‘Identifying the Dead’ shortlisted for Times Higher Education Award
Published On Thu 1 Sep 2016 by Grant Hill
An online course which enabled more than 20,000 crime fiction fans to play the role of forensic investigator in a Val McDermid murder mystery has seen the University of Dundee nominated for a prestigious Times Higher Education Award.
The University’s internationally renowned Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID) has been shortlisted in the ‘Outstanding Digital Innovation in Teaching or Research’ category of the THE Awards 2016.
‘Identifying the Dead’ was launched in conjunction with social learning platform FutureLearn last year. FutureLearn enables millions of people around the world to share learning experiences, free of charge, through massive open line courses (MOOCS). As such, a global community of 23, 875 learners signed up to work together to solve a mystery penned by Val, one of the world’s best-selling crime authors.
In the story a body was found on a hill in the centre of Dundee and participants were challenged to reveal its identity by picking their way through the plot, which unfolded over six weeks and required them to analyse pieces of evidence and video footage around the case.
CAHID’s Dr Helen Meadows, who was project manager for the course, said, “I am personally thrilled that we have been nominated for this award and am delighted for everyone at CAHID. This was truly a team effort and the shortlisting is testament to the vision, dedication and hard work of the department and their creative connections, including Val McDermid and local production company, Bonnie Brae.
“It was a privilege to work with such a diverse group of individuals who took public engagement with forensic science to a new level and enabled well over 20,000 people to take part in this exciting project. At CAHID we regularly help police in criminal investigations and to identify bodies in all manner of circumstances. This course gave everyone a chance to get a taste of that and was set at a level where people didn’t require any prior specialist knowledge.”
Dundee has recently been ranked the best in the UK for forensic science in both the Complete University Guide and Good University Guide. It is also home to the £10million Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science which aims to shape the future of the subject and ensure it remains a vital component of the criminal justice system.
Val McDermid is an honorary graduate of the University and a long-standing supporter of the work carried out at Dundee. She is a close friend of CAHID director Professor Dame Sue Black and is one of many crime writers who rely on her expertise to ensure the anatomical details contained within their books remain scientifically accurate.
“It is always a pleasure and a privilege to work with the CAHID team,” said Val. “Their commitment to communicating what they do so well is absolute. And they understand the value of cake and conversation in the process!"
MOOCs are free to access and enable a wide audience to engage with higher education. The first course offered by Dundee focused on Antimicrobial Stewardship, and was delivered in partnership with the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy to focus on one of the world’s emergent health problems. Other MOOCs with a focus on healthcare and science are currently being developed at Dundee.
Now in their 12th year, the Times Higher Education Awards are a highlight of the academic calendar and a celebration of the best in UK higher education.
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Grant Hill
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University of Dundee
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Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk