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YearinReviewSomehighlights of theNewcastleUniversity research,eventsandactivities thatmadeheadlines in thepast 12months,andachievements andaccolades awarded to our students and staff.

September2011Almost 5,000 new students take partin Freshers’ Week, making new friendsand finding their feet as they start theirUniversity life.Our engineers are charged withdeveloping a novel motor for electricvehicles that will significantly reduceour future dependency on rare earthmetals– minerals such as Neodymiumand Dysprosium which have becomeincreasingly important in the deliveryof new and sustainable technologiesfrom electric vehicles to solar panels–by replacing them with steel.

October2011A daily dose of aspirin is shown toreduce the risk of colorectal cancerby around 60 per cent in peoplewith a family history of the disease.Scientists use satellite technologyto track some of the UK’s mostvulnerable wild bird and animalpopulations in an effort to helpimprove our understanding of theirbehaviour and find ways to protectthem and their habitats for the future.The University launches its PromiseScholarship scheme to providesupport for the most able studentsfrom low-income households.The Engineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC) namesNewcastle University as the UK providerof the National X-ray PhotoelectronSpectroscopy (XPS) service, a facilitythat will help engineers to discovernew sources of green power.Former England and Newcastle Unitedstriker, Alan Shearer, opens a £6mTissue Engineering Centre for ArthritisResearch UK and NewcastleUniversity.

November2011In Malaysia, HRH The Duke ofYork performs the official openingceremony at NUMed, our internationalbranch campus in Johor. At home, theStudents’ Union is officially re-openedafter an £8m refurbishment.Realising Opportunities, the NewcastleUniversity-led scheme to widen accessto higher education, wins a TimesHigher Education Award.The Vice-Chancellor, Professor ChrisBrink, is appointed Chair of the N8Research Partnership, a collaborationof the North of England’s eightresearch-intensive universities.The British Science Associationannounces that Europe’s largest andmost high profile public science event,the British Science Festival, will beheld in Newcastle in September 2013.Evidence in the form of a 100-year-oldmemo, a sword and a bayonet,unearthed during renovation work,reveals that the University’s ArmstrongBuilding was used as a hospital duringthe First World War.More than 700 people flock to anInsights Public Lecture by TurnerPrize-winning artist Grayson Perry.

December2011Sir Jonathon Porritt, Sir JohnBeddington, David Nussbaum andChris Mullin are awarded honorarydegrees in celebration of the launchof the University’s Sustainabilitysocietal challenge theme.Scientists from Newcastle, Oxford andSouthampton universities discovernew life on hydrothermal vents at thebottom of the Southern Ocean. Thefindings represent a crucial step towardsunderstanding the role played by thesesites in sustaining unique deep-sea lifeand influencing our oceans’ chemistry.

January2012Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor EllaRitchie, receives an OBE for servicesto higher education, while ProfessorJimmy Steele is awarded a CBE forservices to dentistry and oral healthin the New Year’s Honours List.Newcastle University signs a uniqueagreement with the Royal College ofPhysicians (RCP) and the MalaysianMinistry of Health to provide trainingat NUMed, Malaysia to improve theteaching skills of doctors.Geography student, Bryony Balen, skisinto the record books as she becomesthe youngest Briton to ski the full 705miles (1,100km) from the Antarcticcoast to the South Pole.

February2012Following a major investigation byengineers at Newcastle University,the government’s health regulatoradvises new checks for patients whohave undergone metal-on-metalhip replacements.Computer scientists at NewcastleUniversity unveil an electronic chequeas part of a project to find newways of helping older and vulnerablepeople retain their independence.Professor Louise Robinson receives£1.5m towards her research intodementia after being awarded aNational Institute for Health Researchprofessorship, recognising her as oneof the eight most promising leadersin medical health research in the UK.Following Prime Minister DavidCameron’s vow to tackle binge drinking,new research from Newcastle Universityhighlights the need for a strongerapproach to alcohol pricing.MMus graduate, Rona Wilkie,is named BBC Young TraditionalMusician of the Year.

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Sport at Newcastle was brought into sharp focus duringthis Olympic year. Not only was our Cochrane Park SportsGround an official training venue for football, but several ofour staff and students took part in the Olympic Torch Relay.We also enjoyed our most successful year ever in theBUCS sporting league, coming 10th in the UK.

These efforts are paying off, as evidenced in this year’sNational Student Survey, with 89 per cent of our studentssatisfied with their experience. As a University which drawsstudents from across the globe, it is also pleasing to reportthat the latest International Student Barometer placesNewcastle12th in the world in terms of the number ofstudents who would recommend us to friends and family.

We have continued to focus on Widening Participation,committing £29m towards a range of bursaries andscholarships to support young people from a broad spectrumof backgrounds, incomes and communities. We had anexcellent response to our Promise Scholarships, whichhave been introduced to help up to 20 young people, whoshow the most academic potential but are least likely toattend a top UK university, to benefit from a full scholarship.

In the past year we also received a Times Higher Award for ourleadership of the 12 universities in the Realising Opportunitiesprogramme, where we work with schools to help raise aspirations.

ForewordLookingbackat an extraordinaryyear for theuniversity sector, I ampleased to report that atNewcastle our hardwork,prudent planning andcommitment to providing anexcellent student experiencehaveprepareduswell to dealwith thegovernment’s higher education reforms.

In the face of the challenges of the new fees regime we havereinforced our position as a high-quality university, maintainingour student numbers and increasing the percentage of studentsachieving excellent grades. This is a significant achievementand demonstrates the impact of the many improvementswe have made throughout the year.

Investment in our campus continued throughout 2012 withmajor upgrades to teaching facilities and student accommodation.We also opened the doors of our impressive new INTO Building,which will be home to 800 international students. A year onfrom its £8m facelift, the Students’ Union Building is a thrivinghub for over 120 student societies and is now enhanced bythe new Student Forum outside. As the first UK university tosign up to the ‘People and Planet: Green Education Declaration2012’ we intend to build on our award-winning credentials asa truly sustainable institution.

