Welcome to the Modern Universities Research Group [MURG] Web site.

MURG is not a mission group, rather it provides support to its membership concerning every aspect of the excellent and innovative research conducted within the UK’s modern university sector.

next MURG event:

“Postgraduate Training For The New Era”

How can modern universities maintain and grow their postgraduate research profiles, be innovative and support an excellent research environment for their postgraduate students?

27^th – 28^th March 2012

Technology Park, Coventry University

Puma Way
Coventry
CV1 2TT

Keynote Lecture “Postgraduate Training And Research For The New Era – How Modern Universities And Industry Can Work Together”

• Keynote Lecture by Professor Jeremy Watson FREng FIET FICE, Global Research Director Arup & Chief Scientific Adviser Department for Communities and Local Government
• Panel discussion on “The Future Of Postgraduate Research In Modern Universities across England, Scotland, and Wales with:
• David Sweeney, Director (Research, Innovation and Skills) HEFCE
• Professor Paul Hagan, Director of Research and Innovation, Scottish Funding Council
• Dr David Blaney, Director of Strategic Development, HEFCW
• Session on “How Will Modern Universities Resource Postgraduate Research In The New Era?”
• Session on “High Quality Postgraduate Resources In Modern Universities – Ensuring Equality And Diversity”
• Announcement of new MURG Postgraduate Sub-Committee Chair
• Full Registration fee for MURG members including all refreshments for both days at the conference; wine reception; 3 course conference dinner including wine; bed and breakfast Ramada Hotel Coventry 27^th March is £320
• Other registration options available
• Special rates for postgraduates
• Special rates for Coventry University members

Keynote Speaker: Professor Jeremy Watson FREng FIET FICE, Global Research Director Arup & Chief Scientific Adviser  Department for Communities and Local Government

Jeremy Watson is Arup’s Global Research Director, responsible for Arup’s Research Strategy and the Research Consulting Business. His specialities include Strategic Technology Development and Transfer, Innovation Processes and NPD Management. Jeremy also has technical expertise in Industrial Instrumentation and Control, Power Electronics, Signal Processing and Biomedical Engineering. Current research interests include Renewable Energy, Control for Energy Efficiency and Ambient Assistive Technologies. Prof Watson is also the Chief Scientific Officer for the Department for Communities and Local Government.

 

 Day 1 Programme: 27^th March 2012

 Prof Watson’s keynote lecture introduces the session on 27^th March entitled “How will modern universities resource postgraduate research in the new era?”

 Within this session we aim to have speakers from the Technology Strategy Board, one of the KTN networks as well as a speaker on doctoral training centres.

 This session will also cover alternative funding routes for postgraduate research including a presentation by Dr Emma Stone, Director of Policy and Research at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The Foundation is an endowed charity that funds a large, UK-wide research and development programme focussing on the root causes of poverty, inequality and disadvantage.

 There will also be a presentation on how to place European funding in the context of developing and progressing an institutional strategy that aligns postgraduate training/research with potential funding opportunities. This presentation will be from Martin McCauley of the EU Funds for HE organisation. Martin has more than 20 years experience of working with HEIs to participate effectively in EU Programmes. During that time he represented the HE Sector on national committees for ESF Programmes and devised a common costing framework for ESF projects. Recently, he has delivered a series of events on EU Funding opportunities for HEIs.

 NEW – MURG Postgraduate Sub-Committee – nominations

At MURG’s executive committee meeting in September 2011 it was decided to establish a new postgraduate sub-committee. MURG is committed to postgraduate career progression as a signatory of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. The chair of the new sub-committee will also attend the Executive Committee meetings to feed issues to the committee on postgraduate and early career researcher issues. The new committee will also be tasked with organising a conference for postgraduate researchers at modern universities.

 We are opening the nominations for the Chair of the Postgraduate Sub-Committee. The Chair will also be funded to present a short paper on their research at one of the MURG events and will also benefit from a mentor from VITAE to support them through their year-long office as Chair of the postgraduate sub-committee. This is an excellent opportunity for a postgraduate or early career researcher to gain committee experience – an important tool for career progression.

 It is hoped that the new position within MURG will follow principles 13 and 14 as set out in the Concordat:

 “13. Employers and researchers can often benefit if researchers have an input into policy and practice  through appropriate representation at staff  meetings and on organisation or management  committees.

