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Friday 6 December 2013

SSTO Internationalisation update

Jackie (2nd left) meets British Consulate
Internationalisation Lead Jackie Day recently visited Russia to attend British council recruitment fairs in Moscow and St Petersburg and met with the British Consulate to promote our courses.

Jackie also spent a week in Singapore and Malaysia representing UCLan and the SSTO at the Republic Polytechnic and Right EdU recruitment fairs and met potential partners, Singapore Institute of Management, Boston School of Management, Nanyang Polytechnic, Sunway College JB and agents, to progress students to our courses at Preston.

Our partner Hong Kong City Technology College visited the SSTO during November to meet with John Minten, Jane Shaw, Louisa Jones and Jackie to look at further developments within the partnership.

The SSTO has also arranged a course approval event with the Vocational Training Council in Hong Kong to approve BA (Hons) Management in Events, BA (Hons) Sport (Coaching) and BSc Sport Business (Management) for a September 2014 start.

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Foreign Secretary praises new Sri Lanka campus

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has praised the launch of the University of Central Lancashire's new Sri Lanka campus which will open to students in 2015.

This will be the first overseas campus to open in South Asia and will bring UK expertise and standards of excellence to the region.

The School of Sport Tourism and The Outdoors will deliver a range of courses at the new campus, and Internationalisation Lead Jackie Day said it was a huge boost for the School and the University: "We are looking forward to developing high quality courses in the areas of tourism, hospitality, event management and sport from our school to be delivered at the new campus and provide a superlative British student experience in Sri Lanka."

British qualifications are the most sought after in Sri Lanka, with students and parents seeking British education from primary level to higher education. Approximately 8,000 young Sri Lankans obtain UK school qualifications each year, while 35,000 acquire professional qualifications through the British Council.

The Foreign Secretary unveiled the plaque for the campus and said: "I am pleased to take part in the launch of the University Of Central Lancashire campus in Sri Lanka, marking the significant strengthening of educational links between the people of Britain and Sri Lanka. Education is a significant factor in building peace and stability and this British new campus should be celebrated."

Malcolm McVicar, UCLan’s Group Chief Executive commented: "The University Group has an ambitious internationalisation strategy and is delighted at the support it is receiving in Sri Lanka to take this exciting project forward. UCLan Sri Lanka will complement the work of existing universities and bring new opportunities for individual students."

Friday 15 November 2013

Sports Therapy students help Fiji RLWC2013 bid

SSTO Sports Therapy students have been working with the Fiji squad ahead of their Rugby League World Cup 2013 quarter-final clash with Samoa on Sunday.

Fiji beat Ireland 32-14 in the group stages to qualify for the next round, and are using UCLan Sports Arena as their base camp in preparation for the game. The players took advantage of our new Physiotherapy Clinic for treatment and received sports massage from UCLan's second and third year sports therapy students.

Mick Reid, Strength and Conditioning Coach for Fiji, said: "We've had a warm welcome from the staff and students at UCLan and it's great that everything we need is practically in one place.

"Access to physiotherapy and sports massage treatments is vital for the players' well-being and it's great that in return we're able to provide practical experience for the students carrying out the massage sessions."

UCLan's Academic Director of Sport, Dr Adrian Ibbetson, commented: "We're happy to welcome the Fijian team to the Arena to use our first-class facilities as part of their training process, particularly as this builds on our friendship having hosted athletes from the country for their Olympic preparations.

"UCLan helped bring the spirit of the Rugby League World Cup 2013 to the local community during Ireland's recent stay by working with the team to hold a coaching master class, school tag tournament and open training sessions. The Irish team did a great job of boosting rugby league interest in Lancashire and we aim to continue this by supporting Fiji in their World Cup campaign.

Pictures from the session can be viewed here.

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme 2014

The Centre for Research-informed Teaching has announced the highly successful Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme will be running again in the summer of 2014.

The scheme gives undergraduate students experience of real research projects with high quality research outcomes.

All disciplines and research clusters are encouraged to put projects forward.

Past schemes have led to hundreds of research outputs, many of them with the intern listed as a co-author. Our interns have also presented at research conferences internally and externally, and many of them are now registered on research degrees.

Interns gain a tremendous amount from the opportunity, experiencing research 'first hand' while acquiring a range of transferable skills which can help secure a graduate job or postgraduate place.

For more information about the scheme and how to apply please click here. The deadline for project applications is Monday 6th January 2014.

Monday 11 November 2013

Sports First Aid courses

The SSTO’s Pysiotherapy and Sports Therapy Division are running Sports First Aid courses during December and January.

The course is aimed at anyone working in sport including coaches, therapists, teachers, parents and volunteers who may need to assess and manage first aid situations.

There are evening sessions and a full day workshop to choose from.

For further information and booking enquiries please click here.

Friday 8 November 2013

UCLan welcomes Distinguished Visitor

Dr Ben Chapman is an Assistant Professor and food safety specialist with North Carolina Cooperative Extension at North Carolina State University.

