Communicator, Issue 28 (Winter 2009) - University of Portsmouth

Inside
Issue 28
Communicator
Newsletter for University of Portsmouth Staff
Dental Academy update Page 4
Long Service Awards Page 8
The financial future Page 9
Matrix Standard quality mark awarded Page 10
Review of HR policies Page 13
Winter 2009

02
Dates for your diary
Bastards in the Workplace
Professor David Sims, of Cass Business
School, gives a lecture on the nature of
indignation in organisations.
Wednesday 13 January 2010
6pm, Richmond Building
T: 023 9284 3757
E: events@port.ac.uk
Food Allergy: To Eat or Not To
Eat
Inaugural lecture by Professor Taraneh
Dean, School of Health Sciences and
Social Work.
Wednesday 27 January 2010
6pm, Portland Building
T: 023 9284 3757
E: events@port.ac.uk
Money Advice Week
A week-long programme of financerelated
activities and workshops in
conjunction with the Students’ Union.
Each day will have a theme which will
focus on different aspects of student
finance, for example, housing, social and
food costs.
8–12 February 2010
How Language Shapes Our
World
Inaugural lecture by Professor Sue Wright,
School of Languages and Area Studies.
Wednesday 3 March 2010
6pm, Park Building
T: 023 9284 3757
E: events@port.ac.uk
Crazy For You
The Dramatic and Musical Society’s
production features rich playboy Bobby
Child who dreams of being a dancer. This
high-energy comedy is full of mistaken
identity, plot twists, fabulous dance
numbers and memorable Gershwin tunes
including I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You
and Someone to Watch Over Me.
10–13 March 2010
7.30pm, New Theatre Royal
Tickets £8.00–£10.00, £5.00–£8.00
concessions
Box Office: 023 9264 9000
Communicator | Winter 2009
The Birth of Frankenstein
A lecture by Graham Bremer, Associate
Head of the School of Biological
Sciences.
Wednesday 17 March 2010
6pm, Portland Building
T: 023 9284 3757
E: events@port.ac.uk
Decadent Fantasia: Modern
Images of Closed Space and
Open Sex
A lecture by Camille Paglia, marking the
inauguration of Portsmouth’s Centre for
Studies in Literature.
Friday 23 April 2010
6pm–9pm, Portland Building
T: 023 9284 3757
E: events@port.ac.uk
Centre for European and
International Studies Research
(CEISR)
19 January – Biographical Enigmas in
the Lives of Arthur Conan Doyle and
William Hayley
26 January – Where are the Subtitles in
the Film?
16 March – Annual CEISR Lecture:
Migrant Journeys
The seminars are free and open to the
public.
W: www.port.ac.uk/ceisr
E: liam.dean@port.ac.uk
T: 023 9284 6033
Café Scientifique Portsmouth
Come and discuss the latest issues in
science and technology:
26 January – Genetic Testing in
Pregnancy
23 February – Why Chocolate is Good
for You
23 March – Has Modern Medical
Science Overstepped our Moral
Boundaries?
27 April – Benefits and Harms of
Screening Programmes
Admission free
T: 023 9284 3757
E: events@port.ac.uk
Music in the Round
The sixth series of the international
chamber music, sponsored by the
University in partnership with the New
Theatre Royal, featuring world-renowned
ensembles:
29 January – Ludwig String Trio and
Bengt Forsberg
5 March – Red Priest
7 May – Doric Quartet
28 May – Ebène Quartet
2 July – Ensemble 360
7.30pm, New Theatre Royal
Tickets £13.50, £11 concessions
Box Office: 023 9264 9000
CERI Hot Topic Seminars
The Benefit of Non-Executive Directors
Wednesday 24 February 2010
Ethical Marketing – Friend or Foe?
Wednesday 24 March 2010
6pm, Richmond Building
T: 023 9284 4046
E: ceri@port.ac.uk
W: www.port.ac.uk/ceri
Exhibitions
CCI Space and Eldon Galleries in the
Eldon Building present a series of
exhibitions both by students and staff, as
well as works by professional artists.
Code
7 December–22 January, Space
CDPT Mash Up
11–27 January, Space
Janus
15 January–4 February, Eldon Gallery
The Order of Things – Part 7
1–5 February, Space
A Few Lines
12 February–5 March, Eldon Gallery
Liminal
15 February–5 March, Space
New Creatives
15–30 March, Eldon Gallery and Space
CCI Space and Eldon Gallery are open
to the public from 10am to 4pm Monday
to Friday. Access is from the Winston
Churchill Avenue entrance. The exhibition
is closed at weekends and bank holidays.

Editorial
Editorial 03
Welcome to Communicator 28. Judging by this issue and the volume of articles, it’s been a very busy
semester so far. We have received a lot of positive feedback about Communicator lately and this is
largely due to your participation – thank you! If you have any suggestions for other features you’d like
to see included, please let us know by emailing communicator@port.ac.uk.
Many of us will have been working with others in their teams to
evaluate what they do and where savings can be made. This good
practice is usual, with monitoring effectiveness part of measuring
the success of all projects, but tighter budgets certainly sharpen
focus on what has most impact for our students and other
customers.
There are many staff and student achievements to celebrate
on pages 10–11 and throughout this magazine. It’s great to see
that both Purple Door Careers and Recruitment and the Student
University Christmas
cards
The University Christmas cards are now ready for you to order
online at www.port.ac.uk/christmascards.
The cards have been designed by the University’s Artist in
Residence, Jon Adams, on the theme of the Christmas carol ‘I saw
three ships come sailing in...’ and one of our print suppliers has
kindly partly sponsored the print costs. Proceeds from the sale of
these cards will be donated to the Mary Rose 500 Appeal.
They are sold in a set of four different designs costing £1.00.
To order, please complete the online form quoting number of sets
required and your cost code. The cards will then be delivered to
the address specified in the form.
The cards will be available for despatch to departments from
Thursday 26 November.
Finance Centre have been awarded the matrix Standard in
recognition of their commitment to delivering effective advice
and guidance to our students.
Our next deadline for our Easter 2010 issue is 12 February.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Claire Brookes
Editor
Head of Corporate Communications
Preview Days
The University has been more popular than ever this year with a
record-breaking number of attendees on our Preview Days. The
Preview Days are a vital undergraduate student recruitment tool,
giving prospective students and their families the opportunity
to visit the University and decide if they would like to apply to
study here.
The Preview Days for 2010 entry have been running from July this
year, with the fifth and final event in November. So far this year:
• We have seen 14,064 visitors in total during five events
compared to 13,838 in total during 2008, showing just under
a two per cent increase in visitor numbers. We will be looking
to sustain these numbers for future years rather than increase
them.
• All events were fully booked by early October as demand was
so much higher this year and we have scheduled in extra dropin
sessions for walking tours and halls visits to cater for this
need.
• 6,421 of the visitors have been prospective students to the
University, accompanied by other decision influencers such as
parents or teachers.
• Two of the five events this year have exceeded 3,000
attendees each.
Preview Days are designed to encourage applications to the
University, giving prospective students all the information they
need to make a choice about putting us on their UCAS form. We
offer departmental visits, halls tours, campus walking tours, city
coach tours, an Information Fair with stands from vital University
services, accommodation and finance talks, and tours of the
library and sports and recreation facilities.
Once a student has applied, they will be invited again to a subjectspecific
department open day, giving them a chance to get to
know their department a bit better and encourage them to make
us their first choice.
If you have any questions about the Preview Days, please contact
the Marketing Campaigns team on 023 9284 2748 or email
previewdays@port.ac.uk.
Figures up-to-date at time of going to press.
Winter 2009 | Communicator

