The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) hosted the first ever TEDx event in Farnham on 15 May 2013. Designer and UCA honorary graduate Wayne Hemingway led a long list of diverse speakers for a day of inspiring talks at TEDxUCAFarnham.

TEDx events are independently organised talks that are licensed by TED and aim to give the TED experience to a local audience. Wayne Hemingway said: “This is my first ever TEDx talk but I’ve watched lots of the talks online and seen the brand grow over the years, so I’m glad to be here.

“I really like how TEDx events manage to ensure a certain quality of speaker and that they can only talk for 20 minutes because it leads to some fantastic ideas and messages.

“It’s great that UCA is putting on inspiring events like this – I can’t think of a better place to host a TEDx talk.”

Founded in 1984, TED, which is short for Technology, Entertainment and Design, offers a worldwide platform to share imaginative ideas. Speakers at TED events include Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bono, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

TEDxUCAFarnham focused on the theme “What’s the big idea?” and included a day of talks from singer and entrepreneur VV Brown, astrophysicist Barnaby Rowe, publishing duo Visual Editions, social entrepreneur Paul Sinton-Hewitt, sustainable expert Gary Waterworth-Owen, and musical artists Hacker Farm.

VV Brown said: “It was incredible to speak here today. I’m a huge fan of TED so it was exciting to talk at a TEDx event and pass on my ideas to like-minded people.

“I like how TEDx events bring people together and how it all goes online. I’ve learned so many things that I didn’t think I wanted to know through TED, so I think it’s a great place for discovery.”

TEDx talks aim to bring people from the local community together to hear about ideas that are worth sharing. The event, which ran from 11am to 4pm, was filmed and will be uploaded to the official TED website for the world to see very soon.

Craig Burston, UCA Graphic Communication course leader and TEDxUCAFarnham organiser, said: “The event has gone really well and I think everyone’s enjoyed the diverse range of speakers that we secured for the event today.

“TEDx talks aim to bring the local community together – to inspire and excite through new ideas and conversations – so I’m glad that we were able to organise this event and think it’s great that UCA now has this special relationship with TEDx.”

Three students from Whitehorse will compete against 500 other young scientists from across Canada in Lethbridge, Alberta next week, while another will head to Phoenix, Arizona, to take part in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

The three competing at the 52nd annual Canada-wide Science Fair (CWSF) taking place at the University of Lethbridge were the top three winners at the Yukon/Stikine Regional Science Fair this past December. The regional fair saw competitors from grades four to seven competing. The national fair is for young scientists from grades seven to twelve.

The three Yukon scientists and their projects competing in the Junior Division are:

• Alyssa Bunce, Grade 8, Vanier Secondary School “Pressure Points: A New Way to Manage Stress”

• Isabel Magsucang, Grade 7, Christ the King Elementary School “Don’t Let It In”

• KC Mooney, Grade 7, Christ the King Elementary School “Don’t Let It Out”

Bunce is a CWSF veteran, having attended the competition last year in Charlottetown. Magsucang and Mooney created complementary projects focused on radon gas and home heating.

Grade 8 student Jacob Newkirk received an invitation to attend the international competition as an observer after winning a silver medal at last year’s national competition for his project “Mythbusting Mouth Guards”. Students in grades 9 to 12 from around the world are eligible to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Newkirk will join 17 students from across the country.

The students heading to Lethbridge will be accompanied by Hidden Valley Elementary Teacher Brenda Allen and Vanier Secondary Teacher JD Caudle.

The primary goals of the CWSF are to create a positive scientific and social experience for the students by introducing them to their peers from across the country, and to see how the Yukon student’s projects compare with what other young Canadian scientists are doing.

The entire week will be full of social and recreational events including a banquet and opening ceremonies, visits to educational institutions and industries, and two days of project judging by over 500 scientists, industry experts and educators.

There will be an opportunity to watch top class track and field at Loughborough University on 19th May with the return of the annual Loughborough International Athletics event.

The Loughborough International has seen many of the UK’s finest athletes’ grace its start lists, including Olympic gold medallists such as Sebastian Coe and Jessica Ennis.

Now in its 55th year, the event is seen as the traditional curtain raiser to the athletics season.

It will be one of the first opportunities for athletes to record performances that will put them in the frame for the 2013 IAAF World Championships, taking place in Moscow.

With the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games less than 500 days away, competitors from the home country teams will also be seeking to record  qualifying performances.

One athlete planning to take part is Olympian Andrew Pozzi, who won the 110m hurdles at last year’s event and has fond memories of competing at Loughborough by stating: “Every year I have marked this as a good race to be in and always aim to be here. I qualified for my first ever international here in 2009 for the World Youth Championships.

“Last year’s race was really important for me as it was straight after the BUCS Championships when I ran 13.35 and wanted to see how I’d follow it up. I beat quite a lot of my key rivals domestically and ran a pretty good time.”

The format of the event includes a points match that sees a Loughborough past and present squad take on representative teams from England, Wales, Scotland, GB Juniors, and a British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Select.

Welsh Athletics have announced their team which includes sprinter Christian Malcolm alongside fellow London 2012 Olympians 400m hurdler and Loughborough graduate Rhys Williams, middle distance runner Gareth Warburton, and discus thrower Brett Morse.

The event is held at the Paula Radcliffe Athletics Stadium situated on the University’s campus. Gates will open at 10.00am, with the first event starting at 11.00am.

Industrial Design show – Coventry University

A prototype arctic research vehicle and a supercharged low emissions racing car are amongst the innovative designs being showcased by students from Coventry University’s School of Art and Design as part of its Degree Show 2013.

Final year students in Automotive and Transport and Product Design will be displaying their work at the Industrial Design exhibition, which takes place in Coventry and which opens to the public from Saturday 1 June until Thursday 6 June.

The exhibition launches with an industry night on 30 May at which guests will get a sneak preview of what’s on show and where the students behind the designs will be on hand to talk in detail about their creations.

Design blueprints and scaled down models of new concept cars, pioneering public transport projects and consumer products ranging from injury prevention footwear to multi-purpose furniture will all be on show during the week-long exhibition in Coventry.

Examples of some of the student projects on public display include:
· Arctic Tourism and Research Vehicle – an adaptable mode of transport for both scientists and sightseers, designed in accordance with the World Wildlife Fund’s Ten Principles for Arctic Tourism.

· Zero Emissions, Sustainable Single-Seat Race Car – stipulating a new design concept to minimise environmental impact and improve progress through the motorsports career ladder by increasing the life cycle of the car’s chassis.

· Norton H2 Rotary Motorcycle – the iconic motorcycle is redesigned for a future world of diminishing fossil fuels. Combining hydrogen fuel and a rotary engine, the H2 is affordable and eco-friendly but still retains the entertainment and adrenaline rush expected of the revered British brand.

· Furniture for the Smaller Home – contemporary and compact multi-purpose furniture to optimise space and promote flexible living for those homed within smaller properties.

· New Balance Hive – fashionable yet functional footwear, designed to prevent ankle sprains in female netball and basketball players with the soles specifically engineered to offer impact protection as well as aiding a controlled landing for optimum stability.

Michael Goatman, Head of Industrial Design at Coventry University, said: “The Industrial Design exhibition is the yearly showcase for our graduating students at Coventry School of Art and Design.

“It marks the climax of their degree studies and provides a platform for them to express their ideas and demonstrate the skills that they have developed during their time with us. Projects include collaborations with our industrial partners and subjects cover things like market developments, social responsibility, specialist needs and sustainable futures.

“In previous years the exhibition has proved equally popular with the public and industry insiders who enjoy meeting the new generation of graduates. It’s also attended by many alumni who now work in the industry. So, as well as providing an opportunity for our students to show off their designs, the exhibition is also where contacts are made and where many of our graduates find the opportunities that start their careers.

