Participants are encouraged to complete the survey by Friday 29 November at 12.00pm (noon).

About the W100 Survey

This survey is coordinated by The World 100 Reputation Network, a group of leading global universities, of which Queen's University is a member. The survey is managed by Times Higher Education, who ensure that all responses remain anonymous and confidential in accordance with the UK’s Market Research Society Code of Conduct.

For any questions, staff can contact Rowen Elliott at rowen.elliott@timeshighereducation.com. 

Staff are required to assist with ushering guests to their seats in the Whitla Hall. Volunteers can offer to help at one or more ceremonies. All help is gratefully received.

Please email events@qub.ac.uk with any further queries.

1. directly appoint the provider in ranked order as available;
2. adjust the award criteria weightings in accordance with the job requirement using the desktop calculator provided to appoint most suitable photographer from the list; or
3. seek specific rates from all three appointed providers for bigger or bespoke pieces of work for further competition.

• The ranked list is:
  1. PressEye Photography
  2. Parkway Photography
  3. Pacemaker Photography
• If appointing directly from the list via option 1, you must appoint PressEye in the first instance, and work through the list according to availability.
• If appointing using option 2, you must complete a short desktop evaluation to evidence how you have selected a particular photographer.
• If appointing using option 3, you must contact all providers with your specific requirement for specific pricing to carry out a further competition.

To ensure you appoint a provider compliantly, please refer to the guidance on Photography Services.

Under the new framework arrangement, all providers will supply photographs at no additional cost.

Should you have any questions or need further clarification on this framework, please contact comms.office@qub.ac.uk or procurement@qub.ac.uk. 

For the Drop-in event, staff and students are invited to join in Diwali themed crafts, such as rangoli making, diya decorating, as well as some delicious traditional snacks from Namaste Belfast. Traditional dress is encouraged for those who have this. 

The Diwali Celebration promises to be a wonderful evening of performances, and the students would very much value staff support and attendance.

As part of the upgrade, Queen’s staff will gain access to a new mobile app called SmartSpending™, offering instant access to discounts with the convenience of Apple and Google Pay integration for easy use on the go.

Prior to the upgrade, staff can continue using the Edenred Savings app as usual. However, after the platform upgrade on 4 November, staff will need to switch to the new app.

What’s next?

Staff will receive an email on 4 November from support@txn.mail.rewardgateway.net with details on how to access the new platform. All staff will need to create a new account using their email address as the username.

The activation link in the launch email will expire after 21 days, so the team will send a follow-up email to those who haven’t registered yet, 15 days after the launch date.

Further information and guidance will be available on the People and Culture SharePoint site from 4 November to ensure a smooth transition to the new platform.

More details in relation to the upgrade will be shared in next week's Round-Up.

Please email reward@qub.ac.uk with any additional queries.

The Black History Month events at Queen's showcase the contributions of the African Scholars Research Network, iRISE, the REC Network, Queen's Diversity and Inclusion Team, and the Students' Union, offering an engaging and insightful exploration of Black history and culture.

Staff and students are encouraged to nominate individuals from all areas, including researchers, operational staff, teaching academics, administrative personnel, technicians, and professional services colleagues who embody the core values of Excellence, Connectivity, Ambition, Respect, and Integrity as outlined in our Staff Charter.

Nominations are open for the following categories:

• Making an Impact
• Celebrating Innovation
• Best Collaboration
• Delivering Excellence
• Outstanding Leadership
• Exceptional Contribution
• Student Choice Award

A procession led by Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor, will leave the Black and White Hall and proceed to the War Memorial where two minutes silence will be observed to commemorate all those who lost their lives in war-time. Representatives from a number of University organisations will lay wreaths at the War Memorial, before the procession is led back to the Black and White Hall.

Refreshments will be served after the event in the Great Hall for all those attending.

What to Expect

This event will provide information and support to migrant and minority ethnic communities in Northern Ireland, including refugees and asylum seekers.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers (including one-on-one support) on many topics from a wide range of bodies including:

• Advice NI
• NI Housing Executive
• Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
• Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSP)
• Victim Support
• Migrant Centre NI
• Housing Rights
• Education Authority NI
• Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA)

This event is organised by Consular Corps NI, Advice NI, and NI Housing Executive, supported by Queen's University Belfast Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Directorate.

