Vera Trappmann

In this study by the Digital Decarb Design Group at Loughborough University and published in Energy Policy, we present econometric models that point out to a trajectory towards a "data doomsday." Drawing on available data, we show how the projected generation of renewable energy will not be sufficient to meet global demand for electricity from digital data growth in the coming years. Alarmingly, if society continues at current rates, by 2033 this electricity demand from data will outstrip total global electricity  production. This study alerts to a necessary shift from consumption-driven growth to sustainable practices that align digital advancements with ecological limits. https://lnkd.in/eQfp6tfy https://lnkd.in/eKA_-qQp

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“Opportunities for practical science are particularly important for less engaged students but only 26% of GCSE students are doing hands-on practical work at least fortnightly, down from 44% in 2016, and interest in science has declined - this is perhaps unsurprising given how much we know students like practical work.” Alarming new report by EngineeringUK; clearly not enough has been done in the past decade to overcome these barriers! And it begs this question how are we going to compete economically on the world stage with these worrying trends?

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The summary of this marvellous report includes some very important pointers to government! If change is wanted, it is time to listen to social scientists!! Heather Smith Claire Hoolohan Alison Browne - can we do the same thing for water??!!!

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The transformational change required to embed the Sustainable Development Goals into our solutions thinking has rarely been more pressing. We are facing a triple planetary crisis - climate change, declining biodiversity, and increasing pollution. Along with degradation of land, this requires all actors to work together - technology, science, innovation, business, new financial models, using local and shared knowledge and developing innovative policies. Universities have a significant role to play in enabling a new way of thinking for a sustainable future and I am delighted to lead this group as we work together to make progress on these challenging problems.

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Worth reading to get a sense of engagement with the Green Paper and some nice graphics - but limited additional insight tbh? Industrial strategy depends on the right targeting for government support, skills development, regulatory reforms, and coordinated (regional?) efforts to align/manage public and private sector collaboration ..... etc.

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It's encouraging that the AQA exam board is flagging up the contributions that different disciplines can make towards #ClimateEducation and #GreenSkills. They've also taken some tentative steps towards a more #multidisciplinary or #interdisciplinary approach, e.g., with their 'Unit Award Scheme', which provides certificates for individual units of learning with titles like 'A sensory exploration of looking after our environment'. (I would love to see what this entails, as it seems quite aligned with what we do in #EncounteringEcosystems here at LIS, but unfortunately the site doesn't provide any examples of the content). What still seems to be missing is an explicit consideration of the #interconnection between #ClimateChange, other environmental issues such as #BiodiversityLoss and #LandDegradation, and related economic, social, and cultural issues - in short, a #SystemsThinking approach. This is the final week for contributions to the UK Government's curriculum and assessment consultation - let's send a clear message that our schools need #mindshifts, not just better signposting to existing content!

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Please do read this excellent research on the work of advancing social enterprises. And stay tuned for the launch of our statewide network in support of social entrepreneurs- Jersey Changemakers. #SocialEntrepreneurs #JerseyChangemakers

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This excellent report authored by Cal Innes reveals attitudes to digital sustainability across UK further and higher education. A must read highlighting trends, challenges and sector wide insights for those leading on securing sustainability targets. #sustainabledevelopmentgoals #digitalsustainability #furthereducation #highereducation https://lnkd.in/e4TNzpC7

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My 2nd Storyboarding post from the #ScalingTheEdge Programme funded by UK Research and Innovation and Innovate UK! The purpose of which is to #reflect on (learn from) the process of being involved in a well-resourced #Government scheme like this. Which is unusual because it isn’t just about pitching (which comes at the end of in this process) or sharing our ideas (which are commercially sensitive). It’s about testing and exploring the market need for our product or service first! Hence, my first noticing is that unlike so many other #SmallBusinessDevelopment things I’ve been to previously, this one DOES not involve peers! In fact it actually involves your team working online over 2 days with a series of expert coaches (who you do the deep thinking work with)! (lesson 1: Be strategic about where you invest your valuable time) In addition this week, I attended some excellent #LinkedInTraining with their approved Marketing firm @BrilliantRedDigital on how to search for specific contacts that might be able to help me explore the need for our latest idea and I realised a few things (lesson 2: challenging my assumptions as I thought I already knew how to do this! - I didn’t!) On #practicing afterwards (because that's the only way we learn) I noticed that the people/companies that I'm looking for aren't actually there in my existing contacts (lesson 3: I'm beginning to notice the difference between my longstanding professional contacts and new business contacts - which requires research and oodles of time!) This means that I need to take the time to #evaluate what I know/ need to know (by reviewing and revising my networks), organise how I spend my time differently (by investing in new processes/technologies) to help me manage the work that’s involved in exploring how these new markets work and what people in them might need (lesson 4: be open to learning again and working hard!). #MarketExploration #LinkedIn