Improvements to our buildings and campus are matched byour investment in the digital environment. The installation ofnew computer clusters across campus and in the RobinsonLibrary is providing greater access to technology and resourcesthan ever before. We have also worked hard to ensure thatevery undergraduate can now benefit from work experience, aninternship or an industry placement during their study time here.

Graduatesof theLoyolaUniversityMarylandStudyAbroadprogramme,LaurenMatthias (far left) andGabriellePaige,bothnowMaster’sstudentsatNewcastleUniversity,with theVice-ChancellorandLoyola’sPresident,FatherBrianLinnane.ProfessorChrisDay,Pro-Vice-Chancellor for theFacultyofMedicalSciences(backrow,centre) and (l-r) studentsWillSmith,EmmaPringle,GobinathMurugesapillai andAmyPriestleyblazeda trailwith theOlympicTorch.ThenewStudentForum.Theofficial openingofNUMedMalaysiawasperformedbyHRHTheDukeofYork.Olympic football atCochraneParkSportsGround.5

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Our global footprint is also expanding. We celebrated our firstyear at NUMed, our medical campus in Malaysia, which nowhas 220 students. Our new intake will be the first to accessthe full suite of shared amenities on the multi-varsity ‘EduCity’site, which includes a 5,000-seat stadium, an aquatic centreand an indoor arena. In time we hope to cater for 1,000 studentsat NUMed, which will provide an invaluable source of highlyskilled medics to support the nation’s health service.

In Singapore we partner with the Singapore Institute ofTechnology (SIT) to provide six degree programmes with300 students enrolling every academic year. By 2014 SITwill open five new buildings that will offer much improvedfacilities for Newcastle students and staff.

Closer to home we continue to play a role in supporting thecity of Newcastle and the wider North East region to deal withthe economic downturn. During the year, I was privileged tochair the Newcastle Fairness Commission which aims to guidethe City Council in its decision-making at a time of budgetcuts. Elsewhere, work to extract near-surface coal on theScience Central site has also started and will pave the wayfor a mixed-use development on which the University willlocate its sustainability teaching and research.

How cities like Newcastle survive and thrive in such turbulenttimes is the focus of the University’s Newcastle Institute forSocial Renewal, which was launched in 2012 to provideleadership on our third societal challenge theme. Alongsidethe themes of Ageing and Sustainability, Social Renewalaims to tackle the profound challenges that impact onpeople, not just in our city, but nationally and internationally.

An important part of our civic role is about engaging withthe communities around us and encouraging people to feelinvolved in the life of the University. Our support for culturalattractions like the Great North Museum and Hatton Gallery,and our thriving programmes of Insights Public Lecturesand Live in the King’s Hall concerts opens up the campusto many thousands of visitors every year.

Preparations are well underway for our submission to theResearch Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 which will be crucialto securing future resources. This year, pioneering research waspublished across a wide range of disciplines from genetics andnutrition, to engineering and economics, placing us in a strongposition for the REF. Research excellence is fundamental towhat we do and aspire to, for its own sake and also for the valueit adds to a good education for students and tangible benefitsto civil society. The trajectory of our research performance hasseen a rise in research project applications, and an increase inboth the number and the value of projects awarded. On the latestpublicly available figures, research grants awarded to NewcastleUniversity reported by the Research Councils and analysed bythe Times Higher Education, have increased substantially sincelast year, placing us 13th in the UK by value of grants received.

It takes many people to make a successful university. I wouldlike to thank our students, staff, governing body members,alumni, donors and friends for their continued support.

ProfessorChrisBrink,Vice-Chancellor

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Elsewhere, the results of a study spanning over a decadeprovided proof that taking a regular dose of aspirin reducedthe long-term risk of cancer in people with a family historyof the disease by around 60 per cent. The first results froma randomised, controlled trial assessing the effect of aspirinon cancer attracted international attention, and the researchteam is now preparing a large-scale follow-up trial.

Helping older people carry on driving safely for longer was thepurpose of a unique research car developed by the University’sIntelligent Transport team. Dubbed ‘DriveLAB’, the car is kittedout with technology including eye trackers and biomonitorsto help researchers understand the challenges faced by olderdrivers. Research has shown that giving up driving is one of themain factors responsible for a decline in health and wellbeingamong older people, whereas keeping them on the road boostsindependence and keeps them socially connected.

ResearchwithaPurposeAsacivic university,weare committed to research that deliversbenefitsto society as awhole.A significant part of our research is nowgrouped intothree areaswherewehaveparticular strengths:Ageing,Sustainability,andSocial Renewal.These societal challenge themesare our response to theneed todemonstrate not justwhatwearegoodat,butwhatwearegood for.

By channelling our research through societal challengethemes, we are able to focus our efforts on addressing themajor challenges facing the world today. For example, we areleading several studies into the health and wellbeing of olderpeople that are helping to ensure that this rapidly growingsector of society has access to the best treatments andservices to improve their quality of life.

The Newcastle 85+ study into the health of more than 1,000people from Newcastle and North Tyneside born in 1921 gavea team of Newcastle University researchers unique access to agroup of 87- to 89-year-olds. A routine test in the home revealedthat around a quarter of those who took part in the study hadundiagnosed heart problems. Lead researcher, Professor BernardKeavney, was taken aback by the extent of the problems, themajority of which could be treated with established and cost-effective treatments. As a result of the study, the British HeartFoundation has called for assurances that this vulnerablegroup of people is not overlooked.

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This trend towards research concentration and collaborationhas brought successes in a number of specific areas, includingfunding valued at £16.6m over five years for the renewal of ourNational Institute for Health Research Biomedical ResearchCentre in Ageing and Age-Related Diseases (awarded jointlywith the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust).