04
Around campus
News in Brief
Royal recognition
Garnet Education, publisher of Marie
McCullagh’s English for Medicine, has
won the English-Speaking Union English
Language Award 2009 for its series of
English for Specific Academic Purposes
books. The series’ authors received the
award at Buckingham Palace in November.
Marie is Senior Lecturer in EFL and EAP
in the School of Languages and Area
Studies, and her further book in the same
series, on English for ICT teaching, is due
in 2010.
Church revamp
Architecture students have been working
with consultant Leigh Rampton to come
up with fresh ideas to revamp St George’s
Church Hall in Portsea, which has been
open since 1753. The existing building is
in a poor state with rotten floorboards and
health and safety problems. The church
is a beautiful listed building, which will
remain as it is, but the hall needs to be
replaced with something that will serve
the community for years to come.
‘For Sale’
To celebrate Global Entrepreneurship
Week, the Portsmouth Centre for
Enterprise is giving creative students the
opportunity to sell some of their work. The
aim is for students to gain understanding
of the commercial value of their activities
and at the same time learn how to
promote their business. Take this chance
to see some of our students’ creative
works and pick up bargains for your
Christmas list. Date: 16 November–17
December 2009. Time: Mon–Fri 8am–7pm
and Sat 9am–5.30pm. Venue: Le Café
Parisien.
Communicator | Winter 2009
Dental Academy
It is almost a year since we announced the agreement to proceed
with a new dental outreach centre in Portsmouth, one of the major
strategic developments of the University in 2010, which will enhance
our standing as a leading provider in dental education programmes
in the south of England.
Since then considerable progress has been
made for the new centre to become fully
operational. Most visibly, the new building
along Hampshire Terrace is well underway
and aspires to its design image (see artist’s
impression).
Why not view the construction on our
webcam and see further images including
a virtual tour on www.port.ac.uk/
dentalacademy.
We also have adopted a name – the
University of Portsmouth Dental Academy
(UPDA), shortened to the Dental Academy.
Scheduled to open in September 2010,
the centre will be at the leading edge of
dental education, training dentists, dental
therapists, hygienists and dental nurses in
a team setting.
Up to 3,000 additional people annually are
expected to benefit, with services including
oral health advice and all aspects of
primary care dentistry including check-ups,
fillings, extractions, crowns, bridges and
dentures.
The new centre is an innovative partnership
between the University of Portsmouth and
King’s College London Dental Institute
(KCLDI). KCLDI has an international
reputation for teaching and research in
the dental sciences, while the University
of Portsmouth delivers well-established
training programmes for dental care
professionals. Together we are ideally
placed to offer an innovatory model of
team-based training based on primary care
practice.
Our vision is to provide an excellent
student experience focusing on teambased
dental education in a primary care
setting and to work with key stakeholders
such as local dental professionals, health
and other organisations to raise the oral
health aspirations of local communities.
We will also offer a proactive and dynamic
programme of training events for local
dental professionals.
Further review of these events can be
found at www.port.ac.uk/dentalacademy.
University engineer shortlisted for bright idea
A floating island city fuelled entirely by green energy has
landed Professor Carl Ross from the Department of Mechanical
and Design Engineering a place on the shortlist of a national
competition. Professor Ross has reached the final five of the
‘Britain’s Bright Ideas’ competition, which launched a national
search for energy efficient ideas led by energy company npower.
His idea to design a floating island city was the result of his
passion for finding a solution to the problems of an overcrowded
planet made worse by the threats posed by climate change.
He believes that without drastic measures, by the year 2050
humankind is likely to suffer a disaster of biblical proportions.
The professor’s plan is for a city above sea level, supported on
several concrete tubular pillars with a platform ‘resting’ on the
top made of glass fibre that is 50 times stronger than concrete
under compression. Each island is designed to accommodate
a population of around 150,000 and would incorporate all the
facilities of a regular city such as schools, a hospital, leisure
facilities, services, industrial complexes and shops.
The winner’s idea will be brought to life in a Wallace & Gromit-style
sketch, which will go on display at the Science Museum in London.

