was also Matt’s tutor back in 1998. He said:
“It was wonderful to welcome Matt back and
we were delighted he has decided to set this
student task. It will not only form part of
their final degree courses but could also
result in taking Matt’s business even further.”
In September, one of Matt’s BiOrbs is set
to be placed in the reception area of our new
Markeaton Street building.
Partnership Cracks
Catalogue Problem
Indexing and cataloguing new academic
journals has long been a laborious task.
But with electronic journals and new web
technologies – like RSS feeds (eg news
feeds) – becoming available, our LIS library
experts at Derby are now automating the
process.
Melanie Keady, E-Resources Development
Manager, and colleagues, are celebrating a
successful partnership project drawing
in the expertise of
electronic library
management system
specialist, Talis, and
top journals
publisher, Emerald.
The project was
funded by JISC – the
Joint Information
Systems Committee,
responsible for
promoting the
innovative use of new
technologies in higher
education – and could
make libraries much
more resource efficient.
The TOCRoSS (Table of Contents by
Really Simple Syndication) project, is using
collective expertise to take automatic
cataloguing down to article level. It means ejournal
tables of contents can now be fed
automatically into library catalogues without
the need for classification or data entry.
Melanie (pictured) who masterminded the
project with former colleague Ros Doig, said:
“This system will help academics, students,
librarians, publishers and catalogue service
providers delve deeper into all the digital
learning resources on offer.”
5

6
I
It’s Relocation, Relocation
It’s certainly a major project… This
summer will see around one third of our
staff moving to a new place of work in
preparation for the dawn of the new
University Quarter.
The relocation project is being led by
Professor Ray Baines. Staff based within the
Faculty of Arts, Design and Technology at
Britannia Mill began to move on April 2.
The flurry of activity will continue as some
staff and students in the Faculties of
Education, Health and Sciences and Arts,
Design and Technology also move from
Cedars, Jackson’s Mill, Green Lane,
Mickleover, and to and from Britannia Mill
and Kedleston Road as part of the relocation.
Connected profiles the latest moves and the
future of some of our other estates in an at-aglance
section, Latest Moves, opposite.
Central to the new University Quarter is the
new £21m Markeaton Street building, which
has been part funded by ERDF and HEFCE.
Pictured above and from
left: Scott Knight, Steve
Watson, Harold Convey
and Mike Bentley.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Hari Punchihewa said:
“The new building is a great addition to our
Estate and anybody who walks into it will not
come back without being impressed with its
size, the space and quality of facilities. We
have bought new furniture and other
equipment for the staff and students who are
moving in.
“It’s a very complex project to manage
with multiple site moves, but the team is
doing well. I am sure everybody involved
will tolerate the little inconvenience now as
the joy of being in this wonderful building
will soon come.”
Staff have been busy moving into
Markeaton Street and the finishing touches
are being put to the new building, which is
also ecologically sustainable and
environmentally friendly. It features lots of
open plan spaces and large windows that
flood the studios with natural light.
Students are now busy putting together
Art and Design students and staff who used
to attend courses at Green Lane held a final
celebration before the site closed recently.
A reunion organised by our Alumni Officer
Sarah Hawke marked the official closure of
the building, which was the home of Derby
School of Arts and Crafts, among others.
More than 130 former students and staff
attended the event, where they had a tour of
the old classrooms, recounted stories with
their friends and had the opportunity to visit
the new Markeaton Street building.
Professor David Manley gave out contact
cards to selected guests and invited them to
talk about their experiences at Green Lane.
Honorary Graduate John Fineran had a book
stall selling his book: The Derby Schools of
Art, Science and Technology 1853-2003.
Elsewhere, former porter Ken Knowles and
Teaching Fellow David Bryson gave guided
their end of year projects for the annual
Degree Shows to be hosted at Markeaton
Street, Britannia Mill and Kedleston Road.
When at full capacity in September, more
than 3,000 students will be based at
Markeaton Street, bringing together courses
from arts, design, media and technology
under one roof. Each subject area will have
fantastic new facilities and equipment.