2011–12New Research Grants (£m) % of total

ResearchCouncils 28.2 29EuropeanCommission 14.5 15UK-basedcharities 26.2 27Other 28.8 29Total 97.7 100

One year on from its launch, the Sustainability societal challengetheme continues to focus national and international attention onresearch being carried out in our Newcastle Institute for Researchon Sustainability (NIReS). The University has been named one ofthe 10 founding institutions of a £13m UK Carbon Capture andStorage (CCS) Research Centre, being funded by the Engineeringand Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and theDepartment of Energy and Climate Change. The Centre willprovide a national focal point for CCS research and development.As the only university in the country to offer a course in pipelineengineering, coupled with our work in shipping and renewableenergies, Newcastle is ideally placed to play a key role in takingthis technology forward into the future.

Helping to contribute to our Social Renewal theme was a studycharting the rise and fall of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS),co-authored by Ron Kerr from Newcastle University BusinessSchool. The study provided an alternative, social science-basedexplanation for the bank’s failure, finding that the managementstyle adopted by former senior executives at the RBS−threateningemployees with redundancy and forcing them to meet aggressivesales targets − amounted to ‘economic violence’ designed to buildtheir reputation and win City backing for their disastrous expansion.

The potential of the work we do to make a real difference tosociety is being recognised increasingly by funders, with theUniversity being awarded new research grants totalling nearly£98m in the last year. The value of individual awards has alsorisen by 66 per cent.

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Aspirin, nowknowntohaveamajorpreventativeeffectoncancer.ProfessorPhilBlythedemonstrates theDriveLABsimulator.Newcastle is theonlyuniversity in theUKtoofferacourse inpipelineengineering.RBSwas the focusofaNewcastleUniversityBusinessSchool study.4

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What we have finally shown is thataspirin has amajor preventativeeffect on cancer but this doesn’tbecome apparent until years later.SirJohnBurn, ProfessorofClinicalGenetics,who led the internationalresearchcollaboration into theeffectof aspirinoncancer

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Behind every successful student is an inspirational teacher,and at Newcastle University we have no shortage of talentedand committed individuals prepared to go the extra mile towardsproviding the best possible student experience. Among thevery best is Dr Undrell Moore, who teaches oral andmaxillofacial surgery in the School of Dentistry. This year Undrellwas awarded a National Teaching Fellowship for excellence inhigher education teaching and support for learning from theHigher Education Academy, which brings the total number ofteaching fellowships at Newcastle to six. A further seven of ouracademics were the first recipients of the student-led Learningand Teaching Excellence (LATE) awards, for which studentsnominate staff, judge the entries, and choose the winners. TheLATE Awards enable students to recognise the quality of thecontributions made by their teachers in a range of categories,from Research Supervisor of the Year to Innovative TeachingMethods of the Year.

Our commitment to widening participation has taken on evengreater significance as a result of sweeping changes in the waythat UK universities are funded and the increase in tuition fees.In response, we are investing £29m over the next five years toprovide a range of financial support, including bursaries andscholarships. Launched this year, our Promise Scholarships offerup to 20 students who come from low income backgrounds,but who have the greatest potential to succeed in highereducation, the opportunity to study at Newcastle University.The scholarship is worth up to £9,000 for each year of astudent’s undergraduate study.

Now in its 12th year, our flagship widening participationprogramme, PARTNERS, continues to support the aspirationsof the brightest and best students from areas of traditionallylow participation in higher education. The number of our partnerschools and colleges in the scheme now stands at 120 fromacross the whole of the North East, Cumbria and Yorkshire, withmore than 800 young people applying to the programme in 2012.

Our efforts to encourage students from all backgroundsincludes the Realising Opportunities programme, a partnershipof 12 research-intensive institutions led by Newcastle University.The programme received recognition as an example ofexcellent practice in partnership in a recently published reportby former Labour MP, Alan Milburn, University Challenge:How Higher Education Can Advance Social Mobility.

At Newcastle University, our commitment to learning for lifemeans that we promise to give our students an education thatwill provide them with knowledge that will last a lifetime. Andit means that we will equip them with the skills and experiencethat will give them a head start in the world of work.

Combining his experience as an undergraduate together withsome of the skills he developed while studying for a PhD incomputing science netted postgraduate student Robert Caina £10,000 prize. Robert was the winner of the University’s firstAppathon competition – an initiative led by the Vice-Chancellorwith the aim of encouraging students to develop real-worldskills. Appathon challenged students to come up with creativeideas for a new mobile App to improve university life for Newcastlestudents. Robert’s winning design featured timetables, mapsof the campus, careers information and updates on studentsocieties, and it is being used by thousands of our students.

Meanwhile, undergraduate law students have been gainingvital practical experience by helping children and young peopleto understand their legal rights, thanks to a pilot programmerun by Newcastle Law School. The Street Law Project involved11 specially trained students who worked with professionalsfrom the youth and community sectors to develop informationsessions on legal issues affecting young people. They went outinto local communities to deliver interactive awarenesssessions on a range of issues, including police powers, rights atschool, access to legal advice and transitions to adulthood,such as leaving custody or care.

Supporting students to take part in life-changing expeditionsaround the world is another way in which we encouragepersonal development. In January 2012, Bryony Balen becomethe youngest ever Briton to ski to the South Pole. Bryony, fromMelbourne in Derbyshire, skied 705 miles (1,100km) from theAntarctic coast to the Pole, pulling a sled and carrying a bagweighing 60kg on her back containing food, equipment anda tent.The journey took her across the coldest continent onEarth, where she faced temperatures as low as -45°C (-49°F)and a daily struggle against high winds, white-outs, and anuphill trek. On reaching the Pole, she tweeted: ‘Made it tothe South Pole! Now a record breaker! I’m very tired andvery happy...it took 56 days, a day less than expected.’

Closer to home, but still focused on physical achievement,the University remained among the UK’s top sportinginstitutions with a tremendous performance in the BritishUniversities and Colleges Sport championships this year,finishing in the top 10 in the BUCS league.

RobertCain,winnerof the firstAppathoncompetition.TheUniversity’sPromiseScholarshipswill benefit up to20studentsfromlow-incomebackgroundseveryyear.SineadBradshaw,NewcastleUniversitygraduateandStreetLawparticipant.BryonyBalenonherway to theSouthPole.

