MyGlasgow News, 1 October 2019
Published: 30 September 2019
A round-up of news across the University
Chevening Scholars welcomed to the University
An event was held on Friday, 20 September, to welcome the University's new Chevening Scholars.
Funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Chevening Scholarships are awarded by the Chevening Secretariat. They offer a unique opportunity for future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers from all over the world to develop professionally and academically, network extensively, experience UK culture, and build lasting positive relationships with the UK.
We were thrilled to welcome many of the 36 Masters students in receipt of the prestigious Chevening Scholarship, hailing from 24 different countries across the globe, to the lunchtime event held in the Senate Room. The students were given a warm welcome by Ian Thomson, Director of International Recruitment and Partnerships in External Relations and we were delighted to have Liam Brady, SRC Vice President Education, also in attendance.
Celebrating UN Habitat's 'Urban October' - and how to respond to urban challenges
As we celebrate UN Habitat’s ‘Urban October’, the Centre for Sustainable Healthy and Learning Cities (SHLC), based at the University of Glasgow, is working to respond to urban challenges across fast-growing cities in Africa and Asia.
And we want you to join us! Applications are now open for SHLC’s Capacity Development Acceleration Fund.
The SHLC small grants fund supports a visiting research fellowship programme, as well as pilot research, knowledge mobilisation and research management projects, to help tackle urban, health and education challenges in neighbourhoods across fast-growing cities in developing countries.
The fund is open to individuals and organisations exploring and responding to urban, health and education challenges within cities across ODA (Official Development Assistance) eligible developing countries. Applications must be led by Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) partners, but can be submitted in collaboration with a University of Glasgow researcher.
The fund is intended to support small-scale projects and activities such as a travel, transcription to support interviews and focus groups as well we venue hire and catering to support workshops and events. The fund does not cover staff costs, salary or studentships.
Our Capacity Development Acceleration Fund is supported by our project funding, which is delivered by the UK Government’s Global Challenges Research Fund, therefore all activities must be ODA-eligible. Visit the OECD for more information about ODA eligible countries, including definition and coverage.
Responding to urban challenges is not just about supporting sustainable cities, but can also be a vital interlocutor for delivering all of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Apply to our fund, collaborate with us, and help us ensure that cities are sustainable for all.
SHLC is an international consortium of nine research partners aiming to strengthen capacity to address urban, health and education challenges in neighbourhoods across fast-growing cities in Africa and Asia.
PhD student hits the high notes
Human Geography PHD student Sophie Boyd has been nominated for Project of the Year in the Self Management Awards 2019, which will be held on 8 October.
Last July, along with practice nurse Janice Merrick, she set up the east end community choir with the aim of helping local people beat various chest conditions by using breathing techniques that support their singing as well as helping them manage their breathing techniques. For two hours, up to 18 people practise warm-ups, sing hand-picked songs and spend time with others who live with ling-term conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma and sever anxiety.
Her work has already been featured in the Evening Times newspaper: East end community choir set up to beat chest conditions hits the high notes
Professor Hester Parr, of the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, said: "Sophia’s work is an excellent example of human geography research in practice. In the School of Geographical and Earth Science we regularly support PhD students to carry out cultural geography research that draws on both creative and academic skills and brings about real change. It is great to see Sophia gain national recognition with this nomination, as she makes a difference to the lives of her research participants."
Forthcoming concert for the St Andrew's Clinics for Children
The St Andrew’s Clinics for Children (STACC) is a charity which was established by staff at the University of Glasgow in 1992. Over the 27 years since then, STACC has provided free healthcare to more than 1.5 million children in Africa. You may be interested to know that around 95% of all the funds raised by STACC are transferred directly to one of STACC’s six partner clinics, located in Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda (two clinics) and Kenya to support primary childcare.
This year our main fundraising event in Scotland will be a concert to be held in the Chapel of the University of Glasgow on Friday, 25 October at 7.00pm, the event finishing at about 9pm.
We are delighted that Adèle Paxton (vocalist) and Dennis “Mackie” McCorkle (guitarist) have teamed up as ‘Mackie and Me’ to present their own unique sound and will give a concert which will focus on settings of Walter de la Mare and Robert Louis Stevenson poems that were written for children – or for the child in all of us. The evening will also include some light classics and some jazz – nothing heavy!
During the interval there will be a short presentation about the work of STACC and a raffle. Wine and nibbles will be served.
Bookings for the concert can be made via the Eventbrite link
Professor John Briggs
Jisc Digital Experience Insights Survey
Some 37,000 UK-based students from 83 Further and Higher Education organisations took part in the the Jisc Digital Experience Insights survey 2018.
The survey built upon the previous year’s survey and delved into gauging how students rate the quality of their institutions' digital provision and digital teaching and learning on their courses.
Key findings included the importance of using digital technology when students were transitioning into different stage of education, as well as into work. The need for universities to provide guidance on online wellbeing, mental health, safety and data security were highlighted as well.
In response, an online framework and Moodle resources have been developed that direct new and existing UofG students to online materials that provide information on the key areas identified in the Jisc survey. A webpage containing links to the framework and associated resources can be found below: Information Digital Literacy framework & online resources
PASO survey: PhD student looking for volunteers
Second year PhD student Warut Aunjitsakul is looking for volunteers for a survey entitled "Personal Attitudes towards Social life related to Oneself (The PASO survey): A general population survey in the UK".
First published: 30 September 2019