eNews 9 February
New University values, industrial action, campus vision, IT roadshow, NSS, Leeds Cancer Research Centre, LGBT+ History Month, financial wellbeing sessions, events and more
Values
Introducing our new University values
In an email to all staff earlier today (Wednesday 9 February), Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, introduced our new University values, which have been co-designed by the whole community at Leeds, together with our refreshed vision and mission statement. You can also watch a video from the VC to find out more about how they will help us to become the values-led institution we want to be and to build a fairer future for all.
Industrial action
Strike days announced
University and College Union (UCU) has announced its intention to take further strike action during February and March 2022. Our priority throughout this time is to minimise any disruption to students and to ensure we continue to communicate with colleagues about the issues at the heart of this action. UNISON has also announced its intention to take strike action from Monday 28 February to Wednesday 2 March. We’ll share more information when available.
Appointments
New appointment to lead on campus vision
A new appointment has been made to lead the development of plans to create an exciting new blueprint for the ‘campus of the future’. Ann Allen will take up the role of Director of Campus Innovation and Development in May, with the remit to develop a re-imagined ‘smart and sustainable campus’ to support a new digital model for higher education.
Governance
Your chance to join the University Council
A notice has been circulated to support staff inviting applications from individuals to sit on the University’s Council, the institution’s governing body. Details about the role of the Council and how to apply for the upcoming vacancy are included in the notice. The deadline for applications is 10am on Friday 18 February. Contact Helen Pickersgill for further information.
Council | Thursday 27 January
The Council met on Thursday 27 January, when its business included: approving the appointment of four new members – Dr Cordelia Rogerson (representative of the Clothworkers’ Company), Dr Kendi Guantai, Professor Peter Jimack and Professor Alice O’Grady; approving the University’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2020-21; welcoming the new University Values; receiving the 2020-21 annual reports of the Audit and Risk Committee, the Remuneration Committee and the Trustees of the University’s Pensions and Assurance Scheme; noting our research performance statistics for 2020-21; and approving the conferment of the title of Emeritus Secretary upon Roger Gair to mark his retirement as University Secretary at the end of 2021.
Digital developments
Book | IT roadshow
We’ve added two extra dates for our open meetings to introduce the IT Operating Model (ITOM) and what it means for your role. Following the launch of the Digital Enablement and Be Safe programmes last year, we’ve been designing an ITOM that aims to deliver a modernised IT service to better meet your needs. IT Chief Information Officer, Dan Simms, will share an overview of the ITOM during the events on Friday 11 and Wednesday 16 February, together with information about what the changes will mean for colleagues in professional services, research and teaching. There will also be an opportunity to give feedback. If you can’t attend, watch the ITOM roadshow recordings from earlier sessions.
Watch | Research IT engagement sessions
Recordings of the recent Research IT engagement sessions are now available to watch. The events presented the work we’ve undertaken during the past few months with nominated academics and our external consultancy partner, Red Oak, to understand the range of Research IT users and how we can best support them.
Students
National Student Survey 2022
Please encourage all eligible students to take part in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022. The NSS is an annual student experience survey of undergraduates, normally in their final year, and is open until Saturday 30 April.
Take part | Curriculum Redefined photoshoot
Academic colleagues can volunteer to take part in a photoshoot on campus on Wednesday 23 or Thursday 24 February. We’ll be shooting a few scenarios of students and teachers on themes to support Curriculum Redefined. If you’re interested, please complete the form by Sunday 13 February. Contact Nicky Anness or Kirsty Schofield in Communications and Engagement with any enquiries.
Celebrate
Nominate | Leeds Partnership Awards 2022
Nominations for the Leeds Partnership Awards 2022 are open. The annual accolades will once again celebrate the achievements of staff and students who truly put into practice the Leeds Partnership, highlighting those who collaborate, support and enhance the University community. Nominations close at midnight on Sunday 20 February.
Research
Leeds Cancer Research Centre officially launches
An ambitious vision placing Leeds at the global forefront of cancer research has been officially launched. We’ve partnered with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to create the Leeds Cancer Research Centre – a new collaborative venture bringing together experts from across a range of disciplines to tackle some of the greatest challenges facing cancer research today.
Sign up | Leeds Research Culture Crucible Programme
Join a new Leeds Research Culture Crucible Programme, aiming to bring colleagues together to work on projects to influence cultural change within research at Leeds. Consisting of a series of four workshops running until March, the programme also provides opportunities for personal development. At the end of the crucible, teams can pitch for funding for project ideas aligned to our research culture themes. You can also attend an information event tomorrow (Thursday 10 February) or watch a recording of the session from Wednesday 2 February.
Campus life
New electric vehicle for waste collection
One of the first electric waste management vehicles in Yorkshire has started work on campus. About half of the vehicles in use by teams across the University, including Security Services and the Grounds and Gardens team, have been upgraded so far, as part of our Climate Plan target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Learning and development
Sign up | Research Culture Cafés
Book your place on upcoming Research Culture Cafés. The next event – on Wednesday 16 February – focuses on responsible research, as well as promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. Dates and themes for sessions running until August are also now available. The online café-style conversations aim to promote a positive and inclusive research culture, and will help colleagues propose solutions for change, share experiences and create a community network.
