Homo Sapiens Report, The Future of Humanity

The London Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development, based at London South Bank University, invites you to a challenging free event.

A compelling highly visual lecture by Oscar-winning film director Michael Wadleigh

Tuesday 22nd March 2011 at 5.30pm

The Events Theatre, Keyworth Centre, Keyworth Street, London SE1 0AA

Michael Wadleigh has directed-written-photographed over a hundred documentaries, including the academy award winner Woodstock and feature films such as Wolfen, the groundbreaking international prize winning ecological thriller. For the last twenty years he has devoted his time to non-profit educational media on global sustainable development. Homo Sapiens report is an official UNESCO DESD project.

The lecture will entertain and engage audiences and promote an objective view of us humans and the complex problems we face in the coming centuries.

To book a place for this free event please email: lrce@lsbu.ac.uk

http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/ahs/downloads/RCE220311.pdf

LSBU receives ISO 14001 certification

LSBU has been awarded ISO 14001 certification after it implemented and demonstrated a university-wide environmental management system.
ISO 14001 is an international standard that provides a framework for organisations to control and improve their environmental performance. It provides both a model for streamlining environmental management and guidelines to ensure that environmental issues are considered within all decision making practices.
LSBU attained the accreditation after a series of audits by Certification Europe at its Southwark Campus. It is our intention to include Havering in our scope in 2012. The certification covers academic and support activities including facilities management, procurement, energy consumption, water, cleaning, waste management and the incorporation of environmental education in undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Stephen Wells, Director of Estates and Facilities said, "W e are really pleased to have achieved ISO 14001. The certification confirms the continuous progress that the LSBU has achieved over the last few years in its commitment to environmental improvement."
The Energy and Environment Team, Anuj Saush and Kerry Horvath, would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the system and hope that the university can build upon this achievement to become even more environmentally sustainable in the future.
For further details about ISO 14001, please contact Anuj Saush, Energy & Environment Manager on 020 7815 6823 or a.saush@lsbu.ac.uk.

Wall climbing robots inspire young scientists at Big Bang Fair

Wall climbing, pipe crawling and swimming robots developed at London South Bank University (LSBU) are at the centre of the Royal Academy of Engineering's stand at the Big Bang Fair.

LSBU is showcasing its wall climbing robots at the Big Bang Fair

The Big Bang Fair, which runs 10-12 March at London's ExCel, is the UK's biggest single celebration of science and engineering for young people, aiming to inspire 25,000 schoolchildren and students from across the UK.

In the Royal Academy of Engineering's Exhibition Zone, the LSBU team, led by Dr Tariq Sattar of the Department of Engineering and Design, is showcasing the robots, which were developed by LSBU's Centre for Automated and Robotic Non-Destructive Testing.

At the stand young visitors will be able to teleoperate a climbing robot to find hidden defects in a steel plate using ultrasound. There will also be an interactive display that uses permanent magnets to explore vertical and horizontal levitation and to generate eddy currents to detect hidden materials.

Also at The Big Bang Festival, LSBU student ambassadors will be helping to inspire the next generation of scientists at the Wellcome Trust’s stand.

This interactive stand will use LSBU equipment to illustrate a number of sports field testing experiments. Visitors will be able to take part in dynamic experiments to find out if height affects how high people can jump and how fast they can walk, as well as grip strength tests to see how temperature can affect fatigue.

LSBU is supporting the Wellcome Trust at The Big Bang Fair 2011, to get young people engaged in science through sport as London 2012 approaches.

Find out more about The Big Bang Fair and about LSBU's Department of Engineering and Design and Human Performance Centre.

Student success in regional finals of The Prince’s Trust competition

A group of 10 students from London South Bank University (LSBU) has won the regional finals of The Prince's Trust University Million Maker's competition, and is now preparing for the national finals, which will be attended by HRH The Prince of Wales.

LSBU student Viviane Adjado proudly shows her regional winner's certificate

Million Makers is a national competition which challenges university students, schools, businesses and individuals to raise £1million for The Prince's Trust, and so help the lives of disadvantaged young people across the UK. University teams are challenged to raise £2,500 in just one academic term by setting up mini enterprises.

The LSBU team comprised students from a variety of courses and years, and a number also hold roles in the South Bank Entrepreneurs society. The team met to brainstorm ideas and then organised a number of events and activities to hit the £2,500 target.

Team member Viviane Adjado said: "We used our network of contacts to organise club nights in two venues in Piccadilly Circus and a speed dating event in our Students' Union, as well as fundraising in a variety of South London locations such as Canary Wharf Shopping Centre and our Lady of Assumption Church in Deptford.

"These activities, combined with the generosity of LSBU students and staff on campus, meant we smashed the target with a final sum of £3,205.34. We can't wait for the finals now!"

The team will find out if they have taken the national title on March 23. They are in with the chance of winning three weeks of work experience at a top company, from a selection including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Fujitsu.

National Student Film Festival screening at LSBU

It's time to grab the popcorn, sit back and relax, as London South Bank University (LSBU) plays host to Screentest, the UK's only National Student Film Festival, sponsored by BAFTA.

