eNews 19 October
Campus Live, ancient inscription unveiled, looking after yourself, confidential helpline and counselling, free eye tests, menopause workshops, major research centre funding and more.
Campus life
Campus Live
Take a look at this week’s Campus Live programme to discover the exciting events scheduled for the next few days – there’s something for everyone to enjoy! Week two continues to be a huge success, from fire performers (see above) to football, and poetry to pianists. Get involved online using #LeedsCampusLive and sign up for weekly Campus Live email updates so you don’t miss a thing.
Ancient inscription unveiled
One of the longest-surviving inscriptions from Ancient Britain has been unveiled to the public for the first time ever at the University. The stone, dating to Roman times, was unearthed in Wensleydale in 1960 by a team from Leeds, but it was so heavy it had to be housed in a basement on campus. Now it has been taken out of storage and is on display in the Michael Sadler Building.
Recycle Week 2022
Parkinson Building will be lit up green until Sunday 23 October to mark Recycle Week 2022 – a national campaign encouraging people to recycle more of the right things, more often.
Wellbeing and support
Guidance for managing illness
With winter fast approaching, it’s important to look after yourself. Here’s a reminder of what to do if you’re unwell with flu, colds, COVID-19 or any contagious disease. We’ve also pulled together some advice on how you can stay well.
Employee Assistance Programme | Confidential helpline and counselling
If you’re experiencing personal or professional difficulties and would prefer to access support outside the workplace, the University’s new Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers wellbeing and mental health support. This free service supplements the provision of the Staff Counselling and Psychological Support team, and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Book | Free eye examinations
You can book a free eye examination through the University’s EyeMed Gateway. The new service provides access to a wide network of partner opticians, allowing you to visit a provider in the location that’s most convenient to you.
Register | Menopause in the Workplace workshops
Our next Menopause in the Workplace workshops* take place tomorrow (Thursday 20 October) and Wednesday 16 November. The interactive sessions are designed to raise awareness of the menopause and develop a supportive culture for colleagues. Workshops are aimed at all colleagues, but there’s also specific sessions for managers.
Sign up | Postural sessions
Are you struggling with your posture? Do you regularly experience aches and pains? Try the 30-minute full body posture session, run by the Physical Activity and Wellbeing team at 12.30pm every Tuesday in LUU. This includes mobility, activation and stretches for the common problem areas in your body linked to prolonged periods of sitting or standing. You can also join the MS Teams group for session links, updates and recordings. If you’re unable to make the campus event, virtual 15-minute posture sessions are held every week via Teams.
Register | Musculoskeletal workshops
Book your place on the free four-week progressive musculoskeletal workshops offered by the Physical Activity and Wellbeing team. The upcoming lower back and upper body sessions are aimed at targeting mild musculoskeletal issues. Workshops are delivered on campus and taught in small groups, so sessions can be tailored to your individual needs. Advance sign-up is required.
Digital developments
Anti-malware software
We’ll be replacing our anti-malware software Trellix (the new name for McAfee) with Microsoft Defender on University-managed Windows computers during the coming weeks. Your devices are still protected, but you may notice the Trellix icon near the clock on your computer will disappear.
Updating mailing lists
We’ll soon be migrating all Mailman mailing lists to Microsoft 365 distribution groups. Addresses of the mailing lists will remain 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 further information.
Feedback
Take part | HE-BCI survey
Record your public engagement data on Symplectic by Friday 28 October to contribute to the 2021-22 Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey. The survey collects information about the impact the University has on the wider community. You can record lectures, performances, exhibitions and other public events that happened between Sunday 1 August 2021 and Sunday 31 July 2022.
Governance
Highlights | Senate news
Visit the Secretariat SharePoint site for the latest news from the University Senate. This includes highlights from the first Senate meeting this session, featuring updates on the University’s Fully Online Education (Leeds Online) provision and changes to the terms of reference of the Taught Student Education Board.
Research
Funding for two major research centres
Government funding has been awarded to Leeds for two major collaborative research centres. NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, a partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, received £19.8m to continue its work into musculoskeletal diseases. And the Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Research Collaboration is a new venture with Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, awarded £5.8m to focus on addressing patient safety challenges within the health and care system.
Launch | Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre
The Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre – a joint initiative led by the Universities of Leeds and York – has been launched. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the centre aims to change how the police, public services and local government work together to help vulnerable people.
Apply | Worldwide Universities Network Research Development Fund
Applications for the next round of the Worldwide Universities Network Research Development Fund (RDF) are open until 5pm on Monday 24 October. Offering grants of up to £10,000, this round’s principal research theme is sustainable development. Projects involving or led by early career researchers are encouraged. Review the RDF 2022 Guidelines for more details. Contact Anna Lewandowska for the application form and further information.
Join | UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships panels
Academic colleagues at all levels are invited to contribute to the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships by joining the Peer Review College or Talent Panel College for the scheme. This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in identifying the UK’s next generation of research and innovation leaders. Deadline to apply is Friday 4 November.
Students
Student newsletter
Read the latest student newsletter, which includes helpful blogs on settling in at Leeds, together with events listings and reverse mentoring opportunities.
Learning and development
Apply | University-wide mentoring scheme
There’s still time to apply to be a mentor or mentee* as part of the University-wide mentoring scheme. Register before 5pm on Monday 24 October to be included in the November matching process. OD&PL provides workshops for mentors and mentees* to support you in getting the most from the programme.
Drop-in sessions | Personal and professional development
Attend OD&PL drop-in sessions at the LOGIK Centre to find out more about personal and professional development for colleagues working in roles graded two to five. The new series runs every fourth Tuesday of the month, from 10am until 12 noon, starting on Tuesday 25 October.
Book | Blackboard Tests support sessions
Book one-to-one support sessions to find out about creating Blackboard Tests in Minerva Ultra Course View. A member of the Digital Education Systems team will be able to answer questions and guide you through the process.
Guide | LinkedIn Learning for staff
Read OD&PL’s LinkedIn Learning guide to discover how your free account can support your personal and professional development. The guide highlights recommended content, provides tips on using your account and explains how you can become a curator of learning content.
Sign up | Foundations in Teaching course
Register for the online, self-paced Foundations in Teaching course from OD&PL, providing information and advice to those new to student education at Leeds.
Join | TIPS community and blog
Join the Teaching, Innovation and Practice in Student Education (TIPS) community – a space for collaborative learning for all teaching colleagues at Leeds. It offers peer support plus a place for questions, advice and ideas for your teaching practice. You can also visit the TIPS blog to read colleagues’ articles on the subject. Read our guidance on submitting to the TIPS blog if you’re interested in contributing.
Online PGCAP event
Find out more about the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice* (PGCAP) during an online event, taking place via Teams from 12 noon to 1pm on Friday 4 November. 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 PGCAP are open until Monday 21 November.
Events
Ilkley Literature Festival programme
Access the Ilkley Literature Festival programme to view this year’s events, which run until Sunday 23 October. Through the Cultural Institute, the University is the festival’s higher education partner, offering a range of initiatives and events. These include the University of Leeds Poetry Centre Showcase.
Register | Festival of Social Science 2022
Register to take part in the Festival of Social Science 2022, which starts on Saturday 22 October. Open to all, the festival showcases leading social science research or related events to engage and inspire public audiences, especially young people. As a proud partner organisation, we’ve scheduled a series of events for this year’s programme, which runs until Sunday 13 November.
International Concert Series | Autumn Season
The University of Leeds International Concert Series Autumn Season continues with a performance by bass guitarist, Dave Edwards, from 1.05-1.55pm on Friday 21 October. This concert will feature a programme of Dave’s original works on solo bass guitar and electronics.
Register | Bike maintenance session
Clunky gears? Dodgy brakes? Annoying puncture? Join our next bike maintenance session, taking place at the Bike Hub from 2-3pm today (Wednesday 19 October). Monthly sessions, which are open to staff and students, teach a range of basic skills, including fixing lights, tyres, brakes and chains.
Book | Online Educational Resources toolkit launch
Register for the launch of a new Open Educational Resources (OER) toolkit, which takes place online from 1-2pm on Tuesday 25 October. Dr Chrissi Nerantzi, Associate Professor of Education at Leeds, will talk about the theory and practice of open education. There will also be a tour of the toolkit, developed by the White Rose Libraries to support educators to understand, engage with and sustain OER in their work and practice.
Register | LITAC seminar and podcast
Sign up for the latest event in the Life of Colour Seminar Series. Presented by Dr Minchen Tommy Wei, the seminar will introduce studies addressing the challenges created by LED lighting, cameras, displays and metaverse systems. Run by the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC), in association with industry experts VeriVide, the online event takes place from 2-3pm on Thursday 27 October. You can also listen to the latest Global Challenges podcast from LITAC, which focuses on solutions to the microfibres shedding into our land, oceans and the human body.
Book | Introduction to Compassionate Campus
Sign up for the Introduction to Compassionate Campus event, taking place in Esther Simpson SR 2.11 and online via MS Teams, from 10.30-11am on Wednesday 2 November. Hosted by Dr Bridgette Bewick, the event is followed by a Compassionate Campus Conversation from 11am to 12 noon.
Sign up | LUCAS and LAHRI virtual fellowship showcase
After two years of running a virtual fellowship scheme for scholars in Africa, the Leeds University Centre for African Studies (LUCAS) and Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute (LAHRI) are showcasing some of their work during two online events on Thursday 27 October. Register for ‘Local ecological knowledge and climate change in three corners of Africa’ (2-3.15pm) and ‘The post-colonial resurgence of traditional Yoruba practices’ (4.30-5.45pm).
In case you missed it
Listen | World Changers podcast
Inside Track | Collaboration is crucial for our environment
Brotherton Research Centre refurbishment
Making the most of campus | Handy new ‘Our ways of working’ webpages
Information | New OfS regulations
Celebrate Our Staff – October 2022
Athena SWAN success for Arts, Humanities and Cultures
Appointment | National role for leading researcher
Apply | UK Research and Innovation Impact Acceleration Account
Pilot project | White Rose Equity in Leadership
Register | Building Impact Momentum programme
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