News in Brief, 10 June 2019

Published: 10 June 2019

A round-up of news across the University

Queen's Birthday Honours

Two of the University's senior academics - Professor Ken Brown and Professor Michele Burman - have been made CBEs (Commanders of the British Empire) in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Professor Brown, FRSE, is Professor of Mathematics and has received a CBE in recognition of his "services to Mathematical Sciences".  

His area of research expertise is non-commutativity, which in simple terms means that "a x b is different from b x a".Ken Brown

Professor Brown said: "Increasingly, scientists and mathematicians think that the universe is non-commutative. Non-commutative algebra has become more and more important in maths over the last 100 years."

He added: “I am very honoured and I regard this as recognition for the mathematical sciences community and the University of Glasgow rather than myself.”

Professor Michele Burman is Professor of Criminology and Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences. She has a long-standing research interest in violence against women, in particular the criminal justice response to rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. She has allied research interests in the areas of gender, crime and criminal justice with a particular interest in young women and girls at risk of being drawn into the criminal justice system.Michele Burman

She said: "I am absolutely delighted and also rather overwhelmed by this honour. It is wonderful to be recognised in this way, but the award also reflects the work and support of colleagues in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow and especially in the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) who have contributed so much to the growth and vibrancy of Criminology in Scotland.”

In addition, as part of the Queen's Birthday 2019 Honours List, Australian Professor Andrew Biankin, Regius Chair of Surgery and Director of the Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre and Glasgow Precision Oncology Laboratory, has been appointed an Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia (General Division), approved by the Governor-General in his capacity as Chancellor of the Order of Australia. 

Meanwhile, Professor John McMurray, Professor of Cardiology at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences at the College of MVLS, received an OBE from Her Majesty the Queen last month for services to cardiovascular research.

 

Herald Higher Education Awards

The University is celebrating winning two categories in The Herald's Higher Education Awards - Widening Participation for its programme to improve access for non-traditional entrants to its Medical School and for its Runaway Slaves in Britian research project.‌

The College of MVLS scooped the Widening Access Award, sponsored by the Scottish Funding Council, for its Glasgow Medical School Access Programmes, which includes the Glasgow Access Programme (GAP) - a one-year pre-med course intended to bridge the attainment gap and prepare promising non-traditional students for success in undergraduate medical studies.Herald HE Awards 2019 - Widening participation GAP 650

GAP has become a major part of the UofG Widening Participation strategy. It innovates by catering for non-traditional applicants in the most deprived areas of the country, those with care experience, and those from remote/rural backgrounds. GAP targets those most excluded and enables them to benefit from world-class medical education – second only to Oxford in the UK.‌Herald HE Awards 2019 - Runaway Slaves research project

In June, 2018, a research team from the University of Glasgow launched a digital database which reveals the stories of enslaved and bound people who, after being brought to Britain in the 18th century, had escaped their captivity. The database is a result of the Runaway Slaves in Britain project, a Leverhulme Trust funded research project which aimed to enhance understanding of slavery in Britain and tell the stories of the enslaved who escaped. 

The research team, led by Professor Simon Newman, ensured their work reached broad audiences and changed the understanding of the significance of slavery and enslaved people in Scotland.  The project website includes further reading and resources designed to make this data useful to school teachers and their pupils. Research from the project inspired the creation of a graphic novel, Freedom Bound, 35 copies of which were sent to every state secondary school in Scotland. In September 2018 the research team published ‘Slavery, Abolition and the University of Glasgow‘, outlining the University’s historical links with racial slavery, the first report of its kind in the UK.

The University was shortlisted in a number of other categories:

  • Enhancing Student Learning - sponsored by QAA Scotland: The Academic Writing Skills Programme (AWSP)
  • Supporting Student Wellbeing Award - sponsored by Scotwest Credit Union: Counselling and Psychological Service (CaPS)
  • Outstanding Contribution from a University Student: Jamie Dalgoutte
  • Research Project of the Year: Dynamic Coast
  • Outstanding Business Engagement in Universities - sponsored by SQA: Clinical Innovation Zone - Driving Precision Medicine
  • Outstanding Business Engagement in Universities - sponsored by SQA: Supporting NHS Counter Fraud Services
  • Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community Award: STEM in the Gorbals

 

BAME Focus Groups

Are you a member of staff at the University?

Do you consider yourself to be from a BAME group?

As part of the University of Glasgow’s Athena SWAN Silver submission, the Equality and Diversity Unit will host two initial Focus Group sessions in June to give all interested colleagues an opportunity to have their say on topics that matter to them.