His group designs, implements and evaluates food safety strategies, messages and media with the primary aim of having less people sick with foodborne illnesses.

As part of UCLan's Distinguished Visitor Programme, Dr Chapman was invited to UCLan by the SSTO's Carol Wallace to discuss our food safety teaching programmes and to forge a research collaboration between the two Universities.

Dr Chapman is also a regular blog contributor to the aptly-named barfblog, co-hosts a bi-weekly podcast called Food Safety Talk and tries to further engage people across a variety of Social Media platforms. We met with Ben and Carol to talk about their plans:

Tell us how the visit came about?

CW - Ben and I met a few years back, but it wasn't until a year ago we started talking about collaborating as we've got a lot of similar interests. I was lucky enough to visit North Carolina State University to find out more about how they do things there.

When the opportunity presented itself through UCLan's Distinguished Visitor Programme, I thought it was the ideal chance for Ben to have a look at us and formalise our collaboration plans, in addition to meeting other researchers. The visit will also help us build future partnerships between the two universities and help us move our research forward.

How have you found Preston so far?

BC - It's been fantastic. It's fun to get out of your day-to-day grind and spend time with colleagues who have common interests. We see each other at international meetings, but you don't get the chance to talk about our programmes or discuss emerging issues. We both work closely with the food industry, but obviously in different parts of the world, and have a lot of similar challenges and issues, so it’s extremely valuable to be able to discuss each other’s experiences.

You mention similarities – are there many differences between your research?

BC - The differences are in how things are regulated or the focus of issues, but the challenges remain the same. A lot of Carol's work looks at how people implement food safety strategies. It doesn't matter that strategy is as the knowledge is transferable. There are some nuances due to those regulatory differences, but ultimately it’s all similar research.

Are there differences in the way things are taught?

CW - Here at UCLan we offer online teaching whereas North Carolina don't have that programme as yet in food safety. They do have undergraduate food science courses which have food safety in them and most of the postgraduates will be doing research Master's. One of the reasons Ben is here is to look at how we teach online and he'll be doing an Adobe Connect webinar with our students during his visit.

BC - Carol’s programme is further ahead than we are in terms of how courses are delivered. We do offer some distance learning, but it’s not an entire programme created around that. I want to be able to take back some of Carol's methodologies and implement them back home. I also do a lot of work with other educators who work in the field directly to practitioners. I see this as an ideal model to better educate those people.

Tell us what inspired you to get into the industry?

BC - A Dustin Hoffman movie called Outbreak! When I was at High School I was really interested in Biology. As I got older I was intrigued by disease and what causes it. As an undergraduate I studied Molecular Biology in Genetics and was really interested in the food system. I ended up linking with a Professor who was interested in risks around food and how people communicated and learned from this.

Through my experience with him I did a lot of work in the media and interacted a lot with practitioners such as farmers. I moved onto my Masters and then PHD and began to look at restaurants and caterers and how they do things. But it all started with Hollywood’s portrayal of viruses - I found it fascinating.

Is there any chance you starring in Outbreak 2?

BC - Yes, maybe there’s a screenplay somewhere in my future! On a different tangent the 2011 film Contagion is fabulous – it was so well done; the science behind it was brilliant. I've not gone back to view Outbreak so don't know whether that still stacks up, but Contagion was so good it might end up inspiring a new generation of people into the industry.

Where do see your research leading?

BC - My main focus is how people in the industry get their information about food safety. How do I connect with people, engage with them, but also train people involved in food safety issues in an online environment? We need to be able to have more informed decisions, whether that’s the consumer, a restaurant manager or the CEO of a major food processing company.

CW - It's all about learning from incidents and events. We’re going to explore these in research terms by speaking to companies and finding out how they go about trying to improve things. We’re also very interested in Farmer's Markets and food safety practices.

Ben's team have worked on those in the States and its growing here, so we want to do some collaborative work so we can compare and contrast the research. We’re also looking to do some student exchanges to assist learning at both Universities.

BC: That was one of the key deliverables Carol and I wanted to discuss. How do we go about improving interaction between students to enhance their learning experiences? To be able to understand the differences between food safety here and in the USA would prove invaluable to them.

It gives an insight in how to make change. Understanding how to affect change if food safety is compromised is vital if people are to do their job properly, and hopefully this new collaboration will help us make a major impact on the industry in the future.

The SSTO would like to thank Dr Chapman and Carol Wallace for this interview. You can follow Dr Chapman on Twitter @benjaminchapman.

Thursday 7 November 2013

The National Sports Roadshow

Over 1,000 students descended on UCLan as the National Sports Roadshow arrived in Preston.

After the successful 2012 Career in Sports and Exercise Conferences, the event has been rebranded and is visiting a number of universities throughout the UK.