14. Mentoring arrangements should be supported by employers as a key mechanism for career development and enhancement.”

 If you have any nominations, please contact the MURG administrator, Dr Helen Rolph, on murg.admin@ntlworld.com with the name, email address and research background of your nominee. Institutions can nominate more than one person to the committee. The person selected as Chair will oversee a sub-committee of 4 members. Any nominees not directly selected to the sub-committee will be placed on an email network of postgraduate researchers at MURG institutions and this will be managed by the postgraduate committee. They will use this to keep researchers informed of key issues relating to research training and careers in modern universities.

 The new chair of the postgraduate committee will be formally welcomed to MURG on day two of the conference by Professor Peter Strike, MURG Chair  and Vice Chancellor of Cumbria University as well as the members of the panel debate on research – David Sweeney (Director, Research, Innovation & Skills, HEFCE), Paul Hagan (Director Research & innovation, SFC) and David Blaney (Director of Strategic Development, HEFCW).

Day 2 Programme: 28^th March 2012

The first session of day two will comprise a lecture by David Sweeney, Director (Research, Innovation and Skills) HEFCE on “The Future of Research Excellence in English Modern Universities”.

 This will be followed by a panel discussion on the future of postgraduate research in modern universities across Scotland, Wales and England with:

David Sweeney, Director (Research, Innovation and Skills) , Paul Hagan, Director of Research and Innovation, Scottish Funding Council and David Blaney, Director of Strategic Development, HEFCW.

 All delegates will be encouraged to take part in the discussion, which will be held under Chatham House Rules; and an anonymised report of the discussion will be published on the MURG website.

The final session of the conference will be on “High Quality Postgraduate Resources In Modern Universities – Ensuring Equality And Diversity”.

 Ellen Pearce, Director, Vitae and Researcher Development, CRAC, will speak on “Employability and impact of postgraduate researchers at modern universities” and Ellen Pugh, Senior Policy Adviser for Athena SWAN, Equality Challenge Unit will speak on “Athena Swan & Gender Equality Duty Auditing”. Professor Alison McCleery, MURG Treasurer, Director of Research Strategy & Practice, Edinburgh Napier University will speak on “Scotland’s Researcher Development Initiatives and CHORUS”. Alison McCleery is Professor of Geography at Edinburgh Napier University and PI for a major AHRC KT project endorsed by UNESCO and being carried out in partnership with Museums Galleries Scotland. She is a member of the UK Careers in Research Online Survey Committee, and of the Scottish Funding Council’s Research and Knowledge Transfer Committee. She also chairs the Research Training Sub-Committee of Universities Scotland, which won the Times Higher Award 2010 for excellence in early career researcher support for its collaborative, cross-sector KE Step Change Project 2009.

 DRAFT AGENDA DAY ONE Tuesday 27^th March 2012

 

	SESSION ONE: How will modern universities resource postgraduate research in the new era? 27th March 2012
12:00  – 12:45	REGISTRATION AND NETWORKING LUNCH Case Students Poster Session
12:45 – 12:50	Welcome and opening remarks Professor Peter Strike, MURG Chair, Vice Chancellor University of Cumbria – Confirmed
12:50 – 12:55	Introduction for Professor Jeremy Watson Mr John Latham, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Business Development), Coventry University –Confirmed
12:55 – 1:45	Key Note Lecture: “Postgraduate Training And Research For The New Era – How Modern Universities And Industry Can Work Together” Professor Jeremy Watson FREng FIET FICE, Global Research Director Arup & Chief Scientific Adviser  Department for Communities and Local Government – Confirmed
1:45 – 2:15	“The role of postgraduate research across modern universities in stimulating technology enabled innovation” Speaker from the Technology Strategy Board – To Be Confirmed
2:15 – 2:45	“Developing The Relationship Between Modern Universities And Doctoral Training Centres” Mr Charles McBeath, Chair Management Board CICE & Managing Director Ramboll UK – To Be Confirmed
2:45 – 3:15	“Funding Innovation And Excellence In Postgraduate Research In Modern Universities Through Knowledge Transfer Networks” Dr Philip Hargrave, CEO & Network Director, ICT KTN – To Be Confirmed
3:15 – 3:30	TEA
3:30– 4:00	“European Funding in the context of developing or taking forward an institutional strategy that aligns postgrad training/research with potential funding opportunities.” Martin McCauley, EU Funds for HE.
4:00 – 4:30	“Research Opportunities with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation” Emma Stone, Director of Policy & Research, Joseph Rowntree Foundation – Confirmed
4:30 – 5:00	“Examples of University – Industry Research Collaboration – SHEAF Systems Consultancy at the Materials and Engineering Research Institute (MERI)” Dr Nick Farmilo, Business Development Manager, Sheffield Hallam University – To Be Confirmed
5:00	END OF DAY ONE
7:30pm	Drinks Reception
8:30pm	Conference Dinner

 

DRAFT AGENDA DAY TWO Wednesday 28^th March 2012

 

9:00 – 9:20	MURG AGM
	SESSION TWO: The future of postgraduate research in Modern Universities across England, Scotland, and Wales.
9:20 – 9:30	Introduction to Session Two and announcement of new MURG postgraduate sub-committee Professor Peter Strike MURG Chair, Vice-Chancellor, Cumbria University – Confirmed
9:30 – 10:15	The Future of Research Excellence in English Modern Universities David Sweeney, Director (Research, Innovation and Skills) HEFCE – To Be Confirmed
10:15 – 11:30	Panel Discussion on the future of postgraduate research in modern universities across Scotland, Wales and England with: David Sweeney, Director (Research, Innovation and Skills) HEFCE – Confirmed   Paul Hagan, Director of Research and Innovation, Scottish Funding Council – Confirmed   David Blaney, Director of Strategic Development, HEFCW – Confirmed
11:30 – 11:45	COFFEE
	SESSION THREE: High Quality Postgraduate Resources In Modern Universities – Ensuring Equality And Diversity
11:45 – 11:50	Introduction to Session Three Professor Andrew Slade, MURG Executive Committee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Leeds Metropolitan University – Confirmed
11:50 – 12:10	Employability and impact of postgraduate researchers at modern universities Ellen Pearce, Director, Vitae and Researcher Development, CRAC  – Confirmed
12:10– 12:30	Athena Swan & Gender Equality Duty Auditing Ellen Pugh, Senior Policy Adviser for Athena SWAN, Equality Challenge Unit. –Confirmed
12:30 – 12:50	Daphne Jackson Trust Speaker To Be Confirmed
12:50 – 1:10	Scotland’s Researcher Development Initiatives and CHORUS Professor Alison McCleery, MURG Treasurer, Director of Research Strategy & Practice, Edinburgh Napier University – Confirmed
1:10	Closing Remarks and end of conference

 Conference hotel and Conference dinner

 The Ramada Hotel in Coventry will be the venue for the conference wine reception and dinner on 27^th March 2012. Full registration for the conference will also include bed and breakfast accommodation at this hotel. The hotel is a 10 minute walk from Coventry railway station and is also within walking distance of the conference venue – the Coventry university technology park.

 For Hotel Location, please see Ramada Hotel and Suites Coventry City Centre, The Butts, Earlsdon, Coventry, CV1 3GG.

 For registration fees, please see the table below.

 

	Full Delegate rate: Registration, all refreshments at conference; wine reception; 3 course conference dinner including wine; bed and breakfast Ramada Hotel Coventry on 27th March 2012	Registration Plus Dinner 27th March 2012  [no B&B]	Registration Plus B&B 27th March 2012 [no Dinner]	Registration fee 2 days  [without Dinner, B&B]	Registration fee 1 day [without Dinner, B&B]
Non- Members	£390	£319	£355	£285	£143
MURG Members	£320	£249	£285	£210	£105
Easrly Career Researchers Postgraduates	£270	£199	£235	£160	£80

 There are discounted rates for Coventry University delegates.

To receive this rate, Coventry University delegates should contact Professor Neil Forbes, Director of Research, on lsx143@coventry.ac.uk

To attend, please return the booking form below to murg.admin@ntlworld.com or by post to MURG Administrator, 10 Caird Drive, Glasgow g11 5DS.

 Please note that MURG does not charge VAT and cannot accept payment by credit card.

 Any cancellations made via email before 20^th March 2012 will receive a full refund. Cancellation after this time may incur the full fee. If unable to attend you may send someone to deputise for you.

Booking forms should be sent to:

Dr Helen Rolph

MURG Administrator

Modern Universities Research Group

2/1, 10 Caird Drive,

Glasgow,

G11 5DS

Tel / Fax: 0141 534 3123

Mob: 07811 384 083

Email: murg.admin@ntlworld.com

 

You can also follow MURG on Twitter