http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/News Latest News from Faculty of Law, Humanities, Development and Society 240 http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/86http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/86 <p> Two law students at Birmingham City University are today preparing to take on rivals from three other universities in a legal battle of words known as &lsquo;mooting.&rsquo;&nbsp; </p> <p> Birmingham City University students will take on the top mooting teams from the University of Cambridge, University of Reading and City University in the final of the Oxford University Press and BPP Law School National Mooting Competition 2007-2008 in London.<br /> Mooting is when a team of two students are given a case on any area of law; they either act for the defendant or for the prosecution / claimant, and they put forward their argument on legal issues or problems.&nbsp; Students stand up in a court style setting and present in front of a judge (usually a qualified solicitor or barrister) and ague their case. </p> <p> Graham Wright, Tutor and Director of Mooting at Birmingham City University, said: </p> <blockquote> <p> &ldquo;To the average person the term &lsquo;mooting&rsquo; won&rsquo;t mean a lot, but for law students it&rsquo;s an important part of the skills they need to develop for the court room when they qualify.&nbsp; </p> <p> &ldquo;Representing the University in the final will be third year law students Sarah Cooper and Nicola Weller.&nbsp; Later today, they will have to prove their mooting skills before a real judge in a mock courtroom, and the judge will decide whether our students or those from another University will win the competition. </p> <p> &ldquo;We have a good record at the University for mooting.&nbsp; This year our Mooting Society has beaten 10 other universities including Nottingham, Warwick and Buckingham, which is no mean feat.&nbsp; By our calculations these wins make us the most successful university for mooting.&rdquo;<br /> The criteria for winning are based on the way a team prepares and presents their legal argument.&nbsp; This involves skills such as maintaining god eye contact with the judge, answering the judge&rsquo;s questions and being persuasive and articulate. </p> </blockquote> <p> The practice of student mooting is highly regarded by solicitors&rsquo; firms and barristers&rsquo; chambers, as they often want candidates that can provide evidence of their advocacy or mooting experience while at university.&nbsp; </p> <blockquote> <p> Graham added: &ldquo;I think it would be valuable for every law student to gain some mooting experience.&nbsp; Particularly, as practice for job interviews or if they just need to polish-up their presentation skills.&rdquo; </p> </blockquote> <p> Birmingham City University law students had to beat a number of universities across the country and in Scotland to reach the final.&nbsp; The Oxford University Press and BPP Law Society National Mooting Competition will take place on Monday 30 June 2008 at 5.00pm.&nbsp; Birmingham City University will take on City University in the final draw. </p> Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/85http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/85 <p> <a href="http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/criminaljustice/davidwilson">Birmingham City University criminologist David Wilson</a> is going back to one of his former jobs - prison governor - in a groundbreaking reality television experiment. </p> <p> He&rsquo;ll appear alongside the former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who is hosting the new Channel Five programme. </p> <p> Entitled &lsquo;Banged Up With Blunkett&rsquo;, the show is set to be broadcast this summer. </p> <p> It focuses on ten persistent young offenders who volunteered to be locked up in a former jail in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, in an effort to mend their ways. </p> <p> The participants are all juvenile delinquents, many with drug or alcohol problems, who fear they could end up in jail for real.<br /> Professor Wilson is the &ldquo;governor&rdquo; of the prison, while Mr Blunkett chairs a &ldquo;parole board&rdquo; which meets every day to discuss whether any of the inmates should be released. </p> <p> The participants are also lectured daily by former criminals on the need to go straight.<br /> </p> <p> Prior to taking up an academic appointment in 1997, David Wilson was a prison governor and at 29 became the youngest governing governor in England.&nbsp; He worked at Grendon, Wormwood Scrubs and at Woodhill in Milton Keynes, where he designed and ran the two units for the 12 most violent prisoners in the country. </p> <p> He said of the show: &ldquo;It will make waves, I&rsquo;m sure.&rdquo;<br /> </p> <blockquote> <p> Mr Blunkett said: &quot;The prime task of any criminal justice system is to prevent people from committing to crime in the first place, then to avoid re-offending. </p> <p> &quot;Getting across a clear message, forewarning young people what prison is like and encouraging them to take an alternative path in life has to make sense.&quot; </p> </blockquote> Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/83http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/83 <p> <img src="http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/images/media/qatar-winners.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="182" />Six students from Birmingham City University will pack their bags this Easter and head to Qatar, in an effort to join the team constructing one of the country&rsquo;s most ambitious projects &ndash; The Pearl-Qatar. </p> <p> Sabban Property Investments (SPI), based in Dubai, last year asked students from Birmingham City University&rsquo;s Property, Construction and Planning department to submit their ideas on planning and working in the country. </p> <p> The Pearl-Qatar is a luxury residential island resort, is under construction on reclaimed land, off Doha. Sabban Property Investments is currently building Sabban Towers - the first carbon neutral project in the Middle East. </p> <p> Initial winners were selected from 49 entries and will fly out to Qatar over Easter to enjoy a 12 day work placement. At the end of the trip the two most outstanding students will be awarded a 12 month salaried work placement, with SPI. </p> <p> Jean Badman, head of school, believes collaborations between industry and education will have benefits for both students and employers. She explains: </p> <blockquote> <p> &ldquo;This is a brilliant opportunity for students to put theory into practice in an environment where they will experience construction from a truly international prospective. I&rsquo;m delighted to strengthen our links with an international company in this way.