Mark Davys' commitment to his students, to good teaching and the subject of law means that he continuously looks for ways to improve and develop his work in the classroom, online and in published learning resources on the topic of Land Law. His students and peers comment on the clarity and value of his teaching resources and his support for their work and learning.

Falko Drijfhout has introduced a range of teaching methods to help students understand and enjoy Chemistry. These include the use of videos, models, clicker technology, project and problem-based learning. His many student nominations testify to the value of these methods. His willingness and approach to offering academic support are also positively noted by both his students and his peers in the School. 

Nicholas Seager has taught English at Keele for nearly four years. During that time, he has moved from learning with and from colleagues to being a valued member of the team, who shares his experiences and expertise with others – at Keele through TLHEP mentoring, and more widely by supporting newcomers to the discipline nationally.

Jackie Waterfield has taught health professionals for more than twenty years. Her work with practitioners studying at Masters level has included the development of assessments by portfolio that have professional relevance and evidence high-level academic study. Additionally, her use of e-learning materials and e-activities serves to bridge the theory-practice gap and creates a virtual student community.

  

Matthew Wyman is a Senior Teaching Fellow in SPIRE. Matthew's approaches to teaching include the thoughtful incorporation of technology to improve learning and access to resources. The panel were particularly impressed by project work that developed students' practical political skills by combining theory with practice and career development education. The results of this, and of other initiatives, were commended for their significant impact on student engagement and student performance over a number of years.

In addition, the Panel determined to recognise the outstanding contribution of the retiring Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience) by offering an Honorary Keele Excellence Award to Professor Marilyn Andrews.

Olympic gold medallist Anna Rose Watkins, from Leek, is among nine people who will be awarded Honorary Degrees by Keele University during this summer's graduation ceremonies. They are key figures who have made a major impact, with significant work over many years in the local community and local economy, energy research, health, business, publishing and theatre-in-education. The University will award the honorary degrees at ceremonies in the University Chapel on July 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th.

Honorary award recipients are:

Anna Rose Watkins, MBE, who won a gold medal in the double sculls at the London 2012 Olympics, will receive the honorary award of Doctor of the University. 

Neil Baldwin, who has been adopted by the student body over the last 50 years as something of a mascot for Keele, will be awarded the honorary degree of Master of the University.

Ian Dudson CBE, the Lord-Lieutenant for Staffordshire, and an industrialist, whose family ceramics business has been based in Stoke-on-Trent for many generations, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.  

Tony Elliott, the founder and owner of the Time Out Group based in London, who came to Keele to study French and History, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.

Deborah Meaden, a British business woman who ran a multi-million pound family holiday business before completing a management buyout and is best known for her appearances on the BBC Two programme Dragons' Den, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.

Professor John Loughhead OBE, a key figure in driving the development of sustainable energy systems, who has held a number of prominent roles influencing government policy, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.

Karen Middleton, CBE, the Government's most senior allied health professions advisor, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.

Jill Rezzano, Head of Education at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters.

Sir Mark Walport, the Government's Chief Scientific Advisor, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Science. 

Keele staff, students and visitors celebrated the University's first Dignity and Respect Day on Tuesday 28^th May, in what will be an annual celebration of equality, diversity, inclusion, and respect at Keele.

The Dignity and Respect Framework which has been developed with colleagues and students across the University was formally launched by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nick Foskett. The Framework seeks to promote positive relationships and sets out what we can reasonably expect from one another and from the University, along with our shared responsibilities for ensuring a culture of dignity and respect.

Staff, students, and visitors were invited to express their support and commitment to dignity and respect by 'signing-up' to the Framework. A number of signatures were captured on the Dignity and Respect display board, which will be available for further signatures in the Chancellors Foyer for the next two weeks, for those who were unable to attend on the day.  

For further information or to see the Framework please visit the University HR Dignity and Respect web pages.

Certificates of Completion were awarded to 230 international students on postgraduate taught and research courses this week in acknowledgement of their success in their English for Academic Purposes modules.

Following the September 2012 University-wide initiation of compulsory language assessment for all incoming Masters-level students from non-English language backgrounds, students were enrolled on modules developed and delivered by the English Language Unit (ELU).

Academic English for Postgraduate Students and Pronunciation and Fluency Improvement are each offered at two levels over two semesters, and more than a dozen international PhD candidates also chose to hone their skills in a year-long Postgraduate Research Writing module.