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LearningForLifeStudying atNewcastleUniversitymeansmuchmore than just gettingadegree.Our students have access to awide rangeof opportunitiesto help them todevelop the skills theyneed to succeed in the future.

Under the scheme, businesses can recruit graduates, knownas associates, for periods of up to three years to work onprojects that can lead to technical advances or organisationalimprovements. Our leading academics supervise the graduateassociates, giving them ready access to specialist knowledge,expert advice and guidance.

One such company is Gateshead-based Nano-PorousSolutions Limited. Through a KTP with the University, thecompany has been working on the development of a new typeof absorbent material that could have a wide range of industrialand other uses. A prototype of the material has already beenproduced, which could go into full-scale industrial productionwithin the next two years. The KTP received funding from theTechnology Strategy Board for the initial stage of the project,which ended in June 2012, and the team at Nano-Porous isnow focused on scaling up the manufacturing process for thenew material. Mark Thomas, Professor of Carbon Science inthe School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials,acted as the academic supervisor for the KTP associateinvolved in the project, PhD graduate, Jon Bell. One of theoutcomes of the development work will be a scientific paperthat is being prepared for a journal of the American ChemicalSociety, explaining how the technological breakthrough hasbeen achieved.

RegionalRoleAtNewcastleUniversityweareproudof our heritage andof ourreputation as a civic university strongly rooted in our city and region,andweare committed to ensuring that our activities have a real andpositive impacton theeconomic,social andcultural lifeof theNorthEast.

As a partner – with Newcastle City Council – in NewcastleScience City, the University is leading an exciting multimillion-pound regeneration project that is set to transform a long-neglected quarter of the city centre over the next 10 to 15years. Being developed on the site of the former Scottishand Newcastle Brewery, Science Central will house research,commerce and business support activity alongside a mixof retail, residential and sustainable living spaces, creatinga thriving community in the heart of the city centre. The firstphase of building work is set to begin in early 2013.

It is here also that you will find the new £50m headquartersof Newcastle University Business School. Opened formallyin March 2012 by Lord Burns, Chairman of Santander UK,the iconic glass and steel structure overlooks Science Central.Lord Burns said that by opening its new building, the Universitywas sending a clear message that investment is needed mostin less buoyant economic times.

Support for the business community is an integral part of ourregional activity. Through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships(KTPs), a scheme part-funded by the government, companieslarge and small are drawing on the expertise of the University tohelp them solve strategic challenges and long-term problems,aimed at boosting their competitiveness and profitability.

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ProfessorDavidManning is leading thedevelopmentof theScienceCentral site.KatyAngus, leadscientist atGateshead-basedcompany,Nano-PorousSolutionsLimited.EuanMartin (second fromleft),withcolleaguesatLynxFishing.3

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Age Inclusive Ltd was established with support from theUniversity’s Changing Age for Business initiative. The companyis advising on a new national standard to help employersmanage the challenges and unlock the potential of theirageing workforce. Age Inclusive Ltd is one of five companiesto have moved into our new Biomedical Research Buildingon the Campus for Ageing and Vitality, which is acting asan incubator for business projects based on ageing.

We are also helping to support the regional economy byrunning a placement scheme that is giving small- and medium-sized companies across the North East access to the ideas,creativity and drive of our graduates. With support from theEuropean Regional Development Fund, businesses can takeadvantage of a free recruitment service and employ a graduatefor a 12-week period, with half of a £16,000 pro rata salary paidby the University.

Master’s graduate, Euan Martin, secured a role atNorthumberland-based Lynx Fishing after impressing the teamduring his 12-week placement. He is now Lynx Fishing’s firstDigital Marketing Manager and is playing a key role formalisingthe company’s brand and identity, developing the website andestablishing and managing the corporate social media strategy.

Through our societal challenge themes, we are focusing ourefforts on tackling the big issues facing society today. Ageing isone of these themes, and as part of the Newcastle Initiative forChanging Age, we are supporting businesses that address thechallenges but also see the advantages of an ageing population.

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I am convinced thatthe Business School willsoon become a referencefor other universitiesin the UK and abroad.LordBurns,ChairmanofSantanderUK

Heritage is also a key strand of the Social Renewal agenda.This year, the University’s Folk and Traditional Musicundergraduate degree programme, the only one of its kindin England, celebrated its 10th birthday. The degree hasproduced some of the biggest and most well-respected nameson the modern folk scene, such as Rachel McShane, vocalistand cellist with Bellowhead, and Emily Portman. Recentlyone of the architects of the degree programme, renownedNorthumbrian piper, Kathryn Tickell, released her latest 2CD set,Northumbrian Voices, celebrating the links between past, presentand future in the music and stories of rural Northumberland.

Addressing inequalities in health, wealth, education andopportunity is another of the areas being tackled by the NISR,and here our experts have been working closely with theJoseph Rowntree Foundation, an organisation that campaignsfor a more equal society. Liz Todd, Professor of EducationalInclusion, led a study for the Foundation which challengedthe assumption that raising aspiration is the key to successin education for children from low-income backgrounds, whilea study by Tim Townshend, Director of Planning and UrbanDesign, revealed that where you grow up affects your attitude toalcohol. His research also highlighted the lack of youth facilitiesin the North East in comparison to the South East of England.

NewcastleBigQuestionsHowsocieties andcommunities can thriveduringperiodsof rapidand sometimes radical social change is the focusof theNewcastleInstitute for Social Renewal (NISR), launched this year.

Social Renewal is the third of the University’s societalchallenge themes, and follows on from the themes of Ageingand Sustainability, launched in 2010 and 2011 respectively.Led by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, thetheme provides a focus for research into global challengessuch as stimulating enterprise, regenerating places and tacklinginequalities in health and education. The Institute is fosteringinterdisciplinary research between academic schools andresearch institutes across all three faculties in the University,and has strong links with regional partners including NewcastleCity Council and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.

