You can now view your Total Reward Statement within iTrent Employee Self-Service. This personalised statement provides an overview of your:

• pay
• pension
• other non-monetary benefits

The Total Reward Statement is a convenient tool that helps you understand the full value of your compensation and benefits package here at Queen’s. Once in iTrent, staff will need to enter the 'My pay' section, click on the tab 'Benefits' and then check the 'Show values' box to access their personalised information.

Following the email to all staff on Tuesday 23 April, our Culture Survey opens today (Monday 29 April).

All staff will receive an email from survey@humansynergistics.co.uk inviting them to complete the survey via a unique online link. Please do not disregard this email, it is genuine and not spam.

More information about the survey and Frequently Asked Questions can be found on the People and Culture Intranet.

Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) takes place from Monday 13 to Friday 17 May. A range of wellbeing and sporting events, centred around the theme of 'Movement', are now available for booking.

• Headline event: panel discussion 'Moving the Dial on Mental Health' on Thursday 16 May, facilitated by noted BBC/ITV commentator Mark Robson.
• Staff giveaway: A free ice cream (regular cone with sauce) or slushie will be available for the first 100 spectators at the Circusful event on Wednesday 15 May. 

Key details of all MHAW events, including registration links to more information, are below.

The Staff Wellbeing team invite colleagues to the following upcoming events. Information and registration is via iTrent Employee Self Service* (except where indicated):

• Eat Well for Less Workshop: Friday 14 June, 12.30pm to 1.30pm, online
• Men’s Mental Health and Wellbeing: Wednesday 12 June, 10.00am to 11.30am, online
• Paediatric CPR response: Wednesday 29 May, 12.30pm to 2.00pm, Main Site Tower, room 03/004, online
• Holistic Therapies for QUB staff: 9, 21 and 30 May, 9.00am to 5.00pm (slots of 15, 30 or 45 minutes available), PFC, room 01/020. Contact Moyah directly with any queries.

Staff are invited to join Belfast City Council, Queen’s Accommodation and the Planetary Health Report Card committee for the next Sustainable Cooking Class, taking place on Wednesday 15 May from 2.00pm to 3.00pm in the Elms BT9 Sharing Kitchens.

Learn how to cook more sustainably and use ingredients in ways to prevent food waste, as well as learning top tips for storing leftovers.

Find out more and sign up here.

As part of the Programme Management Framework review for the Education and Skills strand of Strategy 2030, Academic Affairs will soon start a project to develop a Queen's Vision and Framework for Micro-Credentials. Micro-Credentials are generally recognised as short, credit-bearing courses designed to impart specific skills and may be aggregated into a recognised qualification, such as a certificate or degree.

The proposed project relies on engagement with staff and students. As a result, we would like to hear from staff members in the University who:

• Have an interest in the development of a Queen's Micro-Credentials framework.
• Possess educational, industry or professional expertise related to Micro-Credentials.
• Deliver a course or engage in educational activity that might be offered through Micro-Credentials.

The Digital Experience Insights Survey for all Teaching Staff 2024 is now live. All full-time or part-time teaching staff at Queen’s will have been sent an email with a survey link. If this includes you, please complete the short survey and let the Centre for Educational Development (CED) know your digital experiences and thoughts.

CED knows that demands on your time are very high but if you can spare 10 minutes to gather valued feedback it would be very much appreciated. You can also enter the Digital Experience Insights Teaching Staff 2024 Survey here.

On completion of the survey, all teaching staff can enter a separate prize draw to win Amazon vouchers up to £100. This year there are more prizes to be won.

For the latest public health advice and guidance on measles, please visit the NI Direct website.

Institutionally, we have published the following guidance for the Queen's community:

• Measles guidance for staff on the People and Culture website
• Measles guidance for students on the My Queen’s website

Recent posts from Queen's Policy Engagement (QPol):

• Dr Shonagh Hill: Women theatremakers in Northern Ireland – New Podcast Now Available
• Professor Gladys Ganiel, Dr Caoimhe Ní Dhónaill: The Catholic Church has gotten better at saying sorry – but is anyone listening?

To contribute an article to Queen's Policy Engagement, please email Kevin or Alice at qpol@qub.ac.uk.