Well respected professionals and organisations were on hand to present and impart their area of expertise including The Football Association, Manchester United Foundation and The Lawn Tennis Association. Among the exhibitors were ICS UK, Coaching for Hope and Camp Leaders.

Students from a range of North West Colleges along with a number from UCLan were treated to a series of presentations, seminars and workshops, which offered an opportunity to learn the diverse careers and leisure opportunities available in the sport, health and fitness industry, the qualifications required and the experience gained within each profession.

Les Howie, Head of Grassroots Coaching at The F.A. delivered a presentation to approximately 150 students about careers opportunities in football, while John Kiely from UCLan’s Institute of Coaching and Performance delivered a Strength and Conditioning masterclass to young people from across the region.

UCLan Senior Lecturer Clint Godfrey co-ordinated the event and was delighted with how things went: “It was a really successful day. UCLan Sports and Events students helped out throughout the day and worked hard to ensure the event ran smoothly. I’d like to thank them and the Industry Professionals for giving up their time for supporting what was a fantastic opportunity for all the attendees."

Audio clips from exhibitors at the event can be found here.

Thursday 31 October 2013

Embedding Evidence-Based Practice in Speech and Language Therapy: International examples

SSTO Principal Lecturer Dr Hazel Roddam’s book 'Embedding Evidence-Based Practice in Speech and Language Therapy: International examples' has been published in Danish.

The book, already selling well across Denmark, Sweden and Finland, is a translation of her 2010 book published by Wiley-Blackwell, which is an edited collection of international chapters from 24 countries.

This publication was initially targeted at speech and language therapists (SLTs), but has also been cited across a wide range of healthcare professions – who all share the same drivers to keep themselves up-to-date with the research evidence base relevant to their field of practice. Written for an audience of clinical practitioners, at any stage of their career, the book is a valuable resource for SLT students and lecturers.

Dr Roddam has also been invited to deliver a three-hour workshop on her book in Copenhagen next March, which will be her second invited lecture in Denmark. She has also had a return invitation to lecture on Evidence-Based Practice at the University of Oslo in June 2014.

Monday 28 October 2013

Sport and Social Movements: From the Local to the Global

The SSTO's Senior Professor John Horne has completed a new book entitled 'Sport and Social Movements: From the Local to the Global.'

Written in collaboration with a team of four other multinational authors, this is the first book-length treatment of the way social movements have intersected and continue to intersect with sport.

It traces the history of various social movements associated with labour, women, peace, the environment and rights (civil, racial, disability and sexual), and their relationship to sport and sports mega-events.

Based on research that draws on theories of social movements and new social movements, the book includes a valuable chronology of social movements, illustrations of key episodes in the development of the relationships between sport and different social movements and an agenda for future research and scholarship.

Written in a clear and comprehensive style it is suitable for all levels of higher education, researchers and the general reader who want to know more about the role that sport has played in the development of social movements and campaigns for social justice.

The book is set for release on 21 November and is available to pre-order here.

Friday 25 October 2013

SSTO historian traces football's founders

A cultural historian from the SSTO has tracked down the descendants of the founding fathers of football. Dr Jane Clayton, from the International Football Institute based in the School, led a four month search on behalf of the Football Association.

Little was known about Ebenezer Morley, Arthur Pember, Charles William Alcock, Francis Maule Campbell, John Forster Alcock, Herbert Thomas Steward, George Twizell Wawn and James Turner, who formed the FA in 1863.

However, Dr Clayton found the families of six of the men who drafted the original 13 laws of Association Football, and joined them for a ceremony at Wembley Stadium as a blue plaque was unveiled in their honour.

They travelled from as far away as Washington DC, Chicago and Auckland, as well as Lancashire and London for the event which started a week of celebrations to mark the FA's 150th birthday.

Dr Clayton said: "For the search to have been so successful is incredibly pleasing as, from a historical perspective, we now know a lot more about a number of the men that created the most popular sport in the world 150 years ago."

Alex Horne, general secretary of the FA, said: "In terms of historical significance, the eight founding fathers of football should be placed alongside other great pioneers of this nation.

"The game has become a focal point of the lives of nearly every household in England since it was formed, so to now understand more about the history of these men is incredibly important."

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Contemporary Perspectives in Leisure

SSTO Senior Lecturer Dr Sean Gammon has completed a new book entitled 'Contemporary Perspectives in Leisure.'

Written in conjunction with Dr Sam Elkington from the University of Bedfordshire, the book uses a variety of disciplinary approaches to introduce the most important trends in contemporary leisure in the 21st Century.

With contributions from some of the leading international figures in modern leisure studies, the book examines key philosophical and theoretical debates around leisure, with reference to concepts such as happiness, enjoyment and quality of life, as well as the most interesting contemporary themes in leisure studies, from youth leisure and 'dark' leisure to technology and adventure.

The book will be released on 29 November. To pre-order a copy please click here.

Tuesday 22 October 2013

Spinal Dysfunction CPD events

The SSTO is hosting two CPD events covering the Assessment and Management of Spinal Dysfunction in Primary care.