The launch of the Institute was celebrated with a novel exhibitionat the University’s Great North Museum: Hancock. The GreatNorth Build brought the challenges of modern town planningto life by inviting visitors to plan and build their ideal city out of100,000 Lego bricks. Daily changing scenarios challengedvisitors to find solutions to planning problems, from where tobuild a new hospital, to how to cope with a major emergencysuch as widespread flooding. The exhibition was a huge hitwith visitors of all ages, with around 10,000 people flocking tothe Museum to take part in the build during its four-week run.

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Engaging staff, students and members of the public withthe social renewal societal challenge theme is an importantstrand of the Institute’s activities. Stimulating debate is theidea behind ‘Newcastle Asks the Big Questions’, a series ofdiscussions highlighting the University’s expertise. In the firstdebate of the series, Professor Shucksmith, Liberal Democratpeer Lord Redesdale, and Tony Gates, Chief Executive of theNorthumberland National Park discussed the future of theuplands and the challenges facing areas such as Northumberland.

Fairness, and in particular making Newcastle a fairer city inwhich to live, work and study in the face of major public spendingcuts was also the focus of a groundbreaking report publishedduring the year.

The report was the work of the Newcastle Fairness Commission,a group of 18 volunteers from the fields of politics, religion,academia, health care and the community and voluntarysectors, chaired by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, ProfessorChris Brink. Initiated by Newcastle City Council, it identified fourprinciples to help the Council make fair decisions in financiallystraitened times: fair share – giving people a fair share ofservices according to their needs; fair play – confidence thatdecisions are being made in an even-handed, open andtransparent manner; fair go – giving people opportunities toparticipate and to fulfil their aspirations for the future; and fairsay – making people feel they are part of, and have a voice in,decisions about their city and neighbourhood.

The part that business and enterprise can play in SocialRenewal is an area in which Newcastle University BusinessSchool has specific expertise. Research by lecturer, Dr PushkarJha, showed that employee-owned businesses, such as JohnLewis, prove to be more resilient and stable in comparisonwith other business models.

Professor Mark Shucksmith, an internationally-recognisedexpert in rural affairs, was appointed Director of the newInstitute in April 2012. His research into social exclusion in ruralareas has identified how villages are turning into ‘rural ghettos’as poorer people are driven out by higher house prices. Morerecently, his comparative study of rural communities in the UKand US showed that rural areas in both nations are most likelyto thrive if the people who live in them help to shape their ownfuture, but to do this they need support from government.

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ProfessorMarkShucksmithat theGreatNorthBuildexhibition.Students fromtheUniversity’sFolkandTraditionalMusicdegreeprogramme.TheArchbishopofYork,DrJohnSentamu,sponsorof theYorkFairnessCommission,with theVice-Chancellor.RuralNorthumberland, the focusofa recentdebateorganisedby theNewcastle Institute forSocialRenewal.4

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Postcards were distributed across the region inviting peopleto send us the burning questions or issues they would liketo discuss with scientists at the Festival. The overwhelmingresponse proved there is no shortage of interest in the Universityand its research. Hundreds of postcards poured in, withquestions as diverse as: ‘Are humans still evolving?’; ‘Is nuclearenergy safe?’; and ‘Could we live on another planet?’! Theyare providing inspiration for a number of exciting events beingdeveloped by University staff and students as part of the Festival.

Encouraging researchers to find new ways of presentingtheir research is another feature of our engagement strategy.The Newcastle Bright Club is one of the novel channelscurrently being explored by some of our researchers, academicsand students. Bright Club is a national comedy circuit whereresearchers are given an eight-minute slot to present their workas an entertaining talk or stand-up routine. At Newcastle, theUniversity provides training and support to equip the buddingcomics with the know-how and confidence to talk about whatmakes their research exciting, without sacrificing any of its quality.

ExcellenceinEngagementPublic engagement is an integral part of our role as a civic university,andwe’re doing it on aglobal scale.Providingdietary advice to celebritycooksonahit TV showbroughtNewcastleUniversity research into theliving roomsofmillions of people,while our Insights Public Lecturesare reaching aworldwide audience thanks to iTunesU.

Promoting Newcastle as a city of science is one of thedrivers behind our strategy for public engagement. The BritishScience Festival is returning to Newcastle for the seventhtime in September 2013, and Newcastle University has beenchosen to host the event. Our campus will be the hub of theactivity during the week-long festival.

Organised by the British Science Association in partnershipwith a different host university each year, the Festival offerssomething for everyone – from the presentation of cutting-edgeresearch to thought-provoking discussions and debate, aprogramme for 8–19 year olds, hands-on activities for familiesand a city-wide programme of music, comedy and theatre.

As part of the Festival run-up, we launched a postcardcampaign inspired by local schoolchildren who posed thefirst question: ‘Could the Angel of the North actually fly?’.The campaign, called Ideas Take Flight, is giving peopleof all ages from around the North East the chance to helpshape the content of the Festival.

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TheHairyDieters–TVcooksSiKingandDaveMyers.ClaireTomalinsignscopiesofheracclaimedbiographyCharles Dickens:A Life aftergivingapublic lecture.Researchersbrave thespotlightatBrightClubcomedynights.Local schoolchildren launch the IdeasTake Flight campaign.

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The University’s Insights programme of Public Lectures and theLive in the King’s Hall lunchtime concert series are the mainstayof our cultural offering, annually attracting some 18,000 visitorsto campus. Among the big names on the Insights programmein the last 12 months were John Tusa, Richard Wilkinson,Claire Tomalin, Mary Midgley and Shami Chakrabarti, whileBradley Creswick (violin), Rob Murray (tenor) and the ChilingirianQuartet were among the international artists on the Liveconcert programme.

The Insights and Live series also build on our regional andnational partnerships, with events presented in collaborationwith BALTIC, Northern Stage, The Sage Gateshead, theLiterary and Philosophical Society and BBC Radio 3.

Our public lectures are also reaching an impressive virtualaudience as a result of the ever-increasing archive of recordedlectures featured on the University’s iTunesU page. Launchedin summer 2011, the site has already attracted more thana quarter of a million visitors, with over 83,000 downloadsin the last 12 months.