PBS facilities refurbished
Around campus
Over the summer, Portsmouth Business School refurbished the Placements Office and
Undergraduate Centre, creating a more efficient and friendly environment for staff and
students alike.
The Placements Office has relocated to the area previously
occupied by the Assessment Office in Richmond Building
Ground Floor RB 0.08. There is a team of experienced advisers
available and the friendly office operates an ‘open door’ policy
throughout the year for all Business School students. Team
members are Alison Shaw (Manager), Helen Mould (Assistant
Manager), Andrew Dickson (Senior Administrator) and Laura
Mockford (Administrative Assistant).
The Undergraduate Centre has undergone significant
alterations with the removal of walls and the creation of a
new-look office for Manager Jackie Seymour. The Centre team
is responsible for the entry of student data onto the University
student records system, maintaining accurate information
for all undergraduate students. In addition, all administration
relating to assessments, correspondence and communication
is administered by the Centre.
International
recognition for
computer game
Creative Technologies senior lecturer Dan Pinchbeck has won a top
prize at the IndieCade2009 International Festival of Independent
Games for his game Dear Esther. He won first prize in the ‘Best
World/Story’ category at the festival, which represents the best
creativity, vision and work of independent game designers from
around the world.
Dear Esther tells a story about a deserted island, a lost man, memories
of a fatal crash and a book written by a dying explorer. The game
has received over 30,000 downloads and is the focus of a doublepage
feature in the November issue of Wired-UK, a magazine about
technology and innovation.
Dan said: ‘I wanted to create a unique game which would blur the
lines between computer games, art and film and draw people in. Dear
Esther contains fragments of story that are randomly triggered by
players moving around the game, making every experience unique.’
Dan received his award at a ceremony at the Sony Pictures Plaza in
Los Angeles. He said: ‘These awards are a very significant indicator
of critical esteem, with a jury panel that includes some of the most
important figures in both commercial and artistic game development.
Winning is a really amazing and quite unexpected result for a project
created through an external research grant and it is a real credit to
everyone involved.’
The IndieCade competition is the only independent gaming event in
the United States that is open to the public and receives hundreds of
entries. Its aim is to highlight the cultural significance of independent
games and secure industry recognition and public attention for the
games, the game-makers and the medium.
Dear Esther can be downloaded at www.moddb.com/mods/dearesther.
The team is headed up by Jackie, with Sharon Guthrie as her
deputy. The rest of the team are Luke Bartrop, Kim Carter,
Sarah Greenwood, Linda Fisher, Jo Hickley, Alyson Hyland,
Carol Lacey, Claire Nowell, Mana Mulliah, Farai Pedzeni,
Cayleigh Spooner and Kate Tibbett.
Evaluating the benefit
of welfare change
05
Professor Dan Finn of the School of Social, Historical and Literary
Studies has secured £105,000 funding from the Department
for Work and Pensions as part of a research consortia that will
investigate changes in the employment obligations on lone
parents who receive out of work benefits.
Under the regulations that came into force in October, 68,000
lone parents of children aged 10–11 will be switched from Income
Support to Jobseeker’s Allowance. Those with older children have
already faced this switch, which will be extended to cover lone
parents of children aged seven or above in 2010. The Work and
Pensions Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has argued that this will be
a family-friendly policy, supported by personalised service from
JobCentre employees.
Professor Finn, who is also the Associate Director of Research
at the London-based Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion,
will lead a complex applied research project that is using
both qualitative and quantitative techniques to evaluate the
implementation, delivery and effects of the policy. As a first step,
Professor Finn and Rosie Gloster have completed an international
evidence review of similar policy changes in other countries. The
study will be published in 2010.
Professor Finn said: ‘The findings from the review reinforce the
importance of undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the
impacts that these major changes will have on single parents’.
The study is to take four years, to 2013. It will comprise several
smaller studies, a longitudinal survey of lone parents affected by
the policy and synthesis reports to bring the results together.
Winter 2009 | Communicator

06
University update
Sue Harper retires after 41 years’ service
I first came to Portsmouth in September 1968, as a Junior Lecturer in Literature. Portsmouth was then a College of Advanced
Technology and the arts and humanities were very much a small adjunct of Portsmouth’s work. Since then, I have progressed
to Professor in Film History and the areas of film, media, literature and popular culture make an important contribution to the
University’s work. So my profile, and that of Portsmouth, has been completely transformed.
Mentoring@
portsmouth
Over the next six months Foundation Direct (Centre for Excellence
in Teaching and Learning) is developing ‘Mentoring@portsmouth’.
This new, University-wide Victory site will contain generic mentoring
resources, support and online basic mentor skills training,
supplemented with context-specific resources and guidance
for various programmes.
Building on the success of the CETL’s existing website, Mentor Direct,
the new site will be available to support both formal and informal staff
to staff, student to student and student to work-based professional
mentoring (a limited number of places are available for external users).
Mentoring@portsmouth will be launched in late spring/early summer
next year. If you are interested in using this site to support your own
mentoring scheme and would like to contribute resources or be
involved in the redevelopment, please contact sarah.fielding@port.
ac.uk or look out for further information at the University’s Christmas
Learning and Teaching Conference on 15 December.
European Health
and Safety Week
To mark European Health and Safety Week, the City Council
joined forces with the Emergency Services and the University’s
Health and Safety Team to run an event called ‘Health and
Safety – Am I Bovvered!’ The event was held on Tuesday 20
October in Cascades Shopping Centre.
Pauline Hamblin, Mark White and Ben Laker from the Health and
Safety Team ran an exhibition and offered advice on back care
through good posture and correct lifting techniques.
The event had a light-hearted side with a conker tournament
designed to dispel some of the myths surrounding health and
safety and the image of the Health and Safety Officer as a killjoy.
Communicator | Winter 2009
When I first came here, English
and history were taught as external
degrees to London University. Now
we grant our own degrees. I have
been in five different departments and
taught on about ten different degree
programmes. External research grants,
PhD supervision and writing books
have taken up my energies in the last
few years. It has been hard work,
but stimulating and I have been very
fortunate in the support of SCAFM and
CCI, where I have felt really at home.
Retirement for me doesn’t mean stopping
intellectual work – far from it. It just means
I have time to write the books, without
having to teach or go to meetings. I hope
that as an Emeritus, I will be maintaining
those links with Portsmouth that I value
so much.
Graduate
Recruitment
Fair 2009
The Graduate Recruitment and Placement Fair 2009 saw almost
1,900 students and graduates attending. Held on the 4 November
2009 and organised by Purple Door Careers and Recruitment, the
event provided an ideal opportunity for students and graduates
to talk to employers face-to-face about graduate vacancies and
industrial placement opportunities. They were also able to ask
current graduate trainees, many who are alumni of the University,
what it’s really like to work within the company.
Despite the current climate, the fair attracted a range of top
employers including Ernst & Young, IBM, Lidl, Armed Forces,
Microsoft, VT and the Civil Service. Julia Hughes, Head of
Employability, advised that feedback from both students and
employers had been very positive – another successful event!