The Conversation is a news website featuring articles by academics, often republished to global media outlets. Articles by Queen's academics published in The Conversation have been read by 12.5 million people internationally. Read the latest:

• Dr Simon Cameron: Kourtney Kardashian Barker isn't the first to drink breast milk – but we know surprisingly little about its adult health benefits
• Professor Muiris MacCarthaigh, Eoghan Kelly: Leo Varadkar: the political backdrop to his shock resignation as Ireland's prime minister
• Dr Eithne Dowds: Affirmative consent campaign calls for sexual assault law change in England and Wales – but this approach has pitfalls, too

Queen's Staff Blog provides a space for staff to share our reflections, knowledge and experiences and build a connected University community. Our latest blogs celebrate a current and a former Queen's staff member:

• BLOG: A marathon achievement for a Guinness World Record! Dr Stephen Cochrane reflects on his Guinness World Record-breaking win for the Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Scientist!
• BLOG: Celebrating Thomas Andrews: A founder of Queen’s and science in Northern Ireland. Dr Kevin Morgan and Professor Steven Bell from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering celebrate the legacy of Queen's first Vice-President Thomas Andrews, a significant figure in the history of Chemistry.

If you are interested in writing a staff blog piece, please contact internalcommunications@qub.ac.uk.

Our latest 'Spotlight on our Staff' profiles feature recent Inclusive Employment Scheme participants Richard Collis and Daniela Tatarkova.

• As part of the Inclusive Employment Scheme, Richard, from the Orchardville Society, has been working in an Admin Support role at Queen’s Sport. Read Richard's profile.
• Daniela was recently a Clerical Assistant in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work on a placement as part of Queen's Inclusive Employment Scheme. Read Daniela's profile.

Read the latest staff news stories on the Staff News and Community Gateway:

• In Pictures: REACH '24 - Queen's first Arts and Sustainability Festival
• Queen’s University Belfast Lecturer named ‘World Vet of the Year 2024’
• Queen’s announces new measures of support for at risk academics and students
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor named as Westminster lead for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Queen’s academic awarded UNESCO Gender Equality role
• Queen’s Belfast Region City Deal Celebration
• Dedicated chemistry collective restores and rededicates grave of Queen’s University science pioneer
• Esteemed ex-Queen’s professor AP de Silva honoured with Royal Society of Chemistry blue plaque
• Queen's University Belfast ranks among world’s best in 31 subjects

The Communications Office is hosting a virtual training session with The Conversation UK for academics and researchers in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences on Thursday 30 May from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

This interactive session will be led by one of the editors who will take you through what The Conversation is, its origins and aims, what it does and why.

Register via Eventbrite: The Conversation media training registration*

Staff are invited to the MacDermott Annual Lecture 2024, taking place on Wednesday 22 May from 5.00pm to 7.30pm in-person in the Moot Court, School of Law, Main Site Tower, and online.

The guest speaker is Fiona de Londras, Barber Professor of Jurisprudence at Birmingham Law School, who will present on 'The Rule of Law in a time of Democratic Decay'.

More information | Register here.

Staff are invited to a discussion on equality and 'Exploring the Intersection of LGBT Rights and International Diplomacy', taking place on Tuesday 30 April from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. The special guest is Douglas Janoff, diplomat and author of Queer Diplomacy.

This is an opportunity to engage with a leading voice on international LGBT advocacy and policy reform. Staff are encouraged to bring questions and ideas about equality, conflict and polarization, and attacks on LGBT rights around the world.

More information | Register here

Staff are invited to the seminar and roundtable discussion 'Youth, Truth, and Society: Avenues toward multidisciplinary, cross-institutional study of polarisation and its antidotes among young people'. This event will take place on Wednesday 1 May from 2.00pm to 4.00pm in the Senate Room, Lanyon Building. Coffee/tea will be provided.

The guest speaker is Dr Christin Scholz, University of Amsterdam, who will present on '(Un)biased processing and handling of polarized information between the pressures of personal beliefs and social influence'. This will be followed by a roundtable discussion led by Dr Jocelyn Dautel (Queen's). 

Find out more and sign up here to attend

For this year's Eaton Lecture, the Mitchell Institute is privileged to be able to present a specially recorded conversation with the Honourable Murray Sinclair, former Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba and Chief Commissioner of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This event will take place on Friday 10 May from 6.00pm to 7.30pm in the Great Hall. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Linda Ervine, Koulla Yiasouma and Prof Kieran McEvoy, hosted by Mark Devenport.

