STAFF ROUND UP

Vice-Chancellor's Blog

In his latest post, the Vice-Chancellor reflects on the success of last week's G8 pre-summit conference at Queen's and looks at the role the University plays in encouraging debate on global issues.

To access the blog, visit http://blogs.qub.ac.uk/vcblog/

Latest Q in 90 video

Some of the world’s leading experts on international politics and governance were at Queen's last week to debate the issues and challenges facing the world leaders at the G8 Summit.

The pre-summit conference addressed the key issues of trade, transparency, tax and security, which feature heavily on the agenda for the G8 Summit at Lough Erne.

To watch the Q in 90 coverage of the G8 pre-summit conference, please click here.

Birthday Honours List

Congratulations to Dr Fiona Stewart who has been awarded an MBE for services to clinical genetics in Northern Ireland in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2013. Dr Stewart is a Consultant in Genetic Medicine at Belfast City Hospital and honorary senior lecturer at Queen's.

Also receiving an honour is Dr Stephen Myers, Director of Accelerators and Technology at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) and honorary professor in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who has been awarded an OBE.

July 2013 and Financial Year End Payments Office arrangements

Staff should note the following Payments Office arrangements over the July holiday period for paying correctly authorised Supplier Invoices, Request for Payment Forms and Staff Expenses Claims:

• Invoices received on or before Wednesday 26 June 2013 and Requests for Payment and Staff Expenses Claims received before 12.00pm on Thursday 27 June 2013 will be paid week-ending 5 July 2013.
• Invoices, Requests for Payment and Staff Expenses Claims received before 12.00pm on Tuesday 2 July 2013 will be paid on Wednesday 10 July 2013.
• Invoices, Request for Payments and Staff Expenses Claims received on or before Tuesday 9 July 2013 will be paid week-ending 19 July 2013.
• Normal payment arrangements will apply for all payment requests received week-commencing Tuesday 16 July 2013. 

University Financial Year End – 31 July 2013

It is important that the University’s accounts record all of the financial activity incurred during the period ended on 31 July 2013. To ensure that expenditure is recorded correctly, all transactions relating to July 2013 and earlier periods, should be delivered to the Payments Office for input by the cut off dates listed below:

• Registered Invoices - 16 August
• Request for Payments – 15 August
• Staff Expenses – 15 August
• Journals - 23 August

Further clarification of these arrangements, if required, may be obtained by contacting the Payments Office, 028 9097 3029.

Cycle to Work Week: 17 - 21 June

Cycle to Work Week starts today and runs until 21 June. The aim of the week is to encourage staff to give cycling a go and leave the car at home.

Events are planned for each day of the week to promote cycling as a means of commuting to work. They include cycling clinics, maintenance workshops, security marking and a Cycle to Work Week breakfast.

For full details of the week, please click on the link: Cycle to Work Week 2013  

Read why Pro-Vice-Chancellor Tony Gallagher cycles in this blog post: http://nigreenways.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/tony-why-i-cycle/

New staff survey

The Personnel Department will issue a New Staff Survey this week to members of staff who joined the University in 2012.

Queen's recruited over 400 members of staff last year and Personnel is keen to gather their feedback on the recruitment and selection process and how successfully they transitioned into university working life. This feedback is important and will be used to assist in improving the process.

Staff eligible to take part in the survey will be notified by email. Personnel would like to thank the participants in advance.

Queen's Now

The copy deadline for the next edition of Queen's Now is Wednesday 26 June 2013. Contributions should be sent to qneditor@qub.ac.uk

To read the latest edition of Queen's Now, click http://www.qub.ac.uk/queensnow

QFT competition: Much Ado About Nothing

Showing exclusively in Belfast at QFT, Shakespeare's classic comedy Much Ado About Nothing is given a contemporary spin in Joss Whedon's adaptation.

To win a pair of tickets please email qftcomments@qub.ac.uk with MUCH ADO in the subject line and the answer to the question: On which Italian island was Much Ado About Nothing originally set?

The competition closes Wednesday 19 June at 12.00pm and the winner will be contacted by email. Much Ado About Nothing screens at QFT from Monday 17 to Thursday 27 June.

Deanes at Queen's Graduation Menu

To view Deanes at Queen's Graduation Menu, click on the link: Graduation Menu 2013

Share the Road to Zero Community Programme

DOE has launched a community programme, Share the Road to Zero, with the goal of reducing road deaths to zero.

DOE is asking everyone to get involved in the programme and make a commitment to adopt safer behaviours on the roads.

All you have to do is go online to https://www.sharetheroadtozero.com/ and pledge your commitment by entering your details.