University update 07
Success for first regional PEP Conference
Over 160 NHS staff members and academics from the south central region took part in the first
regional Putting Evidence into Practice (PEP) Conference on 24 September 2009 at the Rose Bowl
cricket ground. PEP is a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course for health professionals
developed and delivered by the University. This one-day conference offered an update to past
participants on more recent developments in the area and highlighted key features of this CPD
programme to health professionals.
Organised by the School of Health Sciences and Social Work and
funded by NHS Education South Central, the conference covered
a variety of topics on evidence-based practice – from its history, to
current use of clinical guidelines, to practical sessions on searching
NHS Evidence, as well as interactive exercises on understanding
research and undertaking change management.
The keynote speakers for the event included Professor Paul Glaziou
(Director of Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, University of Oxford)
and Dr Gillian Leng (Chief Operating Officer for NHS Evidence). The
morning session, chaired by Vice-Chancellor John Craven included
sessions on history of evidence-based practice and its future
directions. The afternoon session chaired by Dr Yeo, Chief Executive of
Hampshire Partnership Trust, concentrated on sources of evidence and
implementation of evidence-based practice.
To view the presentation handouts or for further information, please visit
www.ebp4nhs.org.uk.
Alumni relations
Our graduates are really important to us and
the University wants to get back in touch with
as many as we possibly can. This is an exciting
time for the Marketing and Communications
Department – we are making a commitment to
developing and improving our alumni relations
programme. We are at the very early stages of
developing this and at this stage our main efforts
are concentrated on trying to contact as many
former students as possible.
Previous efforts to stay in touch with our graduates have been
relatively low key, but the Marketing Campaigns team have been
tasked with moving things forward and starting afresh with a
new strategy. Over the coming months, we will be looking at how
we communicate with graduates on a more regular basis and
improving the services and events we offer to former University
students.
Kevin Gaisford has been appointed as the new Database
and Operations Officer, and he will oversee the purchase and
implementation of a new alumni database and work out how to find
as many up-to-date contact details as we can for former students.
We will soon be looking at the appointment of an Alumni Relations
Officer to communicate with our alumni.
If you have any ideas for improving the alumni offer from the
University of Portsmouth, please email us on alumni@port.ac.uk.
We would also be happy to assist you with any alumni relations
campaigns you wish to undertake. If you know of students who
would like to join the Alumni Association, they can sign up or find
out more at www.port.ac.uk/alumni.
Market Research
team launches Purple
Portal
A new Marketing and Communications intranet site has been
launched to provide market research support for University staff.
In response to requests for market information and data, the
Market Research team has recently launched Purple Portal – a
market information portal providing readily accessible online market
intelligence resources. Purple Portal provides a range of market
intelligence for all staff and it is hoped that the site will be a valuable
resource for marketing enquiries and new course development.
The portal currently includes links to University of Portsmouth Facts
and Figures, GCSE/A/AS Level trends and online HE statistics. The
portal also contains market research considerations, application
maps and UCAS competitor listings. The research report, Choosing
the University of Portsmouth (an in-house research project), is also
available to view.
Purple Portal is in its fledgling stages and will expand further
during the coming months. However, the Market Research team is
eager to include any additional information or links that members
of University staff might find useful. So please feel free to contact
teresa.dale@port.ac.uk to discuss your suggestions.
To access Purple Portal, go to www.port.ac.uk/departments/
services/marketingandcommunications and click on Market
Research.
Winter 2009 | Communicator

08
University update
Long Service
Awards 2009
This year’s Long Service Awards were held on Wednesday 21
October to recognise those staff who had completed 25 and 40
years’ service with the University and its predecessors. A total
of 27 staff received awards, including five who had achieved 40
years’ service.
A buffet lunch was held in the Nuffield Centre to mark the
occasion, which 15 staff were able to attend with their guests
and managers. Staff were presented with a certificate by the
Vice-Chancellor, John Craven. In addition, the staff are able
to select a gift of their own choice as a memento of their
achievement.
We offer our congratulations to all those receiving these
awards.
Let’s make it great – the New
Theatre Royal sets its sights
firmly on the future
The New Theatre Royal (NTR), Portsmouth,
launched its new fundraising campaign
on 4 November, ‘Let’s Make it Great’. The
campaign aims to raise money to develop
the backlot, which was destroyed by
fire in 1972. Development of this space,
planned in collaboration with the University
of Portsmouth, will give both the theatre
and Portsmouth a tremendous boost. It
will also give the best of our national and
international theatre companies the eagerly
awaited new stage and facilities they need
to perform at the NTR.
The plan is to re-house staff and students
from the University’s School of Creative Arts
Film and Media in the new theatre extension,
allowing for even closer collaboration
between the theatre and the University’s
performing arts and music division. A new
150-seat community theatre space is also
planned on the site, allowing local theatre
and youth groups fantastic opportunities to
develop and perform. It will thrust both the
city’s new and established culture and the
arts firmly into the limelight, heralding a new
phase for this beautiful Victorian theatre.
The campaign’s target is to raise £4 million.
Over £772,000 has already been raised for
the project thanks to the Partnership for
Urban South Hampshire, Portsmouth City
Council and Arts Council England. The New
Theatre Royal’s fundraising activities will
centre on the ‘Let’s Make it Great’ weekend,
taking place from 15–17 January 2010.
Communicator | Winter 2009
The weekend will consist of a plethora of
theatre-based and open space events and
performances. The University, Highbury
College and ‘Be your Best Rock Challenge’
are among those who have already
pledged their support for the weekend. Tim
Macfarlane of Rock Challenge said: ‘We are
extremely pleased to be involved with the
‘Let’s Make it Great’ campaign. The first ever
UK Rock Challenge happened in Portsmouth.
It is the hometown for many of our teams, so
the arts and young people of the city are of
great importance to us. To be able to support
the theatre in this way is fantastic. We hope
everyone in Portsmouth jumps on board and
gets involved.’
The theatre is also delighted to announce
that architectural firm Penoyre and Prasad
have been selected to spearhead the building
project. Ian Goodfellow, project leader for the
company, confirmed today: ‘We are delighted
to be selected to work with the New Theatre
Royal to realise an extraordinary new vision
for its cultural offer for Portsmouth and its
dynamic new relationship with the University.’
Long awaited preliminary plot investigations
will begin in February 2010.
Re-launching
the Institutional
Repository
An institutional repository is a collection
of the scholarly output of an institution,
such as journal articles and book
chapters, usually in digital format.
Currently we have a small repository
available from the library website, but
a group of staff, led by David Arrell, is
looking at how we can improve and
extend the existing collection.
This is important for a number of reasons,
one of the main ones being because the
new Research Excellence Framework
proposes using the number of citations
as one measure of excellence. Research
shows that adding material to a repository
increases citations as the material is more
easily discovered by search engines such
as Google Scholar.
The library will be aiding the process of
discovery by adding good ‘metadata’,
such as keywords, to describe the content.
A good repository can also add to the
reputation of an institution. In the current
economic environment, finding freely
available and credible information within
repositories can only be a good thing.
Currently we are scoping the project and
testing a new version of the software, but if
you have any questions or thoughts, please
email roisin.gwyer@port.ac.uk.

