Northern lights
A £5 million flagship initiative involving Leeds University Business School has been launched to strengthen leadership and encourage entrepreneurship across the north of England. The Northern Leadership Academy will help identify leadership gaps, attract talented individuals to the north and increase the number of business start-ups to close the north-south productivity gap.

A think-tank will provide advice on leadership and enterprise development, and undertake research projects and regeneration studies on behalf of partners. An e-learning programme will offer leadership and research information online, and a rolling programme of masterclasses, mentoring and scholarships across the education community will also help champion leadership.

Dean of LUBS Andrew Lock said: “We are delighted and very excited to be part of the successful consortium bid for the Academy. The business school intends to take this opportunity particularly to make a major contribution to economic development in Yorkshire.”

For more information see http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/lubs/index.php?id=505

Oscar nomination
The University has its first Oscar-nominated alumnus - Jeffrey Caine (MA English 1968) has been shortlisted for best adapted screenplay for The Constant Gardener. Jeffrey has worked on film and television programmes including Inside I’m Dancing (2004), Goldeneye (1995) and Dempsey and Makepeace (1985), and has written several novels.

His work on The Constant Gardener was also nominated for a Writers Guild award and a BAFTA. Oscar winners are announced on March 5. For more information on Jeffrey’s career since leaving Leeds see http://imdb.com/name/nm0128997/awards

CASS boost for research
A cross-faculty centre to make the most of the University’s analytical facilities has been launched, benefiting anyone who uses analysis in their work.

Although the University has exceptional analytical facilities, they are not widely shared. Groups sometimes struggle to maintain equipment and rarely does such equipment have dedicated support staff.

The new centre for analytical science and service (CASS) was set up to address these problems, and is also available to industrial contacts. CASS manager Dr Malcolm Glendenning said: “CASS will help researchers gain better access to existing analytical facilities, develop new services and generate income in the external market.”

Millions hanging on the RAE success
A steering group and 52 unit of assessment leaders have been announced to help ensure the University meets its potential in the 2008 research assessment exercise. Its outcome will be used to allocate research funds from 2009/10. For Leeds this could mean around £50m funding per year for the six years from 2009/10.

The assessment begins in January 2007 and the results will be published in December 2008. A steering group chaired by Professor John Fisher and three review groups will now work with the 52 unit of assessment leaders and deputy leaders to develop the submission. Unit of assessment leaders are now consulting with staff in their area, and the processes they draw up will be monitored by the review groups to ensure they are consistent with the University’s code of practice for RAE.

The first draft submission will be written over the summer.

Up to four research outputs per member of staff submitted will be assessed alongside the number of research students, degrees awarded, studentships and research income and a commentary describing research environment and esteem.

To find out more contact leedsRAE@leeds.ac.uk, see the external RAE website at www.rae.ac.uk or watch out for the internal RAE website to be launched soon.

She’s learning to juggle
Sue Powell, a senior clerk in the Leeds institute of molecular medicine, has received an award for outstanding achievement in completion of her NVQ level three in administration.

The award, presented by Leeds north east MP Fabian Hamilton at the civic hall, recognised Sue's achievement in completing her NVQ to an exceptional standard, while juggling a busy home and work life.

Sue, who is now studying for the City and Guilds senior awards licentiateship in the business school, said: “Work-based learning gives staff opportunity to demonstrate their ability within the workplace and experience the exhilaration of their achievement.”

And senior staff development adviser Penny Foster added: “Sue’s achievement is a great success story and hopefully will inspire other members of staff to undertake work-based learning programmes.”

ESRC recognises success
The Economic and Social Research Council is the most prestigious UK agency funding postgraduate studentships for UK and EU students in the areas of economic and social concern. Leeds has been very successful in this year’s ESRC recognition exercise, which recognises ‘outlets’ in universities as eligible to receive postgraduate studentships.

The successful outlets are: East Asian studies, education, geography*, centre for interdisciplinary gender studies, law, Leeds University business school*, politics & international studies, psychological sciences*, sociology and social policy*, transport studies*.

In addition to the open studentship competition (available to all recognised outlets), quota studentships are allocated to individual outlets who then directly recruit their own students.

Twelve quota studentships have been allocated to the University for 2006/07 (up from eight in session 2005/06), available in certain areas of study in the outlets marked*. The highest number of quota awards (four) went to the school of sociology and social policy.

For more information on the ESRC studentship application procedure (open competition and quota awards) see www.leeds.ac.uk/rds/schol/esrc-info.htm