&rdquo; </p> </blockquote> <p> Birmingham-born entrepreneur John Browne, MBE, is managing director of SPI Ltd and is a graduate of Birmingham City University. His experience of construction in the Middle East spans from 1978 in Saudi Arabia through to today in Dubai and Qatar, currently working the prestigious Pearl-Qatar project in Doha, Qatar He hopes the work placements will provide his company access to some of the brightest emerging talent. He explains: </p> <blockquote> <p> &ldquo;As part of Sabban Property Investment&rsquo;s continuing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, we make every effort to focus on the education sector and nurturing talent through experience. Our involvement in local educational institutions has been significant to date and now we wish to expand and invite international students to witness and experience the increasingly successful development sector in the Middle East.&rdquo;<strong> </strong> </p> <p> &nbsp;&ldquo;CSR is a long-term strategy and about wise planning for the future,&rdquo; continues Browne. We are not only showing real interest in the students&rsquo; future but also, looking to the future growth of SPI and the industry as a whole.&rdquo; </p> </blockquote> <p> The following students will travel to Qatar at Easter: </p> <p> <strong>Rosanna Sterry</strong> &ndash; from Bristol, is a 2nd year planning and development student, who holds a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, was a Tall Ships crew member in 2004 and is a member of the Air Cadets shooting team. </p> <p> <strong>Benedict Gannon</strong> &ndash; from Kings Norton, Birmingham, is a second year real estate student, who also holds a degree in American studies and works as a youth group leader. </p> <p> <strong>Thomas Nicholls</strong> &ndash; from Selly Park, Birmingham, is a second year building surveying student, who is also an experienced timber machinist who enjoys snowboarding. </p> <p> <strong>Andreas Kounass</strong> &ndash; originally from Cyprus but now living in Perry Barr, Birmingham, is a second year quantity surveying student, who previously spent 13 months in the army, was president of his high school and enjoys playing football. </p> <p> <strong>Michaela Campbell Lynch</strong> - from Sutton Coldfield, is a second year architects technician student, who has a Duke of Edinburgh gold Award and runs a youth group. </p> <p> <strong>Imran Salam</strong> &ndash; from Birmingham, is a second year quantity surveying student, who is also a cricket player and qualified coach.&nbsp; </p> <p> <strong>Photo Left to right</strong>: Chris Conway, Andreas Kounass, Rosie Sterry, Michaela Campbell Lynch, Benedict Gannon, Tom Nichols, Tony Kelly </p> Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/82http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/82 <p> <img src="http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/images/media/mark-williams-thomas.jpg" alt="" />Child protection expert Mark Williams-Thomas has been awarded a Masters Degree in Criminology, by Birmingham City University, proving that academic qualifications can still improve your skills, even if you have years of real-life experience. </p> <p> The former Solihull resident regularly contributes expert comment on a variety of crime related subjects to the UK and world media and has been heavily involved in discussions and debates about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.&nbsp; He features repeatedly on GMTV and Sky and recently presented a hard hitting investigation on internet grooming for Tonight which was watched by 3.8 million. </p> <p> Mark combined his study with a full time job managing WT Associates - his own child protection and risk management company, and his TV commitments, travelling to Birmingham from his home in Surrey one day each week. He chose to study at Birmingham City University instead of somewhere closer to home because the course offered the opportunity to examine the entire criminal justice system. </p> <blockquote> <p> He explains, &ldquo;Even though I have 13 years police service behind me and a further four years as a child protection expert, I wanted to match my professional and practical experience with some theory in criminology. The course at Birmingham City University allowed me to develop an understanding of the British criminal justice system, as well as examine why people commit crimes. In addition, I was able to explore why people think crimes are committed.&rdquo; </p> </blockquote> <p> Combining work and study required a huge effort from Mark, especially as his course coincided with one of the biggest crime stories ever from a media perspective&ndash; the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. &ldquo;My area of expertise is major crime and offences against children and since May I have been back and forth from Pria de Luz commenting on the case for the media, while trying to study and run a very demanding my business. Fortunately I have a fantastic management team behind me so was able to juggle all of my commitments and still fit in my study. </p> <blockquote> <p> &ldquo;Lots of people who work full time think they couldn&rsquo;t possibly fit in study time too, but I&rsquo;d urge them to try. I know my degree will be of significant help to me in my professional career. &rdquo;<br /> </p> </blockquote> <p> Mark will receive his degree at Birmingham Symphony Hall on February 15. </p> Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/77http://www.lhds.bcu.ac.uk/news/77 <p> <strong> Dr Mark Addis, a Reader in Philosophy and Cultural Theory at the University of Central England in Birmingham, has been invited to join the Arts and Humanities Research Council Peer Review College.</strong> </p> <p> The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is responsible for funding research and postgraduate study, in the UK, in a wide range of <a href="http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/about/subject_coverage.asp">subjects</a>. These range from traditional humanities subjects such as history, modern languages, philosophy and English literature, to creative and performing arts. </p> <p> Dr Addis will join the AHRC Peer Review College which is composed of distinguished researchers who assess, comment and decide on applications for funding. As a member, Dr Addis will be required to review several funding applications each year and contribute to the development of arts and humanities research across the UK. </p> <p> Dr Addis, of UCE Birmingham's Faculty of Law, Humanities, Development and Society, is an authority on the work of Wittgenstein and recently published a book for Continuum on the subject titled Wittgenstein: a Guide for the Perplexed. His edited collection for Routledge, 'Wittgenstein and the Philosophy of Religion' is widely recommended on reading lists. He has also been honoured recently with the award of a Visiting Professorship in Philosophy at Aarhus University, Denmark. Mark is committed to the cause of teaching philosophy both in schools and universities. </p> <p> He was also recently made the first person ever elected to the Executive Committee of the British Philosophical Association from a non-philosophy department. The British Philosophical Association is the foremost organisation for professional philosophers in the UK and Dr Addis will serve on their Executive Committee until 2010. </p> Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT