University News Last updated 20 December 2022
From launching a major new £70 million innovation building to lobbying policymakers and industry experts at Westminster, Birmingham City University (BCU) has achieved a wealth of successes in 2022.
As we near the start of 2023, BCU is celebrating some of its inspirational stories from the year gone by as it continues in its mission to transform the lives of its students, the city, and wider society.
Celebrating BCU's 2025 Strategy
In 2022, BCU has been celebrating the distinctiveness of the University and the impact it has on the world through its BCU 2025 events programme. Featuring performances, conferences and community activities picking up the key themes of its 2025 Strategy, it brought to life BCU’s mission, while celebrating its contribution to the city and region, and to its students, through excellence in education, research and knowledge exchange.
Birmingham rough sleepers talk about life on the street
In April, researchers from BCU published a study documenting the experiences of those who sleep rough on the city’s streets. The academics, whose findings were covered by Birmingham Live, hope this vital work will lead to changes in policy to better help rough sleepers escape mistreatment and manipulation.
New partnership to boost breakdancing in Birmingham and beyond ahead of Olympics
This year BCU joined forces with internationally renowned breakdancing company Break Mission to train a new generation of competitors ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The partnership sees breaking competitors being able to access BCU's sports and research facilities - and sport science and coaching staff will work with the athletes to enhance their performance.
Channel 4 embeds legacy of The Black To Front Project with more new commissions and targets
The Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity continued to drive meaningful change in the media sector throughout 2022. Most notably, a series of recommendations published by the Centre formed a key pillar of Channel 4’s new Commissioning Guidelines – published in June – which include a requirement for ethnically diverse senior leadership on all Channel 4 production teams, as well as detailed targets for regional representation and production spend for ethnically diverse off-screen talent.
This milestone followed the Centre’s work with Channel 4 last year on the broadcaster’s historic, award-winning Black to Front project – a day in September 2021 where the channel’s entire programming schedule was fronted by Black talent and contributors across all genres and advertisements.
Robots of Sherwood will guard the forest
In June, The Times reported on how Sherwood Forest will use two robot ‘patrol dogs’ – designed by experts from BCU – to patrol the forest, assess the health and condition of the ancient woodland, ultimately helping to spot dangers to the habitat.
Gizmo, the “older brother”, has been in training for two years while Eric, who is slightly smaller, was introduced at the start of 2022. Gizmo can reach nearly 4mph and Eric more than 7mph, but they are trained to switch off or slow down if they encounter wildlife.
Staff, students and graduates celebrate vital contributions to Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
With the world’s eyes on our city this summer for the Commonwealth Games, a number of BCU students, staff and graduates played key roles in the success of the Games.
BCU graduate, honorary doctorate and MOBO award-winning singer Laura Mvula was among those performing at the Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium; the official medals were designed by BCU School of Jewellery graduate Amber Alys and two current students, Francesca Wilcox and Catarina Rodrigues Caeiro; and our Chancellor Sir Lenny Henry carried the Queen’s Baton through Victoria Square, as part of its 90,000-mile journey around all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.
BCU’s School of Jewellery hosts hit BBC TV show again
The second season of All That Glitters, the popular BBC talent-seeking series fronted by comedian Katherine Ryan, was filmed in its entirety in the facilities of BCU’s historic School of Jewellery, with many staff and students also playing critical roles behind the scenes to support filming.
The programme debuted last year when the School of Jewellery also provided the setting for aspiring jewellers competing against each other for a glittering career in the industry.
BCU teams up with football club to help tackle Long Covid
Sports exercise scientists from BCU worked with fitness coaches from Burton Albion FC Community Trust to design, deliver and monitor the effectiveness of an exercise rehabilitation programme on Long Covid symptoms and recovery. This pioneering project was covered on BBC Midlands today and BBC News online.
Expert comment: Why Royal Family wore pearls to the Queen's funeral
The BCU external relations team worked with Miranda Wells, associate professor and Head of Gemmology at BCU's School of Jewellery, to share her expertise as part of a feature in The Daily Express exploring the Royal tradition of wearing pearls as a symbol of mourning.
Read more via The Daily Express
STEAMhouse: BCU launches new £70 million innovation building
In October, the University was delighted to officially launch its major new STEAMhouse building. Home to a multi-disciplinary community of entrepreneurs, businesses, academic researchers and students, STEAMhouse offers a wealth of support to companies of all sizes to boost growth through innovation to address commercial and societal challenges.
RBC student celebrates ‘the versatility of percussion’ following BBC Young Musician win
18-year-old percussionist Jordan Ashman, who is in the first year of study for a BMus at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, was announced as the winner of the prestigious BBC Young Musician competition at the Grand Final, which was held at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall in October.
Speaking after his win, Jordan said: “I feel really lucky to have had the experience of playing an amazing concerto with an incredible orchestra in front of so many people - I've learnt so much from it. I love the versatility of percussion and it feels like winning has shown so many other people what it can do. I'm really enjoying my first year at RBC, I'm looking forward to working hard and seeing which path it will take me on.”
Watch the BBC Young Musician 2022 Grand Final via BBC iPlayer
BCU in Westminster: Calls for greater recognition and commitment to creative arts
In November, BCU urged policymakers to place greater emphasis on the value of the Creative Arts in higher education and recognise the role universities play in strengthening the sector’s growth and innovation, following a special event at the House of Lords organised by the external relations team.
Lucy Powell MP, Shadow Secretary of State for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity, and Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Arts Minister, were among the speakers at the event supporting BCU’s calls to action.