The Executive Office (Racial Equality Division for TEO) will be in attendance.

* These include individuals with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), a Biometric Residence Card (BRC) or legacy paper documents such as a passport containing an ink-stamp or visa vignette sticker. Individuals who currently prove their immigration status with one of these documents, need to visit www.gov.uk/evisa to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. This move to eVisas does not impact any individuals’ underlying immigration status.

Important note

If you do not create a UKVI eVisa account, you will have no way of proving your lawful right to be in the UK after 31 December 2024. You need evidence of this for a wide range of activities, including:

• travelling into the UK;
• carrying out a right to work check;
• opening a bank account;
• accessing state benefits (if this is permitted on your visa);
• registration with a GP;
• obtaining a driving license.

Creating, accessing and using a UKVI account

Creating a UKVI account is free. Videos explaining the process are available here on GOV.UK.

Once accessed, eVisas can be used to generate a share code to prove immigration status and associated rights such as the right to work and the right to rent using the view and prove service at www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status.

More information and support

Further information, support and guidance is available at www.gov.uk/evisa.

The International Staff Support team are available to provide support and assistance at: internationalstaff@qub.ac.uk.

After careful consideration, the decision has been made not to proceed with the Annual Performance Awards Scheme next year (2024-25). A revised approach is currently being developed, in collaboration with the trade union representatives, as a component of the Workforce Planning priority strand of Operational Excellence.

Our aim is to develop a scheme that better supports individual, team, and institutional success.

In this lecture Desiree Fixler will touch on her personal journey into sustainable finance, and the issues of greenwashing and whistleblowing, whilst also highlighting the importance of accountability, transparency and impact when addressing Environment, Social, Governance (ESG).

The Queen’s Green Fund empowers staff and students to create and deliver projects within their area that benefit the environment, Queen’s and our local community.

A brand new funding limit of up to £2,000 is available for each team that provides the best proposals.

Staff are welcome to join a group of colleagues or bring in family and friends to celebrate.

* Lunch is £35.00 person and includes a glass of mulled wine on arrival and will be served from 12.30pm. Following feedback from previous years the main course will be served buffet style with starters and desserts served to guests at their tables.

Entertainment will be provided by Queen’s music graduate Finbarr Keaveney, who will be singing Christmas classics, swing and music from shows and movies.

This session will be particularly valuable for Advisors of Studies, Personal Tutors, Student Support Officers, and other school-based staff involved in student support. There will also be a Q&A section to address any questions about the procedure and toolkit.

For further information please contact Angela Murphy (Wellbeing Assessment Manager, Student Wellbeing and Accessible Learning) at Angela.Murphy@qub.ac.uk.

About the revised procedure

The revised Support to Participate Fully in Studies and/or University Life Procedure focuses on students' ability to fully engage in their academic studies and University life, particularly in cases where health, wellbeing, or behaviour impact their own or others' experiences. The recent updates aim to ensure that students receive early support, reducing escalation to higher intervention levels. A new toolkit has also been developed to help staff navigate the process.

This event will provide attendees with the opportunity to take part in activities like crafting, micro-volunteering and mindfulness to de-stress and boost their mood. The fair will also include prize draws and a free lunch.

This event aims to provide a supportive opportunity for postdocs and research staff to socialise with peers and prioritise their wellbeing when working on research activities.

Attendees are welcome to invite their friends, family or children to join. Any attendee who brings their children must be responsible for their safety during the walk. In case of inclement weather, each attendee is expected to dress appropriately.

To contribute an article to Queen's Policy Engagement, please email Kevin at qpol@qub.ac.uk.

• Dr Grace Carroll: The 'bully cats' bred to resemble American bully dogs and how fashion is creating mutant pet breeds / O modismo está criando raças de animais de estimação mutantes: os 'gatos valentões' foram inventados para se assemelharem a cães americanos

If you are interested in writing a staff blog piece, please contact internalcommunications@qub.ac.uk.

