Your Gifts Supporting Change

Following the success of the Founding Supporter campaign which ran throughout the 2016/17 academic year, the University of Suffolk raised over £80,000 in philanthropic gifts and, in October 2017, were able to launch the second disbursement process.  The University opened applications for projects to support staff and students, with applications received totalling over £300,000 in requests.

The University was able to support 18 projects, 10 more than it was able to help in the first disbursement round in November 2016. The judging panel are delighted to have supported a broad range of areas and initiatives that all offer potential to make a big impact on student experience, academic research and sustainability.

3D printed textiles

Combining textile and 3D printed elements to create couture fashion items. This project will be based at the University of Suffolk at East Coast College (Lowestoft). 

Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training (PROMPT) equipment

Used to demonstrate normal and complicated births such as breech or shoulder dystocia

Supported Student Placement Scheme

Providing work experience to University of Suffolk students who are currently experiencing limited opportunities

PROMPT Train the Trainer 

Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training is a training package for health professionals to develop knowledge, clinical skills and team working in obstetric emergencies

3D Printing Recycling and Sustainability Initiative

The purchase of four machines required to process raw recyclable plastic into plastic ready to be used again for 3D printing 

Suffolk Frontrunners

3 internships will be offered to University of Suffolk students to enhance their skills and employability. Experience will be offered in various departments.

SU Societies (Membership Accelerator)

To encourage innovation and inspire students to join a new society

Student Boost (Placement Survival Bags)

Providing helpful items to increase the happiness and wellbeing of our students during their placements

Accommodation Reps

To promote Student Union events and services in their accommodation and enhance student experience and wellbeing.

Film Society

Improve knowledge of running a successful society and the organisation of bigger and better events

Neurofeedback for supporting students with learning difficulties

To trial out and research the effects of two types of neurofeedback in groups of students already diagnosed with dyslexia aiming to support their learning, concentration, attention and overall wellness.

Growing, Progressing, and Raising the Bar: the University of Suffolk as the Regional Regenerative Medicine Spotlight

Subsidise research, community engagement and to continue to boost female participation in this subject area

Research Blog – Facilitating Reflective and Passionate Encounters with Research

Encourages debate, the sharing of knowledge and good practice, and highlighting the latest research at University of Suffolk

Supporting our Future Entrepreneurs & Innovators

Ipswich Waterfront Innovation Centre (IWIC) membership for two entrepreneurial students or recent graduates.  A springboard to develop and operate their business on a part-time basis with professional support. 

Suffolk Bike Pump

Encouraging a sustainable mode of transport

Work experience bursary scheme

To financially support students undertaking work experience

Renovation of area outside Arts Building

Provide an area to promote wellbeing for students and staff

Sponsorship of student athletes

Supporting excellence in sport Students' Union Sports Scholars 

The 2019/20 disbursement round for the Foundation Board Annual Fund received a total of 34 applications, amounting to £106,233.02 in requests.   Just over £20,000 has been disbursed following the final decisions made by the Foundation Board panel.  13 projects have received awards from the Foundation Board Annual Fund this year:

Work Experience Bursary

The Work Experience Bursary is designed to enable students to access work experience opportunities that they may not otherwise have been able to access due to financial constraints

Gals that Game

The Suffolk Centre for Female Entrepreneurship will be hosting the second ‘Gals that Game’ event in April 2020.  The event will be an all-female games jam offering a friendly and supportive environment for those interested in exploring the field of game development.

Usability Testing – Let’s get user friendly

The Found Board will be funding essential equipment for this research project looking at assessing the impact digital technology use on the quality of life for vulnerable people within a health and social care setting

Tech for Social Good

A one day ‘Hackathon’ for students and alumni aiming to understand from the student/graduate perspective how technology can help improve their mental health.

University of Suffolk Women’s Netball Team

Provision of a match day kit for the University of Suffolk Women’s Netball Team

Sports Scholarships

Supporting students currently competing at a national or international level in their chosen sport

LGBTQ+ society

The design and development of an LGBTQ+ Banner and flag to promote the society across the university and to be used to celebrate Suffolk Pride

Animal Assisted Therapy sessions

Enabling more than 100 students to relieve their exam stress and keep motivated by spending time with a therapy pet

Student Wellbeing Ambassadors

A collaboration between the Student’s Union, student Services and SISER to deliver a co-produced research project assessing student perceptions of well-being, mental health and support services in higher education.  Students will be trained by Student Minds to deliver advice and support to students across the university.

