eNews 29 June

One-off payment, new staff engagement approach, fellowships, public art trail, 100 Black Women Professors NOW, festival tickets discount, IMC attractions and more.

eNews 29 June 2022

Fairer future for all

One-off payment

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, recently wrote to all staff to share a series of commitments, which, aligned to our University values of collaboration, compassion, inclusivity and integrity, aim to improve conditions for colleagues to help us build a Fairer future for all. These commitments include a recognition of the impact on our community of increases in the cost of living. A one-off payment of £650 (not pro-rated) will be made in July to all staff in roles up to and including grade six. Eligible staff can choose whether to receive this either in full as vouchers – which can be used in a range of supermarkets and many high street retailers – through our Recognition Awards Portal, or as a cash payment through payroll (subject to normal tax and NI deductions). We will contact you with further details in due course, and support will be available to ensure you can access and explore the portal.

Feedback

A new approach to seeking your opinions

We’re trialling an exciting new staff engagement approach across the University using a leading survey tool, Culture Amp. This will enable us to improve your working lives and support you in your roles by obtaining and acting on your feedback. The tool, which is introduced as part of our new People and Culture Strategy, will enable us to co-ordinate and measure our engagement with you more effectively, and so deliver more meaningful action plans that align with our new University values.

We’re launching our first pilot survey next week. This will pull together three surveys that were already due to be issued, focusing on wellbeing in the workplace, our ways of working and the way we communicate with you. Look out for an email with your invitation to take part and further instructions. Please check your junk folder if this hasn’t landed in your inbox by the end of next week.

Appointments

Leeds Academic Health Partnership

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, has been appointed the new academic chair of Leeds Academic Health Partnership. Established to drive innovation that transforms the health and wellbeing of people in Leeds, the organisation is supported by a collaborative relationship across academic research, education, innovation, the city council, wellbeing, health and care, which echoes the key themes of our own University strategy – community, culture and impact.

Industrial action

Reporting deadlines

If you took part in last week’s UNISON strike action, please remember you’re required to formally report it no later than 5pm on Friday 1 July. Visit our industrial action webpage for further information, including our updated questions and answers about UNISON action

Data collection

UniForum 2022

Learn more about this year’s UniForum collection. Leeds is one of a number of Russell Group universities participating in the 2022 programme, designed to gather information to help ensure our professional services are as efficient and effective as possible, which is an important part of the enabling work supporting our University strategy. Data collected provides insight into how we resource the activities and services that underpin and support our teaching and research work, enabling us to benchmark with peer institutions. A number of managers and supervisors across the University will be asked to provide data. They will be contacted directly during the coming weeks.

Take part | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Data Quality project  

Sign up to join our latest EDI Data Quality project focus group to help us gain a better understanding of why some colleagues aren’t updating their equality information at Leeds. Contact the Continuous Improvement team for further information.

You can also read an Inside Track feature by Professors Louise Bryant and Iyiola Solanke, Deans: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, which outlines why we need your help filling gaps in staff equality data to bring about lasting change at Leeds.

Research

Apply | Michael Beverley Innovation Fellowship

Are you an early or mid-career researcher at Leeds? Do you want up to £7,500 to create economic and societal value from your research? If so, you can now apply for the Michael Beverley Innovation Fellowship Programme. The pioneering initiative is designed to equip the next generation of academics with the skills to achieve impactful research through cross-disciplinary collaboration, partnership development and commercial awareness. Benefit from facilitated networking with business experts, academics and alumni, together with support and guidance from up to three mentors. Applications close at 12 noon on Friday 15 July. Contact the programme team for further information.

Register | ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022

Researchers from all disciplines can now express interest to deliver a public engagement event at the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022. Running from Saturday 22 October to Sunday 13 November, the annual festival presents an opportunity to promote social science research to new audiences and gain public engagement experience, with up to £1,000 in funding available per event. This year’s festival theme is ‘My local area’.

Students

Join | Student Success Forums mailing list 

Join the Student Success Forums (SSF) mailing list, hosted by the Student Success at Leeds team, to receive event invites. The SSF bring staff and students together to reflect, discuss and share best practice to maximise student success. Upcoming forums include ‘Inclusive Pedagogies’, from 2-4pm today (Wednesday 29 June). Visit the Student Success at Leeds webpage for further information and resources.

Campus life

Take part | Public Art Trail focus group

We’re refreshing our public art on campus strategy, and we want to hear from you. Attend a focus group for colleagues – taking place from 3-4.30pm on Monday 11 July in the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery – to have your say on our Public Art Trail. Refreshments will be provided. Spaces are limited, so please register your interest by midnight on Tuesday 5 July.

Learning and development

Self-nominate | 100 Black Women Professors NOW

Following the success of the Women’s Higher Education Network 100 Black Women Professors NOW, we’re running the programme again in 2022/23. Starting this September, it’s a unique 12-month career accelerator for women academics who self-identify as Black African, Black African-Caribbean or mixed race with Black heritage, and who are currently grade seven or above. Please email Zenah Holding for the self-nomination form or contact Professor Louise Bryant for further information.

