Get the most out of the library - short training sessions for OU staff

The library is offering skills training for any OU staff. The training is taking place in Milton Keynes.

These are short generic training sessions to develop skills in using the types of online resources available via the Open University Library. They may be of use to new staff to familiarise themselves with these resources for the first time, or as a refresher for staff who have not used them for a while.

Further details of all these sessions are available at http://library.open.ac.uk/services/libcourses/ (need to logon with OU account) and can be booked via the Staff-LMS.

Finding your way around the Library website
Thursday 30th April, 3pm – 4pm
Information Literacy Suite (trainer: Geri Smith)

• Be aware of key information sources provided through the library web pages.
• Understand how to locate information for your subject on the library web pages.
• Know how to find out what library services there are for staff and students.

Finding full-text materials
Tuesday 5th May, 10am – 11.30am
Information Literacy Suite (trainer: Sam Thomas)

• Be aware of appropriate sources of full text materials.
• Be able to search for references to material by author, subject etc.
• Be able to browse the contents of the latest issues of a journal.
• Be able to manage search results.

Effective Internet Searching
Thursday 14th May, 10.30am – Noon
Information Literacy Suite (trainer: Katharine Reedy)

• Understand the basic concepts of searching the internet.
• Know how to use Boolean logic and any specialised search techniques of some of the popular search engines.
• Be aware of ways to search the internet without search engines.
• Understand the process of evaluating web sites.

Keeping Your Research Up To Date
Thursday 21st May, 2pm – 3.30pm
Information Literacy Suite (trainer: Christine Tucker)

• Be aware of the resources that you can use to find out about recently published books, journals and websites.
• Be aware of ways in which to find out about research before it is published. Be aware of a range of alerting services.

Adapted from email from Matthew Taylor, Library Assistant (Weds - Fri), Information Literacy Unit, Open University Library

Free Lectures - Integrity in Public Life

How should ethics be built into our strategies for business, for government and for life?

The downturn has an upside. The current economic turmoil is the perfect opportunity for business, governments, and individuals to rethink their ethical orientations from the bottom up. The Open University would like to invite you to one of the following free lunchtime lectures on 'Integrity in Public Life' to explore some of the most pressing ethical dilemmas.

The lectures are free and open to all, and will be hosted at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, London from 12.50 - 2pm. Places are limited, to book your place please email Marie-Claire Le Roux

6th May - Dr John Githongo: The Paradox of Two Recessions

John Githongo, the Kenyan anti-corruption campaigner now working as Senior Advisor - Advocacy, World Vision UK, will consider some of the scandals that have come to light as the economic tide has gone out in European business. He will compare the apparent paradox whereby economic upturn and democratic recession have gone together in Africa.

20th May - Lord Butler: Integrity and Politics

Lord Butler will draw on his experience as a previous head of the Civil Service, and lead author of the Butler Report, to discuss the ethical pitfalls facing politicians and civil servants, and how to avoid them.

27th May - Professor John Cottingham: Integrity and Fragmentation

Professor Cottingham, the distinguished philosopher from the University of Reading, will argue that we are harmed by living in a compartmentalised culture. Our institutions are manned by specialists who have mastered a particular field, but are not expected to form a view of the whole. Yet the classical ideal of the unity of the virtues suggests that people cannot live well unless their activities are integrated into a meaningful structure, informed not just by narrow technical expertise but by an overall vision of the good for humankind. We need this idea today.

17th June - Baroness O'Neil: Trustworthiness, Accountability and Character

Baroness O'Neill, cross-bench peer and President of the British Academy, focuses on the place of trust in public life, and explores what we should take as evidence of trustworthiness. Character, codes of conduct and formal systems of accountability can all be helpful for judging trustworthiness, but what can we do when they don't provide enough evidence?

This lecture series has been organised by the Open University's Ethics Centre. The Open University would like to thank F&C for their support of these lectures.

AHRC Religion and Society Small Grants

The Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Religion and Society Programme is offering approximately eight Small Research Grants. These grants will support projects from less established as well as established senior scholars, and from those wishing to undertake small scale innovative or short projects of up to one year.

The project can be for between £20,000 and £100,000 Full Economic Cost (fEC).

The recently introduced requirements of Impact Summary, Academic Beneficiaries and Impact Plan are compulsory for proposals submitted for this scheme.

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 4pm on the 30th April 2009.