The use of large shared spaces will
encourage people to work in groups and to
exchange ideas, so there’ll be a really
exciting learning environment.
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Design
and Technology, Professor David Manley,
said: “We are delighted to see staff moving
into the building. The main emphasis is on
Pat Nightingale
being ready for September when the new
academic year starts.
“Students starting this year will have the
benefit of being in a new purpose built
centre, and recruitment figures are on the
increase – and that’s before we can even
show potential students around. We have a
fantastic new facility to be proud of.”
Meanwhile, a group of students from
Celebration For Green Lane
tours of the site. There were refreshments and
another highlight was an exhibition of former
photography student works, by retired
University Photography lecturer Richard
Sadler.
In his speech, Vice-Chancellor Professor
John Coyne said Derby was proud of its
strong art and design past.

The Changing Face Of Our Estates
Fashion, Venue Design, Digital Innovation
and Architectural Technology have been
working with Interior
Architecture Lecturer Chris
Forby to come up with
design projects for the new
building.
Among the ideas is a
skywalk fashion catwalk
above The Street, which
would feature full size
fashion mannequins in wire
mesh, suspended over the
main walkway and
illuminated at night with
low voltage lighting.
Sue Edwards, University
Student Liaison Officer,
said: “We’re delighted to
have been able to give
students the opportunity to
come up with some design
“Wines are finest where the roots of the
vines are deepest, they say, and I think that
applies to places of learning as well.
“We are strong as a university where our
roots are deepest and those two areas are
teacher training and in the creative and
artistic tradition of the institution, which we
celebrate at the reunion.”
Former Vice-Principal Gordon Booth
(pictured left) also gave a speech where he
Pictured above: Ann Tullett and
Scott Green
concepts, and the initial ideas look very
encouraging.”
The ideas, each complete
with costings and business
plans, will be presented by
the students to staff on May
16, and the most viable and
creative will be taken
forward.
Students whose designs
are picked will be awarded a
design weekend in Paris or
Barcelona.
Mr Forby added: “This is
a very exciting time for
everyone involved in art,
design and technology, and
getting involved in the
designs will give staff and
students ownership of the
place.”
Latest Moves – here is the complete timetable of relocations:
Jan-Apr 2007 – Final commissioning of Markeaton Street building.
Feb-Sept 2007 – Markeaton Building fit-out works.
Apr-June 2007 – First phase of ADT staff move from Britannia Mill into Markeaton Street.
June-Sept 2007 – Britannia Mill refurbished to prepare for new EHS subjects to move in.
June-Sept 2007 – Selected EHS subjects move from Mickleover and Cedars to
Markeaton Street.
Aug-Sept 2007 – Selected EHS move from Mickleover, Cedars and Derbyshire Royal
Infirmary (DRI) to Britannia Mill.
Sept 2007 – Full teaching programme starts at Markeaton Street and
Britannia Building.
Oct 2007 – Jackson’s Mill, Mickleover and Cedars fully decommissioned and
teaching at DRI will stop.
Nov 2007 – Sir Richard Branson to officially open Markeaton Street on
Friday 2 November.
Future of our other buildings in the University Estate:
Cedars: Currently leased from NHS (lease to be terminated and will be handed back). 2007
marks the 60th anniversary of Occupational Therapy.
Green Lane: Currently owned by the University. Building is on the market with Innes England.
Mickleover: Sold for housing development. Stop Press! Contact Angela Truby at
a.truby@derby.ac.uk for more details about a forthcoming farewell Mickleover party in June.
Jackson’s Mill: Currently owned by the University. Proposed as a University Business/Enterprise
Centre. No final decision has been made yet on its future.
recounted joining Green Lane 56 years ago
as a 25-year-old and provided some
fascinating stories of life in his time at
Green Lane, and revealed that the college
had 1,000 part-time students.
His wife, Barbara Booth (nee Gough-
Jones), remembered some of the impressive
achievements of trade students. Barbara, a
senior lecturer in Applied Science at Green
Lane, who became an Associate of the
Institute of Plumbing, remembers one
student, a painter, who went on to help
conserve the ceilings at Kedleston Hall.
For more pictures and stories visit:
www.derby.ac.uk/alumni
Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson will
officially open the building when he visits on
November 2. Ahead of that, in June, some of
the first ADT Degree Shows will take place
there as well.
FIND OUT MORE! For all the latest
information about the Markeaton Street
building, its facilities and latest
photographs, as well as a virtual tour, visit
www.derby.ac.uk/markeaton
UDSU Focus
This May Ball is set to take place at
Kedleston Road on May 18 from 9pm
until 6am across five areas, including
three main stages, a casino and jazz tent,
acoustic room and of course the funfair,
food court – and now the cinema is back!
We have some high quality artists lined
up this
year,
including
The
Ghosts,
set to be
one of the
biggest
bands of
the year, BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe and
Wheatus – all the way from the USA. Last
year’s ball is pictured.
You can check out all acts on our very
own dedicated May Ball site,
www.uniballs.co.uk, most have links to
their MySpace pages or their websites, so
have a listen. To find all the information
you need. We are still adding acts so make
sure you check back and look out for the
run down in Dusted.
Due to the move from
the Kirtley Building (the
old home of the SU), this
year it looked like we
would lose The Arms as
our Urban stage, but we
have been allowed to use
it one last time and will be
sending the venue off in
style. One change this
year is that the date of the
Ball has been pushed
back a week to allow
more of you to finish
exams and coursework
for the year.
This doesn’t apply to all as we realise
that some exams are after the Ball, but after
feedback from last year, the later date
should be better for most.
Buy your tickets for May Ball 2007
online now from www.derbytickets.co.uk or
call in to any of the following venues to
pick one up: Keddies, UDSU Reception in
Derby and Buxton, The Rotunda, SUB Bar
and the Atrium stall.
Tickets are priced at £35 for the third
year running, which is great value for
money, for three main rooms, nine hours of
music, over 20 acts and much more!
Tracey Ashton
7

8
International Office
Derby’s Global Ambassadors
Sue Wang: Head of International
Connected profiles the work of our
International team, who are making
exciting contacts across the globe, and
working to attract prospective students to
the University.
It’s nearly impossible to find all members
of the University’s International Recruitment
Team in this country at the same time. And
that’s the way Sue Wang, Head of
International, likes it to be.
“We can’t often bring potential students
from overseas to visit Derby, so my team
travels the world as ambassadors for this
University and for the city and the region,”
says Sue. “Already, in this year’s January
intake, we recruited over 100 students. We
only expected 37. There are certainly reasons
to be confident. Far East Asia, China, South
Asia, India, and Africa are all growth areas
for us, and Europe remains strong.
“Derby’s popularity is rising, and I’m
convinced it’s because we go as often as we
can to international recruitment fairs, schools
and colleges in China, South-East Asia and
India – as well as throughout Europe and the
Meet The Team
As well as Sue, who specialises in China and South-
East Asia, the team consists of three International
Recruitment Officers: Chris Wyke is responsible for
the whole of Europe, including countries like Poland,
the Baltic States and the UK international market;
Nick Croft covers South Asia, including India,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka; and the latest team member
has just joined in April. Prenjani Mkambula, from
Nigeria, adds his skills to the team to cover Africa.
Back at base, Liz Slack looks after International Admissions
together with Lucy Boyce; Sonia Brown looks after Agent Liaison and
Alumni; and Sue Inness manages the team’s finances and enquiries.
new EU States – and we meet people face-toface.”
Sue was once an international student
herself so she has a better insight than many
international student recruiters into what
students are looking for when they come to
study in the UK. “Having experienced what
it’s like to travel to the UK from China – a
very different culture – I can empathise with
how students from other countries feel when
they come here.
“It’s important they come somewhere that’s
safe and friendly, and that once they get to
the University, their experiences studying
here are good ones.”
“I’d been an Associate Professor of
Languages at a Normal University of Foreign
Languages in China, and I came to the UK as
a visiting scholar in 1995,” says Sue. “I was
studying and raising my daughter at the same
time, and I had a half-time position teaching
Mandarin Chinese at the University of
Northumbria at Newcastle. Then I was
offered work in international student support
In March, Sue met Derby Alumni at a British Council
Alumni Ball in Beijing. On the far left is Ruihua Qin.
Sue Wang is in the middle, Jin Wang is holding the
picture and Peng Sun is on the right-hand side. They
are pictured with a representative from the British
Council and Chinese officials.
there. It was a valuable opportunity. I now
have over ten years’ experience of
international student support and recruitment
and have held positions at Coventry and St
Martin’s College of Higher Education in
Lancaster as well.”
In her first year as Head of International,
Sue has played a key role in increasing
Derby’s profile in new global markets,
stepping up her own visits to China and
restructuring the team to ensure attention is
given to the areas where it’s most needed.
The majority of international students still
come to Derby to study business related
courses such as Accounting – ACCA
accreditation is attractive to students from
Asia. BCL offers great flexibility and an
attractive range of courses at various levels.
“We’re meeting the market demands there,”
says Sue, “but we must improve how some
courses are provided. We’re seeing increased
interest in e-learning and more flexible
options including Fast Track Degrees.
“Until recently, 90% of all students would
be studying business, but we’re starting to
receive more interest in Arts and Design
courses from Hong Kong and the Far East.
The opportunity to improve English language
skills in the UK is often just as important as
the chosen degree course,” Sue says.
“The International Office aims to be a onestop-shop,”
says Sue. “We pride ourselves on
processing enquiries very quickly so that
potential applicants don’t have to wait. As
soon as we receive an application, we
acknowledge it, and we’re usually able to
make an offer in three to seven days.”
She praises Derby academics, especially
those in the Business School, who are keen to
travel abroad to meet potential applicants and
tell them about their courses. But she would
like to see more from other faculties travel
abroad to help recruitment as well.
“International students bring great talents to
this University as well as considerable
financial benefits,” says Sue.
“I’ve recently had four visits to China. On
the first trip Richard Hucker from the
Business School came along, and then Claire
Bylo joined me for the second trip. Nick
Croft has been to India and Pakistan with
John Nutt, Head of the Institute for Tourism
and Hospitality at Buxton. I’m happy to help
discuss potential recruitment visits with staff
from across the University,” she says. Sue
can be contacted at: s.wang@derby.ac.uk.
(Most of) the International team… Back row, l-r, Sue Wang, Lucy Boyce, Sue Inness
and Liz Slack. Front row, l-r, Nick Croft, Sonia Brown, and Prenjani Mkambula.
(Chris Wyke, left, was overseas when the group shot was taken.)

Insider
Virtually Eliminating Distance!
Staff at Buxton and Derby recently had a
chance to play with the University’s latest
tool in its battle to tackle climate change!
Our new Video Conferencing Suite in B-
Block at Kedleston Road and the Board
Room at our Devonshire Campus were linked
for a day to demonstrate the versatility of
new video conferencing equipment.
Tony Waldron, Classroom and Technical
Services Team Leader and Steve Plant,
News In Brief
Tower Security Increased
A new Access Control System activated by
staff ID cards has been installed in the
towers at Kedleston Road. The system will
be undergoing development and testing
over the coming weeks.
There will be more information about what
this means for greater protection of staff and
University property in the next issue of
Connected. To find out more, please contact
Security Manager Simon Dixon on 01332
591512.
Picking Up A Penguin
Our Marketing Department is sending
squeezy penguins to prospective new
students to help them handle their nerves
during the busy exam period.
The latex penguins have been sent to
hundreds of homes of students set to sit their
A-levels this summer, together with a flyer
NEW
TECHNOLOGIES:
Dean of the Buxton
Faculty, Professor
David Gray, has a
meeting with
Peter Holdcroft,
Tony Waldron and
other Derby staff.
Buxton’s AV Facilitator, oversaw the
Demonstration Day, which inspired staff to
see how they could reduce journeys, lower
travel costs and make better use of their time
to do business virtually instead of in person.
The Suite is available to staff and to partner
organisations to communicate with any
compatible equipment worldwide.
Contact Tony Waldron on 01332 591253
for more details.
listing helpful stress-busting tips, penned by
University academic Laura-Lee Duval, based
in the School of Education.