Screentest, sponsored by BAFTA, will showcase the latest in young British film talent

Over 100 short films showcasing the next generation of British film talent will be screened during the three-day event which runs 18-20 March at LSBU's Southwark campus.

In addition, festival-goers can attend 'how to' workshops on scriptwriting, digital platforms and promotion, organised by The London Film Academy, who are also sponsoring the event.

On Friday 18 March two BAFTA nominated filmmakers including Virgin Media Shorts winner Luke Snellin will take part in a Q&A and BAFTA will also host their Nominated Shorts Screening. The National Student Film Awards will take place on Saturday 19 March at 8pm to highlight the best of the festival including the Audience Choice Award voted for by festival-goers.

Festival Director and Southwark student Chris Nunn, who is currently studying for his MA in Digital Film and Video at London South Bank University, was instrumental in bringing the festival to London, after it had spent the last six years in Bristol.

Chris, who is a previous Screentest winner himself, said: "We're so proud to be hosting this year's Screentest at London South Bank University, a stone's throw from the heartland of British film heritage on the South Bank.

"We've had a record-breaking number of films submitted this year, proving that the UK's creativity in film shows no signs of abating.

"It's so important that student filmmakers get recognition at this development stage, and Screentest provides an inclusive platform for emerging film talent that might not otherwise get seen."

BAFTA nominated short filmmaker Luke Snellin said: "I'm really proud to be involved with the Screentest Festival, I love the medium of short film and I think it's great that there is a festival dedicated to finding the best new student work.

"I remember seeing Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott's first short films and being inspired at University, so the idea that new directors are exhibiting their first films at Screentest is very exciting."

Tickets are now on sale, with a Weekend Pass priced at just £13. For the festival programme and to buy tickets visit www.screentestfest.org.uk
Screentest is also proudly sponsored by London-based production company Leopard Films, independent filmmakers network Shooting People and the European Independent Film Festival.

Find out more about LSBU's courses, including the courses in Digital Film and Video

LSBU academics co-host House of Commons conference

London South Bank University (LSBU) academics are co-hosting a conference to drive Commonwealth governmental recognition on the importance of educating women.

LSBU is co-hosting the 'Women Agents of Social Change' conference at the House of Commons

Sally Keeble, former Labour MP for Northampton, an Honorary Fellow of LSBU, and the Executive Chair of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth, invited LSBU to co-host the conference, entitled 'Women Agents of Social Change', which is taking place at the House of Commons on Monday 14 March.

The conference celebrates Commonwealth Day and the Centenary of International Women's Day, and brings together Commonwealth, and women's and educational non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Its aim is to issue a call to action for the Commonwealth governments to recognise the transformative impact that education has on individuals and societies and so promote equal access to education for men and women.

At the end of the conference MPs will sign a policy statement that aims to translate the dialogue of the conference into policy.

Ros Wade, LSBU's Course Director of MSc Education for Sustainability, and Dr Shaminder Takhar, Course Director of BA (Hons) Sociology at LSBU, are participating in a panel discussion entitled 'Through the Glass Ceiling: Overcoming Barriers to Education'.

Dr Takhar's research focuses on gender, race, education and political agency. She has recently completed research focused on Caribbean and South Asian women's experiences of higher education in the UK.

Ros Wade is Director of LSBU's Education for Sustainability programme, which focuses on the learning that is needed for developing sustainable livelihoods, social justice, gender equality and ecological sustainability.

Other panellists include: David Lammy, MP, a former Trustee and Honorary Ambassador of the international development charity ActionAid; Simone de Comarmond, one of the five founding members of the Forum for African Women Educationalists; and Harriet Harman, QC MP, who played a central role in bringing forward the National Minimum Wage and the Equality Act, and is one of the most highly-regarded figures in this area.

More information on the conference and the work of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth can be found at www.cecomm.org.uk

The Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences at LSBU brings together all subjects concerned with the complexities of contemporary social and cultural life, with numerous research projects influencing policy and contributing to positive social change. 

National Student Survey 2011- help us hit our targets!

We are now halfway through the National Student Survey, and our response rate is currently at 31%, which is 6% behind where we were at the same point in the survey last year. We really need your help to encourage students to take part so that we reach our targets by the time the survey closes on Friday 29 April 2011.
All student-facing staff are urged to do their upmost to make students aware of the National Student Survey (NSS) and encourage them to complete the survey online at www.thestudentsurvey.com.
Not only is our NSS participation rate a key performance indicator of student engagement with the University, but the results are also broken down by department, which prospective students can use when deciding on a place to study. It is therefore very important that as many eligible students as possible provide their feedback for the survey to generate reliable information.
The NSS results are made available to participating institutions on the NSS Results Website. Prospective students, their advisors and the public can view the published NSS results at Unistats website.
If you have any questions regarding the survey or would like any further information, promotional materials or advice on promoting the survey to students then please email Jenny Bond, Corporate Marketing Officer, bondj@lsbu.ac.uk."