The events will look at practical assessment and also critically discuss and evaluate investigations (including radiology) and management strategies for lumbar and cervical management. These will explore the role of both surgical and conservative interventions including physiotherapy, rehabilitation and pain management.

Case discussions will form a large part of both courses.The events form part of a masters degree module so will be aimed at critically reviewing and evaluating contemporary practice. This is a valuable opportunity for experienced practitioners to reflect on, develop and consolidate skills supported by a team of experts.

The Lumbar Spine event takes place on November 21/22, while the Cervical Spine event is December 12/13. Full details of both events can be viewed here and here. There are limited places avaliable. For bookings or more information please email us.

Thursday 10 October 2013

SSTO has new Professor

After consideration by the Professorial and Readership Committee, Nicola Lowe has been appointed as Professor of Nutritional Sciences in SSTO.

Professor Lowe is the first person within SSTO to progress internally to the role and she broke off from her busy schedule to tell us how her appointment came about:

"I have been active in the field of micronutrient research for over 25 years, beginning with my doctoral research on kinetic studies of zinc metabolism in the Department of Medicine at Liverpool University.

"During my postdoc years at the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, my focus changed from basic biochemistry to whole body nutrient metabolism. Professor Janet King was Post-Doc advisor there. As a world-renowned micronutrient researcher, she was and still is my inspiration for achieving the highest levels in research.

"Coming to UCLan in 2000 as a Senior Lecturer gave me the opportunity to develop my research as a Principal Investigator in my own right. It has been a slow journey, taking 10 years to initially develop local networks while maintaining my international connections, then building up a research and publication portfolio with internal and external collaborators.

"Although basic scientific research is important in its own right, I always had the drive to apply basic research to situations where it could make practical differences to human health. One of the milestones at UCLan was becoming involved with the Abaseen Foundation, where I found a way to use my knowledge to tackle some of the real malnutrition issues in rural Pakistan.

"I have two strands to my research portfolio. I am still involved in basic research around micronutrient requirements and am leading a new European Commission network of Zinc biologists (from chemists to public health specialists) with academic partners from 16 European Countries, while continuing to develop the public health nutrition research hub to tackle malnutrition in NW Pakistan with the Khyber Medical University and Abaseen Foundation.

"Moving from Senior Lecturer to Reader and finally Professor was a hard journey. It has taken many years, lots of persistence and an inherently stubborn personality to meet the stringent criteria for Readership and then Professorship. I became a Reader in 2011 and the transition to Professor was a challenging experience, but the hurdles that have to be overcome make the award even more satisfying.

"My mission as a Professor at UCLan is continue to do research that can be applied to improve human health and wellbeing wherever it is most needed, and to inspire and equip the next generation of undergraduates and postgraduates to take up the mantle when their time comes."

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Greg saves the day

An SSTO Physiotherapist helped save the day at a recent BBC Blue Peter film shoot. Greg Littler was on hand to help new presenter Lindsey Russell through a tough challenge at Preston Gymnastics Club.

Lindsey had been invited to take part in the British Gymnastics programme, which fuses traditional acrobatic tricks with kicks and leaps made famous through martial arts and stunt actors.

She spent two days with a young group of freestylers, learning various tricks with the help of the club's qualified coaches on their bespoke FreeG equipment.

However, the performance was nearly pulled from the show with the demands of filming leaving Lindsey needing Greg's magic touch to successfully complete the challenge.

Greg said he was delighted to be able to help: "I received a call in the morning that Lindsey had been training for her latest challenge and was struggling with muscle soreness. I assisted with Soft Tissue massage, Kinesio tape and advice in relation to recovery and preparation for the event.

"I worked both at the club and prior to the event at Blue Peter Studios at Media City. Lindsey did incredibly well considering it was a completely new type of training and managed to complete the challenge with no issues."

Greg also confirmed UCLan Physiotherapy Clinic has set up a link with Preston Gymnastics Club for our Sports Therapy students to support some of their athletes.

Friday 27 September 2013

Health Activators – a new student volunteering opportunity

UCLan is looking to recruit 20 students to become 'Health Activators'. Students are welcome from all courses and we're looking for people who:
  • Are interested in helping students with their health and wellbeing while at university
  • Will be confident in talking to a wide range of students
  • Would like to learn something new to support their personal and career development
  • Are interested in gaining a valuable Level 2 QCA accredited qualification
You will be:
  • Organising high profile, fun and interactive events on a range of health topics
  • Creating resources and marketing for events
  • Giving students resources and information
  • Working during the day on Preston UCLan campus, e.g. foyers, SU, outdoors
 You will get:
  • Support in planning events
  • New skills and practical experience
  • Free training and a certificate in Understanding Health Improvement
Your commitment:
  • To attend weekly sessions this semester to complete your training
  • Plan activities for students for the end of this semester and for next semester
  • To volunteer for at least 10hrs* during this academic year
(*The time/dates for events will be flexible depending on your availability)

Are you free on Wednesdays? There will be weekly volunteer meetings each Wednesday, 1-3pm, from 16 Oct - 4 Dec, with the first introductory meeting on  9 Oct at 1.00 pm. Anyone interested please email Sharon Doherty, Healthy University Coordinator, for venue details.