The tips include taking short, brisk walks,
taking power naps, planning revision wisely
and of course, squeezing the penguin at
stressful times!
Campaign For Darfur
Second Year Engineering student Sam
Boarer (above) is campaigning to stop
genocide in Darfur and wants people in the
UK to become part of the crusade.
Among other activities, he organised a
petition which received hundreds of
signatures from students across the country to
be handed in to Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The second year Engineering student is
Chair of Aegis Students, a national student
campaigning group which work under the
Aegis Trust, the leading genocide prevention
organisation, to help raise awareness of and
prevent genocide.
And the University hopes this campaign
Connected To Careers
On 21 February the University played host
to the regional finals of ‘Yomping the
Nations 2007’.
The event was co-ordinated by the Career
Development Centre and five teams from
around the Midlands region were competing
for one place in the national final in
Manchester.
Derby’s representatives were Charlotte
Wilson, Iulia Proca, Anna Goff-Kai, Asim
Kai, Asia Alder and Ailsa Costello.
Team member Ailsa Costello said: “We
were given feedback of how our team did on
the day. I felt the team performed very well
together and the skills that we developed
throughout the day were ones that I don’t
believe I could have ever acquired in a
lecture. I would certainly encourage other
students to participate in Yomping the
Nations 2008.”
The team were not successful on reaching
the final, that place went to the University of
Leicester, but they were commended for their
performance on the day.
Yomp uses experience centred learning
techniques within a competitive format to
identify commercial awareness, business
language and employability skills of student
participants. In 2006, staff from the faculties
of ADT, BCL and EHS and the Career
Development Centre trained as YOMP
facilitators.
Coming soon…..The Derby Award was
launched to University staff and external
organisations on April 26. Look out for
news on that and the highly successful
Enterprise and Creative Industries
Conference, which was held on March 29,
in the next edition of Connected.
Stuart Windle
will help develop research opportunities with
the Aegis Trust for its Identity, Conflict and
Representation Research Group, headed by
Dr Robert Hudson.
He helped Sam organise a panel discussion
at the University’s Court Room, to raise
awareness of the situation in Darfur, where an
estimated 400,000 people have died in recent
years.
9

10
Connecting People
Bev Millinchip gives
an update to
Connected readers on
the progress of
internal
communications
activity here at the
University.
Over the last two
years we have been
actively seeking your
views to make Derby a
better place to work.
One of our key
sources of information
has been the Staff
Engagement Survey,
through which all staff
have been invited to
make their points of
view heard. Last year
1,234 of you told us what you thought and so
far this year 746 have participated.
The outcomes of this survey have been
considered with much interest by the
University Council and Executive Teams. At
the local level, management teams have been
looking at their departmental and faculty
feedback, to consider how they can improve
your experience of working here.
Overall, we have seen an improvement in
organisational architecture which relates to
‘how we do things here’, ie our values.
However, improvement is still needed on
perceptions of reward and development.
Improvements seen:
• 95% of those responding in March 2007
reported they are having discussions with
their line manager concerning their targets.
• Regular VC open briefings and the
introduction of the ‘Core Brief’ (sent out,
via Vice-Chancellor Professor John Coyne
to senior managers to cascade key
messages) enable staff to keep in touch
with wider University issues
• The University Values were articulated last
year with input from staff. Many areas are
actively using the values as part of away
days and within DPRs to consider how we
as individuals fare and how we as
combined teams live the values. How we
approach each other and achieve our end
goals is as important as what we do.
The Equality and Diversity Committee for
the Devonshire Campus is established and
currently meets every two months to
discuss policies, strategies and impact
measures for all aspects of the Equality
agenda.
A new Equality and Diversity model has
been submitted and agreed by the Buxton
Senior Management Team.
This model will support the implementation
of equality strand steering groups for
disability, sexuality, race and age with the
remit to develop individual action plans which
COMMUNICATION IS KEY: Staff feedback is critical.
Professor Michael Gunn (inset).
