eNews 18 August
Updated coronavirus guidance, clearing and confirmation, Minerva upgrade, Nexus award, supporting disabled employees, staff offers and more.
Coronavirus
Updated manager guidance
Following a change in self-isolation rules, implemented by the Government on Monday 16 August, we’ve updated our manager guidance to support staff being notified of a positive covid-19 test. Please note this will open in a Word document.
Students
Clearing and confirmation at Leeds
Courses at Leeds are in high demand this year and, as a result, we don’t have any undergraduate vacancies for clearing or adjustment for 2021. We’re offering a deferral package for a limited number of students, on specific programmes in the Schools of Business and Law. With full financial support from the Government, we also created an extra 30 places to study medicine, allowing students who were holding places at universities that were oversubscribed to transfer to Leeds.
Digital developments
Minerva has changed
Minerva has been successfully upgraded to the latest version of Blackboard, containing a host of new features. For the best user experience, make sure you clear your web browser’s cache and cookies, then restart it before using Minerva. The Turnitin integration – used for assessment – was also upgraded at the same time. Find out what you need to know about the changes by accessing our online guides.
Online IT software shop closing
From September, staff and students using personal devices for work or study will need to access all software from AppsAnywhere, as the IT shop that previously supplied some of this will be closing. This doesn’t affect colleagues using University-owned devices.
Sign up | New PebblePad training dates
New PebblePad training dates are now available. Running from Tuesday 7 to Friday 17 September, sessions are designed for new and experienced users, providing support in how to use this ePortfolio system to create innovative and reflective teaching and learning materials for students. Access your PebblePad account and take a quick tour of the homepage before you join the session.
Celebrate
Nexus design award
Architects for the Nexus building have received a prestigious award for its design. Associated Architects have won a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Yorkshire Award for the project to develop our innovation hub.
Wellbeing and support
Supporting disabled employees
You can now take advantage of a range of benefits through our membership of the Business Disability Forum (BDF). As well as access to its team of experts, who can offer practical problem-solving help to managers, the BDF Knowledge Hub features a resource library with in-depth information, guidance, research, blogs and podcasts on a range of topics to support disabled employees across the University.
Learning and development
New name | Learning Development Team
The Library’s Learning Services Team has been renamed the Learning Development Team, to better reflect its expertise in supporting the development of students’ academic and digital literacies across the University. Please contact the learning advisor responsible for your school to find out how the team can support your teaching.
Book now | Personal Branding webinar
OD&PL is hosting an online webinar about personal branding with Susan Chritton on Thursday 2 September. The session is part of the Careers Summer for Researchers Programme, but all colleagues are invited to attend. It will consider the importance of personal branding and how to develop and communicate yours. Susan is a thought leader in personal branding based in the US, and is an executive career coach, master personal brand strategist and applied positive psychology practitioner, as well as the author of ‘Personal Branding for Dummies’.
Online workshop | Studying at university as a mature student
Thinking of doing a degree for your career or to follow a lifelong passion? Find out how we can help you balance study with other life commitments. Book your place on the latest Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC) online workshop, being held tomorrow (Thursday 19 August), to learn more about studying as a mature student.
Staff benefits
Gryphons Go Kids Camps
Not sure how to entertain the kids during the summer holidays? Book them onto Sport & Physical Activity’s Gryphons Go Kids Camp for £40 per day. Children can swim, climb and explore the outdoors, as well as develop their physical skills and make use of our superb educational facilities. Camps will be hosted at The Edge until Friday 27 August.
Ticket offer | 2021 Leeds Opera Festival
This year’s Leeds Opera Festival programme will celebrate the works of English composer Gustav Holst. Enter the promotional code for a 10% discount on ticket prices when booking online for any of the events, taking place in and around Leeds from Monday 23 to Monday 30 August. Please note you will be prompted to login to For Staff with your username and password to access the offer.
Events
Leeds Digital Festival 2021 submissions
Event submissions for Leeds Digital Festival (LDF) 2021 close at 5pm today (Wednesday 18 August). We’ve renewed our sponsorship for the latest instalment of the hugely popular tech showcase, with the two-week open-platform event running from Monday 20 September to Friday 1 October. Please share details of your LDF event with us if you’d like to be included in our future publicity.
IMC 2022 | Call for papers
Submissions for International Medieval Congress (IMC) 2022 papers close on Tuesday 31 August. One of the biggest online academic conferences in the world, next year’s instalment of the internationally-acclaimed event – organised by the Institute for Medieval Studies and dubbed the ‘Medieval Glastonbury Festival’ by delegates – runs from 4-7 July with the special thematic focus of ‘Borders’.
In case you missed it
Microsoft Teams Voice roll-out
New Globus file transfer protocol (FTP) service
National Teaching Fellowship and collaborative teaching success
Celebrating Customer Service Excellence accreditation
Leeds Partnership Awards | Equality and Inclusion winners
New accommodation FAQs for staff
Student Success SharePoint website launched
Sign up | Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice
Join | Mature Student Graduate Network
Register | Business in the Community membership
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Editions
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Keeping up to date
This eNews is brought to you by the Communications team. You can:
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