Apply | Aurora leadership development programme  

Applications are open for the 2022/23 Aurora programme – a women-only leadership development programme, designed and facilitated by Advance HE for colleagues at or above lecturer level, or grade seven for technicians or those in professional services. Delegates will explore several leadership themes and skills through a mix of sessions involving guest speakers, mentoring, self-directed study and more. Applications close on Monday 22 August, and colleagues can either apply themselves or be nominated by their faculty or service.

Deadline extension | Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice 

OD&PL has extended the deadline to join the September 2022 Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) cohort until 5pm on Thursday 30 June. The PGCAP is for colleagues involved in student education at Leeds, and aims to enhance your academic practice, connect you with peers and challenge your thinking.

Apply | LITE Fellowships for academic and professional staff 

Applications for both the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE) Accelerator Fellowships and Fellowships for Professional Services – secondment opportunities that can be allocated to pedagogical research projects – close tomorrow (Thursday 30 June).

Watch | Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) recording

An event recording introducing the CMDA is now available to watch. Applications for the CMDA course starting in February 2023 are now open, with a deadline of 5pm on Friday 25 November. The programme is designed to develop the leadership skills of new and existing managers, exploring the functional, operational and strategic aspects of management across five themes. 

Apply | Building Impact Momentum Programme 

Register your interest in the next Building Impact Momentum Programme by the closing date of 5pm on Friday 8 July. The programme is designed to develop concrete ideas for impact that can be applied to research projects or grant applications. Running from September to December, the programme is open to research, academic and professional support staff. It consists of six webinars, additional reading, partner work and impact practice.

Wellbeing and support

Business in the Community

We’ve renewed our membership of Business in the Community (BITC) – the largest and longest-established membership organisation dedicated to responsible business. Membership covers all areas, including environment, nature stewardship, community, age, race, gender, and health and wellbeing. It also includes access to a range of member-only events, resources, guides and insight reports. Complete the BITC registration form to sign up for newsletters and access toolkits, case studies and webinars – all based on the interests you specify.

Qigong sessions

Experience the effects of slow-flowing physical movement, deep rhythmic breathing and calming meditation used in Qigong to promote health, spirituality and wellbeing. Take part via Teams in the following free sessions, run by instructor Xiao: 

Staff offers

Discount | Inaugural Summer Festival 2022 tickets

You can take advantage of half-price tickets for evening concerts at the inaugural Summer Festival, using the discount code FESTIVALUOL50. Join the International Concert Series at the Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall from Friday 1 to Friday 8 July to celebrate the success of School of Music alumni who’ve gone on to enjoy professional careers in the music performance industry. The festival includes free, daily lunchtime concerts, as well as additional evening performances, a community ‘Come and Sing’, industry sessions, panel events and more. 

Events

Attractions | International Medieval Congress 2022

International Medieval Congress 2022 (IMC) organisers are calling on colleagues to help them in ‘Making Leeds Medieval’ next week! With registration now closed, IMC is opening up the festival to the wider public on its final day, Thursday 7 July, and encourages visitors to engage with medieval research, festivities, stalls and exhibitions on show. Visit the IMC website for further information, including the full programme.

Register | Piers Sellers Prize

Register for our annual Piers Sellers Prize event, being held online via Zoom from 11am to 12.15pm on Thursday 7 July. Prizes will be presented in the name of the climate scientist astronaut and Leeds alumnus, Piers Sellers. This year’s winner is Professor Joyeeta Gupta, from the University of Amsterdam, for her world-leading contribution to solution-focused climate research. The prize-giving event will also include short presentations from the 2022 PhD prizewinners, Adele Dixon (School of Biology) and Angus Naylor (School of Earth and Environment).

Book | Research Computing Leeds Conference

Register for the inaugural Research Computing Leeds Conference (ResCompLeedsCon), taking place on campus on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 July. ResCompLeedsCon aims to bring researchers together to showcase all the amazing computational research happening at Leeds, highlight the breadth of problems being tackled computationally and help develop collaborations. The event is free, although places are limited. You can also submit an abstract to tell your computational research story. Closing date is Friday 1 July.

Register | Nexus Connect 

Sign up for Nexus Connect, the second in a new series of networking events, which takes place at Nexus from 4.30-6.30pm tomorrow (Thursday 30 June). The event brings innovators together to make meaningful connections, discuss ideas, share common areas of interest and discover opportunities for collaboration. This is a great opportunity for colleagues to find out more about, and network with, the innovative businesses within the Nexus community.

In case you missed it

Climate Plan update

Executive Dean appointed 

Leeds Partnership Awards | Giving a voice to mature students 

Minerva Ultra Course View | Online resources and bookable training sessions

Update | Teams meeting recordings

Apply | UK Research and Innovation Impact Acceleration Account

Register | Business Management and Leadership degree online information event

Register | UCAS confirmation and clearing call-handling

Summer in Leeds 2022 communications toolkit

Book | Gryphons Go Kids Camps  

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