New Committee At Buxton
Going forward:
• Many of you have requested more
interdepartmental communications and
opportunities to put ideas forward, and as a
starting point we are holding cross-
University development days (see
Delivering Excellence article on this page)
to begin to address this very issue.
• Building on this, very soon we will be
working with Faculties and Departments to
consider how we can support
communications and make them more
effective at the local level.
• Career planning and development continues
to be highlighted as an area of weakness
and this is something we are working on
with Quality Enhancement Department and
local teams.
Professor Michael Gunn, Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Learning, Teaching and Scholarship), said:
“Being a values-led University makes this a
very interesting organisation to join and work
in. I do believe that if we can all try to ensure
that the values underpin all the work we do it
will be of real significance to the future
character and success of the University.”
Communication in such a large and
complex organisation will always be an area
we need to look at proactively – to challenge
and consider how we do this and do it better.
If you have any ideas, comment on the
University’s email for staff views:
myviews@derby.ac.uk.or visit
www.derbystaffsignpost.co.uk
focus and deal with operational issues for
these areas.
From these individual action plans an
overall Faculty action plan will emerge which
will allow the Buxton Equality and Diversity
Committee to focus on the policies, strategies
and impact measures for all aspects of the
Equality agenda for Buxton.
A training programme is also now available.
The training programme has already been
delivered to over 70 people.
For more details contact Carol Cooper on
01332 594418 or email c.cooper@derby.ac.uk
Delivering Excellence
University managers are preparing to take
part in a workshop related to enhancing
the student experience at Derby.
The University has a key corporate aim to
ensure that a service quality and customer
ethos is embedded into University culture.
Discussions have been informed by
research carried out in 2006 by the BGroup,
as well as other national and internal student
satisfaction surveys.
As part of the Student Experience Project, a
cross-institutional development day is being
held on June 12 and repeated on June 19,
entitled Forward With Confidence – Making
A Difference.
The purpose of these days is to:
• provide staff with an understanding of
wider University/customer perspectives,
• share the Student Feedback 06 and the
Student Experience Business Plan and put
them into context,
• identify active ways in which we can make
the University Values live,
• further develop cross-institutional working,
• enable staff to share ideas that will make
this a better place to work and learn,
• identify and begin to put into action real
improvements to enhance our student
experience.
Jennifer Fry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Services), said: “I believe that having these
development opportunities will be extremely
beneficial.
“However, what excites me most is the
opportunity to get broad sign-up and
engagement from across the University with
the Student Experience Project.
“As part of the day, staff will have the
opportunity to put forward their own
imaginative ideas for improvement, which
will be considered as part of the development
and funding of the second and third years of
the plan. With everyone’s support we will be
able to ensure maximum benefit to our
students.”
Faculties and departments will have
representatives at the workshops at the
Catalis Centre, London Road, Derby. The
events are taking place on June 12 and 19.
Further sessions will be arranged during 2007
to enable other staff to participate.
For more details about the events, email
staffdevnom@derby.ac.uk or telephone Bev
Millinchip on 01332 591287 or 01332
591090 in Organisation and People
Development by the end of April.
News Extra
“Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea,
never regains its original dimensions” (Oliver
Wendell Holmes).
What will you be doing to develop yourself on
Learning at Work Day? This year’s Learning at
Work Day (May 24) theme is Live, Long and
Prosper.
For more details visit: www.campaign-forlearning.org.uk/cfl/workplacelearning/lawday/
index.asp

News From Buxton
Pulse Swings Pendulum At
Buxton As The World Turns
The ticking heart at the centre of the
Devonshire Dome has been given new life
by a Sheffield based inventor and
problem-solver. An electromagnetic pulse
has been introduced to keep our world’s
clock swinging.
The University’s Foucault Pendulum was
made last year for the Devonshire’s Royal
opening by Smith of Derby – who also built
and restored the clock. There are just six in
the UK, including one at the Science
Museum in London. As it swings to and fro,
the world turns around it. Like the hands of a
clock, the Pendulum’s position appears to
change fractionally over the course of the
day, moving clockwise.
