eNews 11 May

eNews: Thought pieces, Partnership Awards, pay, travel, industrial action, REF 2021, new reading lists system, events and more

Some of the winners of the 2022 Leeds Partnership Awards gathered on stage at the end of the evening.

Thought pieces 

Inside Track | How do we make postgraduate research more accessible

In the latest instalment of our Inside Track series focussing on Access and Student Success, Professor Luke Windsor, Dean of the Leeds Doctoral College, outlines our efforts to redesign doctoral education so we can identify and support those who are excluded or ignored. 

Celebrate  

Leeds Partnership Awards 

Winners of the Leeds Partnership Awards have been announced during a special ceremony held in Leeds University Union (LUU). The awards celebrate the achievements of staff and students who truly put into practice the Leeds Partnership – an agreement setting out our shared commitment to work together to support all aspects of our University community. A host of inspirational nominations were received for this year’s accolades – congratulations to everyone involved! 

Travel   

New University booking and administration team 

In response to issues currently affecting the travel industry and the resulting service delays the University is experiencing, we’ve set up an internal Travel Booking and Administration team to assist staff and students. Contact the team for help with a range of enquiries, from booking process support, identifying suitable travel options or finding quotes for group travel, to managing and escalating queries. Please continue to use the online tool for all bookings and amendments in the first instance and visit the University Travel Procurement page for up-to-date information.  

Pay 

Pay 2022-23: Final offer presented 

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) recently met the sector unions for a final national pay negotiating meeting for 2022-23. The final pay offer would provide basic pay increases of between 3% and 9% according to salary spine point, with larger increases going to those on lower salaries. The offer equates to an increase of 3.18% on the sector pay bill (compared to 1.59% last year). 

Industrial action 

Marking and assessment boycott and further strike days 

University and College Union (UCU) has announced a boycott of marking and assessment will take place this term at Leeds and 40 other HE institutions, along with ten further days of strike action (dates to be announced).  

As a University, we’ll continue to be guided by three underlying principles through this time: to protect the interests of students; to retain the cohesion of our community; and to protect the standard of Leeds degrees and other qualifications. 

When available, we’ll share more information through our Industrial Action page 

Research 

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results 

Results for REF 2021 – the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions, including Leeds – will be announced tomorrow (Thursday 12 May). Details of how we’ll report REF 2021 results have been published on the dedicated In depth page of the For Staff website, recognising any REF success has been achieved through talented staff, partnerships and collaborations. 

Horizons Institute | Event recording 

Don’t worry if you missed the recent Leeds Conversations sessions, as you can now watch the Horizons Institute event recording on demand. Colleagues who attended heard about how our dynamic cross-campus research incubator aims to address global challenges through novel interdisciplinary collaborations and learned about how they can get involved. 

Campus life 

Closure | Bayfields Opticians branch 

Bayfields Opticians has closed its LUU practice. All current and past customers will be contacted by Bayfields with full details, including how clinic records will be safely stored. Colleagues are able to switch to any other branch of Bayfields, with the nearest to campus located in Headingley. Visit the Bayfields website for a full list. Our eye care contract with Bayfields will be replaced in August, with more details to follow nearer the time. Visit the Wellbeing, Safety and Health website in the meantime for details about free eye tests available to colleagues. 

Update | Bodington Football Hub  

Construction works have reached the halfway point at Bodington Football Hub – a major new facility supporting grassroots sport in Leeds. Thanks to investment from the University and a £4.2m grant from the Premier League, the Football Association and the Football Foundation, the site will feature three full-size floodlit football pitches, a pavilion with community café and extensive parking, and will be home to partner clubs from across the city. 

Digital developments 

New reading lists system 

A new reading lists system is being rolled out during the summer to replace the current platform. Tutors can make updates to lists in the current system until Friday 13 May. The new system will be available alongside the upgraded Minerva from early June. Training and guidance will be provided shortly. In the meantime, please contact the Library if you have any queries.  

Learning and development 

Book | Find out about PGCAP   

Places are still available for an online event to find out more about the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP). Organised by OD&PL to run from 12 noon to 1pm on Friday 13 May, this session explores how the course works, why participants engage with the PGCAP and the impact it has on enhancing their student education practice. Applications to join the September PGCAP cohort are open until Tuesday 31 May.   

Students 

Module evaluation surveys 

For most schools, module evaluation surveys for semester two and year-long modules are now live and available for students to complete until midnight on Friday 13 May. Reminders have been issued, and module leaders are asked to allocate five minutes in class for students to complete the survey  

Register | Introduction to the Aurora leadership programme 

Join OD&PL from 1.30-3pm on Thursday 19 May for a virtual event introducing the 2022/23 Aurora Progamme. Find out more about the programme, ask questions and hear from previous attendees about their experiences. The Aurora programme by Advance HE provides women-only online leadership development for colleagues at or above lecturer level, or grade seven for technicians and those in professional services. Colleagues can apply themselves or be nominated. 