Register | Academic Personal Tutoring
Sign up for the latest virtual Share, Adopt, Adapt Workshop (SAAW), running from 10-11am on Tuesday 15 February. The session, organised by the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE) in collaboration with the Teaching, Innovation and Practice in Student Education (TIPS) community, focuses on academic personal tutoring. Hear more about approaches to the role and how these can influence students’ sense of belonging. There will be presentations from Dr Lisa Marshall (School of Food Science and Nutrition) about learning analytics platform StREAM@Leeds, and the Lifelong Learning Centre’s Dr Nadine Cavigioli, Lisa Matera and Dr Madeleine Newman on pastoral support and student diversity.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
LGBT+ History Month 2022
Visit the Equality and Inclusion Unit website to access resources and information about LGBT+ History Month 2022, which throughout February focuses on the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, their lives and their experiences. To mark the occasion, the Business School’s latest episode of the Diversity Conversation podcast features Jamie Richardson, alumnus and Development Lead at Switchboard, the LGBT+ helpline.
Equality and Inclusion Calendar 2022
You can view and download the Equality and Inclusion Calendar 2022. This is produced as a guide to support timetabling, work scheduling and event planning, to help ensure we provide an inclusive environment. The calendar highlights the main faith days observed or celebrated, key diversity days, awareness-raising dates, public holidays and academic term dates.
Wellbeing and support
Register | Financial wellbeing online sessions
Attend our new interactive online sessions about financial wellbeing, delivered by Wealth at Work as part of our pledge to support a healthy and fulfilled staff community. Hear free, impartial information about saving for the future, budgeting, understanding payslips, workplace pensions and much more. Limited places are available to book for these pilot sessions, which take place on Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17 February.
Save the date | Health and Wellbeing Week
Health and Wellbeing Week (formerly Staff Healthy Week) returns from Monday 13 to Friday 17 June. To help us plan the 2022 programme, we’d like your feedback from previous years, together with suggestions for the 2022 schedule and what sessions you or your team would like to host. Please contact the Wellbeing, Safety and Health team with your views and ideas.
Book | Free fitness classes
Sign up for free fitness classes at The Edge on Saturday 19 February. From Zumba to Body Combat, Yoga to Body Jam, boost your health and wellbeing by sampling some 30-minute taster sessions. Open to all over-16s; no membership required. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment.
Take part | Share The Love Virtual Run Relay
It’s your last chance to take part in Get Out, Get Active’s popular Share The Love Virtual Run Relay, exclusively for colleagues at Leeds. Registration closes at 5pm today (Wednesday 9 February), with the relay starting in the week commencing Monday 14 February. You’ll be allocated to a mixed ability team, with the emphasis on taking part, having fun and connecting with other colleagues.
Events
Webinar | What the Future Holds: Science in the 21st century
Sign up to hear a webinar from Professor Jim Al-Khalili, theoretical physicist, author and BAFTA-nominated broadcaster, as part of our Inspired by Bragg programme. Professor Al-Khalili will reveal some of the most exciting areas of current interdisciplinary research, together with the new technologies that will transform our lives and tackle the world’s biggest challenges – from gene editing to artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change to health. The free event, being held on Thursday 3 March, will also explore how we may need to rethink the sort of science taught at schools.
Register | DARE Symposium and Liberty Lecture
Sign up for a DARE Symposium and Liberty Lecture, held as part of our long-standing partnership with Opera North. Tomorrow (Thursday 10 February), the School of Music’s Professor Edward Venn leads a series of conversations exploring how productions present new ways of understanding the opera ‘Carmen’, while former Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England, Nazir Afzal OBE, draws on his acclaimed memoir in the Liberty Lecture on Thursday 24 February.
Watch | Emily Maitlis talk
You can watch a recording of the talk given by Emily Maitlis on Thursday 3 February. Hosted by the Women at Leeds Network, the award-winning journalist, author and presenter spoke candidly about her career and inspirations before answering questions from attendees.
Book | Free Friday lunchtime concert
Book to watch the next free Friday lunchtime concert of the Spring Season online or in person at Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall on Friday 11 February. Part of our International Concert Series, the event features a collection of pieces by solo and orchestral flautist, Kathryn Williams.
In case you missed it
World Changers | Researcher spotlight
Spring 2022 graduation celebrations
Updated Health and Safety Policy
Book | Welcome event for new staff
Become a LinkedIn Learning curator
BOOST Programme | Career development for researchers
Sign up | Menopause in the Workplace workshops
Join | Bipolar Disorders Staff Network
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Keeping up to date
This eNews is brought to you by the Communications and Engagement team. You can:
- keep up to date with our latest news on the For Staff website and by following the staff Twitter account
- access our previous staff email communications on our dedicated In Depth webpage
- check for the latest information and advice on our coronavirus website; including updated data for the number of coronavirus cases among staff and students; and
- access key University systems and information, such as HR self-service, IT, the Office365 web app, year planner, Minerva and purchasing, via the staff systems and quick links sections towards the top of the For Staff homepage. Even more handy links have been added, including OD&PL, the 2020-2030 Strategy, Wellbeing and Safety, Sustainability hub, Research and Innovation Service (RIS), USS pension, ResearchFish and MyGrants.