However, until now this has been
counteracted by air resistance – the surface
area of the bob and the cable pushing against
the air, and sudden gusts when the main
doors open – as well as friction in the twisted
cable. This slowed the Pendulum’s swing to
a stop.
Now, science communicator and problemsolver
Duncan Smith, from Random Acts Ltd
in Sheffield, has solved the problem. “There
are two main things going wrong,” he says.
“There’s a small loss of energy in every
swing, so we had to put a little bit of energy
Just The Business Business Development Unit
A winning combination of the Partnership
Development Team in The Derbyshire
Business School, the Business Development
Unit and our Learning Through Work
team are celebrating the success of
management development programmes
created for Staffordshire based Trent and
Dove Housing.
“These front line management programmes
started in February last year with workshops
delivered every month by Sheila
McLaughlin, Roisin Murray, Kevin Watson
and other Business School staff,” said Kevin
Keigher, Business Partnership Manager
back to keep it in motion. A bit like giving a
child on a swing a gentle push every now
and again to keep them in motion.”
Duncan came up with a configuration of
electromagnets in the base and at the bottom
of the bob coupled with an infrared sensor
that detects precisely when the Pendulum
Partnership Delivers Learning Success
within DBS. “Now their first cohorts of
managers have successfully gained Institute
of Leadership and Management Introductory
Certificates in First Line Management and
Introductory Diplomas in Management.
“It really is hard working full time, holding
down a responsible position and attending a
programme like this,” said Kevin. “Inevitably
it impacts on personal time and family
commitments, but the successful learners are
already contributing to the success of the
business based on the skills and knowledge
they have acquired. For many, it was the first
time they have had formal management
training.”
Robin Pepper, Business Training and
Development Manager from the Business
Development Unit, said: “Kevin and the
Partnership Development Team, working
with Learning Through Work, have created a
template for future success here.
“Angela Crawford and I helped broker the
partnership with Trent and Dove Housing in
the early stages, but it continues to grow and
develop through Kevin’s efforts. This is an
example of how targeted business education
passes over, triggering a pulse to give it a
nudge when it’s switched on.
“Normally the mechanism used involves
magnets at the top of the device,” says
Duncan. “But the top of the Dome is so
inaccessible that I had to research other
solutions from below. We stumbled across
some ideas in 1950s editions of Scientific
American magazine, and did a series of
experiments to test it.”
In his career, Duncan has made interactive
exhibits for museums around the world and
enjoyed the challenge the Devonshire’s
Foucault Pendulum posed. “I installed a
temporary Foucault Pendulum in Sheffield
Science Park at a European Science Week
about 18 years ago. It’s been enjoyable to
create this compensation mechanism for
Buxton’s central feature.
At the North or South Poles, one full
revolution in perfect conditions takes 24
hours. At the Equator, it wouldn’t rotate at
all. Buxton is at 53º of latitude – somewhere
in between – it takes about 36 hours to turn.
News Extra: The Devonshire’s new gates
will be installed very soon. Craftsmen are
putting the finishing touches to the stone
pillars, and the gates will provide a grand
entrance to match the main building.
can help management staff in a former public
sector organisation develop the commercial
skills they need in the marketplace.”
Ron Dougan, Trent and Dove Housing
Managing Director, said: “We wanted to
develop a management development
programme that is both academic and
delivers real business benefits.
“I must commend the hard work all of our
staff put in and the successful relationship we
have built up with the University of Derby.
The University is excellent in work-based
learning. Already more of our staff have
enrolled for new management programmes
that will be starting soon.”
11

The Back Page
12 News In Brief
Small Ads
Bunk Beds: One set of pine bunk beds with
mattress. Hardly used and in super condition.
£40 ono. Will deliver locally. For more details
visit Small Ads on UDo Forums.
Car for sale: 1.4 16V Dynamique for £4,995
ono. Registered September 2004. The car is
blue silver in colour and with a mileage much
less than the average age for that car. With full
service history and petrol engine. For more
details visit Small Ads on UDo Forums.
Former colleagues and students gathered to
toast Dr Dougie Ibbitson’s 90th recently.