For more information see: http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/ReligionandSociety-SmallGrants.aspx

EU Launches Call for Proposals to Promote International University Cooperation (UK)

The European Commission has launched a new call for proposals under its new Tempus IV Programme (2007 – 13). The aim of Tempus IV is to support projects that facilitate cooperation in the field of higher education among Member States of the European Union (EU) and partner countries in the surrounding area. Tempus support two types of actions:

• Joint Projects, which are based on multilateral partnerships between higher education institutions in the EU and the partner countries. They can develop, modernise and disseminate new curricula, teaching methods or materials, boost a quality assurance culture, and modernise the management and governance of higher education institutions.
• Structural Measures, which contribute to the development and reform of higher education institutions and systems in partner countries, to enhance their quality and relevance, and increase their convergence with EU developments.

Institutions and organisations which may participate in the Tempus Programme range from higher education institutions and organisations through to non-academic institutions and organisations such as non-governmental organisations, companies, industries and public authorities. The total amount of funding available for this call for proposals is €53 million and the financial contribution from the Commission cannot exceed 90% of the total eligible direct costs.

Application form is available from the website – must be submitted electronically.

Deadline: 28th April 2009.

For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/tempus/call09_en.html
and http://ec.europa.eu/tempus

AHRC and BT Research Networking Pilot Funding Call

Deadline: 4pm, Thursday 21 May 2009

'Digital Heritage: understanding the personal, social and cultural contexts of consumers of cultural heritage'

The AHRC and BT are working together to develop a collaboration to bring together the arts and humanities research community with BT researchers and other stakeholders and partners with an interest in digital heritage to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaborative research. Project proposals to this call should involve BT through for example, provision of staff expertise and/or ‘in-kind’ access to technology and capability. Academic researchers should contact John Seton from BT Research (john.seton@bt.com) to discuss appropriate BT involvement and/or other parties with a potential interest in participating in this call.

The AHRC/BT Pilot Research Networking call is intended to support interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers to explore the theme of ‘Digital Heritage: understanding the personal, social and cultural contexts of consumers of cultural heritage’. The AHRC and BT welcome networks which involve academic colleagues from the arts and humanities and BT staff as well as non academic organisations, businesses and other parties whose interests compliment the aims of the pilot programme.

For more information see:http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/AHRCandBTResearchNetworkingPilotFundingCall.aspx

Times Higher Education Awards - Research Project of the Year

Deadline: 5 June 2009

This will be awarded to the individual or team for innovative research that has a far-reaching impact on its field and has caught, or has the potential to catch, the imagination of the public. It is open to individuals or teams in any discipline at a UK institution. Nominations must be endorsed by the applicants' institution.

• Explain the background to your project.
• Why was the research necessary, and what were its primary objectives?
• Describe how the research was funded, what the work involved and what challenges arose.
• What did the results reveal, and what are the potential wider benefits to society?
• Has it led to other projects or new avenues of exploration?
• Judges will look for evidence of significant or novel results, creative collaborations and imaginative communication of research results.

The awards will recognise achievements in the 2008/2009 academic year and entries will be accepted between 26 February 2009 and 5 June 2009. Judging will take place in June and the shortlist will be announced in July. The winners will be announced at a dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London on 15 October 2009.

For more information and online application form see: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=352&;pubCode=1&;navcode=98

Fellowship Program Research in Germany for PhD Student - Travel and living costs

The Gottlieb Daimler und Karl Benz-Foundation offer awards of up to £2,300 to enable PhD students working towards a dissertation to undertake a research stay in a German host institution.

A period of study or traineeship at a foreign research institution is likely to represent an important milestone in the career of a young researcher. With its fellowship program the foundation offers both German and foreign PhD students the chance to get acquainted with a different scholastic system and to pave the way, through successful academic cooperation, for long-lasting relationships.

The program is open to all disciplines, subjects and countries. Germans wishing to pursue a research stay abroad and foreign students intending to work in Germany in connection with their PhD may apply. The support provided by the Foundation is for a maximum period of 2 years.

Applicants should not be older than 30, and must have been awarded their most recent academic degree (Master’s degree or Diploma degree) within the last year at the time of the application deadline.

Fellowships are granted for the sole purpose of covering living costs in the host country. The Foundation does not fund tuition fees, materials, supporting staff, stays in the candidate’s home country or outside of the host institution, or travel costs within the research project. Max award £2,300.

Closing date: 1st October 2009 (Two deadlines each year 1 March and 1 October)

For more information see: http://www.daimler-benz-stiftung.de/home/fellowship/en/start.html