The financial future
The financial future
We were told in June that our grant from the Funding Council, for the year now in progress, would be
reduced by around £750k compared to the original grant allocation letter which we received in March.
This is the result of a public spending cut – through which the government’s allocation to HEFCE will
be reduced from April 2010. The same announcement indicated that we will face around a £2 million
reduction in the academic year beginning in August 2010. It might eventually be more – even up to
the point when a newly elected government announces an emergency budget after the election. It is
very unlikely that we shall receive any increase next year to meet inflation, though our salary bill rises if
only through the effect of increments and some costs (energy prices, library materials priced in Euros
and so on) are not in our control.
We are financially sound at present. Unlike
some universities, we are not also dealing
with a deficit that arose before the cuts
were announced. We have not borrowed
in the last 15 years and so we do not
face a major burden of interest costs and
repayments. Our financial position gives us
the opportunity to consider carefully how
we react to cuts, known and unknown,
and to phase our reaction over a couple of
years.
We have asked all parts of the University
to think how they would reduce their
expenditure by five per cent (as well as
make up a budget deficit if they already
have one) from the baseline of the present
year. This is more than the cuts that we
currently know about, but the future is very
uncertain and I would rather have a chance
to take a broader view now than have to
react quickly each time a government
announces another cut.
We are looking for ideas to simplify
processes, reduce duplication, work
more smartly and stop doing some things
in order to free up resources for new
activities. Removing small units of study
and courses will be a priority, particularly
as we are now confident of our ability to
recruit students even if we reduce the
number of programmes on offer.
Over 60 per cent of our income is spent
on staff, so it is not possible to reduce
expenditure very much without reductions
in the number of people we employ. A
blanket hiring freeze is undesirable as it hits
randomly, but those seeking replacement
posts will be routinely asked to consider
working out ways of appointing at a lower
grade, and this may be the only alternative
to not filling the vacancy.
There will be a voluntary severance
programme which will take account of the
needs of the University. Directorate will
decide whether to agree to each voluntary
severance proposal. Any severances or
unfilled vacancies arising since the 2009/10
budget was set will count towards savings
even if they have already happened. Posts
lost in this way are unlikely to be refilled,
but losing several staff might lead to a
recruitment of fewer new people at lower
grades.
If we need to reduce staffing in an area
beyond what is possible through voluntary
severance, we will follow our staff reduction
policy, consult with the trade unions and
maximise opportunities for redeployment.
We cannot guarantee that there will be no
compulsory redundancies, because we do
not know the size of the cuts we may face,
but I hope and believe that we can avoid
having very many.
09
I know that all reductions in expenditure
cause anxiety to colleagues and affect our
ability to deliver to the ambitions set out
in the strategic plan. I am committed to
minimising the damage that cuts cause
– but I think it right to explain openly the
position that arises from forces beyond our
control.
Vice-Chancellor, John Craven
Winter 2009 | Communicator

10 Staff and student success
Officially providing
an excellent service
The Student Finance Centre and Purple Door
Careers and Recruitment are celebrating after
being awarded the matrix Standard quality mark in
October. Each department was assessed separately
and both passed with flying colours.
Short film wins first place
Level two BA (Hons) Television and Film Production student Tom
Greenidge has won a film competition run by the Daily Mirror and
The Life Channel. The competition was to produce a film no longer
than 90 seconds about perceptions of knife violence.
Tom wrote, acted, edited and directed the film himself and fellow TV
and Film Production student, Owen Hughes, did the camera work.
Although Tom is just a year into his course, he said that the skills he
has learned so far helped him to put the film together. The 90-second
film Who’s The Victim? is about the horror knife crime brings to the
victims and their attackers. Tom said: ‘Lots of kids must carry a knife
Communicator | Winter 2009
The matrix Standard
is a quality mark that
demonstrates a commitment
to the effective delivery of
information, advice and
guidance (IAG) on learning
and work.
Christine Smart, who undertook both assessments, interviewed
staff, students and colleagues from other organisations to gain
an understanding of the overall approach to IAG at strategic and
operational levels. Both departments were praised for placing the
student at the centre of service delivery, the clarity of leadership and
direction, and the commitment to continual quality improvement. In
addition, staff from the Student Finance Centre were recognised for
their enthusiasm to provide a proficient service and for demonstrating
patience with students at all times.
Mary Hawkins, Head of Student Finance, said: ‘Staff work very hard to
provide the best and most comprehensive service possible to ensure
students are not prohibited from entering or completing their HE
experience as a result of financial issues. It is therefore extra special
when the Centre and the University is recognised, acknowledged and
accredited by a national quality standard for their excellent provision of
information, advice and guidance.’
Julia Hughes, Head of Employability, adds: ‘I am delighted that we
have been able to demonstrate that we do provide a high quality
information, advice and guidance service for our students and
graduates. The matrix Award is widely respected across the IAG
community and is testament to the effort, enthusiasm and commitment
of the staff who work in the department.’
After receiving such glowing reports and a recommendation from
the assessor, both services are now considering putting themselves
forward for the matrix Excellence Awards in 2010 – watch this space!
Dental nurse tutor
wins student vote
to students Dental nurse tutor Nicky Bartholomew has been
shortlisted for the Dental Care Professional Teacher
of the Year Award after she received votes from
students in a secret ballot.
The annual educational awards, organised by the Dental Defence
Union (DDU), recognise the achievements of the UK’s most
outstanding dental trainers. Students are asked to nominate
inspirational lecturers who show commitment, enthusiasm, innovation
and passion.
Nicky is the fourth member of staff from the School of Professionals
Complementary to Dentistry who has been nominated for a DDU
award in the last five years. Nicky, who had no idea students had put
her name forward, was surprised to appear on the shortlist: ‘It’s a real
honour to be selected and I thank all those who nominated me. I hope
the students I train look forward to a career as fulfilling as the one I
have had so far.’
Nicky will compete for the title before an audience of dental academics
and professionals at an awards ceremony in London. The winner will
receive £1,000 towards the cost of educational materials for their
school.
SPCD Clinical Director, John Weld, said: ‘Nicky thoroughly deserves
to be short-listed. She is extremely professional, hard-working and
motivated – a real inspiration to our students. These awards recognise
and encourage the efforts and passion of all dental care professionals
in helping to develop the next generation of dentists, so they are
extremely important in our field.’
because they’re scared. If they use it, everything is destroyed for
them too. I wanted to get people to think about the consequences of
going around armed, so I took the perspective of the perpetrator who
loses all his friends and ends up racked with guilt.’
Tom won a new Flip Video Camcorder and the opportunity to work
on the set of Street Dance (2010), the UK’s first 3D feature film week
which took place in September.
To view the film, please go to
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR2PqxYkz9M.