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The latest #ScienceEducationTracker from EngineeringUK, The Royal Society and Wellcome Trust’s great work aligns with what we’re seeing at Tech She Can 👏 Our recent research with Templeton and Partners - Tech Recruitment looked at similar attitudes to, and experience of, #STEMeducation and #careers, but with a focus on *primary* age. It shows what primary teachers urgently need: https://lnkd.in/e85J_pSZ 👀 Our report: https://hubs.li/Q02j0Glj0 👉 75% of primary teachers believe that careers education is important in primary schools, but only half have access to quality and *inclusive* careers education and only 15% feel the available experiences are sufficient, leaving many without *diverse* career insights 👉 c70% of primary school teachers believe that gender stereotypes around STEM start *before* the age of 11; 1 in 5 teachers are confident that stereotyping starts at *pre-school* age  👉 Although girls are reported by their teachers to enjoy STEM subjects more than boys, girls are almost 70% less likely to aspire to a STEM career 👉 c60% of teachers believe a trained volunteer - such as a #TechWeCan Champion, a real-life, relatable industry role model - visiting a school to deliver lessons would be most effective to inspire children. At #TechSheCan our experiences and learning resources start young - from age 5 to +16yrs - because we know STEM gender stereotypes set in early. They're designed by teachers, for teachers. They're inclusive, girl-friendly. For all. The Tracker calls for:  📢 ’'Government... to ensure the teaching of science, maths and computer science is more engaging for all students and builds confidence in the subjects, particularly for girls…’’; 📢 ‘’Extra-curricular activities boost young people’s interest in continuing their STEM education. Half of students who visited a business said they were inspired to continue with STEM subjects and 45% of those who had a talk at school from someone working in STEM said the same...’; 📢 ''[industry]... also needs to step-up and help young people see the range of opportunities for them...'' We have the solutions. We bring roles to life, making tech roles real and current. We connect childrens' passions to STEM and show that science & tech is inherently creative. And we’re doing it *with* industry (+250 members across +40 sectors): literally #openingdoors, taking children into our partners’ workplaces for immersive Career Insights. Many of the schools we work with would not otherwise have #access to these experiences. We see the realities of the education sector on the ground, and the '#AspirationGap’ in classrooms across the UK, every day. https://lnkd.in/eQejXD4X With Sheridan Ash MBE, Robyn Howard, Becky Patel, Millie Stacey #GenderEquality #WiT #STEMEducation #socialmobility

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Opportunity for fully funded doctoral study – EOI deadline 30th September 2024 Study with us here at the Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities on the Midlands4Cities Open Doctoral Award which opens for applications in October: https://lnkd.in/evqEMiKS I am particular keen to hear about projects on photography history and cultural memory, as well as the history of practice research in the academy. You can find more supervisors here: https://lnkd.in/ekf-c-b2 All expressions of interest should be addressed to [email protected], with the subject line ‘CAMC EoI’. In your email, please include: 1) A summary of your academic background and CV; 2) A summary of your research interests and proposed PhD project, including:  - Your research questions and a brief explanation of their importance and significance;  - A brief summary of the relevant literature that has informed your proposed project; - The methodology you might use, and why. - An indication of potential supervisor(s). A list of academic specialists in the Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities can be found here. Deadline for Expressions of Interest: Monday 30th September 2024 Deadline for Submission of Applications: [TBC] January 2025

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The Case for a UK Centre for Soft Power Research The UK's global influence increasingly depends on its capacity to shape preferences and attract allies through soft power, yet we lack a dedicated research centre to study how we can effectively deploy our cultural, diplomatic and institutional assets. I explore this challenge in my latest piece for ICR Research, making the case for establishing a UK Centre for Soft Power Research. Unlike economic policy, where institutions like the Institute for Fiscal Studies provide rigorous independent analysis, our approach to soft power research remains fragmented across universities, think tanks and government departments. This fragmentation means we're missing opportunities to leverage our considerable soft power resources—from education and creative industries to scientific research and democratic institutions. I propose a practical two-stage approach, beginning with an FCDO development grant scheme to build momentum for a major Research Council bid. The resulting centre would follow a hub and spoke model, bringing together existing expertise while fostering new academic leadership in this emerging field. You can read the full analysis on the ICR Research website, where I outline how this modest investment could help maintain British influence in a changing world. https://lnkd.in/eEYUE2Hm #softpower #research #policy

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Can the published Ofqual EPA data support comparability & standardisation? I have been having a nosy around the Ofqual data https://lnkd.in/e-32pWwE The report says "During 2023 to 2024, 159,875 EPAs were started across 456 apprenticeship standards and 144,895 EPAs were completed (90.6%) across 451 apprenticeship standards. 129,955 EPAs were completed on the first attempt (without failing and subsequently resitting or retaking any components) across 449 apprenticeship standards in 2023 to 2024." Seeing this, I got excited about being able to view starts, completions & grade profiles across standards &/or EpAOs, but sadly I can't see the data in the data sets. I am struggling to find information that will support standardisation & the maintenance of the comparability of standards within & across end-point assessments over time, but I will happily be proven wrong by anyone else that is digging into the data sets. ⭐ You can view the number of completers per standard, but you can't see starts on EPA. ⭐ You can see grade profiles, but only for 61 apprenticeship standards. Grading scales have not been shown unless there are at least 3 EpAOs & at least 250 EPAs completed, so that rules out a lot of standards (on the ESFA data set https://lnkd.in/e2byhKHb, there are over 300 standards with just 1 or 2 EpAOs) ⭐ You can see the number of components undertaken, but not the results per component or whether they were first time pass/merit/distinction. For example, Business Administrator: ➡️ Starts on EPA 2023/24: unknown ➡️ Completers on EPA 2023/24: 8,430 ➡️ Completers per EpAO: provided on table 5 ➡️ Grade profile: 61% pass & 39% distinction ➡️ Grade profile per EpAO: unknown ➡️ Components undertaken 2023/24: 26,880 ➡️ Grades per component: unknown. However, you can use your powers of deduction - in business admin, you can only gain a distinction by gaining a distinction in all 3 components ➡️ Pass first time or resits: unknown* For example, children, young people and families manager: ➡️ starts on EPA 2023/24: unknown ➡️ completers on EPA 2023/24: 350. ➡️ Completers per EpAO: provided on table 5 ➡️ Grade profile: 54% pass & 46% distinction ➡️ Grades profile per EpAO: unknown ➡️ Components undertaken 2023/24: 1,210 ➡️ Grades per component: unknown ➡️ Pass first time or resits: unknown* * Ofqual report - "As opportunities to resit or retake failed components are generally available to apprentices taking EPAs, “fail” grades are not routinely reported for overall EPAs. Therefore, this report also presents data on the proportion of apprentices completing EPAs who have passed each component (and therefore the overall EPA) at the first attempt, compared to those who have needed to resit or retake any component at least once" #epa #endpointassessment #epao #ofqual

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Such a good project to learn from... Effective collaboration deploying useful, pioneering and time effective methods to evaluate retrofit quality ten years on

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#2024SocialValueConference Transformation requires change. From Market Purchasing to System Stewardship. From Procurement to Partnership. From Competition to Collaboration. Additional Social Value V Inherent Social Value. We think it's time for the UK public sector to separate the competitive processes used for market purchasing from the system stewardship and collaborative commissioning needed to transform the delivery of public services, especially complex human services. And we're not talking small numbers. £123 Billion – Total Local Authority Spend Including adult social care, children’s social care and housing services, local authorities’ total net current service expenditure was £123.4 billion in 2023-24. + £1.5 Billion Increase in adult social care in 2023-24 by English local authorities 75% of Local Government expenditure is now spent on Social Care Looking forward to our VCSE panel discussion at 2pm tomorrow, Wednesday, October 16th, 2024 at the National Social Value Conference. Please join Mark Simms OBE, P3 Charity; @Laura McGann, Family Action; Julian Blake, Stone King; Ben Carpenter, CEO Social Value International and myself for this important discussion, with concluding remarks provided by Claire Dove CBE DL VCSE Panel Recommendations - Our Open Letter to the LGA is available here: https://lnkd.in/eV_tuxRj If you would like to add your support to the letter you can do so at the Google link below https://lnkd.in/edb5A6KV #SocialValue #Procurement #Commissioning #SocialServices #PublicSectorTransformation

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Are you a UK Research and Innovation #FutureLeadersFellow or a research fellow with any other research council in the UK/Europe? Are you interested in #climateaction? Have you felt that this is a #wickedproblem that requires a multidimensional, systems-thinking, inclusive and reflexive #sensemaking approach? Do you take epistemological bias (bias related to one's positionality/frame of appraising the world) seriously and seek to achieve a more inclusive and diversified analysis of climate issues? Then this event is for you! My brilliant colleague Dr Maru Mormina and I recently received some seed funding from the Future Leaders Fellows Development Network to test a new approach to collective deliberation around wicked problems. We teamed up with another FLF, the brilliant Graeme MacGilchrist, to pilot our approach with the Climate Connections Community of Practice that he currently coordinates. If you have missed it, there are still seats to register! The workshop will take place Nov 29 at the lovely BMA House in London. Come along for a reflective, participant-led session that will challenge you to ‘think together’ and ‘think differently’ about the interrelationships, tensions, overlaps and synergies between mitigation and adaptation strategies within the broader landscape of sustainable development. Employing systems thinking and Socratic dialectics we aim to unleash the power of collective intelligence by fostering reflection, collaboration and innovation, recognising that the big picture emerges, and system change happens, when we start seeing the world through the eyes of another (kudos to Dr Maru Mormina for this sentence!). Register now: https://lnkd.in/eyke5VnQ Note: **If you are not part of the FLF Development Network, email me at [email protected] to share the event details and register you for the event. #FLF #DevelopmentNetwork #fellowled #creativeflexiblegrant #pilot #participantled #climateaction #connections #critical #dialogical #epistemologicalreflexivity #multidisciplinary #systemsthinking #wickedproblems

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