• Ten graduates secure Grade 3 roles at Queen's through Administration Academy
• New senior appointment: Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engineering and Physical Sciences
• Record-breaking year for Queen’s as research results reach an all-time high
• Queen’s Professor appointed to Ireland’s Health Research Board
• Queen's and Ulster University launch Collaborative Research Culture Initiative in Northern Ireland
• Lord Mayor and Infrastructure Minister get wheels turning on all-inclusive cycle parking facilities
• New senior appointment: General Counsel and Director of Legal Services

During this training session the editor will discuss The Conversation’s unique, collaborative editorial process, give tips on style, tone and structure (with examples), look at how to pitch (with examples) and look at different approaches and article types. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discuss their research with the editor and pitch potential story ideas.

* There are a limited number of places for this session. Colleagues who sign up and then are no longer able to attend are asked to please cancel their registration so that their place can be re-allocated to to the waiting list.

For more information on the AHSS session, please email Zara McBrearty in Queen's Strategic Communications Office: z.mcbrearty@qub.ac.uk. 

About The Conversation

The Conversation is a news analysis and opinion website with content written by academics working with professional journalists. It is an open access, independent media charity funded by more than 80 UK and European universities.

View Queen’s academics’ articles on The Conversation here.

* Please note the Zoom link will be present on your confirmation email and ticket and we will be circulated again the day before the event.

This event is organised in association with the School of Mathematics and Physics and the Chief Executives' Club at Queen’s University Belfast.

* This meeting is in-person, however, a link for Teams can be obtained by emailing Deborah Mitchell d.mitchell@qub.ac.uk.

About the guest speaker

Professor Roska is founding Director and Senior Group Leader at the Institute for Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) and Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and at the Faculty of Science at the University of Basel, Switzerland. He earned his MD in 1995 at the Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, and his PhD from the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2002.

Roska's laboratory aims to find ways to repair visual dysfunction by investigating the function of the retina, thalamus, and cortex at the level of cell types and circuits, and using this knowledge to understand disease mechanisms and to develop treatments. Roska's work has led to robust technology for cell-type targeted gene therapy and vision restoration in retinas. In a breakthrough study published in Nature Medicine in May 2021, Roska and colleagues reported the first blind patient who partially regained vision. They demonstrated the feasibility of partial vision restoration using optogenetic therapy and engineered goggles. His experimental approach is interdisciplinary, combining physiological, molecular, viral and computational approaches to reveal the structure and function of retinal circuits.

The Barcroft Lecture

The Barcroft Lecture was established by the Wellcome Trust after the passing of Professor Henry Barcroft to honour his contribution to medical research. The lecture is awarded by the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen's University Belfast for major contributions to research in the fields of physiology or medicine.

• Research Workshop: The Legality and Limits of the Anti-Amnesty Norm, Tuesday 5 November, 1.00pm to 2.30pm, Mitchell Institute Fellows’ Room, 18 University Square
• Seminar: LINAS Seminar Series, Wednesday 13 November, 3.00pm to 4.00pm, Room 02/011, Peter Froggatt Centre
• Lecture: Anti-Imperial Epistemic Justice and Rights Politics in Most of the World, Wednesday 20 November, 5.00pm to 6.30pm, Canada Room and Council Chamber

Guest speakers

Professor Andreas J Bäumler is a Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, California. He is one of the leading researchers in the field of Salmonella infections, with focus on the molecular mechanisms of Salmonella interaction with the intestinal mucosa and the gut microbiota. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. Prof Bäumler has received numerous prizes, including the Tissier's Medal from the Japan Bifidus Foundation and the Robert Koch Award.

Associate Professor Santiago Castillo Ramirez is a researcher at the Centre for Genomic Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Campus Morelos, Mexico. His work aims at understanding the phylogeography, genomic epidemiology, and microevolution of the highly antibiotic-resistant nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii. Prof Castillo Ramirez performs editorial activities in several journals of the American Association for Microbiology (ASM), the Microbiology Society, the Royal Society, and PLoS.

Professor Dr Bärbel Stecher is a W2-Professor at the Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany. She uses minimal bacterial consortia and gnotobiotic mouse models to study how inflammation, antibiotics, or phages shape the gut microbiota as well as the course of infections with Gram-negative enteric pathogens. Prof Stecher holds an ERC Consolidator Grant. She coordinates the special research area of the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Microbiome Signatures" and the German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF) area "Gastrointestinal Infections".

