Dear Member of the University Community I know that each of us feels deep sadness at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We send heartfelt condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and to all the members of the Royal Family, including HRH The Duke of Gloucester, who has done so much to […]
Category: Staff Notices
Congratulations to Dr Daniel Somerville, senior lecturer in Drama and Performance and Course Leader for BA Drama and Performance in the School of Arts, who has been awarded the Mayor of Worcester’s Best of Worcester Award 2020. The award is in recognition of his contribution to the LGBTQ+ community of Worcester and was presented by […]
Staff Garden Party
We are delighted to invite you to the University’s Staff Garden Party on Friday 14 August, 2.30-5pm. This annual occasion, normally held in June, was postponed due to the national coronavirus lockdown restrictions. This year’s event, which will take the form of a picnic-party, will offer colleagues and Governors an important opportunity to meet in person […]
As staff slowly begin to return to campus you will, I’m sure, notice how green and luscious it is looking. That’s thanks to our wonderful Grounds team who, throughout the past few months, have been working hard to keep the campuses looking their best. “It has been a strange time with so few people on […]
Sian Hobday
Sian Hobday has been at the very core of the University of Worcester for the last 35 years – and 1 month to be precise. Starting out fresh from Worcester Technical College (as it was then) having completed an RSA Diploma for Personal Assistants, Sian worked her way from a Clerk Typist to Secretary to the University Executive […]
‘Learning from Moving Online’ was the theme of this year’s annual University Learning and Teaching Conference. The conference itself was run entirely online through the VLE and Microsoft Teams, there was fantastic participation by staff, much inspirational learning and a clear appetite for sharing experience and practice of online and remote working. The conference was focused on providing colleagues with […]
Covid-19, Higher Education and shifting to online teaching and learning – we’ve reviewed the literature so you don’t have to! Since the lockdown began, there have been countless useful resources to help us all get to grips with online delivery whilst maintaining a focus on accessibility, inclusivity and staff and student wellbeing. To save you sifting through your inbox or raiding your ‘to read’ folder, […]
Film Studies academics at the University have been sharing their top films they would recommend trying in these socially distanced times if you have some spare time on the sofa: Mikel Koven, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Film Studies, recommends: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966): “While literally any film by master […]
As we begin to emerge from lockdown, it’s time to get ready for the ‘new normal’. Communications and Participation have been busy crafting little bags, handmade from stylish and sturdy raffia. They are just the right size to carry your hand sanitiser, a face mask and a packet of tissues. Complete with a detachable strap, […]
Plans are being put in place to re-open The Hive next month, with a limited number of services and opening hours to begin with. The Hive is one of six libraries in Worcestershire planned to re-open on Saturday, July 4th, pending confirmation from Government, in line with phase three of Central Government’s relaxing of lockdown […]
With social distancing, travel restrictions and other complications to consider, we will need to offer a virtual June Open Day. We will aim for the event to be informative, participative and accessible. With this in mind, we have developed a programme of online activity and will also offer carefully managed opportunities for students and their families […]
Staff Development Sessions
Here are some upcoming sessions for staff development: Advice and assistance for staff from care first- Various dates & courses All colleagues can seek advice and assistance from this service, provided by Care first. It’s an ’employee assistance programme’, completely confidential and free. This EAP provides staff with easy access to counselling support and […]
Many people have been inspired to emerge from lockdown several pounds lighter or at least fitter, as evidenced by the numbers of joggers and cyclists out and the tens of thousands taking part in online workouts. However, those ambitions if not approached with the right preparation and equipment can be a recipe for injury. Dr […]
Our Human Resources department has helpfully prepared the following information which brings together sources of information on remote working. Have you got Remote working – SORTED? Space – creating the space and conditions to make it work Advice from the IT Team https://www2.worc.ac.uk/it/remote-working.html Advice from HR https://www2.worc.ac.uk/personnel/957.htm Advice from Safety Services https://www.worcester.ac.uk/documents/safety-services-homeworking-briefing.pdf Organisation – planning […]
Learning and Teaching Conference, Thursday 11 June 2020, 9.30-12.30 Online The University of Worcester annual Learning and Teaching conference is a forum where innovation and creative teaching practice is explored and shared. In what has been a truly exceptional period for everyone involved in Higher Education and in particular learning and teaching, we are truly […]
Dr Julia West, Senior lecturer Sport and Exercise Science, shared some of her go to workouts and apps. She uses a combination of different ones daily but these are some of her go to ones: Youtube subscriptions: theWKOUT – uses combination of fairly heavy weighted and cardio moves (free to use on Youtube or through […]
The Covid 19 outbreak has meant that we have had to move our learning, teaching and assessment online very quickly and the response from everyone has been amazing. Many of you are now starting to plan ahead for next semester and with that in mind we have brought forward the rollover of Blackboard modules for academic year 20/21, to […]
Tribute to John Leftwich