If you're interested but can’t make the Wednesday sessions please contact Sharon to put your name down for future courses.

Friday 20 September 2013

Football 150 Conference attracts world's finest

Academics from across the world celebrated the Football Association's 150th anniversary with a special event organised by UCLan.

The Football 150 Conference, offered lectures and seminars covering all aspects of the nation's favourite sport.

Over three days the conference explored the historical, sociological, artistic and all other aspects of men and women's football in all its varieties, and aimed to reflect on the history of the FA whilst developing a blueprint for the future of the game and its study.

Professor John Hughson, Director of the International Football Institute at UCLan, said: "It was fantastic to have academics from Australia, America, Brazil, Italy, Germany and a whole host of other countries attend as it's been the first comprehensive football conference to have taken place. The variety of areas covered means it has attracted major researchers within the football and sports world."

The conference, held in partnership with the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University and the National Football Museum in Manchester, was organised by Dr Jane Clayton from SSTO's International Football Institute. Dr Clayton and six fellow UCLan academics also presented their work, while the FREE Project was another notable contributor to the event.

The opening address was given by Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's Director of Football Development. Keynote speeches were given by Karen Espelund of UEFA's executive committee and former general secretary of the Norwegian FA, David Goldblatt, author of 'The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football', along with Tony Mason, author of the ground-breaking 'Association Football and English Society'. The conference also hosted the Arab Football Forum 2013.

Professor Hughson added: "I’m delighted how well it went and the feedback has been fantastic. An historian from New York told me its the best conference he's ever been to. That's praise indeed."

Thursday 19 September 2013

UCLan welcomes Rugby's elite

Some of rugby's top names gathered at UCLan for the UK's first Rugby League Research Symposium.

Jon Wilkin from St Helens RLFC and the ‎Director of Performance and Coaching at the Rugby Football League, Jon Roberts, joined over 100 sport scientists, coaches, medical staff, educators and players from both codes of rugby in Preston for the event designed to see how far they can push performance levels.

Sports science experts shared research on talent identification in rugby league, how Global Positioning System (GPS) can identify the physical demands placed on a player, the recovery processes needed in the game and the nutrition essential for optimum performance.

England international Wilkin opened the conference and said: "There are so many complex components in rugby and we’re at a stage now where every aspect of play is analysed. For me it’s about tailoring sports science analysis to the individual to help them set specific goals and also educate players so they understand where they need to improve."

Fellow speaker Jon Roberts commented: "We're only weeks away from the Rugby League Word Cup with England taking on Australia in the first game. Sports science plays a massive part in the national set up from youth to the senior squad and aligning academic research with the profession is crucial if we are going to push boundaries, inform sports development and enhance performance."

The symposium, which attracted attendees from across the country, is part of a collaborative project between UCLan, the University of Chester, Liverpool John Moores University and Leeds Metropolitan University.

Dr Steve Atkins, an exercise science expert at UCLan and sport science advisor to Wigan Warriors RLFC, said: "This is the first time we’ve brought academic research and professional clubs together to use cutting edge sports science to optimise the performance of elite rugby players.

"It's allowed us to not only showcase what science can do for representatives from several Super League clubs, but we've also attracted people from Premiership rugby union clubs and professional football clubs to the event."

UCLan has a long and successful relationship with Rugby League and has an ongoing sponsorship deal with the Warriors. The deal sees the club benefit from fitness tests, video analysis support from UCLan and a number of University degree places for its squad players and staff.

The University's UCLan Sports Arena will host the Irish squad ahead of the RLWC2013 which will be held in England and Wales during October.

Thursday 12 September 2013

Student Ambassadors

The SSTO is looking to recruit a number of new Student Ambassadors to support recruitment and development activities within the School.

Student Ambassadors play an essential role in providing prospective students within an insight into UCLan student life, their course and route to Higher Education. We are looking to recruit students who are enthusiastic, friendly and passionate about university life.

As we aim to have a Student Ambassador team that reflects our student population, ambassadors can be from any year group and enrolled on either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree course.

For further information about the role, including details of how to apply, please email Student Recruitment.

Staff will also be available at the SU Jobs Fair on Thursday 19th September 10am – 4pm to answer any questions. Closing date for applications is 1st October 2013.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Erin celebrates life without limits

SSTO lecturer Erin Morehead recently teamed up with top Paralympic athlete Richard Whitehead MBE as part of an extreme charity challenge.

The double leg amputee and Paralympic Gold Medallist is running a marathon a day this summer from John O'Groats to Land's End, in order to raise money for Sarcoma UK and Scope.