Staff are invited to share these details with their departments, as well as institutions and collaborators who are not yet part of the club.

For postdocs and research staff, finding the time to write a research article, book or funding bid can be difficult. This event, organised by the Postdoc Society, will provide attendees with the space to focus on a piece of writing, working with a facilitator and the support of their peers.

Applications to take part in FameLab UK opened on 1 October. The regional winner from NI will go on to compete at a FameLab UK Final, hosted live at Cheltenham Science Festival. The live FameLab NI Final will be on Tuesday 18 February in the Black Box in Belfast.

The Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences (FMHLS) Faculty Engagement team is delighted to support the NI Science Festival as the NI National Hub for FameLab UK.

Through this interactive workshop, you will explore the legislative process and how you can work to influence both policy and policy makers. You will discover how to engage with the parliamentary processes from contributing to a committee meeting to preparing briefing notes for MPs.

Please contact d.rogers@qub.ac.uk with any queries.

One of the key challenges in commercialising University research is access to the early stage funding necessary to take a novel idea to an early stage of proof – thereby validating the commercial potential in order to attract additional investment. To overcome this funding challenge, the University has developed a ‘Proof-of-Principle’ (PoP) programme to support projects with significant potential to deliver economic impact via either licensing or creation of a spin-out.

The award of up to £12,500 is intended to move the projects to the next stage of proof.

In this month’s edition:

• R&I Strand of Strategy 2030 – Progress Report
• Queen’s and Ulster Launch Research Culture NI
• Queen's Hosts EPSRC and UKRI: Showcasing Northern Ireland's Innovation and Collaborative Power
• QUBIS turns 40: Reflections and FUTURE Vision with CEO Brian McCaul
• Leading Researcher Programme – Ideas Summit 31ST Oct 2024

• The Apprentice
• The Room Next Door
• After the Credits: Film Discussion Group
• Endurance
• Art of Action: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
• Art of Action: The General
• LUMI Presents: Bram Stoker's Dracula
• Belfast Film Festival
• Small Things Like These
• Anora

 
Staff tickets are priced at £6.50 (standard ticket price £8.90). If you are 26 and under join LUMI to get tickets for £5.00 everyday, all year round.

About JOYFUL RESISTANCE

What does it mean to be punk and how has it played a role in the transformative and restorative justice across the globe? In this bold and innovative new body of work, Xunise explores the thread that weaves together punk rock, DIY, and community change, inviting visitors on a thrilling journey through the intersecting realms of politics, activism, and music. With haunting parallels of resistance from Belfast to Chicago, Xunise utilises humour and illustration to advocate for the beauty of the underground – where grassroots resistance can be a catalyst for global revolution.

The informative training programme provides a hybrid learning experience, combining both in-person and online sessions, to ensure flexibility and accessibility for all participants.

Finding research archives (AHSS)

This training is for all PGR and Post-doc researchers who would like to develop their understanding of how to be able to find research data/archives in the AHSS research area.

Find out more here.

Finding research data (STEM)

This training is for all PGR and Post-doc researchers who would like to develop their understanding of how to be able to find research data in the STEM research area (Faculties of MHLS and/or EPS).

Find out more here.

Research Data Management Libguide.

Information and support regarding PDR can be found here.

Please contact stafflearning@qub.ac.uk if you have any difficulty booking a place.

More information

Through interactive sessions and collaborative discussions, you will gain valuable insights and practical tools to enhance your advising practice. This is an opportunity to connect with fellow advisors, share experiences, and learn from experts in the field, enabling the creation of a supportive network that fosters student success and enriches our academic community.

Developing Leadership in Educational Practice is a programme of study designed to bring together staff who work within the same environment to share good practice and discuss issues to enhance their personal development and wider professional practice. It is intended that you will transfer new-found knowledge to adapt or change the way you work to improve the student experience. You may join this programme whether you are from a professional service or academic role. Those in leadership roles in the Students’ Union would also be eligible for this programme.

HEA Fellowship claims are online programmes where participants will complete their claim for Fellowship/Associate Fellowship/Senior Fellowship HEA.