We are sharing the sad news that one of the University’s Fellows, John Leftwich, has died following a short illness. Here, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, the previous President of our College of Fellows, pays the following tribute. “The kind of person you only meet once in a lifetime”; “a wonderful advisor, mentor and friend”; “a […]
This year’s Learning and Teaching Conference, on Thursday 11 June, 9.30am-12.15pm, will be online. Learning and Teaching has, due to COVID19, seen a significant transition into our digital online spaces. The conference aims to showcase examples of effective and innovative practice in moving learning and teaching online from March 2020, and to stimulate thinking about […]
During the lockdown, Dr Peter Unwin, from the School of Allied Health and Community, has been conducting weekly support sessions with members of the University’s user and carer group, IMPACT. There are 40 members of IMPACT, all with backgrounds of lived experiences of health and social care services, who complement teaching at the University via […]
It’s Mental Health Awareness week this week and as part of this we’re promoting a new partnership with the mental fitness app, Fika. It’s designed to help combat the challenges of remote study and work as well as the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Programmes and audio guides cover topics including managing distractions and uncertainty, maintaining […]
Please find below information about the INCLUDE initiative and its forthcoming webinar: Moving Global Learning Online: The role of Universal Design for Learning. The event takes place Friday 22nd May, 14:00-15:30 (BST). Based at the Department for Education and Inclusion, the International Collaboratory for Leadership in Universally Designed Education (INCLUDE) is a network of transnational professional researchers, students and […]
The following suggestions and resources are from colleagues in the School of Sport and Exercise Science. If you have any questions or need more advice, please email us: exercise@worc.ac.uk and we will do our best to support you. Why bother? Exercise won’t prevent us from developing COVID-19, but scientific evidence tells us that physical activity […]
A senior lecturer at the University of Worcester has written a moving diary account of one of her many days spent volunteering on a Covid-19 ward in recent weeks. Denisse Levermore, who lectures on the University’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health degree, said she wrote the piece as part of her own wellbeing, but also […]
As the nation marks VE Day 75 years on, cultural historian and Professor Emerita, Maggie Andrews, reflects on the reality of British life behind the celebrations, what people had endured and the uncertain future, difficulties, and social and political change that lay ahead as the country emerged from the rubble. VE Day, or Victory in […]
As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, Dr Neil Fleming, Principal Lecturer in Modern History, explores the importance and impact of the British empire in bringing about that victory, and its relevance to modern multicultural Britain. The cancellation of public commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of VE Day has given […]
With the Bank Holiday approaching, staff at The Hive library have been sharing their recommendations for lockdown reading. Here are a few of their suggestions: One of the archive staff is reading The Stubborn Archivist by Yara Rodrigues Fowler: “I hope I work out what it’s about by the time I finish it,” she jokes. […]
Laura Simmons, Lecturer in Psychology, give her tips on promoting a positive working environment at home during the lockdown: You might be slowly settling into remote working and finding a new balance between your home and work life. You may have noticed that the stress you experience is different, and you may not be able […]
Tanya Carpenter, Lecturer in the School of Psychology, offers her thoughts on maintaining wellbeing in lockdown. Starting to feel like an extra in the movie ‘Groundhog day’? Missing friends and family? Juggling childcare and work responsibilities? It seems we all have our own battles to contend with during this period of lockdown, but there are […]
Six weeks into lockdown and it’s been a long time since you’ve seen some of the people that you care about. With our help, you can send them a little reminder in the post to let them know you are remembering them. ‘Forget me not notes’ are a unique and easy way to stay in […]
Launch of the University Teaching Award Scheme 2020 The 2020 University Teaching Award Scheme is now launched; this has been developed as part of the initiatives to celebrate excellence at University of Worcester. This Scheme is designed to recognise and reward excellent and outstanding practice in teaching, and in supporting and leading learning. The Scheme […]
Launch of the University Teaching Award Scheme 2020 The 2020 University Teaching Award Scheme is now launched; this has been developed as part of the initiatives to celebrate excellence at University of Worcester. This Scheme is designed to recognise and reward excellent and outstanding practice in teaching, and in supporting and leading learning. The Scheme […]
Human Resources Advice
Stay in touch by following @UW_HROD on twitter for daily hints and tips Please take a look at the Working From Home Guidance on our website- https://www2.worc.ac.uk/personnel/957.htm
Dear colleagues the next meeting for the Inclusion by Design Research Group will take place virtually on Microsoft Teams on Thursday 30th April from 14:00 – 15:00. Dr Alexandra Sewell will chair this session looking at: Research Developments to date; Strategies for locating funding for research; And Crafting small-scale bids to build a research profile. If you are interested in researching use of Universal Design, […]
I was supposed to take part in a University of Worcester Charity Challenge on Friday 5th June 2020 which was to run over 24 hours involving a 16 mile night walk, 20 mile cross country run and other great events. Unfortunately it has had to be postponed but I still wanted to do something for the University of Worcester’s Charity of the Year Cure Leukaemia, […]