Erin ran 5k with Richard as he travelled from Galgate to Abbey Village on the event which celebrates a 'life without limits'.

The run started on 23 August and is scheduled to finish on 23 September, with Richard covering almost 1,000 miles.

For more information please take a look here.

Wednesday 4 September 2013

IRiSS Research Seminars 2013-2014

UCLan's International Research Institute for Sport Studies (IRiSS) have announced a series of Research Seminars for 2013/14.

The free-of-charge seminars will be held in Greenbank Building, Preston, commencing at 3pm. The seminar listing is as follows:

Semester 1

Wednesday 23 October 2013 3-5 pm GR273
Professor Chris Gratton (Sheffield Hallam University)
Sport as Global Entertainment

Wednesday 13 November 2013 3-5 pm GR348
Dr Daniel Burdsey (University of Brighton)
The "crisis" (?) of racism in English men’s professional football: Suárez, Terry and beyond

Semester 2

Wednesday 29 January 2014 3-5 pm GR348
Speaker & Title – TBC

Wednesday 19 February 2014 3-5 pm GR348
Professor Garry Crawford (University of Salford)
Is it still in the Game? (Re) considering sport-themed video games and the rise of mobile gaming

Tuesday 11 March 2014 3-5 pm GR348
Professor Wolfram Manzenreiter (University of Vienna)
Title – TBC

For further details please email Professor John Horne or call 01772 894235.

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Peer Mentoring

Peer Mentoring at the Main Campus is UCLan's core mentoring programme. The M and M Team co-ordinate trained volunteer Peer Mentors to act as a source of support for new and existing students.

Peer Mentors (the person providing the support) support Mentees (the person receiving the support) through face to face meetings and emails to discuss any personal or academic issues. Peer Mentors offer practical support and signposting to other services.

The Peer Mentoring programme is hugely beneficial to both Peer Mentors and Mentees, so check out our Peer Mentor and Mentee information webpages and get involved!

If you have any difficulties with the online forms, please email us or telephone 01772 895012. We can also show you how to register in person, all you need to do is visit Foster Building 058 between 9.30am and 5pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, or between 9.30am and 4pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Monday 2 September 2013

BASES Conference 2013

UCLan is privileged to host the annual conference for the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) from the 3rd to 5th September.

The conference has over 170 original presentations, taking the form of short oral presentation, poster defence, twelve invited symposia and six keynote speeches.

Colleagues in SSTO are very welcome to attend, on a drop in basis, any sessions they feel are of interest. For the full programme please click here.

We also are hosting two original workshops on the afternoon of Thursday 5th September - one on science and rugby and the second focusing on the role of public engagement for sport and exercise sciences. Again, colleagues are very welcome to attend.

If you require further information, please contact Dr Steve Atkins.

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Public seminar: Photography and Sport

Dr Mike O'Mahony from the University of Bristol is coming to UCLan during September to present a Public Seminar entitled 'Sport: Through a Glass Darkly: Olympic Visions and the Sporting Photograph'.

Dr O’Mahony is the author of the books Olympic Visions: Images of the Games through History (2012) and Sport in the USSR: Physical Culture – Visual Culture (2006) and co-editor of The Visual in Sport (2011).

He is currently running a visual project called 'My Games', which seeks to build an alternative visual archive to reflect everyday experiences of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. He is also developing a project – relevant to his UCLan lecture – looking at photography and sport.

The event takes place on Thursday 5 September, 4-5.30pm at Greenbank Building GR348. For any further information and to book a place please email Professor John Hughson.



Thursday 22 August 2013

UCLan researcher part of pioneering new study

UCLan Clinical Researcher and Graduate Sports Therapist Jill Alexander (left) has coordinated a pioneering new study into cryotherapy.

Working alongside her team at the University, as well as the world’s leading researcher into cryotherapy - Dr. Joseph Costello - Jill's study was in collaboration Wigan Warriors Rugby League Club and BOC, the UK’s leading handler of cryogenic gases, and was formulated in order to assess the physiological changes that may take place during whole body cryotherapy (WBC) exposure.

The international project has successfully provided key data in the research of cryotherapy. This form of treatment, using very low temperatures in order to activate physiological reflexes and reactions, is widely used by athletes and clinicians to improve sport and fitness recovery rates.

The extensive data collection included blood samples and thermal images and will be analysed to assess the optimal length of exposure to WBC. The Society of Sports Therapists have details of the study on their website. Members please click here and students click here.

Wednesday 14 August 2013

PhD student needs volunteers

UCLan PhD student Chukwuemeka Ibeachu is looking to recruit at least 300 people across the University to conduct a study into the prevalence and incidence of knee problems in young adults.

In conjunction with Professor James Selfe, Dr Chris Sutton and Professor Paola Dey, Chukwuemeka is researching the relationship between physical inactivity, weight and knee problems.