Graduates’ film
success continues
Local film-makers and Portsmouth graduates Aaron Sayers and
Toby Meredith have released their second feature film, Jack
Said, which peaked at No. 8 in the HMV chart.
Jack Said is the prequel to Jack Says (released last year) and
is based on the graphic novel of the same title. Aaron and Toby
managed to get a distribution with a large company called
Optimum Releasing, which resulted in the film getting a limited
theatrical release in Picadilly Circus. The film then went on to
nationwide DVD and blu-ray release.
The story follows undercover police officer, Jack Adleth (Simon
Phillips), as he journeys into the darkest underbelly of London’s
gangland culture. As he infiltrates the gang world the lines between
his real and assumed identities begin to blur and his conscience
and loyalty are put to the test.
So far the film has achieved nationwide distribution in the UK and
it looks set to follow the path of Jack Says, which featured the late
Mike Reid and the legendary Eric Cantona.
Aaron is a television and film production graduate and is employed
in the University’s Human Resources department and Toby is a
marine biology graduate and a temp in Student Housing.
Kalimasu Productions was formed whilst Aaron and Toby were
studying at the University and they have continued to work here
whilst producing their feature films. It is their wish to expand the
company and to take on Portsmouth students to gain invaluable
work experience on film sets. They already have three feature
films to start shooting over the next 12 months, so it looks like it is
going to be a busy year. For more information visit
www.kalimasu.co.uk.
Sporting heroes take
top awards
Sportsmen and women at the University have won two top
sporting awards in the British Universities and Colleges Awards
– more than any other university in the UK.
The Portsmouth boxing team won Team of the Year and is now
ranked number one in the country, as well as being English and
British Universities champions. The University also took home
Most Improved University, rising in the rankings from 57th a few
years ago to 25th in the country this year.
Sports Development Manager, Paul Tilley, said: ‘To be in the top
25 is a real achievement and to have beaten all the famous sports
specialist universities and the large powerhouse red bricks to win
Team of the Year and take home more trophies than any other
university is fantastic.’
Paul said that the Portsmouth teams’ success can be attributed
mainly to the determination of the staff in the Athletic Union and
Sport and Recreation department, and to student club committee
members who have all ‘signed up’ to a clear vision to improve and
enhance performance and student experience at all levels. This
vision comes alongside a more strategic approach to University
sport and the introduction of programmes such as Target Sports
and Sports Scholarships.
Staff and student success
Double success for
engineering lecturer
ECE secures
funding
The excellent teaching
in the Department
of Electronic
and Computer
Engineering has
been recognised
with double award
success for senior
lecturer Manish Malik.
Manish was one of only
four people to receive an
Engineering Subject Centre Teaching Award for his work on a
year-long case study entitled Fostering collaboration and benefiting
from blurred boundaries between students and academics.
The Engineering Subject Centre Teaching Award provides
an opportunity for engineering academics to receive national
recognition for their outstanding learning and teaching practices.
The Centre identifies engineering academics who are using these
practices to enhance their students’ learning experience.
Manish has also been awarded the University’s Learning and
Teaching Fellowship for his success in initiatives to enhance
students’ learning experiences. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor,
Rebecca Bunting, will formally confer the fellowship upon Manish
at this year’s Annual Learning and Teaching Conference in
December. Manish will receive £2,500 to extend his research and
enhance his methods further.
The Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering
has secured strategic funding for a Knowledge Transfer
Partnership (KTP) in the area of assisted living and health
informatics. The project, in collaboration with KG&S Karis Ltd
– a developer of specialised care homes – aims to develop
a state-of-the-art intelligent care management system to
provide care services in specialised care homes and ordinary
residential dwellings.
Dr Djamel Azzi and Dr Rinat Khusainov, the academic
supervisors on the project, are confident that this will further
strengthen the Department’s reputation as an active and
successful partner in research and development collaborations
with industry.
This Partnership received financial support from the KTP
programme. KTPS aim to help businesses to improve their
competitiveness and productivity through the better use of
knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK
Knowledge Base. KTP is funded by the Technology Strategy
Board along with other government funding organisations.
11
Winter 2009 | Communicator