We are conducting focus groups with staff members who identify themselves as being of Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background to talk about their experiences of working at the University.

These will inform our Equality and Diversity activities and action plans.

These sessions will be held on:

Tuesday 25 June 2019: Kelvin Hall

  • 10:00 to 12:00
  • 14:00 to 16:00

Interested colleagues can register for one of the sessions here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/university-of-glasgow-bame-staff-focus-group-tickets-63064571832

For more information about the focus groups or ways to contribute to this discussion, please contact Katie.Farrell@Glasgow.ac.uk

 

Employee and Organisational Development have spaces available on the following workshops during the month of July

Discipline & Grievance workshops

Discipline & Grievance – 10 July, 09:30-12:30

Description:

The law requires employers to act reasonably in their discipline of employees and in dealing with grievances. Poorly handled processes can lead to unnecessary and costly Employment Tribunals. Having effective and compliant procedures in place can encourage people to observe the rules and maintain workplace standards. If employees problems are settled early they become less time-consuming, are less likely to damage working relationships, therefore improving staff motivation and productivity. Prior to attending the course please familiarise yourself with the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure and the Investigating and resolving allegations of misconduct in research documents located on the HR website.

Target Audience:

This workshop is suitable for anyone who supervises, manages a team or is involved in investigations.
Managing Change – 31 July, 09:30-16:30

Description:

Successful organisations are constantly evolving and changing to ensure they remain at the forefront of their field. The successful implementation of any change relies upon managers effectively managing and communicating change in their part of the organisation. This workshop is designed to help managers understand change and provide them with an appreciation of the impact of change on employees. Participants will be introduced to a range of tools and techniques that will help ensure the successful implementation of change.

Target Audience:

This workshop is suitable for anyone who is managing a change programme or leading a team through change.
To book a place on either course log into the HR Self Service Portal

 

Employee representative position on the University’s Governing Body (University Court) 

Would you be interested in becoming a member of the University’s governing body? An employee representative position on the University Court will be filled through an election over the summer. The successful candidate will be joining the University Court at an exciting time, as the Campus Plan progresses and the University’s new strategic plan is developed. The position will be for four years with the option to stand for re-election for a further four years.

The position will be open only to Non-academic members of staff, which includes Management, Professional and Administrative (MPA), Operational, and Technical and Specialist job families, of any grade. Academic staff positions on Court are elected separately through the Senate. Following some changes to Court membership categories in the coming months, there will also be two Trade Union nominees on Court in future.

The Court is made up of 25 members, both internal and external to the University, and is the University’s governing body and legal persona of the University. It is ultimately responsible for all the finances and property of the University, for staff matters, and for the University’s strategy and reputation. The Court delegates some of its responsibilities to its various Committees, such as the Finance, Estates and Human Resources Committees, and receives regular reports from these bodies as well considering recommendations about major decisions in the areas concerned.

There is much more information about Court on its webpages at https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/courtoffice/universitycourtandcourtmeetings/ 

If you would be interested in having an informal discussion about the role, please contact the clerk to Court, Deborah.Maddern@glasgow.ac.uk

More information about the nominations process (candidates will require the support of 25 other non-academic staff) and about the election will follow.

 

Adam Smith Distinguished Speaker Series

Adam Smith Business School

Public Lecture: Adam Smith Distinguished Speaker Series

Professor Shangjin Wei

China’s Growth: Understanding the slowdown and future trajectory

Tuesday 25 June 2019

Sir Charles Wilson Building, University Avenue

Drinks reception at 5pm with the talk from 5.30pm – 6.30pm

The recent slowdown in China’s growth comes from three distinct sources, each requiring different policy responses. In this talk, Professor Wei analyses these sources, assesses current policy responses and proposes additional reforms.

To understand future economic trajectory, Professor Wei considers the likelihood that the country can successfully transition from a low-tech manufacturing giant to a more innovation-based growth model.

 

General Manager |Bill Blackstock to leave QMU in September

QMU’s General Manager, Bill Blackstock, has announced his decision to leave his role in September this year, it was announced last week in a QMU statement: "Bill has worked in the role for over five years and has played a crucial role in initiating a change process that will secure the future of QMU. As well as operational management of the Union, Bill has brought QMU to a position where it will have an exciting new strategy to help it enrich the lives of University of Glasgow students."

The QMU will shortly be commencing the recruitment of a new Chief Executive, with the aim of having a new senior leadership team in place ready for the new academic year in September.


First published: 10 June 2019