University basketball team to play on the big stage as part of partnership deal with BBL club 27/01/11

The University of Chichester Thunder will feature in a basketball double-header this weekend alongside BBL club Worthing Thunder.

The University side will play their National League Division 4 South West match against Guernsey, which will be followed by Worthing Thunder’s British Basketball League (BBL) match against the Sheffield Sharks. The BBL is the UK’s premier basketball league, with games featuring regularly on Sky TV.

The two matches will take place at Worthing Leisure Centre, the home of Worthing Thunder, which usually attracts around 500 fans, making it one of the largest crowds that the University of Chichester Thunder will have played in front of.

The National League game will tip off at 5.00pm, while the BBL match will start at 7.30pm. Fans can see both games for just £5 for adults and £2 for children.

The opportunity for the University of Chichester Thunder to play at Worthing Leisure Centre has come as a result of a partnership agreement between the clubs, giving the University players a route to the top level of UK basketball while continuing their studies at the West Sussex institution.

The University side has become an official ‘nursery’ team for Worthing Thunder, meaning University players can now be signed to play for both teams if they are good enough to play at BBL standard. It is widely expected a number of Chichester players will feature in the Worthing Thunder squad before the end of the season.

The University of Chichester Thunder will also play at the Worthing Leisure Centre on 26 February when they take on the Taunton Tigers.

Sid Fletcher, Sports Development Manager for the University of Chichester Students’ Union, said: “I am pleased we have been able to build our relationship with Worthing Thunder to a level where they have agreed to adopt us as an official nursery team. This gives us a strong base on which we can build our development work, which is designed to give our players the opportunity to be coached and play at the highest level possible, while continuing to study at University.”

University libraries make the most of its old books 25/01/11

The University of Chichester has reinvested nearly £20,000 in new books by selling old publications through a simple but effective scheme.

In the libraries at its Bishop Otter and Bognor Regis Campuses, there are more than 300,000 books, and subject librarians constantly work to ensure the most recent copies of books are available for students across all subjects studied at the institution.

Rather than old books being thrown away to be recycled, the University sells them through an online shop on Amazon, creating an income for the institution and ensuring the book remain in circulation.

Details of the scheme were published in Relay, the journal for professionals working in national, research or academic libraries, with the intention of sharing best practice for the benefit of others.

Since the scheme began in 2004, the University has made nearly £20,000 selling books across the UK and occasionally overseas. Most customers are other academic organisations, although some appear to be students or members of the public.

Anna O'Neill, Head of Library Services at the University of Chichester, said: “Selling books on Amazon is straight forward and need not be time consuming. Knowing what to sell and for how much becomes easier with experience. However, the real benefit is keeping books out of landfill and still in circulation.”

To read the full article, visit: http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/special-interest-groups/ucr/publications/Documents/Relay%2061%20-%20Final.pdf

Leading childhood studies textbook by Chichester academic moves into third edition 21/01/11

A popular textbook for childhood studies students has been published in its third edition by a University of Chichester academic.

The book, Special Needs and Early Years, is written by Kate Wall, the programme leader for the Early Childhood Studies degree course, and has become a standard course reader on similar programmes across the UK.

Along with her other books, it has contributed to Kate’s election to the national board of the National Children’s Bureau and the Early Years Advisory Board of the National Association of Special Educational Needs. She is also a regular speaker at conferences both in the UK and abroad.

Kate has been at the University of Chichester since 2007 and, until 1999, was an early years teacher across mainstream and special settings for more than 20 years. As the Head of an Early Years Special Unit, Kate developed a wealth of knowledge and experience which informs her writing as well as her teaching at the University.

Senior music lecturer earns recognition for research work 21/01/11

A senior lecturer in music at the University of Chichester has crossed creative boundaries and won a literary award.

Dr Jonathan Little, Senior Lecturer and Commercial Music co-ordinator at the West Sussex institution, won The Authors’ Foundation/Royal Literary Fund Award 2011 for his definitive two-volume, 850-page survey of Orientalism in Music.

His research begun twenty years ago and was recently published by Mellen Press. The two volumes are entitled: The Influence of European Literary and Artistic Representations of the ‘Orient’ on Western Orchestral Compositions, ca. 1840-1920: From Oriental Inspiration to ‘Exotic’ Orchestration, and Literary Sources of Nineteenth-Century Musical Orientalism.

The panel of adjudicators included Sir Michael Holroyd, former Chairman of the Society of Authors. To be able to complete this substantial project, Jonathan was grateful for the support of the University’s own Research Incentive Fund.

Complementing this recent achievement for writing, in October 2010 Jonathan won his fifth successive award for Concert Music Composition from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and, in 2009, he became the first composer to receive a Professional Development Award from the Musicians Benevolent Fund – the UK music business’s own charity, whose trustees and advisors include many of this country’s most distinguished conductors and performers.

Aimhigher reinforces young people's decision to progress into Higher Education 20/01/11

Research undertaken by Aimhigher Sussex with undergraduates at the Universities of Brighton, Sussex and Chichester has concluded that, although not the only deciding factor, the Aimhigher programme reinforced students' decisions to progress into higher education as well as helped them decide which course and university to attend.

The research investigated what factors influenced undergraduates from low participation neighbourhoods in their journey into higher education and their sense of academic preparedness on arrival; as well as what part was played by their experience of Aimhigher and other widening participation outreach interventions. Involving 230 second year undergraduate students from the county's universities, the research consisted of online questionnaires and 20 in-depth interviews with students.

As well as revealing the influence of the Aimhigher programme, the researchers made recommendations to Aimhigher Sussex and the participating universities regarding future work with primary aged children and planned interventions with the key grouping of Year 7 to 9 young people, a time that the research showed as a period of transition that could devalue earlier educational and occupational aspirations for some young people.

To read the full report, go to http://www.aimhighersussex.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/quiet-shadow-report.pdf

Gifted Athlete Scholars selected by University of Chichester 07/01/10

A group of athletes studying at the University of Chichester have been awarded scholarships to help combine their academic studies with their sporting careers.

A cross-section of sports are represented in this year’s scholarship scheme, and includes athletes targeting places in Team GB for the London 2012 Summer Olympics and the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

As well as receiving financial support, the athletes will receive a full strength and conditional programme from the University’s sport and exercise department, which already has a track record of providing expertise to Olympic medalists such as sailor Ben Ainslie and boxer Amir Khan.

The athletes will also receive physiotherapy support in the event of any injuries, and free membership to the University gym at its Bishop Otter Campus.

The full list of athletes and their sports are:

• Will Golder (Bobsleigh)
• Joe Viner (Golf)
• Bud Johnston (Basketball)
• Mel Curson (Netball)
• Lloyd Ellett (Boxing)
• Amy Seabright (Sailing)
• Sophie Bailey (Windsurfing)
• Cally Beaumont (Football)
• Rebecca Thompson-Agbro (Football)
• Charley Boswell (Football)
• Sarah Kempson (Football)
• Jack Sharp (Rugby)
• Ruby Rennison (Frisbee)
• Jacquelyn Jobey (Basketball/Netball)
• Nuala Page (Rhythmic Gymnastics)

Paul Wallis, Active Sports Manager at the University of Chichester, said: “By providing a comprehensive level of support to our sports scholars, it allows them to undertake their academic studies while continuing to aim for national and international success in their chosen sport.

“Some of our scholars are hoping to feature in the London 2012 Summer Games and the 2014 Winter Games in Russia, and we want to give them the best opportunity to reach their full potential both in the sporting arena and academically.”

Sid Fletcher, University of Chichester Students’ Union Sports Development Manager, added: “We have a number of successful teams competing in the British Universities leagues, and our men’s basketball team is part of the National Basketball League set-up. This scholarship scheme is an extension of the sports support we offer at the University, aimed towards individuals who require specialist support or training. This can involve travelling hundreds of miles a week to their training headquarters, and the funds given through the scholarship can help with the cost of this.”

Trio of businesspeople share top prize in University entrepreneur competition 07/01/10

Graduates and students from the University of Chichester have been rewarded for their business acumen in the first competition of its kind at the West Sussex institution.

The new business ventures of Daisy Robinson and Sophie Bennett (Honey It’s Herbal!) and Paul Taylor (Play-Ultimate) won first prizes in the first-ever New Entrepreneurs Competition run by the University, to encourage entrepreneurial spirit at the institution to blossom.

Daisy and Sophie have successfully combined their studies with their business idea while Paul set up his company on graduation, making instant use of the skills and experiences learnt in the lecture halls.

Daisy and Sophie from Honey It’s Herbal (http://www.honeyitsherbal.com/) sell 100% natural handmade skincare products, having started by making products for themselves before branching out into business. They now sell at local farmers’ markets and crafts fairs as well as being stocked in stores in Sussex and Kent.

Play Ultimate (http://www.play-ultimate.co.uk/) strives to spread the benefits of physical activity and sports psychology in a youth environment, and Paul leads a number of coaching sessions to introduce young people to the sport of Ultimate Frisbee, both within school PE sessions and in after-school clubs.

The judging panel of Iain Shepherd (Marcom Defence), David Myers (DM Consultants) and Lyn Batchelor (University of Chichester) awarded the two businesses £500 each.

The runners-up were Replica Dance Workshop, who create educational dance workshops, and Wide Eyes Theatre Collective, who are creating contemporary theatre and educational workshops from multi-disciplined performance artists. Both groups received £250.

Julia Macfarlane, Senior Business Development Manager for the University of Chichester, said: “Nine shortlisted entrants to the competition at Stage 1 were given a £500 grant and sent away to put it to good use for their business over the summer months. The winners of the competition at Stage 2 were those who were judged to have used the cash to the greatest benefit.

“The standard of entries shows that there is definitely an untapped entrepreneurial streak at the University, and that bodes well for the future of our students and the local business community.

“The University has made a strong commitment to support new businesses - later this year, we will be opening new business incubator units at our Bognor Regis campus, space where new businesses, started up by our students, graduates and staff, will be able to operate from, and receive support and guidance on how to best develop their business.”

University of Chichester appoints new Vice-Chancellor 21/12/10

The University of Chichester has confirmed that Professor Clive Behagg has been appointed Vice-Chancellor.

The appointment of Professor Behagg, who has been Acting Vice-Chancellor since February 2010, was confirmed, following a thorough and rigorous selection process against a strong field of candidates, by the Board of Governors at a meeting on Tuesday 21 December.

Professor Behagg has been at the University since 1976 when he joined as a history lecturer. He became Deputy Vice-Chancellor in 2005 before taking up the Acting Vice-Chancellor role in February of this year.

Professor Behagg will formally take up the Vice-Chancellor post on 1 January 2011, and will take charge of a University with more than 5,000 students and at least 1,000 members of staff. It also has some of the highest student satisfaction rates of any university in the country, and is embarking on two major expansion projects at its Bognor Regis campus that will play a significant role in the regeneration of West Sussex.

Professor Behagg said: “Since taking the role on an acting basis earlier in the year, I have made no secret of my intention to apply for the permanent position when it became available, and I’m delighted that I have been successful. This is a fantastic place to work and study, and I will do my upmost for the students and staff here, as well as for our neighbours in West Sussex."

“I am now eager to carry on with the job of leading the University through these challenging times, and I start on a strong footing. Applications to come here are more than three times the national average, and our student satisfaction scores clearly indicate we offer something that students want. We are financially stable, achieved a surplus of more than £2m last year, hold nearly £10m in reserves and our multi-million pound capital investment projects in Bognor Regis are underway. We are one of the best placed institutions to deal with the challenges of the future, and anyone who suggests otherwise should come here and see for themselves. The University of Chichester has a great future; it will live long and prosper.”