12
Staff news
David Ferguson awarded
honorary degree
In October 2009 the University awarded
an Honorary Doctorate of Laws to David
Ferguson. David stepped down from
his position as Chairman of the Board
of Governors in the spring of this year
because he had been diagnosed with
Motor Neurone Disease and felt that he
no longer had the energy to carry out the
role. The degree was presented by our
Chancellor, Sheila Hancock, at a ceremony
attended by David’s family and friends and
by a number of University representatives.
In his speech outlining the reasons for
making the award, the Vice-Chancellor
highlighted the major roles that David
played during his period as Chairman,
both in ensuring that we are governed
effectively and in greatly increasing the
contact and confidence between governors
and University staff. Before chairing the
New governors
Communicator | Winter 2009
Board, David had chaired the Estates and
IT Committee and made very significant
inputs in steering IT projects, based on
his experience in his previous senior roles
in industry. We are delighted that David
continues to a make a valuable contribution
as a member of the Board.
The Board of Governors has been joined this year by several new faces, all of whom
have a great deal to contribute.
Dr Graham Floater is Deputy Director at the Department of Energy and Climate Change
(DECC) where he has overseen the strategy for moving to a low carbon Britain and a
review for the Prime Minister on global carbon trading. Graham is a member of the Finance
Committee.
Joy Okwuadigbo is Head of Service ‘Regeneration’ and a member of the Executive
Management Team at Havant Borough Council, working on a new regeneration plan for
Havant. Joy is a member of the Human Resources Committee.
Deborah Owen-Ellis Clark is a strategic marketing consultant, working across a broad
portfolio from retail and property, to business services and arts organisations. Deborah is a
member of the Students’ Academic and General Affairs Committee.
Michael Staunton is Executive Development and Succession Planning Director, VT
Group, building a robust talent management process including the VT Group graduate
management programme. Michael is a member of the Human Resources Committee.
Steve Topazio is the President of the Students’ Union, which makes him a Governor
ex-officio. Steve is a member of the Estate and Information Technology Committee,
Students’ Academic and General Affairs Committee and Nominations Committee, and is in
attendance at the Finance Committee.
Dr John Molyneux is a Senior Lecturer, School of Art Design and Media. John joins
the Board as the elected Academic Staff Governor and is a member of the Estate and
Information Technology Committee.
Further information on all our governors can be found at www.port.ac.uk/governors.
New Heads of Department
Dr Sherria Hoskins has been appointed as Head of Psychology, taking over the role
vacated by Professor Vasu Reddy.
Dr Richard Thelwell has taken over from Alun Rees as Head of Sport and
Exercise Science.
Dr Vince Hughes has been appointed as Head of Mechanical and Design Engineering
after Amir Alani vacated the role.
Sherria, Richard and Vince have taken on their new roles at an exciting time for their
departments and all are keen to build on the excellent work of their predecessors.
New chaplain:
Andy Marshall
Andy Marshall joined the University
on 12 October. He joins the other two
chaplains, Jordan and Karen, bringing
the team of chaplains back up to three.
Andy’s background is varied,
multicultural and ecumenical... he’s on
his third country and his 36th address
in almost as many years. He was born
in Zimbabwe, raised in South Africa, in
city, suburb and farming environments.
He was schooled almost entirely in
Afrikaans schools in the wine and
wheat-farming communities in the
Swartland in the Western Cape, and
finished his schooling at an English
School in the Eastern Cape. He studied
theology by distance learning through
the University of Southern Africa and
was ordained in 2000.
His career in the Church began
immediately after school, with a
volunteer year of missionary work
to young people in impoverished
communities in the Limpopo and
Mpumalanga Provinces of South
Africa, followed by six years as a
full-time youth pastor and two years
as a parish priest, before moving to
the UK in 2002. He spent a year in
Mirfield in West Yorkshire, followed
by three years as Associate Priest in
Easthampstead in Bracknell. He began
his career in chaplaincy in 2006, when
he was appointed as Senior Chaplain
to Southampton Solent University,
before taking up the post as Anglican
Chaplain here.
His passions are inclusivity, ethics,
equality and diversity, which are
interestingly balanced by a love of
the transport industry – particularly
aircraft and airports, and a good
soya cappuccino. He enjoys the odd
computer game, travelling and
reading sci-fi.

Review of HR policies
Policy update
Annette Bourke joined the University’s Human Resources department in the summer with a
challenging task ahead of her. As HR Adviser, it is Annette’s task to manage the University-wide
reviews of many of our HR policies.
With several years’ experience in both generalist HR roles
supporting UK and global business units and specialist roles
such as HR for mergers and acquisitions and employee relations,
Annette will be supporting the HR strategy to embed best practice
and comply with legislation in our HR activities.
As set out in the HR Strategy 2009–12, one of the key areas in
order to enable the University to achieve its strategic objectives is
the review and development of the University’s HR policies
and procedures.
Several policies have already been reviewed by University-wide
working groups, and recommendations and amendments are
already in place. The Appraisal Working Group has reviewed the
old appraisal policies and is now piloting the new Performance and
Development Review process in selected departments. There is
now a clear policy on managing absence which is on the intranet.
Management information briefing sessions to support this policy
will be available in the new year. The updated Anti-Bullying and
Harassment policy is now available, with a training programme
underway over the next few months for managers and senior staff.
Chaired by a Dean, Head or Service Director, the various working
groups consist of representatives from faculties, professional
services and trade unions. Consultation has also taken place with
staff via focus groups or online discussions on a variety of topics.
This new model for consultation is proving to be a constructive
way of understanding how our policies are implemented on the
ground, meaning new policies act as enablers instead of barriers to
effective management.
13
Julia Hughes, Chair of the Appraisal Working Group, said of the
consultative process: ‘This has been a very effective working
model with representation from across the University. Staff
were consulted through focus groups and there was open
communication to inform all staff how the review was progressing,
resulting in a positive introduction of the new Performance and
Development Review.’
Working groups will be used over the coming year to review
the single equality scheme, staff reduction policy and the
disciplinary and occupational performance procedures. In parallel,
investigation guidelines for managers have been produced which
will complement a number of existing policies and procedures.
Peter Brook, Director of Human Resources, said: ‘The HR
strategy launched this year identifies the key themes of managing
contribution, performance and reward, developing our leaders and
engaging and supporting our staff. Effective policies and guidance
for managers based on best practice are the way to make this
happen. Annette and our HR business partners are making a real
difference to the way in which we review and develop policies by
involving managers, staff and trade unions at an early stage in
looking at what needs to change. I hope the working groups will
continue to bring about change and improvements to the
working environment.’
Marketing and Communications strategies
update
Following the adoption of the University’s Marketing Strategy in December 2008, two key supporting
strategies have been agreed, which will be published shortly in the Document Warehouse.
The first is Aspiration to Admission – a strategy for Education Liaison
for 2009 to 2012, which sets out a cross-University approach to
all partnership work with schools and colleges, addressing the key
themes of recruitment and widening participation. Central to this is the
maintenance of successful and sustained relationships with schools
and colleges (from year 5 to year 13) that systematically develops
interest in higher education in general and Portsmouth in particular.
The second new strategy is for web and online communications,
which defines the key purpose of the University’s website as being
our most powerful marketing tool. The strategy also outlines the
vision for the future development of our web presence and includes
a more detailed overview of planned work for the next 12 months.
Given the importance of the University’s website and online presence,
it is crucial that roles are understood along with rules to underpin the
division of responsibilities and delivery of the site, and these are stated
clearly.
For further information, please contact chris.martin@port.ac.uk
(education liaison) or claire.brookes@port.ac.uk (web). To download
the strategies, please visit www.port.ac.uk/policies.
Winter 2009 | Communicator

14 Staff development update
Staff development goes online
Online display screen equipment
training
Health and Safety, in conjunction with external company
Complywise, is launching online training. The Display Screen
Equipment training and Risk Assessment Package is for all
University staff who are computer users. The package is being
rolled out across the University by building and/or department.
This online training will ensure that the University is compliant with
health and safety legislation and, more importantly, educate staff in
the correct and safe use of display screen equipment.
To find out more, follow the links from the main Health and Safety
webpage: www.port.ac.uk/healthandsafety.
Microsoft Office online training
resource
IT Desktop Training can now offer staff the opportunity to access
an online training resource for Microsoft Office applications called
CheckPoint. A commitment to access the learning regularly and
to utilise the resource is required from staff and their department
before registration, but the elearning is self paced and self
managed, with further support available where required. For further
information, email desktop.training@port.ac.uk.
Staff interview: Valda Bunker
This issue we talk to Valda Bunker, Director of Curriculum and Quality, about her role.
Communicator | Autumn 2009
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I left school at 16 and have been able to gain all
of my qualifications, including my PhD, through
part-time study. My background and study
route has undoubtedly influenced my priorities
with respect to supporting student learning
and opportunities for mature students. It also
prepared me for working in academia by being
able to multitask, manage my time and just not
give up.
I started work in a hospital pathology laboratory
in Poole in Dorset, then moved to the University
of Southampton where I did my PhD on nutrition
in the elderly. I enjoyed my research and subject,
Are your customers being
served?
Would you be interested in finding out more about effective
customer service? A support staff event with this theme is planned
for 30 March 2010. Further details will follow through the Staff
Development Group. Meanwhile, if you wish to suggest topics
or areas that could be included in the event contact kathryn.
hawkley@port.ac.uk.
Coming soon….
Information Security Topical Workshops
Robbie Walker, Security Architect in Information Services, will be
delivering information security workshops, which will be lively and
interesting sessions designed to raise awareness of documentation
associated with information security. Further information will be
available at www.port.ac.uk/msd.
and I wanted to teach. I’ve now been at the
University for almost 20 years. It’s frightening how
fast the time has flown. I started at Portsmouth
as a lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and
Biomedical Sciences. Whilst there I developed and
became course leader for a part-time, work-based
learning course in Applied Biomedical Science. I
was fortunate to be appointed Programme Area
Director (the predecessor of the Associate Dean
role) in the faculty and from there moved to be
involved in a variety of University-level initiatives.
I became Head of the newly formed Department
of Curriculum and Quality Enhancement (DCQE)
in 2004.

Last Word
Elsewhere in this edition, I have written about the present and possible future
financial position relating to cuts in our allocation from HEFCE. We do, of
course, generate income in other ways, most notably through student fees.
We are working successfully to recruit more students from countries outside
the EU, but the largest amount of fee income is that paid by – or on behalf of
– our home undergraduate students. Almost all of these students receive a
loan which covers their fees, so that the costs fall on them when they
find a job after graduation. They can also receive a loan and, in
some cases, a grant to help meet their living costs.
The maximum fee was set at £3,000 in 2006 and has risen
with inflation. Our student intake is restricted so that we do
not have much scope to increase our income from this source.
However, the government has now announced the longawaited
review of fees chaired by Lord Browne (sometime
chief executive of BP) with a small team that includes two
Vice-Chancellors, but no student. This will not report until after
the next election and no doubt the political parties hope that
this will keep the vexed question of student fees off the agenda
during campaigning next spring.
The fees review is accompanied by the framework document
called Higher Ambitions, which sets out the results of a twoyear
enquiry into the ways in which higher education should
– or will – develop over the next 15 years. The framework
emphasises widening participation in university education
as a major part of the commitment to social inclusion. Not
surprisingly it also seeks to increase even further the role of
universities in supporting economic growth, through teaching
students to have the skills needed in the future economy and
promoting research which has significant economic impact.
There is also a major public debate on issues of quality and
standards, and the framework reflects the need for universities
to be very transparent about what a student can expect from a
degree course. The framework recognises the social and local
role of universities and that major economic development in a
region requires strong universities. Our own strategy reflects
What does your role involve?
I manage a large and complex department that combines so many
of my interests in student support and flexible learning. It has been
a pleasure to encourage the various components of DCQE to work
together and I think that the whole is definitely greater than the
parts. The eLearning team have helped the student support areas
to provide a range of flexible resources and the whole department
(as well as other parts of the University) has contributed to the
pre-entry PrepUP website. All areas contribute to our academic
development activities and events. DCQE is also responsible for
a variety of University initiatives such as overseeing the Learning,
Teaching and Assessment Strategy and various internal and
external student surveys.
What are your aims for this academic year?
This will be a tough year. Every area in the University has to reduce
its expenditure and DCQE is no exception. This means that we
will need to be even clearer about our priorities. I am also chairing
the Curriculum Review Group – one of three groups established
to implement the restructuring of the academic year. It will be
Last word
15
many of these priorities, though some of the suggested ways
of delivering these things might not be what we would propose
ourselves.
The fees review will look to this agenda and probably address
the inequities between funding for full-time and for part-time
students. It is also likely, in my view, to recommend an increase
in the maximum fee, and, probably through more stringent
means testing, try to reduce the immediate costs of higher
education to the Treasury by reducing the average amount of
support that each student receives. We shall then have the
difficult problem of deciding whether, and by how much, we
would increase the fee that we charge.
There is a lot of political lobbying going on as universities,
students and trade unions try to make their voices heard to
government and opposition. If higher fees are simply matched
by public spending cuts, more of the burden of paying for a
university education will pass to students – or to graduates
with even bigger loans. Universities might end up with no
more money to provide a better student experience, though
the students are themselves paying more. My Directorate
colleagues and I hope to have opportunities to meet many staff
to talk about these issues.
Higher Ambitions can be found at www.bis.gov.uk/policies/
higher-ambitions.
challenging, but it’s also exciting to be involved in an initiative that
has the potential to improve the experience of our students.
What plans do you have for the future of DCQE?
Our priorities will be to maintain our outward facing services
and use our combined expertise to develop even better ways of
supporting students and staff. By the time you read this we will
be in the throes of preparing for, or recovering from, the Annual
Christmas Learning and Teaching Conference. It’s always a
highlight and represents the end result of a combined DCQE effort.
What are your interests out of work?
I enjoy my home, my garden, orchids, cooking and my cats (four
at the moment). After being a cat person all my life, I (and the cats)
am learning to live with a dog and I am enjoying teaching myself
dog psychology. I also enjoy mountain biking and skiing. My house
is full of plants, so when they are watered, the cats fed and the dog
walked, I like to cook or just sit and read or watch the world go by.
If either is accompanied by a glass of wine – so much the better.
Autumn 2009 | Communicator

A Christmas Family Treat
www.newtheatreroyal.com
17 Dec to 2 Jan 023 9264 9000
We would like to offer groups of 10 or more University staff a 15 per cent discount.
Family tickets are also available for families of five: £60 in the dress circle and £40 in the stalls
(a family of five must have at least one adult and one child aged under 16).