TV cooks Si King and Dave Myers – better known as the HairyBikers − turned to Newcastle University experts for help withtheir BBC2 series Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and LoseWeight. Metabolism expert Professor Roy Taylor and nutritionistProfessor Ashley Adamson advised the pair on an extreme lowcalorie diet, inspired by Professor Taylor’s work on reversingdiabetes. Over six months of filming they cajoled and nurturedthe bikers, helping each of them to lose over three stones in weight.

Elsewhere, the Faculty of Medical Sciences has demonstratedits commitment by creating the post of Associate Dean forPatient and Public Engagement, supported by an EngagementCoordinator. Building on already established good practice,the Faculty has initiated a range of activities to enhance patientengagement, including a new approach to involving healthyvolunteers in supporting the education of tomorrow’s doctors;events designed to disseminate good practice and sharelearning with our local communities and the voluntary sector;and enhanced training and education for staff in engagingpatients and the public in their research.

Promoting careers in sustainability, Oceans of Opportunityis a careers fair for school pupils of Year 10 and aboveorganised by the School of Marine Science and Technology.The event, which features lots of hands-on activities andattracts a wide range of prospective employers to give adviceabout careers related to the environment, reaches around700 young people.

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As well as putting people on the path for career success,the Careers Service provides unmatched support for buddingentrepreneurs. Through the Rise Up incubator, students withbusiness ideas are given the support and advice they need toget a new business off the ground. In the past year, 28 businesseswere created, adding jobs to the local economy, and we haveseen a 17 per cent increase in graduates who have gone onto be self-employed.

Two student entrepreneurs, Will Clowes and Charlie Warburg,were given a massive boost when the company they set up, UniCar Ads, was named runner-up in the undergraduate categoryof the 2012 Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards.

Will and Charlie came second in the undergraduate categoryof the competition, netting a £3,000 prize. Uni Car Ads paysstudents every month to host adverts for local businesses on thedoors and bonnet of their cars. The venture has already attractedinterest from local and national brands, including Pizza Express.

Another award-winning graduate-turned-entrepreneur, RachelJohnson, has been named as one of the most promising youngbusiness people in the country. English Language graduate,Rachel, who set up a company providing inspirational talksto school and college pupils, was a winner in a ShellLiveWIREcompetition, earning her recognition as one of the UK’s top 40young entrepreneurs.

Rachel set up her company, called Industry Insiders, to bridgethe gap between education and employment by deliveringworkshops in schools and colleges designed to raise aspiration,boost confidence, and inspire young people to follow theirdreams.

Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency for2011 showed that despite weaknesses in the global economy,over 93 per cent of our first-degree graduates were either inemployment or further study within six months of graduating.More than three quarters of them (78.7 per cent) were ingraduate-level jobs.

Newcastle is also one of the top 20 universities targeted bygraduate employers in the UK. Our graduate fairs are attendedby major UK and international organisations like Deloitte,Accenture, Ernst and Young, Siemens, IBM, Jaguar, and Tescoto name but a few. During the last academic year, more than300 recruiters from companies of all sizes exhibited at recruitmentfairs on campus or gave presentations to students, forginglinks that are essential for that first step on the career ladder.

One student to benefit from attending a University careers fairwas Rebecca Riddle from Wakefield, a Modern Languagesgraduate. Just days after meeting a representative from MDSLogistics, she had applied for a job and been through an initialinterview. She is now a logistics assistant with the companyand has moved to Murcia, in Spain, to begin her career.

Studying for a degree gives students the building blocks forsuccess in their chosen career but, increasingly, gaining workexperience is an essential part of preparation for the worldof work. Many Newcastle University degree programmesnow include a vocational element, which can even count ascredit towards a student’s final degree result. From this year,Newcastle University has pledged to give every student thechance to take advantage of a work placement, internshipor voluntary project to boost their CV.

Computer science graduates, Jack Taylor, Jordan Wise,and Sam Collier landed their dream jobs as computer gameprogrammers after completing a three-month work placementwith major Newcastle-based computer games maker, Reflections.They impressed the company − which is part of the UbisoftEntertainment organisation with studios worldwide − so muchthat all three were given permanent contracts. Already they areworking on some of the biggest game titles due out in 2013.

CareeringAheadNewcastleUniversity is among the top20universities in the countryfor our employment rate,according to the latest government statistics.

The advice and supportwe’ve received fromRiseUp has been invaluablein helping take ourbusiness forward.WillClowes,UniCarAdsco-founderandbusinessmanagementgraduate

ModernLanguagesgraduate,RebeccaRiddle.TheCareersService’sRiseUp incubator.ADeloitte representativemeetsstudentsatagraduate recruitment fair.ComputerSciencegraduatesJackTaylor,SamCollierandJordanWise.4

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Our presence in Singapore, and our partnership with theSingapore Institute of Technology (SIT), goes from strengthto strength. In May 2012, SIT unveiled plans to developfive purpose-built campuses, two of which will consolidateNewcastle University’s offerings in Singapore. Situated in thegrounds of two of Singapore’s major polytechnics, Ngee Annand Nanyang, these multimillion-pound developments willprovide a state-of-the-art learning environment for our students.

From three degree programmes and just 67 students andfour academic staff in 2009, NUIS has grown exponentially.This year, well over 500 undergraduates are studying withNUIS, which now offers six degree programmes ranging fromMarine, Offshore, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering toNaval Architecture and Food and Human Nutrition. With theaddition of a seventh programme, in Electrical Power Engineering,in September 2013, undergraduate student numbers are setto increase to more than 600, together with a 32-strong teamof academic and support staff.

As a research-intensive University, we are also strengthening ouracademic presence and capacity building in Singapore. Throughthe recent launch of 20 PhD scholarships we are actively seekingcollaborations and partnerships with Singaporean academicand research institutions, industry and government agencies.

InternationalNewcastleNewcastleUniversity continues to increase its international profile at homeandabroad.This academic year saw the completion of a £53mbuildingwhereinternational students can live and learn at theheart of theUniversity campus.

INTO Newcastle University opened its doors in September2012 and will eventually cater for up to 800 students. The INTOdevelopment comprises a purpose-built teaching centre with 18teaching rooms, a Learning Resource Centre, a lecture theatre,science laboratory and computer labs as well as administrativeand academic offices, social areas and a restaurant, and two newhalls of residence. Together, Bernicia Halls and Joseph CowenHalls provide 532 brand new, high-quality study bedrooms.

Newcastle University partnered with INTO – which preparesinternational students for undergraduate and postgraduatestudy – in 2007. Since then, more than 4,000 students from 50different countries have come to Newcastle through INTO andopted to continue their education here. In the 2011–12 externalInternational Student Barometer, INTO Newcastle Universityrecorded an overall student satisfaction rating of 90 per cent.

At the same time as increasing our thriving internationalcommunity here in Newcastle, we are furthering our strategicglobal links by developing our presence in South East Asia,through Newcastle University International Singapore (NUIS)and Newcastle University Medicine (NUMed) Malaysia.

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Meanwhile NUMed, in Johor, Malaysia, now has 70 staffand 220 students studying on its modern 13-acre campus.With two 200-seat presentation lecture theatres, a 100-seatHarvard-style demonstration theatre, 20 classrooms, two50-place ICT classrooms, three well-equipped teachinglaboratories and a library/information centre, NUMed hasbeen specifically designed to meet the education andtraining needs of the doctors of tomorrow.

NUMed students study for a Newcastle University MB BS(Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery) degree equivalentto the programme taught in Newcastle, following the samesuccessful curriculum developed by the Faculty of MedicalSciences. They also have the chance to undertake short-termperiods of study in the UK.

Towards the end of 2011, we signed an agreement withXiamen University, in the People’s Republic of China, to hostthe region’s first Confucius Institute. Based in the Old LibraryBuilding in the centre of the campus, the new Institute is setto build closer academic, cultural, economic and social tiesbetween the North East and China.

We are also strengthening our US links. During the year, theUniversity hosted a delegation of 32 American academicstasked with bringing gifted and talented students to the UK.The visit was aimed at promoting the University and the cityto potential US Fulbright scholars.

This year also saw the launch of the Loyola UniversityMaryland Study Abroad Centre at Newcastle University.The Centre, which will initially accommodate more than50 students, will enable us to focus on developing strongStudy Abroad provision, particularly in science.

Keeping in touch with our graduates and celebrating theirsuccesses and achievements is another way in which ourwork extends beyond Newcastle. Almost 100,000 of ourgraduates stay in contact with the University through ourAlumni Association. They provide invaluable support for ouractivities and for our current students, both of which benefitfrom the generous donations made by our graduates andmembers of the public. Last year alone, the University wasgifted just under £4m. The contribution made by membersof the Alumni Association is not purely financial, however.Many of them provide support in kind, through their willingnessto share their knowledge and expertise, and by providingcareer and development opportunities.

The INTOBuilding.MaryDenyer,MichaelScott-KlineandDrLauraDemuth fromtheUK/USFulbrightdelegation.DeputyVice-ChancellorProfessorEllaRitchieatanevent forSingapore-basedalumni.TheVice-Chancellor,ProfessorChrisBrink,andXiamenUniversity’sPresidentZhuChongshi.Studyinghumannutrition inSingapore.5

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I consider this Confucius Institute tobe an important landmark for the twouniversities and, with the effort andsupport of Newcastle University, wewould like tomake this ConfuciusInstitute the best in the world.ProfessorZhuChongshi,PresidentofXiamenUniversity,PRC

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Public health is another area where academics at NewcastleUniversity are helping to inform government thinking. Followingthe announcement of the government’s proposal to ban salesof cheap alcohol in an effort to combat binge drinking, a studyled by Dr Jean Adams at the Institute of Health and Societyfound that such a move was unlikely to have a noticeable effecton the cost of buying alcohol. The study recommended insteadthat a minimum price of 50 pence per unit would have a greaterimpact on alcohol pricing, a proposal the government is nowsaid to be considering.

In the wake of problems with metal-on-metal hip implants,which were investigated by Tom Joyce, Professor ofOrthopaedic Engineering and Dr Pauline McCormack, aresearch associate in the School of Geography, Politics andSociology, the government launched an investigation into howimplants are regulated.

ShapingtheFutureFromchangingpublicattitudes togeneticmedicine, toadvisinggovernmentonhot topics like alcohol consumption andclimatechange,NewcastleUniversity research is helping to influencepolicyand legislation thatwill improvepeople’s lives throughout theworld.

In the past year, our research has led to the launch of anational consultation into a technique to prevent mitochondrialdisease, a rare but devastating medical condition.

Mitochondria are the ‘batteries’ that power the cells inour bodies. When these batteries fail, patients can developdevastating diseases with symptoms often affecting thosetissues most heavily dependent on energy, such as theheart, muscles and brain.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) isgathering people’s views about the social and ethical impactof the new technique, which involves transferring the nuclearDNA that contains our genetic make-up between two humaneggs to replace defective mitochondria. It is being developedby Professors Doug Turnbull, Mary Herbert and AlisonMurdoch at the Institute for Ageing and Health, togetherwith colleagues from the University’s Wellcome TrustCentre for Mitochondrial Research.

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In December 2011, we celebrated the culmination of a year-longprogramme of events marking the launch of the Sustainabilitysocietal challenge theme by honouring four leading lights infields related to sustainability: renowned environmentalist SirJonathon Porritt; Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir JohnBeddington; Chief Executive of the WWF-UK, David Nussbaum;and former government minister and Sunderland MP, ChrisMullin. During the summer graduation ceremonies, honorarydegrees were awarded to Lord Krebs, whose work has beena major influence on research currently being conducted withinNewcastle University’s Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, andThomas Zehetmair, musical director of the Northern Sinfonia.

All-metal hips have a higher than anticipated failure rate andrubbing between the ball and cup can cause metal to breakoff, seeping into tissue and causing complications. ProfessorJoyce and Dr McCormack, who have been studying problemswith metal hip joints since 2008, were asked to give evidenceto the Science and Technology Select Committee. Theirrecommendations were accepted in the Committee’s reportand could result in new, tougher laws on the regulation ofmedical implants.

