News

Student photos impress judge

Entries in a recent photographic competition have left a local press photographer so impressed with the quality of the submitted pictures he wished he had taken some of them himself.

James Fletcher, a photographer for the East Anglian Daily Times, was a member of the judging panel for the Polish and Mexican Societies’ ‘What does it mean to be a student at Essex’ competition.

The landscape category was won by Kriya Marisa Kalidas with this picture of the north towers

He said: ‘The pictures were very varied and of a really high standard. I found the pictures to be technically sound and have good composition. I was impressed that some students have been very brave, innovative and expressive; they have explored different techniques with their creative process. I was especially impressed with the travel section which produced pictures I would have been very proud to have taken.’

Over 100 photographs were entered into the competition which was divided into four categories: travel, student life, landscape and black and white.

The winner in the travel category was Rajput chic by Juan Carlos Guerra with the runner-up prize going to Sofia Salas for On the road to Cuzco. Flaming sambuca by Tom Bartlett won the student life category with Alexandra Carlsson’s Tequila shot-essentials the runner-up. A picture of Essex’s famous towers, A birds-eye view of the legendary towers, by Kriya Marisa Kalidas took first prize in the landscape category. The runner-up was Burning the midnight oil by Tom Bartlett. The black and white category was won by Leyla Khalil with In the lab, and the runner-up was Carlos Rivera with No title II.

Views of healthcare future

Leading figures from the fields of health and social care will be attending a half-day seminar at the University next month to explore advances in science, technology and social policy.

The ‘Health and Social Care - Views of the Future’ seminar will discuss the potential for advances in these areas to make a profound impact on the delivery of health and social care in the region and the UK.

The cross-disciplinary event will include panellists from the fields of medicine, biological sciences, electronic systems engineering and economics, addressing areas such as health technology, lifestyle and ageing, and new therapies and care strategies.

Panellists will include experts from Barts and the London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Participants will receive preview copies of Guide to a Healthy Planet, edited by Professor Jules Pretty, which includes contributions from 80 academic staff across ten of the University's departments and centres. The guide will be published later in the year.

The seminar on 18 July, organised by the Research and Business Development Office (RBDO), is planned to be the first in a series which will provide insights into the latest research in areas where Essex is at the forefront.

Aimed at audiences from the business, charity and public sector, the seminars will also create networking opportunities with the University’s academics.

Places at the 18 July event, in Wivenhoe House marquee are by invitation, but anyone interested in being included should contact the RBDO at rbdoevents@essex.ac.uk or telephone 01206 872922.

Students surveyed about satisfaction

More students than ever before have taken part in the Essex Student Satisfaction Survey (SSS) last term.

The rate of response has risen from 26 per cent last year to an impressive 49 per cent, as a result of redesigning the survey, and collecting responses on paper as well as online.

For the first time, the Essex SSS focussed solely on the academic aspect of student life, such as teaching quality and academic support. All first and second year undergraduates were eligible to take part with almost half taking the opportunity to make their feelings known. The results of the SSS are due out later in the year, and will be integrated with results from the National Student Survey, filled in by third year undergraduates, to give comprehensive feedback on how Essex students view their degrees.

Plans to develop a non-academic Student Experience Survey (SES) are also underway. This new study will investigate how Essex students feel about the non-academic aspects of their campus life, including their accommodation, welfare services and social facilities.

Professor Andy Downton, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Standards) said: ‘To provide an all-round, high-quality student experience, a university cannot focus purely on academic excellence. Students are increasingly astute about what they can expect from the university experience, and a survey such as this will be valuable in informing the University’s strategic planning process.’

All the students who took part in the 2005-2006 SSS were entered into a prize draw. Lei Liu, a student from the Department of Accounting, Finance and Management, won the £500 prize.

Also in the printed June edition of Wyvern:

• Major new collection for Library
• firstsite:newsite go ahead
• HEIF awards University £4.6 million
• Around Essex
• Insearch's fast-track to a computing career