A Coventry University historian will lift the lid on the real stories behind mythical creatures including werewolves and demons on a new @NatGeo documentary. Dr Darren R. Reid has added his expert voice to Monsters: The Truth Behind the Myths which unpacks the origins of some of the most terrifying legends told for centuries. The next episode – being shown this weekend – will see Dr Reid help tell the real-life stories of people who claimed to be werewolves or were executed after being accused of turning into the creature. Dr Reid, an Assistant Professor and Course Director of History, will also feature in further episodes exploring demons and Frankenstein's monster. Dr Reid said: "Werewolves and demons speak to some of our darkest fears and desires – the worry that just next door, just across the water or hidden in the woods there is a force we cannot understand. "Understanding why we tell stories about monsters tells us so much about ourselves – our hopes, dreams and, of course, fears." Read full article here: pulse.ly/ollcpgji64

@covcampus is leading an international project battling food poverty and social issues all around the kitchen table. The ROOTED project will enhance the work and development of landed community kitchens (LCK) which are shared cooking and eating spaces directly linked to and supplied by local agroecological farmers and producers, meaning they are “rooted” within their community. They also look to improve the wellbeing and opportunities of their communities rather than just providing much-needed food to those who need it most. This includes offering access to education and training, social support and helping farmers, producers and the kitchens themselves to work closely for their mutual benefit. The research will look at the current network of LCKs across Europe and understand what makes each one work best and share that knowledge to help those that already exist, hone the creation of new LCKs and inform policy makers on how best to support them. Visit pulse.ly/e9xy3tyizk to read more about the ROOTED project. @coventrycc @EU_Commission

A Coventry University student is making waves in the design world after being named Superyacht UK Young Designer of the Year 2026! Oliver Weaver, a third-year Automotive and Transport Design student, was crowned winner of the competition at the recent @SotonBoatShow for his vision of a new explorer yacht with an unconventional layout. He is not the first Coventry University student to achieve success in superyacht design. In 2024, graduate Amel Khsouma was named winner in the Master’s category at the Superyacht UK Young Designer Competition while Finn Lortan was named @boatint’s Young Designer of the Year earlier this year. The latest competition tasked participants to design a 50-metre explorer-style yacht for touring the Norwegian Fjords and capable of travelling anywhere in the world. It also needed to produce no carbon dioxide while within the fjords and incorporate a range of features including a beach club (a water leisure area), cabins and storage for tenders and toys (such as jet skis). Visit pulse.ly/pu9oijgzv4 to learn more. @CovUniAS

Researchers have successfully recreated a long-theorised form of turbulence found deep inside planets and stars, providing new insights into how these distant worlds and our own planet generate heat, movement and magnetic fields. An international team of scientists including Susanne Horn at , demonstrated, for the first time in a desktop-sized laboratory experiment, a special type of turbulent fluid motion known as diffusivity-free turbulence. The findings validate decades of theoretical predictions and could help researchers better understand the hidden processes taking place inside Earth, Jupiter, the Sun and other celestial bodies. Visit pulse.ly/wjhcujtkb4 to hear from Professor Susanne Horn about this breakthrough. @PPPLab @CovUniResearch

"People should not have to become technical experts to receive basic protection." After the president of Microsoft reportedly said AI is less regulated than milk, in our latest opinion piece, Professor Elena Gaura, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and AI Lead at Coventry University Group, explains what food regulation can tell us about how to make AI safer: When we buy a pint of milk, we do not inspect the dairy ourselves. We rely on a system of hygiene requirements, inspections and responsibilities that extends from production to sale. That system cannot eliminate every risk, but it makes safety an obligation rather than a promise. What should we expect when artificial intelligence influences decisions about our education, employment or access to services? The comparison needs careful treatment. #AI is already subject to laws, including data protection and equality requirements, and to rules in regulated sectors. Milk and AI present different problems, yet the everyday expectation behind food regulation is relevant: People should not have to become technical experts to receive basic protection. Visit pulse.ly/v6dhyko46q to continue reading Professor Elena Gaura's #OpinionPiece about: ◾ Why responsible AI requires regulation and organisational competence ◾ The importance of putting responsible AI into practice ◾ Establishing clear accountability across the AI supply chain ◾ Human oversight and building the right skills @CovUniResearch

