Action Research — Research which aims to address the problem or challenge it is investigating through the research process; research carried out by practitioners (such as teachers) alongside and directly feeding into their practice.
AHRC — Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK).
Anchor Institution — A term often used to describe what truly engaged universities aim to be, described in many ways, including providing stability to the local area in times of crisis or change, and, more generally, ‘creating a benefit to the local community in addition to economic activity’. (See: upp-foundation.org/civic-university-commission)
BBSRC — Biotechnology and tt Research Council (UK).
BIU — Biomedical Imaging Unit.
Civic University — A Civic University, as described by the UPP Foundation Civic University Commission, is one whose role and focus ‘reflect the specific and long-term challenges of an area’, and which people feel a sense of ownership towards e.g. describing it as ‘our university’ rather than ‘the university’; it may also be known as an Anchor Institution. (See: upp-foundation.org/civic-university-commission)
CPD — Continuing Professional Development.
DBS — Disclosure and Barring Service, formerly known as ‘CRB checks’. Members of staff, researchers or students who will be left alone with school pupils must have a current Advanced Disclosure DBS Certificate. These can be applied for through an employer or in person. There may be a cost associated with this. When working with school groups it is usually possible to ensure that there is always a teacher or other member of school staff present with the pupils at all times. However, it may also be helpful for a few members of the university team running the activity to have DBS. More information can be found at:
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service
DSP — Designated Senior Person.
EAL — English as an Additional Language.
Engagement — ‘Public engagement describes the myriad of ways in which the activity and benefits of higher education and research can be shared with the public. Engagement is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.’ (NCCPE).
EPQ — Extended Project Qualification. Optional qualification equivalent to half an A level, often of a research nature in the form of an individual or group project.
EPSRC — Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UK).
ESRC — Economic and Social Research Council (UK).
EVOLVE — Education management software.
Experiential Learning — In this context, building projects supporting the community in which a university sits into the studies of the university’s students, often as standalone modules.
FE — Further Education e.g. at a college or 6th form.
FSM — Free school meals. Secondary pupils from low income families and those on certain benefits are eligible for free school meals (all primary aged children now get FSM). Often used as a target group for intervention.
G & T — Gifted and talented. Pupils who are performing at high levels of achievement in multiple subject areas or disciplines. They are also expected to display certain characteristics such as independence.
HE — Higher Education e.g. at a university.
HEFCE — Higher Education Funding Council for England.
HEI — Higher Education Institute e.g. a university.
HEAT — Higher Education Access Tracker database. Used by universities to track which pupils are applying for their courses including information on whether applicants have taken part in any WP activities during their school career.
ICT — Information and Communication Technology.
Impact — Within a university context, it will be assumed that discussions on ‘impact’ relate to the REF. In relation to the REF, ‘impact’ is defined as ‘an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia’ (HEFCE et al 2012).
ITE — Initial Teacher Education.
MFL — Modern Foreign Languages.
MOOC — Massive Open Online Course.
MRC — Medical Research Council (UK).
MSLC — Mathematics and Science Learning Centre. Situated at the University of Southampton, the MSLC provides a range of professional development programmes and projects for teachers and support staff in schools and colleges across the South of England. This includes short courses, research projects and education and industry partnerships (see Useful Links and Contacts).
NERC — Natural Environment Research Council (UK).
NCCPE — National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement. National centre hosted by the University of Bristol and the University of West England which helps universities and the public engage with each other by offering training, advice, tools and funding through its various projects.
NOC — National Oceanography Centre. NERC-owned national research centre which hosts one of the world’s largest groups of scientists and engineers devoted to research, teaching and technology development in Ocean and Earth Science. Located at the University of Liverpool and the University of Southampton Waterfront Campus.
Outreach — A general term which has many different definitions depending on context. At Southampton our WP was previously called the ‘Outreach’ team so generally the term ‘outreach’ is used to refer to WP work.
PERu — Public Engagement with Research unit (UoS).
Plenary — A session (e.g. talk/workshop), usually at the beginning or end of a conference or series of talks/workshops/sessions which all participants attend, even if they attend separate talks/workshops/ sessions etc. during the rest of the event; the end of a lesson or workshop which is used to draw together and possibly assess all the learning from that session.
PPE — Personal Protective Equipment.
Pupil Premium — Additional funding for publicly funded schools in England intended to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Funding is awarded for each pupil eligible for Free School Meals and those looked after by the local authority.
REF — The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The results of the 2014 REF were published on 18 December 2014 and can be viewed at: www.ref.ac.uk.
SEN — Special Educational Needs.
SGH — Southampton General Hospital.
STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
STFC — Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK).
SUP — School-University Partnership.
SUPI — School-University Partnership Initiative. UKRI-funded project co-ordinated by the NCCPE involving 12 SUPs across the UK. This Guide Book has been written and produced through the University of Southampton SUPI project, Talk to US!.
Teaching Alliance — a group of schools lead by a lead school called a teaching school. Teaching schools are outstanding schools that work with others to provide high-quality training and development to new and experienced school staff.
UKRI — UK Research and Innovation (previously RCUK, Research Councils UK). Non-Departmental Government Body that manages the seven individual research councils that co-ordinate and fund research in the UK. The seven research councils are: AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC and STFC.
UoS — University of Southampton.
WP — Widening Participation. This is a national agenda which aims to offer opportunities and support to groups within the population who are under-represented in Higher Education due to a wide range of social and economic barriers.