eNews 7 September
New podcast, Celebrate Our Staff, awards, Climate Plan review, digital developments, Leeds Piano Trail, Welcome 2022, research funding and more

Thought pieces
Podcast | Design for Change in Higher Education
Listen to a new podcast episode with Professor Jeff Grabill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Education, discussing the exciting future of curriculum design in higher education.
Celebrate
Celebrate Our Staff
Read the latest edition of our regular feature celebrating the achievements of colleagues across the University, showcasing new appointments, awards and more. You can contact Internal Communications and Engagement to make submissions for the next roll of honour. This is open to all colleagues.
Inspirational initiatives improving lives
Discover how empowering people to create a more equitable world has seen the teams behind two pioneering projects honoured, as part of our new Research Culture and Engaged for Impact Awards scheme. This week we’re focusing on the ‘Caring for the Future’ and ‘Personal Development, Reward and Recognition’ accolades.
Feedback
Apply | Review the University Climate Plan
The Priestley Centre is looking for staff with expertise in relevant fields to join the Climate Plan Research Partnership Committee, which will provide ad hoc expert advice to the Climate Plan delivery team and support its annual review. The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Monday 26 September.
Digital Developments
Windows Refresh Project
From January 2023, Microsoft will no longer support Windows 7 devices. The Windows Refresh project will ensure all Windows devices on our network are up to date and secure. The project will replace more than 4,000 unsupported Windows 7 devices with Windows 11 devices, as well as improve device management and security for 20,000 Windows 10 devices on the University’s network. Further updates will follow in the near future.
Updating mailing lists
We'll soon be migrating all Mailman mailing lists to Microsoft 365 distribution groups. The addresses of the mailing lists will stay the same (listname@lists.leeds.ac.uk) and they will be migrated for list owners. If you own a Mailman list, the project team will email you soon with more information.
Campus life
Leeds Piano Trail 2022
The Leeds Piano Trail is back on campus! Come and see the ‘Climate Stripes’ piano (pictured above) by artist Alison Smith, locatedoutside the Refectory in the LUU building. The piano is lit with the Climate Stripes – bands of colour representing the rise in global temperatures during the past 170 years. The trail continues into Leeds city centre, providing public pianos for everyone to enjoy.
Vernon Road closure
Vernon Road will be closed to vehicles until Friday 30 September while repair works take place. You can access the multi-storey car park via Willow Terrace or via a diversion in place through the Physics Deck.
Roads and pavements closed
Access will be restricted to several campus roads and pavements during forthcoming resurfacing work. Lyddon Terrace, Lifton Place and Cromer Terrace will be closed until Friday 9 September, together with The Refectory side entrance on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 September.
Students
Welcome 2022 | Everything you need to know
Are you ready to welcome students to Leeds? Visit the new Student Communications and Engagement SharePoint site to find everything you need to know and do, including helpful links, resources and creative assets you can use. The site also includes a week-by-week guide of what the University will be communicating about into October. Check back regularly to stay informed about upcoming campaigns.
Call for Papers | Student Success Conference 2022
The deadline to submit proposals to present papers or best practice on the Student Success Conference (SSC) 2022 themes, including what we mean by student success, curriculum change, student voice and more, has been extended to Sunday 18 September. You can join the free SSC 2022 on Tuesday 8 November to explore and reflect on the meaning of student success in higher education.
Research
Apply now | Research Development Fund
Applications for the next round of the Research Development Fund are open until 5pm on Wednesday 5 October. Awards of up to £600 are available to support patient, public or stakeholder involvement or engagement in the research design stage.
Apply | UK Research and Innovation Impact Acceleration Account
As part of the UK Research and Innovation Impact Acceleration Account (UKRI IAA), Leeds has been awarded funding of £4m for the period up to March 2025. University researchers can now apply for IAA funding, which supports early-stage translation of UK research to real impacts, transforms public services, forges new partnerships and more. Deadline for the current call is today (Wednesday 7 September).
Learning and development
Policy Engagement Kickstart Programme
Sign up for the Policy Engagement Kickstart Programme starting in October. Aimed at researchers and research support staff who are relatively new to policy engagement, the course will explain the structure of government, provide a realistic view of how policy is made and help you to increase the impact of your work. Register by Thursday 29 September to secure your place.
Sign up | Management Essentials Programme
New and existing managers can now sign up for OD&PL’s Management Essentials sessions, available throughout the 2022/23 academic year. Sessions cover a variety of topics to help equip you with the tools needed to effectively manage your team, as well as understand the processes and responsibilities you have at the University.
Apply | Leadership development programmes
Apply to join OD&PL’s leadership development programmes in 2022/23. There are three programmes that provide support to colleagues at different stages of their careers, ranging from aspiring and new leaders to those more established in their roles who are responsible for leading a change initiative.
Drop-in sessions at the LOGIK Centre – Grade 2–5 development
Attend drop-in sessions at the LOGIK Centre with OD&PL to find out more about personal and professional development for colleagues on grades two to five. The new series begins with a launch event on Tuesday 27 September from 10am to 2pm. Regular drop-in sessions will then run every fourth Tuesday of the month from 10am until 12 noon, starting on Tuesday 25 October.
Events
Sign up | Astounding Inventions – The Advancement in Dental Technology
Register to join the School of Dentistry for Astounding Inventions – The Advancement in Dental Technology, which takes place from 10am to 2pm on Saturday 17 September. You’ll be able to view our dentistry artefacts exhibition and see how dentistry has evolved over the years in our clinical teaching facilities. Contact Colette Nicholas to register your interest or to find out more.
Register | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) Celebration Event
Sign up for the SOTL Celebration Event, taking place in the Michael Sadler Building from 1-5pm on Monday 19 September. Organised by the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence and OD&PL, attendees will hear from more than 20 speakers giving short talks about their work. This is a fun, informal opportunity to meet colleagues who share a passion for teaching and learning.
Sign up | Access and Success Insight Sessions
Find out more about access and success initiatives across the University in a new series of monthly, online sessions. Access and Success Insight Sessions will provide a space for information-sharing and discussion of our performance against the Access and Student Success Strategy. The first session, entitled ‘Continuation at Leeds: Preparing undergraduates for higher education’, takes place at 11.30am on Thursday 29 September. Contact Jess Burgess to sign up.
In case you missed it
New Director for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion appointed
Celebrating successful change and innovation
Free childcare | Undergraduate open days
Register | Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) events
Ilkley Literature Festival programme
Register | Leeds Digital Festival 2022
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