Please register here: Eaton Lecture 2024

The Mitchell Institute invites staff to the following events. More information and registration can be found at the links below:

• Book Talk: Douglas Janoff, Queer Diplomacy, Tuesday 30 April, 6.00pm to 8.00pm, Canada Room
• Colloquium: Post-Conflict Stage and Screen in Northern Ireland, Tuesday 30 April, 10.00am to 4.00pm, The American Irish Historical Society, 5th Avenue, New York

The annual InterSim Conference is being held on Friday 7 June from 9.00am to 5.00pm at the KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim simulation centre, Medical Biology Centre (MBC), Health Sciences Campus. 

Simulation is a widely used method of experiential learning to help transform learners and their skills. The theme of this year’s conference will be 'Transformation through Interprofessional Simulation'.

Find out more and register here:* Annual InterSim Conference, Queen's University Belfast

Colleagues are warmly welcome to attend the Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival (EAFF) Cultural Bridge Special Section Screening on Wednesday 1 May between 4.00pm and 6.30pm in the Film Studio at Queen's. This year, six films reflecting East Asian culture have been selected for screening at the film festival.

This event includes an introduction by Dr Liang Wang (Queen’s Language Centre) and a round-table discussion on East Asian films with the EAFF team members and film directors.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required due to capacity. For more information and registration, please visit the EAFF Culture Bridge website.

The European Association for Language Testing and Assessment conference (EALTA 2024) takes place in Belfast from 4 to 9 June in Stranmillis University College. The conference theme is 'Looking at the past, present and future of Language assessment in Europe and beyond'.

The conference includes a symposium from Queen's University Belfast on 'Irish Medium Education in Northern Ireland: the role of Language testing and assessment'.

One-day conference tickets for Northern Ireland residents are available. Please see the EALTA website for full details including conference programme and registration.

The Faculties of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) and Medicine, Health and Life Sciences (MHLS) are bringing Soapbox Science back to Belfast (outside the Ulster Museum in Botanic Gardens) on Sunday 23 June 2024 and are looking for female and non-binary scientists and engineers, from PhD students to professors and from early career researchers to entrepreneurs, to take part in this grassroots science outreach project.

All you need is a passion for your research and a desire to engage passers-by and public in your work in a fun and informal setting. The organisers will provide speaker training and financial support for props and interactives.

Staff are invited to the returning Pint of Science event on Wednesday 15 May to join researchers from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine for an evening of talks on the future of lung infections.

This event will be held in ‘The Wee Bar’ in One Elmwood. Tickets cost £5. All proceeds go to the Pint of Science charity.

For further information, please contact Dr Donna Rogers, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Public Engagement Manager (d.rogers@qub.ac.uk).

Postdocs and research staff are invited to the Postdoc Society's next Pub Quiz and networking event, taking place on Wednesday 29 May from 8.30pm to late at Pug Uglys, 21 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7EJ. Arrival is recommended from 8.30pm to 8.45pm as tables go fast. The quiz starts at 9.00pm.

Please note: the quiz is hosted and run by Pug Uglys and may cost £1 per person joining. If you plan to attend, please register so the Postdoc Society has an idea of numbers.

Find out more and register here. 

A staff information session on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks will take place on Tuesday 30 April from 1.00pm to 2.00pm in the Seminar Room, Research and Enterprise Directorate, 63 University Road.

Register for the session here: MSCA Doctoral Networks

The Agility Fund + is now open for applications. Funding is available to provide pump-priming support for partnerships between Queen’s academics and collaborators. 

Applications should be submitted using the online application system here and should be written for a non-specialist audience. The submission deadline is 12.00pm (noon) on Monday 3 June 2024.

Further information and full guidance notes, and a PDF of the application form are available via the SharePoint page.

Staff are invited to view the latest edition of the new Research and Innovation Newsletter.

This newsletter provides the entire research community at Queen’s with information on the latest news, announcements and events related to their researcher journey and on Research and Innovation activities at Queen’s.

Subscribe here.

Read this week's summary of funding opportunities and news from the Research Development team.

Join the mailing list.

