Lucy Roper’s Built Environment news round-up: Celebrating success, being valued and a blueprint for the future

Posted on: 9 July, 2019

Each fortnight, UCEM Information Governance Manager, Lucy Roper points us in the direction of interesting stories from the Built Environment.

This week’s blog sees Lucy reflect on the success of our recent graduates and being recognised for her work in advising one of UCEM’s library subscription services.

Lucy also includes information about the 2019 RIBA National Award winners and a partnership between Oxford University and Legal & General designed to transform the city of spires…

Celebrating student success

Firstly, can I say a big CONGRATULATIONS to all those UCEM students who graduated at the end of June.

I have so much respect for our students, the majority of whom undertake their studies whilst in full-time employment.

Our student’s success is what we, at UCEM, are all about and seeing them graduate after all the years of hard work they have put in is the icing on the cake – well done!

Star award

With new technologies constantly emerging, the support for and ongoing development of digital literacy skills is vital for effective use of the online learning model we have at UCEM.  A key objective for the e-Library is to make finding, evaluating and utilising quality, accessible, relevant and credible information easier for all.

As the Information Governance Manager, it is always nice to be asked for my views and input in helping shape and improve the library subscription services that I use on a daily basis and also signpost staff and student towards. It is even better when you see suggested improvements relayed come to fruition.

I work closely with all the valuable library subscription services available to our students and staff (via the VLE), and one of these services is Emerald Insight – the online platform for Emerald Publishing.

Emerald champions new ideas in advancing the research and practice of business and management, and manages a portfolio of nearly 300 journals, including a ‘Property Management and the Built Environment’ collection that UCEM subscribes to.

Emerald works in close collaboration with numerous academic (including UCEM) and corporate organisations worldwide. Emerald Publishing endorses the e-Library’s tailor-made research reports – a service provided to our tutors to help supplement teaching and learning materials on subject-specific areas. In 2018, I was invited to sit on the Emerald Library Advisory Network (LAN) – an online librarian community with global representation which provides opportunities to meet and network with like-minded colleagues, discuss and share examples of good practice and have a say in the future of Emerald’s online platform and products. I relayed feedback received and contributed to development research and promotional activities.

On Monday last week (1 July), I received ‘An Emerald Insight Development Star’, awarded to me as a thank you for my help and expertise in developing the new Emerald Insight platform.  I was happy to be asked and see the ideas come to fruition. Receiving this Star award has made all the hard work worthwhile, made me feel valued and definitely put a smile on my face! Thanks @EmeraldLibrary!

2019’s RIBA winners

The announcement of RIBA award winners, culminating in the selection of the UK’s best new building, is a highlight each year, during valuable attention to the Stirling (ahem…) work being carried out in the Built Environment.

The Royal Institute of British Architects recently announced its 54 winners for 2019 which is well worth your time introducing or reacquainting yourself with some of the greatest architectural achievements in the sector over the past year.

A wavy green roofscape covering a whisky distillery in Scotland, the renovated Royal Opera House in London and a rural retreat in the Isle of Man are just a few of the awe-inspiring designs.

£4bn boost for Oxford

Financial services company, Legal & General, has joined forces with Oxford University to develop homes for university staff and students, together with science and innovation districts in and around the city.

The partnership is part of Legal & General’s Future Cities business and will see the firm provide up to £4bn over 10 years to support the ambitious plans. Oxford has been identified as one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities but, currently, lacks affordable residential and commercial space which is essential for the university to attract research graduates and support new businesses. It will be interesting to see if other universities form the focal point of such huge developments after this precedent.

For more from Lucy, take a look at the latest edition of Knowledge Foundations.