Marie Curie Individual Fellowship Workshop

In conjunction with the EU Research Team, Dr Jennifer Brennan, Irish Marie Curie NCP, will visit Queen’s on Thursday 4 July 2013 to deliver a Marie Curie Individual Fellowship (IEF, IIF, IOF) workshop.

As the number of seats is restricted, this workshop will only be open to applicants (or Queen’s scientists in charge/supervisors) who are writing an application for the 14 August 2013 deadline.

If you would like to register, please send the following documents to euoffice@qub.ac.uk by Thursday 20 June:

• A completed proposal outline or the draft part B
• Your CV

Attendance will be confirmed by Thursday 27 June 2013.

2013 Global India Business Meeting: 25 June

The 2013 Global India Business Meeting, which Horasis is organising and Belfast City Council is co-hosting with Invest Northern Ireland, will bring over 300 Indian business leaders to the city to meet with their European counterparts, as well as UK and Northern Ireland ministers.

It is an opportunity to network with key decision makers from the Indian business community, to develop business relationships and build contacts with some of the world's leading companies. On 25 June, Queen's will present a seminar, A Partnership to Promote the Knowledge Economy. For further information, click on the link: Global India Business Meeting Seminar  

If you would like to attend the seminar, please RSVP to Michael Gibbs, m.gibbs@qub.ac.uk, before Wednesday 19 June 2013.

Queen's Sport

Three Month Summer Membership (Offer ends 23 June)
Three Month All-Inclusive Summer Membership still available for only £99. 

Summer Scheme 2013
Enrol your child for this year’s Summer Scheme, limited space available. Less than two weeks to go. 

Rowing Camp 2013
The ever popular Queen’s Sport Summer Rowing Camp commences on Monday 29 July. Week one is already full with limited space available for weeks two and three. Book now to avoid disappointment. Click here for more information.

STDU

STDU courses

• Wednesday 19 June: Induction for All New Staff, 9.45am – 1.00pm
• Thursday 20 - Friday 21 June: Preparing for Retirement (2 day course), 9.30am – 4.00pm

Researcher Development

• Monday 24 June: Induction for Contract Research Staff, 9.20am – 4.00pm

For further information on the above courses and to view all available courses, please visit: http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/stdp/AllCourses/

To book a place on the above courses log onto Queen's Online - www.qub.ac.uk/qol - then select Training Courses from the list on the left of the page

Financial Assistance for Staff – Part-Time Courses
The deadline for applying for financial assistance for part-time courses is 31 July 2013. Please read the guidelines www.qub.ac.uk/stdu/FinancialAssistance/ 

Applications must be discussed and authorised by the relevant Head of Area. 

For further information, contact Suzanne McMorrow, Training Co-ordinator s.mcmorrow@qub.ac.uk 028 9097 6606.

IT training courses

Places are available on the following courses:

• Wednesday 19 June: Guide to Computing Facilities, 1.30pm - 2.45pm. An invaluable way to find out about IT services
• Tuesday 25 June: Introduction to CMS (Web Authoring), 10.00am - 1.00pm
• Tuesday 9 July: Introduction to CMS (Web Authoring), 10.00am - 1.00pm

To book a course,  go to Queen’s Online – www.qub.ac.uk/qol. Course descriptions are available at http://go.qub.ac.uk/ITcourses. For more information, contact itcourses@qub.ac.uk or 028 9097 6189.
 
ECDL Tests sessions will take place on Wednesday 26 June and Thursday 8 August; the booking form is available at http://go.qub.ac.uk/ecdltestdates. Please note these sessions will be in the Peter Froggatt Centre room 03/030. For more information about ECDL, contact ecdl@qub.ac.uk or 028 9097 6189 or go to http://go.qub.ac.uk/ecdl
 
Today’s Tip –  Email: if an email message contains essential information about a meeting, then drag it to your calendar and Outlook will automatically create an appointment and include the information within the scheduled slot. More tips about email at http://go.qub.ac.uk/emailsupport

CED

Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Higher Education
There are a few places still available on the following course:

• Thursday 20 June: Being an Adviser of Studies, 10.00am – 12.30pm

CED Annual Conference – 28 June 2013
CED will host its 7th Annual Conference Using Active and Interactive Approaches with Students on 28 June from 9.30am - 3.45pm in the Council Chamber/Canada Room.

The facilitators are:

• Dr Kate Exley, University of Leeds
• Professor Colin Beard, National Teaching Fellow, Sheffield Business School
• Dr Karen King, Queen's School of Biological Sciences
• Dr Geraint Ellis, Queen's School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering. 

The Conference Programme and further details are available here or contact ced@qub.ac.uk, 028 9097 1447. Registration is via Queen’s Online.

A full list of all CED events and courses together with further information can be accessed here.