Scientists in the School of Psychology (Dr Thomas Schultze-Gerlach and Professor Aidan Feeney) are interested in how people with a PhD in basic or applied science perceive scientific findings. They are seeking Queen's volunteers with such a qualification to take part in a very brief, anonymous study on this topic. Further information is given below.

Colleagues interested in taking part can find out more and complete the survey here.

Details of ongoing works being carried out across the University campus can be found on the Estates Directorate webpage.

More information: Campus Development: The week ahead.

This week’s new and returning films at Queen's Film Theatre, your cinema on campus.

SHOWING THIS WEEK:

• Back to Black
• Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry

Limited places remain for the next workshop in the Naughton Gallery's popular Silversmithing series, which returns on Saturday 15 June from 10.00am to 4.00pm. No previous experience is required.

The workshop costs £50 per person. Please contact art@qub.ac.uk to reserve your space.

Produced in partnership with Emmy-nominated studio Fine Point Films, Delivering the Impossible: Agreement 25 is a short documentary film that tells the story of the people behind the delivery of the NI peace conference hosted here at Queen's in April 2023 – including interviews with staff, students and global leaders.

The film captures and celebrates the remarkable collaborative effort from across the University community that made possible the successful delivery of such a high-profile and impactful international conference.

Watch the documentary free on the QFT Player.

The Naughton Gallery's new exhibition is 'Full of Wonder or Full of Plastic? You Decide.', a solo show by American artist Ingrid Hess. This exhibition forms part of the programme of REACH ‘24, the inaugural Arts and Sustainability Festival at Queen’s, and explores the current perils of plastic waste in our oceans.

This exhibition is on display until Sunday 12 May, Tuesdays through Sundays, 11.00am to 4.00pm. All are welcome.

'Leading Live' events are stand-alone, short breakfast events giving leaders – staff who play a leadership role, whether formal or informal – the opportunity to share experience and knowledge through conversation.

These events take place from 9.30am to 11.00am (with breakfast available from 9.15am). The next Leading Live sessions are as follows:

• Wednesday 22 May: Theme: 'Leading upwards and managing my manager'
• Wednesday 2 October: Theme: 'Getting and keeping myself - and others - motivated'

Please register your interest here.*

People and Culture's Learning and Development programmes offer many training and development opportunities, from Learning for All to LinkedIn Learning, that are suitable for all staff, including:

• Effective Communication Skills
• Recruitment and Selection Training
• LinkedIn Learning article and courses on Leadership Styles and how to use them

View the full May programme of events here.

The following learning events are now open for application. Full information and registration can be found via the iTrent links below.

• Introduction to Teaching: 2 to 6 September, 10.00am to 4.00pm – week of supported preparation for staff that have not previously been responsible for delivering a module.
• HEA fellowship claims – online programmes where participants will complete their claim for Fellowship/Associate Fellowship/Senior Fellowship HEA:

AI Detection

While the launch of ChatGPT has ignited a surge of interest in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools and excitement in what they can do, there is an equal level of concern regarding the possibility of an epidemic of AI-based cheating. Professor Phil Hanna (Dean of Education, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences) provides Queen's guidance on the use of AI detection tools, highlighting concerns regarding the reliability and accuracy of AI detection tools.

Turnitin Canvas Plagiarism Framework

Staff are reminded that the Canvas Plagiarism Framework (CPF) is now available for Turnitin assignment setup and submission on Canvas. For more information, learn more here about CPF benefits and refer to the latest guidance.

Staff training delivered by CED, Digital and Information Services and various Digital Learning teams across Faculties is now available to book via the Digital Learning Training Events calendar.

Upcoming training sessions:

• Grading on Canvas: Thursday 2 May, 11.00am to 12.00pm
• AI Lunchtime Bytes – AI Appetizer: Crafting Powerful Prompts: Thursday 2 May, 1.00pm to 1.45pm

Staff should now see Courses and Requirements. This will serve as a visible prompt to staff to progress any non-completed mandatory training via their main computing device.

Colleagues are invited to register via iTrent for the training course 'MS Planner: An Overview', taking place on Friday 3 May.

MS Planner is an easy-to-use web-based tool in the M365 service and is effective for organising teamwork and collaborating on projects in a simple visual way. You can use Planner to plan tasks and handle small projects, without complex planning effort. It can be used to assign, organise and share deadlines and tasks. It can also help keep track of project progress, from anywhere, on any device.