At a reception and certification ceremony on 23rd May students remarked on the value of the modules, commenting that the material covered 'helped me not to plagiarise,' 'was very useful for academic writing,' 'taught me how to structure an essay and how to reference' and 'helped me improve my essays'.

Staff interested in finding out how ELU English for Academic Purposes modules can be incorporated into their postgraduate courses may contact either Robin Bell, ELU Postgraduate Course Coordinator or Martina Wallner, Head, Language Learning Unit (LLU).

The ELU continues to offer their popular 'One-to-One' sessions throughout the summer for students continuing or completing their studies.  Information about all ELU modules  and 'One-to-One' sessions can be found on their website: http://www.keele.ac.uk/llu/englishlanguage/

On Wednesday 29th May, KeeleSU held its biggest ever summer ball. Woodstoke, now in its 6th year, welcomed more than 1,700 students to enjoy fairground rides and live performances in a truly electric festival atmosphere, despite torrential rain.

Up first was Ella Eyre, performing live with chart topping hit Waiting All Night, followed shortly by Tom Prior and Gabrielle Aplin.

Headline act Labrinth packed out the Ballroom and finished his set with a world first, performing live on stage with Britain's Got Talent star, McKnasty (a.k.a. Labrinth's brother).

The evening continued until the small hours of the morning and boasted more great acts including Kingsfoil, Chris Mears and Pendulum. This event was truly exceptional and paves the way to another big event, the End of Year Ball, featuring X Factor winner James Arthur, which will take place on Wednesday 5th June.

The first Sustainability Fashion Show has been held by the SU. The SU Activities, Sustainability Hub and Volunteering department, with the help of student volunteers, put together a fashion show that showed off ethical, sustainable, Fairtrade and local clothes. It also had a catwalk of outfits that were designed by students and staff out of carrier bags and other recycled items. The clothes that were donated by local, national and international organisations were then sold off at the end of the night to raise money for the two charities; Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and Oxfam. Together with the raffle, clothes sales, ticket sales and smoothie bike, more than £600 was raised on the night which will be distributed equally to the two charities.

The event was a great success with new links with the community made throughout the process. There were more than 20 different stalls where the 100+ guests could buy local, ethical, sustainable and Fairtrade goods. 

Children and staff from Keele University Day Nursery enjoyed a special event to mark the Nursery's sponsorship of the sandpit area at Brampton Park, in support of the "Newcastle in Bloom" programme.  A sign was unveiled by Councillor Elsie Bates, portfolio holder for culture and leisure, while children spent time playing in the sandpit and took part in some indoor activities organised by staff at the Brampton Museum.  The sponsorship is aimed at promoting the Nursery to members of the community and it is hoped that it will attract visitors to the Nursery's Open Day on 2 June as part of the University's Community Day. 

The Keele Athletic Union Karate Club took part in a charity spin for Orchid last week, cycling in conjunction with the leisure centre staff and Athletic Union representative Jordan Grimshaw. The club completed an hour of nonstop spinning in karate suits, led by leisure centre staff member Paula Rogerson, who hosted the full 12-hour spin day for Orchid charity.

Further details can be found on the Keele University Karate Club KDS Facebook Group or alternatively by emailing au.karate@keele.ac.uk

Keele University is set to hold an open day for the community on Sunday, June 2.

The free, fun and intereactive event will give visitors the chance to learn more about the wide variety of research taking place at the University, and try a wide range of activities on the picturesque campus, including testing your health and fitness, searching for buried 'treasure', displays by the Kinglsey Falcons, a penalty shoot-out against Stoke mascot Pottermus.

Visitors will also be able to explore the historic campus and enjoy events and activities throughout the day. The day will run from 10am to 4pm.

Activities will also include visits to the University's observatory, sport taster sessions, taster sessions in Mandarin Chinese and the chance to experience the 3D animated world of the Keele Active Virtual Environment (KAVE). There are aslo sports taster sessions in archery, martial arts, golf and the chance to learn about Quidditch!

See the Community Day webpages for more information.

Award-winning student station KUBE Radio raised more than £1,250 for the Lullaby Trust charity with its 48-hour broadcast.

Presenters Daniel Chorley and Maddie Faiers went without sleep to host the event, which ran from noon on Sunday to noon Tuesday.

KUBE station manager Megan Jones said: "The annual charity broadcast is always the biggest event for KUBE Radio, bringing together current students and alumni. We are so happy to have been able to break previous records and support such a fantastic and worthwhile charity, The Lullaby Trust."