The study has ethical committee approval and is open to staff or students aged 18-39. Participants are required to complete a questionnaire now and in a year’s time. Direct height and weight measurements are taken subject to the individual’s consent.

For further details please email Chukwuemeka or Tel: 01772 895565.

Tuesday 13 August 2013

CPD events 2013/14

The Division of Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy at UCLan is pleased to offer a range of exciting and interesting CPD events across 2013/2014 covering topics for all allied health professionals.

The programme includes full and half-day sessions and evening workshops covering a variety of clinical and non-clinical topics. All sessions are eligible for SLA funding and will be held at the University campus in Preston.

For more information or to book a place please email SSTOCPD@uclan.ac.uk. You are advised to book early as places are limited.

Monday 12 August 2013

SSTO graduate helps grassroots football in China

Gareth Haylins graduated from the UCLan MA Sports Coaching degree in 2011 and now works as a football coach and development coordinator at China’s largest grassroots football organisation.

Gareth’s passion for coaching began while he was studying for his undergraduate degree in Business Management at the University of Manchester. During this time he gained his Level 1 and 2 football coaching certificate and following his graduation he went to coach football in the USA.

He then embarked on the UEFA ‘B’ Licence coaching course, which he achieved with very little coaching experience and is his proudest achievement to date. This success prompted him to apply for UCLan’s MA Sports Coaching course in order to develop as a coach and improve his knowledge and credentials. Immediately after graduation he took up his current position in China.

He said: "In America I did lots of coaching hours for very little pay, but I cherish this experience to this day due to the impact it had on my coaching development. After that I became serious about coaching and therefore went and achieved the UEFA 'B' and an MA in Sports Coaching.

"I now coach children of all abilities from ages 4-16 and run two teams in the Beijing International Junior Football League. I am responsible for developing the quality of the Chinese coaches who translate and assist the lead coach."

Gareth has fond memories of his time at UCLan, which taught him to be more self-reflective and allowed him to learn from other coaches.

"I would highly recommend the MA Sports Coaching degree to every aspiring coach. I learnt a lot about coaching philosophy and the importance of having one. I found the coaching philosophy module most useful and I have introduced this notion to my current organisation. It has definitely had a huge impact on the way I coach and how effective I am."

Studying at UCLan enabled Gareth to embark on a career he loves, something he believes all students should aim to do.

He added: "Ensure you pursue something that you enjoy and feel passionate about. I feel so lucky to be doing something I completely love. Cherish all your experiences and self-reflect."

Tuesday 6 August 2013

SSTO students broaden their horizons

Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy students have participated in a week-long cultural exchange experience in Cyprus.

The trip - organised by Academic Development and Employability in partnership with UCLan Cyprus - saw students visit professional practices and employers related to their subject area to share best practice and knowledge. Students also enjoyed cultural visits and attended Dr Robert Walsh’s 'Living with a Star' event on a Cypriot beach.

Dr Alison Chambers, Dean of Academic Development and Employability, who developed the concept of the cultural study exchange, commented: "I wanted to provide the opportunity for our UK students to visit our Campus in Cyprus to undertake a study and cultural exchange to enhance their graduate development.

"This is what UCLan is all about - we put the student experience at the heart of what we do. Being able to give our students the opportunity to go overseas and explore the differences and similarities between the UK and Cyprus in respect of their academic areas provides real added value to their academic studies and them as individuals. I hope the experience is something they will remember for a long time."

On the back of this success UCLan has unveiled their new Graduate Development Programme for 2013/14. This focuses on providing students with the opportunity to explore their own leadership potential through a residential Leadership Challenge event based in Cyprus. This will involve groups of up to 30 students flying out to UCLan Cyprus to participate in intensive three-day programmes.

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Cyprus opportunity for students

UCLan's School of Sport, Tourism and The Outdoors is looking for students who would like to participate in a Leadership Development programme at our Cyprus campus.

The trip takes place from 14th-21st September and costs just £50.00 plus money for evening meals and general spending money.

There are 30 places available and will be something which will enhance your CV. If you are interested please contact Jackie Day no later than 16th August.

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Helen Clitheroe receives UCLan Honorary Fellowship

Olympic athlete Helen Clitheroe has been named an Honorary Fellow by UCLan.

The current European 3000m indoor champion was one of seven dignitaries presented with Honorary Fellowships during a week of glittering ceremonies at Preston's Guild Hall.

The former UCLan graduate had a chance to test the running track at UCLan Sports Arena before collecting her latest accolade.

Nearly 5,000 students collected their degrees during the course of the week, which saw Preston joining in the festivities as colourful processions made their way through the city centre to the Foster Building after each ceremony.

Thursday 11 July 2013

Football 150 Conference

UCLan's International Football Institute is preparing for September's prestigious Football 150 Conference.

The event is an academic conference to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Football Association and is being organised in conjunction with the National Football Museum and International Centre for Sports History and Culture (De Montfort University).

