The Bath Spa University GALA outreach fund launched in December has facilitated academic and professional staff with GALA partners by providing funds for international travel or other activities related to teaching, research, or public engagement. Within the field of Culture and Environment, Dr Samantha Walton (English) visited Udine University in April to present a paper related to her AHRC Early Career Researcher project, Cultures of Nature and Wellbeing, at ‘Living Together on this Earth’ a conference focused on narratives of eco-sustainability organised by Prof. Antonella Riem. Dr Walton travelled across Europe by train in order to limit the environmental impact of her journey. [Photo below: Prof. Antonella Reim opening at the Udine eco-narrative conference: Living Together on this earth].

Dr Russell Re Manning (Religions, Philosophies and Ethics) was awarded funding to enable Professor Anselm Min from Claremont Graduate University to speak as a Plenary Lecturer at the 3rd Annual Bath Spa Colloquium for Global Philosophy and Religion in March.  Professor Min spoke on ‘Challenges of Globalization and Theological Responses,’ describing seven dimension of globalization (economic, environmental, political, military, religious, cultural, and humanitarian) and arguing that Christian theology “is challenged to rethink its theology, Christology, anthropology and ecclesiology.” Professor Min also delivered a research seminar to the Global Citizenship and Identities Research Seminar on ‘Toward a Critique of Contextual Theology: Reflection on Theological Method,’ a student masterclass on ‘Justice, Truth, Dialogue and Reconciliation: Conditions of Inter-religious Relations in a Divided World,’ and to discuss research collaborations [Photo below: Professor Anslem Min and Dr Re Manning].

Within the Digital Academy field, Katharine Reeve (Publishing) met with Francesca Zanella at CSAC at Parma University to finalise a publishing project, marking  the culmination of an 18-month project to publish two catalogues of materials from the CSAC collection at Parma, which has involved BSU students working at BSU and one BSU student spending 2-weeks on placement in Parma in November, establishing a model for further publication projects at Parma and elsewhere. [Photo below: Francesca and Lucia at CSAC Parma with the first book ready for publication]

Laura Little (Publishing) visited Columbia College Chicago to explore book arts, publishing and journalism collaborations, including the print and book-making team at the Center for Book, Paper and Print and the launch of Hair Trigger 39 and 2.0 Publishing. [Photo: weekly and annual publications from the journalism students at Columbia College Chicago].

Within the field of writing and performing arts Laura Purcell-Gates (Drama) met with Dr Mark Sussman and colleagues at Concordia University to discuss research and teaching collaboration relating to applied puppetry and object theatre including the prospect of setting up a formal student exchange between BSU and Concordia. Laura also met Andre Roy, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Strategy Advisor Emilie Champagne at Concordia to discuss GALA in general and the various potential links between Concordia and BSU. [Photo: Laura Purcell-Gates with Mark Sussman].

Among professional services staff, Karen McGinty and Helena McCaskie (Accommodation Services) spent 5 days at SUNY Geneseo to learn and share good practice on working with parents, allocating accommodation, SUNY’s successful Life programme to encourage a sense of student community, and growth impact on security, support, and behaviour [Photo below: images of SUNY Geneseo]. Sara Gallagher (Student Support) visited QUT for two weeks to learn about its student support policies and practices, with specific interest in student engagement, the capture of student voice and particularly the following areas: transition; disabled students; indigenous students; mental health and peer-led projects. This visit directly contributes to Sara’s work towards an MA Student Affairs in Higher Education. [Photo below: images of QUT] For more information, see http://gala.network/bath-spa-university/2016/12/22/announcing-the-bath-spa-gala-outreach-fund/. The next application deadline will be 20 May and 20 June. Bath Spa University staff only may apply but funds may be used to support student travel. Applications for funding to combine with existing funds are particularly welcome. For more information contact: gala15@bathspa.ac.uk