Digest

Meetings

Following the considerable increase in the number of students now studying English language programmes and the larger University Court, Caird House will be used exclusively by the centre for applied language studies. Facilities for meetings are now available in the Ustinov Room, River Room three and in the Tower conference suite - now renamed The Baxter conference suite. Court committees, faculty boards, PRC and Senate as set out in the Calendar for 2002/03 have been provisionally accommodated in the Ustinov Room.

Post

Sue Moody from the department of law is taking a three year secondment to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service as director of the victim liaison office.

Language

Lunchtime and evening language classes at CALS start again on 14 October. Tuition is free with a registration fee of £10 for students and £15 for staff and includes assessment for the University certificate. Classes in German, Spanish, Italian and French are available in the Tower with French also on offer in Ninewells. For more details call Liz Campbell in 4385 or email e.c.campbell@dundee.ac.uk

Cricket

The University staff cricket club has continued its run of victories in the annual match for the Ferrier cup against St. Andrews University staff. Recent successes under captain, Ladson Hayes, and president, Dave Mallion, mean that Dundee has now won the cup for four years running but is still one behind St Andrews in the overall tally. More information on the club and matches at www.dundee.ac.uk/duscc

Innovation

Rolex is calling for applications for its biannual awards for enterprise. The programme supports projects in science and medicine; technology and innovation; exploration and discovery; the environment and cultural heritage. Winners will receive US$100,000,an inscribed Rolex chronometer and international publicity for a project that meets the award programme criteria. Full details and application forms at www.rolexawards.com

Christmas

New guidelines have been drawn up for central services staff for Christmas party allowance. Staff will be allowed to attend one office Christmas lunch or party not exceeding 2.5 hours (the normal lunch hour plus and additional 1.5 hours). The extra 1.5 hours may alternatively be used for early departure from work preceding an office evening party. People wishing to take the whole afternoon should take a half day's annual leave. Those who expressed interest in the central services Christmas party in the Bonar Hall should make alternative arrangements as it has been cancelled.

Arts

The Arts and Humanities Research Board has joined the research councils' annual business plan competition to allow researchers in these fields to benefit from high quality advice and show the contribution research makes to the creative and heritage industries. Full details on www.ahrb.ac.uk/businessplan

Invitation

Professor Alan Dobson of the department of politics has been invited by Professor Pierre Melandri, President of the Institute of the History of Contemporary International Relations, the Sorbonne, Paris, to give a paper on the Anglo-American special relationship for a conference entitled 'The Special Relationship: Myth or Reality' to be held in Paris on 23 November.

Forum

Staff from the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews came together to share assessment practices at a joint learning and teaching forum "assess for the best". There was a varied programme with presentations from local and external experts including Dr Allan Jones with an overview of the range of assessment techniques and Professor Keith Topping, providing information on his innovative work on peer group assessment. Dr Richard Parsons of the learning enhancement unit showcased two recent developments: an autonomous peer assessment tool and a computer aided assessment package. Information on the learning and teaching forum: www.dundee.ac.uk/learning or contact Alison Swanson on 4896.

Design

An architecture student has won an award for designing environmentally friendly student residences perched on the cliffs at St Andrews. Sam Foster won the Association of Scottish Schools of Architecture prize for natural environmental design. Judges were impressed with ideas for combined heat and power to maximize fossil fuel and solar features to make the most of the coastal sunshine. Sam is one of twelve students who went out to Kenya after graduating this summer to take part in the habitat for humanity project.

Travel

The Scottish international education trust awarded two travel grants to University of Dundee post-grad students this year. Anthea Martin from the biomedical research centre was awarded £750 to attend the 11th International p53 workshop in Barcelona in May bringing together p53 researchers from all over the world including David Lane. Gordon McAllister, PhD student in computer vision was awarded £1,500 to travel in August to the international conference on pattern recognition in Quebec City where he presented a paper.

Images

Press and publications has a huge image library - digital, print and transparency - featuring all aspects of University life - news, events, people, buildings, subjects that are available on the web for use in publications, presentation and publicity material for a small cost. There is instant access on line to the 'campus collection' featuring buildings and campus views. You can select your choice using the thumbnail images and drop them in your collection basket to order. A full size image will then be emailed direct to you. imagebank.dundee.ac.uk

Counselling

A survey of academic staff on their use and awareness of the University's counselling service has revealed that they continue to use it relatively modestly perhaps because of a common misperception that the service is only or students. Users of the service however reported a very positive experience providing staff with a useful anchor in times of difficulty, enabling them to cope with greater insight and assurance. Further information www.dundee.ac.uk/counselling

Islam

Professor Antony Black from the politics department gave a paper at the annual American Political Science Association conference in Boston this summer on the way ahead for the study and teaching of political theory in a comparative context, dealing not only with the 'Western' tradition but with ancient India, China, the Islamic world. This is a new and developing field. Professor Black will attend another conference bringing together a core of scholars engaged in this field at Texas A & M University this month

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