“It’s an event with energy, creativity and surprise; the showpiece for our work for people interested in new design ideas, those thinking about studying the subject or for businesses looking to employ a top class graduate.”

The Industrial Design exhibition takes place at the Maurice Foss Building, Cox Street, Coventry CV1 5PH and is open to the public from Saturday 1 June to Thursday 6 June, 10am to 5pm.

Whether you have a child entering kindergarten or you are looking into interior design schools or anything that falls in between, it is a good idea to be prepared that much of your learning will come through social media sites, iPads, and interactive whiteboards. In the case of k-12 education it is becoming more popular for schools to supply iPads to children as we once checked out a book for the year. Likewise, many higher learning facilities are adding an extra expense to supply college students with similar resources.

There are a multitude of reasons behind the use of technology in the classroom, one being the ability to create lessons in a more efficient manor. But that is only a small part of the equation. By creating an interactive environment, students are keeping up with the times. It is nearly impossible for anyone to find a career that doesn’t involve the technology that our society has to offer. The sooner it is introduced, the more prepared you will be to be a part of the work force. This being said, a K-12 student of today essentially is going to be way more prepared for the workforce than someone who is going back to college mid-life.

Another reason for the change is the ability to communicate with students, faculty and parents without having to wait until the next time you see them in class. An educator now has the resources to make communication to all in a one stop shop. Social media sites, such as Schoology allows teachers to do just that. Where other sites, such as, ePals makes learning or teaching a foreign language more fun and enables those who utilize to move at much more rapid pace. Another benefit to programs such as these is the ability for those involved to understand the culture in which they are studying on a much more realistic level. Thus resulting in the ability to teach more,within a given semester or year.

There is however, one problem with using technology to teach. Many who are thinking of going back to school are not accustom to this way of learning. It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Likewise, educators of an older generation are finding themselves confused as well. This confusion often comes from fear, as the technology being used as educational tools are generally pretty easy to navigate so long as instructions are being followed.

It is important to understand why this integration has occurred in the first place and the benefits that come along with the implementation of it in the classroom. It is safe to say, that on some level every educator is using some sort of technology to teach. Furthermore, it is important to stay current on the techniques being used, as new ideas are being introduced at a steady pace. Whether it be an update to a current program, app or site; or it is a whole new one.

The advances are constantly coming and the days of the regular old text book are a thing of the past. We may have found it odd that our grandparents walked to school barefoot in the snow, but our children and grandchildren with be baffled by the thought of a text book.

Young people from across the country came to Loughborough University to take part in a prestigious national chemistry competition – the second time the campus has hosted the event.

‘Top of the Bench’ is run by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for 14-16 year-olds. Its aim is to increase the participation of young people in chemistry and inspire the next generation of scientists.

Schools from across the country took part in the preliminary rounds of the competition, with almost 30 teams from the UK, and even one from Belgium, progressing to the finals.

The finalists had to complete a short factual test of chemical knowledge, followed by two-hours of practical chemical problem-solving team exercises. Whilst at the campus their accompanying teachers also attended presentations from the RSC and Loughborough about university admissions, science courses and RSC support for teachers and schools. The day concluded with a lecture by Professor Paul Thomas, Head of Loughborough’s Department of Chemistry, about the science of scents and how one day soon our breath and skin chemistry will be the basis of diagnosis.

Prizes were awarded for the best overall performance – the Top of the Bench team – and to five runner-up teams, along with the Jacqui Clee Award, which recognised the most outstanding individual contribution of the day. They were presented by Loughborough University Vice Chancellor, Professor Robert Allison and Professor Jim Iley, Executive Director for Science and Education at the RSC.

Professor Paul Thomas said: “We are always delighted to host and support this competition, which is a fantastic way of engaging with young scholars about chemistry. The pupils were impressive and a joy to meet and play host to, and the standard was formidably high. The event was a great success and all those that took part thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“At Loughborough we are committed to encouraging participation in science, and we believe that there is no better platform for this than the Top of the Bench competition.”

Professor Allison added: “It was an honour for Loughborough to host such an inspiring group of young people – the scientists of tomorrow.”

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) will organise 15th National Inter-University Debate Contest for award of Allama Iqbal Shield on April 24 here at HEC.

About 30 contestants belonging to public and private sector higher education institutions from all over the country will participate in the contest.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Information Technology and Education and Training Dr. Sania Nishtar will be the chief guest. HEC Chairperson Dr. Javaid R Laghari and Executive Director Professor Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed will also speak on the occasion.

Higher Education Commission has been successfully organising All Pakistan Inter-University Debate Contest for the last many years among students of public and private universities.

The basic aim of this competition is to develop communication skills and better understanding among students on various social, economic and political issues confronted by the Pakistani society.

The contest is first organised at the university level where students from all the departments and constituted colleges take part. Second round is organised at regional level at Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, federal, AJK and FATA/Gilgit-Baltistan Universities.

The final round is organised at HEC Islamabad where top scorer teams (consisting of two students) and one individual top scorer student (other than the team) selected in second round each in English and Urdu categories. The winners of first, second and third positions at final round will be awarded cash prizes.

The Allama Iqbal Shield will also be awarded to each winning university on the basis of highest cumulative score in English and Urdu debates.

Tavo Theatre Co

Performing arts students will be showcasing their work to the public from next week as part of Coventry School of Art and Design’s annual Degree Show.

Theatre productions, creative dance and music performances are all on offer during Coventry University’s SPECTRUM 2013 Performing Arts Festival, which runs at venues across the city and other locations from Monday 29 April until Friday 24 May.

The festival, in which final year students present their performance projects to friends, families and public audiences, launches with a special preview show in Coventry on Thursday 25 April. This free to attend event – which kicks off in the Ellen Terry Building, Jordan Well, at 7pm – offers a taste what will be happening in and around the city in the weeks to come.

Graduate Dance Company Spiltmilk, one of Coventry University’s alumni success stories, will play hosts for the evening. Formed in 2006 by artistic directors Sarah Devlin and Adele Wragby, the company has recently secured Arts Council funding in recognition of their unique brand of dance performance and passion for engaging new audiences through their extensive education programme.

Spiltmilk will be joined on the launch night by up and coming performing arts students, keen to give audiences a glimpse of their work. Reflecting the broad creative scope of the wider Performing Arts Festival, the event will feature excerpts from forthcoming student theatre productions, dance performances and live music.

In the main house student group Stray Theatre will present extracts from Scottish playwright Anthony Neilson’s fantastical and poignant exploration of the human condition, Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats of Loneliness. Dance student Joana Tischkau, a member of the from scratch collective of dance companies, offers a newly created piece, gently humorous yet full of insightful observations on art and life.  Music is provided by Contagious Grooves, an eight piece band playing a fusion of funk, hip-hop and jazz.

Around the building, student theatre groups are presenting preview performances of productions that will be on show during the festival. Tavo Theatre Company offers a snippet of Stars Never Abandon Their Orbit, their brand new English adaption of Romanian playwright Mihail Sebastian’s sad yet ultimately optimistic depiction of life in a provincial town in 1930s Eastern Europe.

Meanwhile, a perfect blend of storytelling and live music comes in the form of Enigmatic Theatre’s The Winter Forest. Inspired by Angela Carter’s celebrated stories from The Bloody Chambers, Enigmatic Theatre’s debut production is a twisted fairy tale as juicy as a red apple and as thorny as a single white rose.

These and many more previews form part of an evening’s entertainment that is sure to provide a wonderful opener for the Performing Arts Festival.

Researchers, lecturers and students from across the university will meet with businesses in a first of its kind networking event which will focus on skills, innovation and new talent. It has been organised in the wake of two Government reviews which examined the importance of universities and businesses working closely together.

A report by Sir Tim Wilson – A Review of Business-University Collaboration – found that universities must be “open and accessible to local businesses, particularly SMEs that do not realise the mutual benefits that are on offer”.

And the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills reported in its Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth that the strength of UK universities is a national asset and that innovation is essential to competitiveness and higher living standards.

The university, which already holds a significant number of workshops and events for businesses, will stage the showcase on 25 April at its Newton building at the City site.

Dr Jeremy Hague, business and regional development manager at Nottingham Trent University, said: “Working with businesses is the lifeblood of our research and teaching and we really want to encourage more employers over the threshold to engage with us.

“Innovation is crucial for economic growth and job creation, and by universities and businesses working together, innovation can really be allowed to flourish. “As a university we have got lots to offer business and the professions not only in Nottingham, but in the surrounding areas as well as nationally and internationally.

“We want business people to understand how research, student projects, internships and placements can strengthen their organisations. Our academics and our students really could be the raw talent that businesses are looking for.

“But not only are there benefits for businesses, collaboration with industry really aids our teaching as it helps keep us abreast of what’s happening in the business world.

“In research terms it helps us understand the real issues that need to be tackled and solved. But we can only do that with partners and we need them to bring in the problems so we can help solve them.

“We’re very keen for business people and professionals of all backgrounds to come along to meet us in what will be a very informal environment.”

The university has historically worked in partnership with a wide range of organisations including multinationals such as Rolls Royce and Santander, public sector bodies like Nottingham City Homes and sole traders like Elefair Giftware.

And the university – which has extensively redeveloped much of its estates across its three campuses during recent years – has a host of modern facilities available for technological innovation, design, scientific research, sport, conferencing, banqueting and more.

Among the areas of expertise on show during the showcase will be business development, retail, fashion, smart materials, health and wellbeing, public and third sector, digital systems and imaging, product design and creative services, sustainability in the built environment, culture and heritage, the rural economy and others.

The event, which will take place from 3pm to 7pm, will also include speeches from business people who have already benefited from working with the university.

Management in the 21st Century

The School of Management, University of South Australia will host 15 of the top PhD students from around the world to participate in a forum on the future of management in the 21st Century in Adelaide, Australia from 11th – 13th November 2013.

The PhD students are selected based on a 1,000 word essay in English suitable for publication on the topic of management challenges facing the world and how to deal with them. The topic must be in context of their PhD research.

The School of Management will bring the 15 selected PhD students to Adelaide to participate in a roundtable discussion about their topics. The discussion will be supported by meetings with business leaders, government officials, leading academics from the University of South Australia, and PhD students from the School’s research concentrations. Students will also be given the opportunity to present their essay.

Closing date: Friday, 19th July 2013 by 5 pm [Central Standard Time – UTC + 9:30]

Details:

Call for papers
Essay format instructions
Essay submission checklist 
Past winners
Terms and Conditions
Download Flyer (PDF 506 KB)

Successful PhD students will enjoy the following:

* Return flights to Adelaide from their nearest major airport

* Four nights’ accommodation in a central city apartment in Adelaide

* Transfer from Adelaide airport to city accommodation.

The selected PhD students will also spend a day in the company of local PhD students, in an event hosted by the School of Management Postgraduate Scholars’ Association.

PhD students will need to organise their own visas. The School of Management will provide documentation to support visa applications. PhD students from universities on all continents are invited to participate.

Contacts: For further information in regards to the 2013 International PhD Student Competition please contact:

Ms Tina Morganella

School of Management

Telephone: +61 8 8302 0606

Email: PhDCompQueries@unisa.edu.au

Claudine Soosay

School of Management

Telephone: +61 8 8302 0634

Email: PhDCompQueries@unisa.edu.au