Take a look at the arrangements for the new term

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7 January 2022

Spring Term updates
Life at Essex
News and research

Public health and wellbeing
The Climate crisis
Training and events

SPRING TERM UPDATES

Arrangements for the new term
Read the latest blog from Alix Langley, our Director of People and Culture, as she updates us on planning for the Spring Term following our review of the latest developments and guidance, and the actions we'd like you to take to make sure face-to-face teaching and in-person services continue.

COVID-19 information for all staff
Everyone should take a lateral flow test before returning to campus, or take a test at one of our clinics as soon as possible. Remember, you can also collect test kits for use at home. If you test positive you must inform your manager and email the COVID-19 inbox.

LIFE AT ESSEX

Professor Jayant Ganguli with a group of people on his visit to India

Essex Economics in India
As our recruitment and academic staff start travelling again to support Essex’s international recruitment and profile raising objectives, take a look at the latest blog from Professor Jayant Ganguli to find out more about his recent visit to India and to discover more about our international activity.

Smart Working at Essex (SWAE)
SWAE has developed new ways of supporting colleagues to work flexibly, utilising new technologies and new approaches to space to create more flexible working environments. Find out more.

Protect your email by using a strong, separate password
If someone gets into your work or personal email, they could use it to access your other online accounts. Always use a strong and separate password for your email, and multifactor authentication if it’s available. See our tips on choosing a strong password.

The USS consultation is still open
The USS consultation is open until 17 January 2022. This is your chance to have your say on the proposed scheme changes. You can still watch the all staff meetings that were held in November on our website.

Take part in Holocaust Memorial Day
Each year we come together to remember the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides with the ‘Reading of Names’. We're asking for volunteers to join us on 27 January to read names, either by video or in-person. See our blog dedicated to the week of events to learn more.

NEWS AND RESEARCH

What are the secrets revealed from the 1921 Census?
Professor Pam Cox has been eagerly awaiting the publication of detailed information from the 1921 Census and shows us what insights into life 100 years ago we might find.

Award-winning graduate shortlisted for major award
Many congratulations to award-winning Saudi inventor and Essex graduate Ali Al-Hoorie who has been shortlisted in the Study UK Alumni Awards 2021-22 in the social action category in Saudi Arabia.

Linguistics expert shortlisted for Study UK Alumni Awards
Congratulations are also due to Dr Muhammad Alzaidi who has also been shortlisted for the Study UK Alumni Awards 2021-22 in the culture and creativity category in Saudi Arabia.

We are developing short courses to address data skills gap
We have secured funding to develop new short courses aimed at improving digital skills and the use of data to address the acute lack of skills in data science and artificial intelligence in the current workforce.

Sir Alan Sugar with Apprentice contestants in the background. Image copyright BBC/Ray Burmiston.

Will Brittany become Sir Alan's Apprentice?
Edge Hotel School staff and students are keeping their fingers crossed for graduate Brittany Carter as she competes in the BBC’s hit TV show The Apprentice. (Image copyright BBC/Ray Burmiston).

PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Why we're launching a new research institute
On 24 February we're launching our new Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing. Professor Chris Greer explains the foundations on which it's built, and how Essex's research community can help solve the biggest global health challenges of our time.

Montage of pictures of men, women and children socialising, in work, in school and exercising

Read all about it!
Essex has already made significant contributions to the understanding and improvement of public health and wellbeing regionally, nationally and globally. Find out how we're impacting policy and changing practice in our Public Health and Wellbeing: Impact through Partnership brochure.

Research that is changing lives
We're celebrating the achievements of our research community, who have been changing lives for decades. Watch this space for more on how we are transforming prostate cancer treatment, protecting rights in care homes and using the latest biomarkers breakthroughs to prevent ill-health.

THE CLIMATE CRISIS

We're putting our money where our mouth is
Our updated Statement of Investment Principles sets out the types of industries and businesses we invest in, including an aim to ‘ensure sustainability and environmental impact are a key component of financial decision-making’. Find out more.

Join us for Environment Week
We'll be running several events for our whole community during Environment Week from 14 to 18 March, but we'd also like all departments to organise an activity for their own staff or students to take part in. If you would like to run an event then please let us know by the end of January.

Stabilising and reducing water consumption
As part of our priorities for tackling the climate and ecological emergency, we will stabilise and, where possible, reduce water consumption across our estate during a period of growth, focusing on waste avoidance and increasing rain/grey water use.

Universities and the climate emergency
The agenda for Universities and the climate emergency: action following COP26 a two-day, online conference, being organised by Universities UK from 26 to 27 January is now live. Find out more and book your ticket.

TRAINING AND EVENTS

Discover the three ways to maximise profit
Our University Enerprise Zone team are back with their first event of the year on Friday 14 January. Join our expert speaker, Joshua Obeng-Nyarko, and Neil Griffin as they encourage you to place profit first and release the potential to help make your business grow.

Want to present at our Education Development Conference?
Are you interested in presenting at our next Education Development Conference, 'Moving forward: how university education can emerge stronger'? If you do, then please complete our expression of interest form. Bookings for the conference can also be made on HR Organiser.

Upcoming development opportunities
Our upcoming workshops include our inductions for Graduate Lab Assistants on 10 January and Assistant Lecturers on 11 January. You can also book a place on the first day of our Chrysalis professional development programme on 27 January. Find out more on HR Organiser.