The conference will explore the historical, sociological, artistic and all other aspects of men and women's football in all its varieties, and aims to reflect on the history of the Football Association whilst developing a blueprint for the future of the game and its study.

The FA's Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking will give the opening address of the conference. Keynotes will be given by Tony Mason, author of 'Association Football and English Society,' and Karen Espelund of UEFA's executive committee and former general secretary of the Norwegian FA.

UCLan are sponsoring David Goldblatt - the author of 'The Ball is Round' – for his keynote lecture on the second day of the event, while the final day features the Arab Football Forum.

The conference will be held at the National Football Museum, Manchester, on 2-4 September 2013. For further details please contact Jane Clayton.

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Engineering the champions

Olympic athlete Helen Clitheroe has been helping a team from UCLan to look at the science behind sporting success.

The Preston-born star was a called on by a group of UCLan researchers showcasing their work at the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition 2013.

The team were investigating the relationship between competitive conditions and body movement, and invited Helen to demonstrate their work.

One of the projects identifies the ways in which champions can be engineered, proving that in high-stake plays, athletes consciously consider skilled movement. In low pressure situations, movements are completed almost automatically.

By using the Xsens Motion Capture Suit, which uses a system of sensors built into a suit to 
create a high level 3D image of the exact movements of the 
wearer, studies revealed that critical adjustments in movement made by athletes can mean the difference between gold and silver.

Howie Carson, a UCLan PhD student, who worked on the study along with Professor Dave Collins and Professor Jim Richards, said: "We wanted to study the human mechanics of sport and how athletes can refine their skills and concentrate their efforts where it really counts. We hope this study shows that in sport, it really is a case of made not born."

Tuesday 2 July 2013

UCLan pioneers new running shoes

A revolutionary running shoe invented by UCLan's Professor Jim Richards is one of the highlights of the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition 2013.

The shoes, created to try and reduce injuries caused by pavement jogging, feature a series of miniature pocket springs based on mattress bedsprings that are designed to absorb some of the shock of repeatedly hitting hard ground.

Conventional running shoes have layers of foam or gel to lessen the impact but this material does little or nothing in terms of adding springiness to the shoe’s sole.

"If you had a car suspension with just a damper and no spring in it then you’d have a very bumpy ride," said Professor Richards.

"Therefore having a shoe that incorporates both provides a much improved shock-absorbing system compared with existing technology."

Most injuries caused by running are due to the impact of the foot hitting hard ground, which can cause knee pain, shin splints and small stress fractures. Tiny pocket springs, which operate individually, can lessen the impact rate that causes injury by 10 per cent, Professor Richards said.

"Over a given year, injury affects over 70 per cent of recreational runners. This is a huge problem. Even with all the latest advances of running shoes we are still getting a high injury rate," he said.

"What we wanted was pocket-spring mattresses. Most running shoes have a bit of foam or gel which means it’s all damper and no springs. We’ve added micro-springs because they significantly reduce loading rate, which causes injury."

The lightweight springs were made by Leeds mattress company Harrison Spinks, which Professor Richards said was one of the few companies in the world capable of making pocket springs small enough to fit inside a running shoe’s sole.

The shoes go on sale later this year under the brand name "the Preston" and will not cost significantly more than existing trainers.

For more details about UCLan's Sports research exhibit please take a look at:

Wednesday 5 June 2013

UCLan hosts the National Sports Roadshow

UCLan will welcome the National Sports Roadshow later this year. After the successful 2012 Career in Sports and Exercise Conferences, the event has been rebranded and will visit a number of universities throughout the UK.

The Roadshow is the ultimate destination for enthusiasts who want to live, work and play sport and provides a platform for employers, trainers, students and professionals to meet and interact.

Delegates will be university students studying a degree in the area of sport, health or exercise, Further Education students, careers advisors and sports enthusiasts.

The event takes place on Thursday 7th November. Further details can be found at: http://bit.ly/10HDR6B.

Tuesday 4 June 2013

Researcher seeks football's founding fathers

Jane Clayton, a cultural researcher at UCLan, is bidding to find the descendants of the eight men who drafted the original laws of football.

She is working alongside the Football Association in search of the pioneers as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations.

Jane said so little was known about the men some of their relatives may not even know their significance.

She said: "It is such a shame because in every other aspect of society you know who pioneered it, yet for some reason these men have been lost in history. They were all very senior people within society, such as lawyers, architects and journalists, and within their clubs they were often club captains."

The FA has enlisted the support of players such as Steven Gerrard to launch the hunt for the men’s relatives. If they can prove their connection to any one of the eight, they will be invited to a ceremony at Wembley Stadium in October where a plaque recognising their contribution to the game will be unveiled.

Jane, part of the International Football Institute based at UCLan, said: "We know they were mainly from London and the North East, but their relatives could be anywhere in the world. One of the men, Arthur Pember, we know went to America and became a journalist on the New York Times, so it is very likely his relatives are based over there."