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The Department decamped to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History for the first Away Day on 27 June 2017.

The Away Day was a celebration of the wealth of excellence we have in the Department and the passion and commitment to research and education that is shared across our community. The programme showcased the breadth of activity across the Department and featured cross-departmental and interdisciplinary partnerships supporting our research. The away day provided an opportunity to network and to spark new opportunities for partnerships.

The day comprised short science talks in layman's terms, a public engagement film, updates on key, Departmental activities as well as the chance to socialise and network during the coffee and lunch breaks. All this was set against the wonderful backdrop of the museum's collection, and on the very site where anatomy teaching at Oxford began!

View the programme for the day here

Away Day 1.jpg

Staff enjoying their lunch break in the museum gallery.

The day had two, main aims:

1.  To build a sense of community

  • provide the opportunity to network among our large staff body, opportunity to set up new collaborative partnerships
  • build a culture of collegiality and foster a sense of common purpose
  • promote inclusive values

 2.     To communicate Department successes and expertise

  • celebrate our achievements over the year in research and teaching
  • recognise and promote our outreach activity
  • provide a platform to highlight work of younger scientists, academic and support staff

The whole Department was invited to attend the day which was held during core hours (9.00am-3.30pm) with lunch provided.

Away Day 2.jpg

Staff networking over coffee and pastries before the day kicks off and the Away Day's title slide.

Away Day 3.jpg

A demonstration from 'Pint of Science' by Simon Butt, the Physiology & Anatomy class of 1833-4, current staff and a resident of the museum.

The day was very well received and a survey, which was circulated following the Away Day, revealed that the vast majority of staff found the day helpful (96% of survey respondents) and relevant (92% of survey respondents) and agreed that it had helped them to feel part of the Departmental community (93% of survey respondents).

Other positive feedback that was received related to staff reporting that they now had a better understanding of the Department (over 90% of survey respondents) and that the day had provided them with the opportunity to network (over 79% of survey respondents).

The hope is that the Away day will be an annual event which continues to bring staff together and highlight the wealth of talent which we have in the Department from all groups.