An event took place in the boardroom at
Kedleston Road, where Dougie was
accompanied by his wife Nina, and accepted a
gift and flowers to mark the grand occasion.
There was also a splendid birthday cake.
Guests included Roy Wooldridge, former
Principal of Derby College of Art and
Technology, Dr Michael Trevett, former Vice-
Principal of the College and a good number of
research colleagues in Chemistry and other
disciplines.
Vice-Chancellor Professor John Coyne gave
a tribute noting Dougie had supervised more
postgraduate research students to successful
completion than any other member of staff of
the College or the University.
The total research experience represented in
the room on this occasion probably totalled
several hundred years! He was delighted that
Upcoming Events
Date &
Time
May 5
9.30am –
5.30pm
May 18 –
May 25
May 23
6.15pm
Event Venue
The Vision Psychic Showcase Kedleston
Road
Statement as Image, the Creative
Expressive Therapies Art
Exhibition.
The opening night is Friday May
18 from 6.30-8pm. The exhibition
is open daily from 10am-7pm
during the week and from 1-4pm
at the weekend
Photographing the Landscape,
Inaugural Lecture: Professor
Oded Shimshon, Faculty of Arts,
Design and Technology
Fridge freezer: White Bosch fridge/freezer
for sale. Seeking £50 or nearest offer 60cm w
x 60cm d x 170cm h. Top half fridge, bottom
freezer. It is three to four years old. For more
details visit Small Ads on UDo Forums.
Settee: Dark green settee with big soft cushion
seats and back. Base pulls out to spring
mattress, (mattress unused). For sale at £200.
For more details visit Small Ads on UDo
Forums.
Dougie’s Birthday Delight
Dougie had been conferred with an honorary
DSc by the University.
In a remarkable account recalling his career
at Derby, Dougie Ibbitson explained that he
had been
appointed
by
Principal
Richardson
in 1946 to
lead and
develop
research at
the
College,
which is
exactly
what he
did during
his time
here.
Mickleover
Campus
Kedleston
Road –
Court
Room OL2
Further Details
Contact the Conference Office
on 01332 591396
The Faculty of Education, Health
and Sciences on 01332 591703
Contact our Events Officer,
Angela Drinkwater, on 01332
591046 or email
a.drinkwater@derby.ac.uk
For more details about up-and-coming events and conferences at the University, visit
www.derby.ac.uk/events.
The next edition of Connected will be a bumper 16 page summer edition,
due to be published mid June.
Signs Of The Times
New electronic signs have been introduced at
our Kedleston Road site to help publicise
events and activities to staff, students and the
wider community in Derby.
The new signs are positioned at our main
entrance and are designed to give an excellent
first impression to visitors and reflect the
quality of our University. It is hoped events
such as Open Days and Antiques Fairs will be
promoted on the new signage.
More details will follow in the next edition
of Connected to explain how you can promote
an event on the new signs.
Beckett’s Tribute
Foreign Secretary the Right Hon Margaret
Beckett meets sculptress Shenda Amery in the
Clinical Skills Suite, as she unveils a bronze
bust created by Shenda.
Marathon Man
Congratulations to Philip Carnall who
completed the London
Marathon on April 22, raising
in the region of £1,500 for Age
Concern.
He is a volunteer with Age
Concern Derby and Derbyshire,
and acts as Chair of the Board
of Trustees. The 55-year-old
Buxton student is studying
Creative Writing and Theatre
Studies and lives in Whaley Bridge.
Calling All Thespians!
Derby City Partnership is hosting its annual
week of special events to promote Derby and
the activity that results from partnership
working in the city.
On Monday June 25 at 11am Derby City
Partnership Week starts with famous Derby
characters from past and present meeting
invited guests and the public at a launch event
in the Market Place.
The City Centre event is a co-production by
Derby Marketing and the University Graduate
Theatre Company. Actors are invited to an
open audition between 10am and 4pm on
Friday, May 11 at our Mickleover Campus,
Western Road, Mickleover.
For more details, contact Graham Marriott,
Event Director and Derby Theatre Festival
Co-ordinator for the Graduate Theatre
Company by email at:
graduatetheatrecompany@derby.ac.uk