Many of our academics also hold eminent positions on arange of government bodies to provide expert advice. SiminDavoudi, Professor of Environmental Policy and Planning in theSchool of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, was selectedas a member of a new Social Science Expert Panel for Defraand the Department of Energy and Climate Change. She isone of just 12 academics chosen to provide social scienceadvice to the government departments on research issuesrelating to food and farming, green economy, environment,energy and climate change policy.

We also aim to raise awareness of some of our key prioritiesthrough the award of honorary degrees to eminent figureswhose expertise and achievement embodies the spirit andvalues of the University.

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ProfessorTomJoyce identifiedproblemswithmetalhip joints.Introducingahigherminimumpriceperunit couldbeabettersolutiontobinge-drinking thanbanningsalesof cut-pricealcohol.Sir JonathonPorritt, recipientofanhonoraryDoctorofCivil Lawdegree.3

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Mitochondrial diseases can seriouslyaffect the quality of life of both patientsand their families and it often affectsseveral generations. If we can stopthat happening it will be a tremendoushelp formany hundreds of sufferers.MaryHerbert, ProfessorofReproductiveBiology

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YearinReviewMarch2012

Ten thousand visitors take part inthe Great North Build, rising to thechallenge to plan and build their idealtown using Lego bricks, in an exhibitioncreated to launch the Social Renewalsocietal challenge theme.Newcastle University is awarded aGold Star by the National RecyclingStars Scheme, and is named ‘starof the month’ in recognition of ourcommitment to sustainability.Lord Burns, Chairman of SantanderUK, performs the official opening ofNewcastle University Business School.The Archbishop of York, Dr JohnSentamu, visits the University to meetVice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Brink,and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, ProfessorElla Ritchie, to discuss the role of thecivic university and the work of theNewcastle Fairness Commission.

April 2012The Intelligent Transport team atNewcastle University convert anelectric car into a mobile laboratorywhich monitors our concentration,stress levels and driving habits behindthe wheel. Dubbed ‘DriveLAB’, thecar will help the team to develop newtechnologies to support older drivers.Newcastle University is named by theEngineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC) and theDepartment of Energy and ClimateChange (DECC) as one of 10 partnersin a £13m national Carbon Captureand Storage (CCS) Research Centre.Results from the International StudentBarometer (ISB) survey place Newcastlein 12th place in the world in terms ofthe number of students who are sohappy with their time here they wouldrecommend it to friends and family.

May2012Newcastle University announces a UK-wide pilot study of a pioneering techniquethat transforms previously unusabledonor lungs into lungs which can beused safely for transplant, potentiallysaving the lives of many more patientson the lung transplant waiting list.

The Aphasia Centre at NewcastleUniversity, which helps people find theirvoice after suffering a stroke or otherbrain injury, is renamed The TavistockAphasia Centre (North East) by TheDuchess of Bedford, who is a Trusteeof the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia.Visitors from the Marshall AidCommission and the US FulbrightCommission heap praise on theUniversity and the North East duringa whistle-stop tour to see whatcities around the UK have to offer.Experts at the University’s Centre forCybercrime and Computer Securityestimate that around £200m ofelectricity is being stolen every yearto run illegal cannabis farms acrossthe UK – enough electricity to providefree energy for every household inNewcastle for a whole year.

June2012Over 18,600 prospective students,parents and teachers attend twoconsecutive University visit days.Seventy per cent of respondents toour post-visit survey said they weremore likely to apply to Newcastleas a result of their visit.More than 400 graduates returnto the campus for the University’sbiggest-ever Convocation Weekend.Scientists at the University’s CocklePark Farm use motion capturetechnology to diagnose lamenessin pigs, as part of a new researchproject to improve the health andwelfare of pigs on farms across the UK.University staff and students blazea trail with the Olympic Torch as itmakes its way through the North East.

July2012It’s time to celebrate as some4,632 students graduate at one of35 Congregation ceremonies in theUniversity’s King’s Hall. Among themis Her Royal Highness PrincessEugenie of York, who graduated with aCombined Honours degree. Influentialbiologist, Lord Krebs and acclaimedmusician Thomas Zehetmair receivehonorary degrees.

Newcastle University experts workingwith the North East Ambulance service(NEAS) and the North East AlcoholOffice (BALANCE) find that in one yearan estimated 31,000 emergency calls –one in 10 – are for drink-relatedincidents, representing a cost to localambulance services of £9m in theNorth East alone.Football fever grips the region asOlympic teams from around the world,including eventual gold medallistsMexico, silver medallists Brazil andbronze medallists South Korea, train atthe University’s Cochrane Park SportsGround.A fantastic year for University sportsees Newcastle finishing in the top 10of the British University and CollegesSports (BUCS) league for the first time.

August2012A team led by Newcastle University’sProfessor Ian Haynes and CurrentArchaeology Archaeologist of the Year,Tony Wilmott, excavating a Romanfort at Maryport in Cumbria, uncoveran altar dedicated to the god Jupiterby the fort commander T Attius Tutor.A four-part series Hairy Dieters: Howto Love Food and LoseWeight airs onBBC2, documenting a six-month periodduring which Newcastle University’smetabolism expert Professor RoyTaylor and nutritionist ProfessorAshley Adamson advised, cajoledand nurtured popular TV cooksSi King and Dave Myers – betterknown as the Hairy Bikers – in theirquest to lose weight and get healthier.Newcastle University and the SirBobby Robson Foundation purchasea Biomarker Generator to aid thediagnosis and treatment of cancer andother serious diseases. The machine isthe first in Europe and only the secondof its type in the world.As part of the nationwide London 2012festival, visiting Professor ZacharyLieberman and his digital arts collective,New York-based YesYesNo, light upHadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site withConnecting Light, an art installationfeaturing 600 tethered weather balloonslit by internal LED lights developed atthe University’s Culture Lab.

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