With Spring finally here, the University celebrated International Women’s Day, welcomed a Nobel Peace Laureate, published research showing that learning to be an engineer boosts aspirations in all learners and tuned in to a popular TV drama series whose historical accuracy was ensured by our expertise.
Here we share some of our March ‘best bits’.
We pledged to #BeBoldForChange
International Women’s Day on 8 March saw the University joining the global call to #BeBoldForChange, marking the event with a week-long programme of events and activities, ranging from political debates to an evening of music, poetry and the spoken word. Staff and students made their own pledges for a more inclusive, gender equal world on the University’s pledge wall in the University Centre.
Our chapel was shortlisted for a prestigious architectural award
The University of Winchester's Chapel has been shortlisted in the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) South 2017 Awards. In 2015, the University commissioned Design Engine Architects to oversee a complete restoration of the interior and exterior of the Victorian Chapel, as part of the celebrations to mark the University’s 175th anniversary.
Fifteen buildings have been shortlisted in the region, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Middlesex and Oxfordshire. Winners will be announced in May.
A University Medieval history expert advised makers of TV drama series The Last Kingdom
Find out more
Tune in to the remainder of series two on Thursdays at 9pm on BBC2.
University research revealed benefits of learning to think like an engineer
New research by the University’s Centre for Real-World Learning found that the achievement and aspirations of all learners are boosted when schools adapt their teaching to encourage students to develop ‘engineering habits of mind’.
Professor Bill Lucas, Director of the Centre, commented: "If we are going to attract more young people into engineering then schools have to rethink the way they teach. The Learning to be an Engineer research has shown that, if you choose learning methods which foster engineering habits of mind such as problem-finding and problem-solving, systems thinking and visualising, then learners become more engaged.”
We hosted Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee and the Peacejam Youth conference 2017
Leymah Gbowee gave an inspiring lecture at the University as part of Peacejam 2017. Ms Gbowee won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for her work leading a women’s peace movement that brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War. Over the weekend she worked with young people coming from across the UK to learn about building peaceful societies. Winchester students trained as mentors for these young people.
We congratulated Professor Louise Hill Curth
Professor Louise Hill Curth, Professor of Medical History, was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (RHS), the foremost British society for professional historians. Only a small number of Fellowships are awarded to academic colleagues deemed to have made particularly original and important contributions to historical scholarship. Professor Hill Curth specialises in Early Modern English medical history and heads up the University’s Centre for Medical History.
Richard Cheetham received his MBE at Buckingham Palace
Last but not least, Richard Cheetham, Senior Fellow in Sports Coaching, received his MBE from HRH the Prince of Wales at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Richard was awarded an MBE in the New Year 2017 Honours list for services to education and community sport.