Sign up | Pedagogical Power of PebblePad 

Register for the latest in a series of PebblePad workshops – ‘One Way to Use PebblePad: Constructing a Portfolio for Continuing Professional Development (CPD)’. Taking place from 11-11.30am tomorrow (Thursday 12 May), Dr Alessia Grassi (School of Design) and Dr Camilla Nykjaer (School of Biomedical Sciences) will summarise the experiences they, and their students, have had using PebblePad to construct a portfolio of evidence of CPD alongside MSc studies.  

Register | Student Success with LinkedIn Learning 

Sign up for the ‘Student Success with LinkedIn Learning’ webinar, which takes place at 1pm on Wednesday 18 May. Explore how students and graduates can use LinkedIn Learning and LinkedIn to successfully develop skills for their future careers and connect with job opportunities. The event is free to attend and suitable for both staff and students. 

Sign up | Management in Practice Development  

There’s still time to book your place on the remaining series of Management in Practice Development sessions, running until July. Facilitated by HR and OD&PL, the sessions aim to develop your skills related to managing others, and are designed for supervisors, team leaders and managers, or for colleagues aspiring to these roles. Workshops are available based on your grade, and sessions are designed for colleagues on grades six to eight. 

Staff networks 

Women at Leeds Network (WALN) seeks new co-chairs  

Do you have the energy, enthusiasm and ideas to help take the Women at Leeds Network (WALN) forward? If you’re committed to the WALN aims, and able to work collaboratively to advance them, then get in touch with current co-chairs Karen Tsui, Rachel Muers or Gillian Neild to find out more. The network is looking for two co-chairs for start dates in summer and early autumn. 

Wellbeing and support 

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 

Running until Sunday 15 May, find out how you can get involved with Mental Health Awareness Week this year, including events taking place across the University and a summary of the support available for staff and students.   

Come for a cuppa | Creative Connections and Arts Tree 

Pop into the Esther Simpson Café for a free hot drink from 10am to 12 noon on Monday 30 May. Find us near a large wooden tree in the café – and contribute to our collection of paper leaves with a short line or a drawing about belonging on campus. Stop by, pick up a voucher for a drink and enjoy a chat! Contact Leah Henrickson for details. 

Events 

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia 2022  

Tuesday 17 May is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHoBiT). The annual event was created in 2004 to raise awareness of the prejudice and violence experienced by LGBT+ people across the world. The theme for 2022 is ‘Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Rights’. Find out more about IDAHoBiT on the Equality and Inclusion Unit website.  
 
Celebrating Black women academics at Leeds 

Sign up for an online event celebrating Black women academics at Leeds. Introduced by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, the event features participants of the 100 Black Women Professors Now! Initiative. Running from 2-3pm on Tuesday 24 May, the talk will be co-hosted by the Deans for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Professors Iyiola Solanke and Louise Bryant, and celebrates the brilliant Black women within our University, while raising awareness of the challenges and barriers Black women face in pursuing academic careers.  

Continue to Be Curious 

Over 1,200 members of the public visited Be Curious 2022 on Saturday 7 May and engaged with more than 35 interactive stalls, activities, performances, workshops and more, created with the help of about 160 staff. Colleagues, family and friends are all invited to continue exploring our cutting-edge research from the comfort of home by watching the new series of Be Curious with Us videos 

Register | LITE workshop: Academic Listening – A Hidden Curriculum? 

Sign up for the latest online workshop hosted by the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE). ‘Academic listening – A Hidden Curriculum?’ runs from 10-11.30am on Tuesday 17 May. Find out about LITE research on listening at the University and share practice in supporting academic listeners, under the themes of inclusive pedagogies, intercultural awareness and belonging. 

Sign up | Conference on Recent Developments in Insolvency Law 

Register to attend the inaugural Conference on Recent Developments in Insolvency Law, hosted by The Centre for Business Law and Practice from 2.30-7.30pm on Friday 13 May. This free online event will offer three panel discussions, featuring academics from various international institutions, as well as a keynote speech by Fordham University’s Professor Richard Squire.    

In case you missed it 

Inside Track | Celebrating our research culture, community and impact 

Celebrate Our Staff 

Changes to how we validate your IT account 

Safe Attachments 

FAQs | Minerva Ultra Course View 

Apply | Research Development Fund 

Spotlight | Wild Ingleborough – one year on 

Read | Access and Student Success Annual Report 

Apply | Leading Transformational Change programme 

Undergraduate open days | Free childcare 

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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 
  • view our previous staff email communications on our dedicated In depth webpage; 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.