BU shortlisted for two Times Higher Education (THE) 2021 awards
Bournemouth University (BU) has been shortlisted in two categories at the 17th annual THE Awards. The awards, which take place on 25 November 2021, celebrate university leadership and management, administration, and academia.
The Suicide Reporting Toolkit, a collaborative project between BU and the University of Strathclyde and co-created by BU’s Dr Ann Luce, was nominated for the Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences category.
BU was also shortlisted for the THE DataPoints Merit Award, which uses data from THE rankings to reveal something new about university performance. This year’s award focuses on universities leading the way in energy efficiency and sustainability, environmental education and net-zero carbon commitments – subjects at the heart of life at BU and our Climate & Ecological Crisis Action Plan.
THE editor John Gill said: "This is the 17th year that the THE Awards will recognise the best of the best in UK higher education, across 20 categories covering all aspects of university activity. But this year’s awards will reflect a period of turmoil and innovation necessitated by the pandemic, making it quite unlike any previous year."
The Suicide Reporting Toolkit enables journalists – and journalism students – to make ethical decisions about their storytelling whilst under pressure from various news processes. It embeds global media reporting guidelines on suicide within journalism practice and functions within the storytelling process so journalists can question their choices as they produce content.
The toolkit has been supported by IPSO, The Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, The Ethical Journalism Network and the Public Media Alliance. It has also been endorsed by the American Association of Suicidology, has been used by thousands of journalists worldwide and was shortlisted for a Herald Higher Education Award earlier this year.
Dr Ann Luce, Associate Professor in Journalism and Communication, said: "I am absolutely thrilled and honoured that The Suicide Reporting Toolkit has been shortlisted for the Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences category.
"Responsible media reporting of suicide can changes lives for the better. It can tackle stigma, point to helplines and support and can give those with lived experience a voice."
THE DataPoints Merit Award’s focus on sustainability was influenced by COP26, the UN Climate Change summit, taking place in Glasgow this autumn. THE’s data scientists investigated the world rankings data to tell us something that rankings do not themselves capture. Lois Betts, Bournemouth University Sustainability Manager, said: "We're delighted to be shortlisted as it shows we are leading the way on practices such as energy efficiency and sustainability, environmental education and net-zero carbon commitments."
John continued: "We look forward to celebrating the incredible response of university staff in exceptionally tough circumstances when we gather for the Oscars of higher education in November."