University of Suffolk Men’s Football Team

Provision of new playing tops for the Men’s Football Team to represent the University across the country.

Games Society

To support the society to expand further with the development of a banner

RAG Society

Raising and Giving (RAG) is a nationwide student initiative which enables students to coordinate and host fundraising events.

Random Acts of Kindness

Helping students to manage and reduce exam stress by offering a series of ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ at specific points throughout the year.

A further £15,000, due to a generous anonymous donation, has been disbursed specifically to Learning and Teaching based projects:

Growing Resilience: an Interventions Toolkit (GRIT) – Maureen Haaker and Dr Wendy Lecluyse
GRIT will be a toolbox for staff and students based on a three-pronged approach targeting the teaching environment, the online environment and within the personal tutor system. The project will deliver a curriculum guide with activities, a resource area in the OLE Brightspace and enhanced guidance for structured personal tutorials.

Persuasion: a tool for facilitating classroom discussion – Dr Will Thomas

This project will develop a classroom game which facilitates engagement and discussion on topics relating to persuasion, power, motivation and influence. This tool will help to encourage productive debate of abstract and complex topics, supporting students in developing skills, confidence their academic voice.

Extenuating / mitigating circumstance: student progression and student experience, lessons learned – Dr Cristian Dogaru and Graham Thirkettle

This project will focus on the extenuating circumstances processes at the University and explore data to give insight into the impact they have on student progression, and academic success. This will support the development of timely interventions, reducing gaps in success and progression as identified in our Access and Participation Plan.

Each of these projects has scope for impact at individual, course, school and whole-University level, and further our work and expertise in successful widening participation. These projects will be showcased at our summer Learning and Teaching Conference.

Press Release

11 successful projects were funded by the University of Suffolk Annual Fund 21/22

LGBTQ+ Voices

An Anthology of student life from the University of Suffolk. A student engagement project that aims to celebrate diversity, equality and inclusion by sharing student stories, knowledge and perspectives in creative ways.  The final outcome will be a set of short anthologies produced in coloured booklet form which together from a rainbow boxset.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Sports Students Research Mentoring Programme

A programme aimed at improving the University of Suffolk student experience, facilitating research outputs, development of networks of experts and enhancing student employability.  

Enhancing the Psychological Well-Being of University of Suffolk students and Staff through Slow Breathing

A study to educate University of Suffolk students and staff to accurately use daily Slow Breathing techniques over a 12-week period via smart phone application.

Crafts For Wellbeing

Making sure that our students are physically and mentally for to study is at the heart of the Student's Union.  With an increase in the demand for advice services, wellness support and wellbeing events, the SU will be offering 3 wellbeing events which aim to engage or students in crafts, helping them to relax by creating something beautiful.

Health and Wellbeing Support Packages

Providing students with a wellbeing support package to highlight the importance of good mental health.

Random Coffee Hour

Offering a series of 'coffee hours' randomly split out throughout 'crunch' points of the academic year.  This project aims to improve the wellbeing of our students during key revision/exam periods or in the lead up to dissertation submission dates.

Language Courses

Providing the opportunity for our students to attend Spanish classes and British Sign Language course through the Student's Union.  Building on the success of a previous BSL course this will provide students with the opportunity to build on their existing skills and learn new ones, making them more employable and contributing to their personal and professional development.

LGBTQ+ History Month Student-Led Events

The LGBTQ+ Staff Network and the LGBTQ+ Student Society will be holding a range of events to celebrate and remember LGBTQ+ History month, with the aim of making it a University tradition to celebrate the diverse community at the University of Suffolk.  An artistic workshop, free to attend by all students, staff and alumni, will take place to create a ceramic tile wall art piece that will be displayed proudly at the University of Suffolk.

LGBTQ+ History Month- Lanyards

The LGBTQ+ Staff Network and the LGBTQ+ Student Society have been provided with the funds to produce LGBTQ+ lanyards in support of the events they have planned

Suffolk+ Awards

The Suffolk+ Awards is a new employability initiative which recognises and rewards the volunteering hours that our students complete at their SU.  the scheme is open to all volunteers such as part-time officers, society and sports committees, course and accommodation reps.

Environmental Sensing of Things

Supporting the development of a prototype Internet of Things (IoT) environmental sensing in the School of Engineering, Arts, Sciences and Technology(EAST) by providing hardware required.