eNews 3 May

Climate Plan videos, public engagement programme, awards shortlist, help modernise our staff website, industrial action, new Student Information Points, Coronation Bank Holiday, events and more.

eNews 3 May 2023

Climate Plan

What is a ‘just transition’ and how does it affect you?

A new blog and video from Dr Clare Richardson-Barlow (School of Languages, Culture and Societies), pictured above, explains how the University’s transition to becoming more sustainable needs to ensure the costs and benefits of these changes are shared fairly.

Watch | Estates team’s role in tackling climate change

A new video from Senior Maintenance Manager, James Wright, highlights the projects being undertaken by the Estates team as part of the University’s Climate Plan, including the creation of a zero-emission vehicle fleet.

Climate Plan Hub

Keep up to date about the latest developments with the University’s Climate Plan on our Climate Plan Hub. You can also post questions, add comments and read more about how we’re tackling climate change.

Thought pieces

Inside Track | Don’t be fooled by the fun – Public engagement is a serious business

With Be Curious Live – the University’s annual showcase of our world-leading research to the wider public – fast approaching, Director of Strategy for Research Impact Sarah Hall reflects on our public engagement programme and why it matters.

Celebrate

Leeds Partnership Awards 2023 shortlist announced

Find out who’s in the running after more than a thousand nominations were whittled down to reveal this year’s Leeds Partnership Awards shortlist. The highly coveted accolades highlight 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.

Celebrate Our Staff 

Featuring an award from the European Space Agency and an exhibition at one of France’s main Second World War memorials, among other stories, read the latest edition of our regular feature celebrating the achievements of colleagues across the University. Contact internalcomms@leeds.ac.uk to make a submission for the next roll of honour. This is open to all colleagues.

Digital developments

Help us modernise our staff website

We’ve launched a discovery project to help design and build an improved digital news and information experience. We want you to have a staff website or intranet you truly value. Participation will possibly involve online questionnaires, interviews and focus groups during May. Register to take part in the project if you’re interested in sharing your experiences and ideas.

Register | IT open session

Register to attend an IT open session tomorrow (4 May) to find out what’s happening within the service and to put your questions to the IT Executive Leadership Team. Don’t worry if you can’t attend – you can still use the registration form to submit your questions and a recording will be made available afterwards.

Wikis retired from Microsoft Teams 

Wikis have been retired from Microsoft Teams. A wiki is a way of creating pages on a collaborative site, like Teams, that can be edited and commented on by multiple people. You should now see a banner at the top of your wiki allowing you to easily export it to OneNote, which provides a better editor function and more flexibility. You will still be able to edit existing wikis, but we strongly recommend you move them to OneNote. 

Industrial action

Progress on pay, equality, reducing fixed-term contracts and workload

In an email to all colleagues on 27 April, Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Simone Buitendijk outlined progress on pay, equality, reducing fixed-term contracts and workload at the University.

Update on strike action  

Chief Operating Officer Rachel Brealey wrote to all colleagues on 28 April about industrial action that took place between 1 February and 30 March. Colleagues have been asked to report participation in strike action via the Employee Self-Service (ESS) system, which will remain open until 5pm on 5 May. Further information can be found on our Industrial Action In depth page.

Students

New Student Information Points on campus

A new Student Information Point opens at Parkinson Court on 9 May, with a second now up and running in Beech Grove House opposite Leeds University Union (LUU). The new SIPs are part of an ongoing plan to offer a range of support hubs for students on campus, replacing the student information centre in the Ziff building. The SIPs will be open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, with phone and email support also available, and can help students with questions on everything from registration to graduation. Find out more about support the Student Information Service offers.

Journalism students to inherit Channel 4 News set  

Journalism students at Leeds will soon be able to hone their broadcasting skills on a TV set used by Channel 4 News presenters. The programme is donating high-performance equipment and technology to the School of Media and Communication. The old set, with its distinctive purple and white colouring, will be given a new lease of life as a TV studio for undergraduates studying for a BA in Journalism.

Strategy

Register | Libraries strategy progress
12 noon to 1pm, 10 May

University Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection, Masud Khokhar, will use an online event to give an update on progress made towards the Libraries vision for 2030 – Knowledge for All. Introduced by Professor Jeff Grabill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Education, with a commentary by Professor Andrew Thorpe (Executive Dean of Arts, Humanities and Cultures and Chair of the Libraries Strategic Advisory Board), join us to hear about the Forward Plan – achievements to date and challenges faced – to become one of the greatest libraries in the world.

Feedback

Do you feel safe on campus?

The annual Security Survey is your chance to feedback on campus safety and security. Have your say by 18 June. 

Balancing Life Survey 2023 | Win Love2shop vouchers 

Take part in the Balancing Life Survey 2023 for your chance to win Love2shop vouchers. Run annually by the Sport and Physical Activity Service, the short survey provides vital insight into the health and wellbeing levels among our University community. Have your say about what else could be done do to support you to become more physically active, helping shape future initiatives. Responses are anonymous and confidential. Complete the survey by 21 May to enter our free prize draw, with £300 worth of Love2shop vouchers up for grabs.

Campus life

Coronation Bank Holiday  

The coronation of His Majesty King Charles III takes place on 6 May. Monday (8 May) has been designated a national Bank Holiday to mark the occasion, so the University will be closed on this day with only critical services available. The Parkinson Building will also be lit up red, white and blue on 5-8 May to mark the occasion.

Leeds Ball 2023 | Restricted access to campus

Advice is being issued regarding restricted access on campus during this year’s Leeds Ball. Thousands of students are expected to descend on the area in and around Leeds University Union (LUU) on 10 June to enjoy a packed programme of entertainment, including live music, DJs, stalls, fairground rides and games. The annual event will start at 9pm and finish at 6am on 11 June.

MEETinLEEDS changes

MEETinLEEDS – the University’s conference service – will now be known as University of Leeds Conferences and Events. The change brings the service’s identity closer to the main University brand, allowing it to reap the benefits of our reputation as a world-class institution. See the service’s new website to find out more about the changes and the opening of the new Cloth Hall Court venue. Contact the team at conferences@leeds.ac.uk or on 0113 343 6100 for further information.

Travel

Update | University Travel Procurement

The University’s Travel Procurement team is launching several new developments to its service. The staff travel SharePoint site has been redeveloped to make it easier to navigate to find information and support. A new Travel Issue Form has been created for staff and students to report any problems experienced when travelling on behalf of the University. University travel partner, Key Travel, will also be offering drop-in support and training on campus in June.

Road restrictions | Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon

Road closures will affect access to campus, off-site residential and sports facilities during the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on 14 May. More than 15,000 runners will take on a route through the city that starts and finishes at Headingley Stadium. There will be no access via the Woodhouse Lane entrance from 7.30am until the road is reopened. Hilary Place and Cavendish Road will also be closed. Please ensure no vehicles are parked in Cavendish Road, Hilary Place or Lodge Street, as you will be unable to move them until the event has cleared.

Research

Sign up | What Comes After the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

Three panel events have been announced by the Horizons Institute to launch its headline theme for the coming year – What Comes After the UN Sustainable Development Goals? Taking place between May and July, each panel will look at five themes – culture (the missing pillar); rethinking global governance; collaborative solutions to global health; decolonising agenda 2030; and balancing the risks and rewards of transformative technology. Tickets for the mixture of online and in-person events are free.

The Worldmaking of New-Generation African Poets
9 May

Find out more about the initiative to get African poets into physical print in a digital age during this talk by Dr Nathan Suhr-Sytsma (Emory University). The seminar will cover why this material matters so much for writers – and readers – in Africa and the diaspora. The seminar is co-hosted by Leeds University Centre for African Studies (LUCAS) and the School of English’s Postcolonial Research Group

Register | LEEDS 2023 research partnership development event
12.30-4pm, 17 May

Colleagues have until 8 May to sign up for an event organised by PLAY (Participation, Learning and Arts for Youth) to explore possible research collaborations focusing on opportunities for children and young people beyond LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture.

Researching Gender and Sexuality in Africa Workshop
9.30am to 5pm, 18 May

Sign up to an interdisciplinary workshop run by LUCAS that centres on sharing and discussing current research on gender and sexuality in diverse African contexts. Register via african-studies@leeds.ac.uk by 14 May to attend this on-campus event.

Learning and development

LinkedIn Learning | New career features

Find out more about three new LinkedIn Learning features to help personalise content to meet your learning needs and reach your career goals. Access these features with your free University account. 

Pilot workshop | Leading with Values in Teams 

Register your interest before 12 May to take part in the pilot of a new one-day workshop – Leading with Values in Teams. The session will help translate our values into relevant, sustainable and practical ways of working. Three leadership teams will be selected for the pilot on a first-come, first-served basis, providing they meet the criteria.

Staff benefits

Enter | Bike competition

Cyclescheme, which administers the University’s Cycle to Work Scheme, has teamed up with Gocycle to give away a G4 Folding E-bike, worth £3,399. All colleagues, whether they’re scheme members or not, can enter the competition before midnight on 10 May.

Events

Try out the new Library Makerspace
Various times, 3-5 May

Colleagues can attend one of the remaining Makerspace introductory events in the Edward Boyle Library. Open to all staff and students, sessions allow you to get hands-on with the first pieces of technology installed in the facility, from craft-cutting machines and 3D printers to podcasting and photography.

Just One Day
19 May

Colleagues are invited to spend Just One Day on 19 May raising funds and having fun in support of the Lord Mayor of Leeds charities. 

Book | Fair Trade International Symposium 2023
19-21 June

Registration closes on 9 May for the Fair Trade International Symposium 2023 – a leading global gathering of scholars, practitioners and policymakers working on Fair Trade, which is coming to Leeds. Featuring workshops and panel events, there will also be the opportunity to hear from major Fair Trade organisations, local campaigners and people working on connected themes of education for sustainable development and climate justice.

Tell us your story

We’d like to hear about the great work you’re doing. Contact the Internal Communications and Engagement team at internalcomms@leeds.ac.uk to share your stories.

Keeping up to date

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