Key resources include the newly released Trailblazers Guide: AI as Your Partner, along with self-paced, step-by-step tutorials to help you get started with AI.

Additionally, use the AI Assessment Self-Help Guide to evaluate how AI may influence your assessments, and discover much more to support your journey into AI. 

Student Perspectives on AI

As students increasingly turn to AI to enhance their learning and research, it is crucial to establish a shared understanding of its appropriate use in education. Below is a selection of student insights on how AI is transforming their approach to learning and shaping their futures:

Student Blogs:

• A Slice of Gen AI: Student Perspectives @ QUB  
• Embracing Artificial Intelligence in my Law and Technology Assignment 
• Top 10 AI Tools to Work Smarter

Podcasts:

• Exploring Perspectives of AI among students
• Navigating the Future with AI Skills

GPT-4o Release

OpenAI has recently announced the release of GPT-4o. This advanced model accepts as input any combination of text, audio, image, and video, and generates outputs in text, audio, and images. It's much faster and responds to questions at human-like speeds. OpenAI has also provided a series of demo videos to showcase these capabilities.   These advancements are available for ChatGPT users with a free account. Discover how you can access GPT-4o and get started with ChatGPT by watching our Quick Start Video.   

To register your interest

Staff submitting an expression of interest should include detailed bullet points indicating how they would meet the criteria outlined in the Award guidelines. These should be sufficiently detailed and include information on the type of evidence you have to support your claims, to allow the internal selection panel to make an informed decision.

About the NTFS and CATE

The NTFS recognises, rewards and celebrates individuals working in UK higher education who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession.

In 2025, the University can nominate up to three individual members of staff who teach and/or support learning in higher education. The NTFS 2025 Guidance document provides details about the Scheme and the criteria.

The CATE recognises and celebrates collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning. The Scheme highlights the key role that teamwork plays in higher education. Each award will recognise a team which has enabled a change in practice for colleagues and/or students at an institutional or discipline level.

The University can nominate one team that can clearly demonstrate its impact on teaching and learning through collaboration. The CATE 2025 Guidance provides details about the Scheme and the criteria.

More information

Further information is available on the CED website. Queries can be directed to e.mcdowell@qub.ac.uk.

More information

Dr Rachel Scudamore, Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University, is an independent HE consultant who has experience in reviewing NTF and CATE submissions, and in tutoring successful candidates in identifying and evidencing their achievements to demonstrate how their work aligns with the criteria.

Dr Scudamore will outline the key criteria for making successful claims to the NTFS and CATE. The session will help participants to identify which of their achievements are relevant to the schemes, and explore how they might evidence the reach of their work, its benefits to students and/or colleagues, and the transformative impact that is expected of nominees.

Participants will examine the types of evidence the Advance HE reviewers will expect to see, to help prepare for the initial submission to the University for consideration, or future years' nominations.

This is a one hour briefing, with additional time for those who wish to stay to examine sample extracts and their own work in more depth.

There will also be contributions from Dr Emma McKenna, Science Shop, and Dr Paul Hamilton, Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, who each achieved a National Teaching Fellowship in 2024. Dr McKenna was also part of The Queen’s University Science Shop team, which won a CATE in 2023.

Further details about both the NTFS and CATE Schemes, as well as information on applying to be an institutional nominee is provided on the CED website.

One-to-one Consultations

Book a 30-minute virtual session with a Digital Learning Developer from your Faculty, School or VLE Pedagogy Support Team (subject to availability).

Panopto – An Introduction

Panopto is a video content management system that will underpin the University’s lecture capture programmes, as well as complement the multimedia approach to supporting learning and teaching. It integrates seamlessly with Canvas VLE and aligns with the University's Microsoft authentication credentials for intuitive access. Panopto supports multi-feed video through its proprietary media player, as well as being able to host a multitude of file extension types, including audio-only content (for interviews, podcasts, etc.). The platform provides capabilities to record, upload, edit and livestream video content all in the one place.

More training

The IT Training Unit's full programme of courses is available to book on iTrent. Additional training materials can be found on the IT Training Unit SharePoint site.

If your School or Directorate requires IT training for staff, geared towards a specific area or set of tasks, email itcourses@qub.ac.uk and the team will arrange a consultation.