Two of our projects that stretch across a number of countries have been recognised for their global impact and presence! Shakespeare Remote and Frugal Artist-in-Residence (FAiR) have both been shortlisted in the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2026, which received more than 2,200 submissions from around the world. FAiR is shortlisted for the Sustainability Education Action award, while Shakespeare Remote is among the runners in the Learning Design Excellence category. Shaun Hides, Academic Dean of the College of the Arts and Society at Coventry University, said: "Although the two projects are very different, both demonstrate how creative practice can provide a testing ground for new approaches to education, collaboration and engagement. "While one has grown through interdisciplinary research and community co-creation and the other through international performer training, both reflect a wider culture of experimentation." Read more here: pulse.ly/tklw4by6bi

Students at Coventry University are drawing attention to modern slavery and human trafficking by bringing an internationally recognised art project to the city. Working with the , students from courses across the university’s College of the Arts and Society created a thought-provoking artwork on the steps of @CovCathedral, pouring red sand into cracks between the paving stones. The artwork is part of the Red Sand Project, which has seen similar events around the world, each drawing attention to modern slavery and human trafficking. To further highlight the issue, Journalism and Media and Communications students created a video of an interview with @coventrycc's Modern Slavery Lead screened in the Chapter House of the Cathedral. The event took place on Friday (16th October), ahead of #NationalAntiSlaveryDay on 18th October, a national awareness event urging governments and organisations to combat modern slavery. Visit pulse.ly/4h7cbifkly to learn more. #NationalAntiSlaveryWeek

Coventry University is continuing to expand its global reach with a commitment to explore offering qualifications that can open up new opportunities and support students’ future ambitions in Sri Lanka. A long-standing partnership between Coventry University and the @nibmofficial already sees 3,233 students currently studying for Coventry University qualifications in Sri Lanka. The partners have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a view to see eight new courses delivered at a new site, the southern Innovation Centre of NIBM - which is to set begin operations in December. The partnership between Coventry University and NIBM already allows learners on some NIBM and Coventry University courses to finish their studies in Sri Lanka or transfer to finish them at Coventry University’s city centre campus or at @covunilondon . Last month a delegation from NIBM visited Coventry University to sign an MOU agreement signalling the intention to explore further areas of collaboration between the two organisations. Visit pulse.ly/6rifinawgg to learn more about Coventry University's relationship with NIBM from Professor Ian Dunn.

We’re supporting a new collaborative project to help manufacturers better understand how energy and resources are consumed across their operations and where improvements can be made. The @innovateuk-funded EMPOWER project will combine production, energy, resource and operational data to give manufacturers a clearer picture of where inefficiencies occur and what level of digital monitoring is appropriate for their business. Led by @bloc_digital, the consortium includes @PressacComm, @AlucastLTD, @WallworkHT , @dmc_newsroom, the @MAAaero and Coventry University’s @ame_uk. AME – which is part of the university’s Research Centre for Manufacturing and Materials - will lead work on manufacturing methodology, applied testbed activity and industrial evaluation. The team will develop a digital value-stream approach that compares planned performance with evidence from real manufacturing operations, including cost, quality, delivery, energy and resource use. AME’s applied manufacturing environment will also be used to validate the approach before trials with industrial partners, exploring how accessible sensing, structured data capture and contextualised dashboards can support better operational decisions. By linking consumption directly to manufacturing activity, EMPOWER aims to help companies understand not just how much energy and resource they use, but why they use it, where losses occur and which improvements are worth pursuing. Visit shorturl.at/bR5fC to read more. @CovUniResearch #CovResearch

This month, we’re officially launching the Coventry Centre for Doctoral Training (CTD) in #AI and invite colleagues, industry partners, researchers, alumni, students and anyone interested in the future of AI to join us! The launch event on 20 October is free and will showcase what the CDT in AI is all about, including how we are bringing together doctoral researchers, academics and industry to develop AI expertise and tackle real-world challenges. Come along to: ■ Find out more about the CDT in AI and our vision ■ Hear about how AI is already helping to address real-world challenges ■ Meet doctoral researchers, academics and partners ■ Discover opportunities to work with and engage with the CDT in AI ■ Explore how CDT can support businesses and organisations in addressing current and emerging challenges through AI For more details and how to book your place, visit pulse.ly/fkm3lo4xui @covcampus #WorldAIWeek #AIWeek #WSAI26

We’re using AI to help identify students who may benefit from additional support earlier in their studies. Our Early Student Support project analyses attendance records and activity on Aula - our online learning platform - to help staff spot potential issues sooner and start supportive conversations before challenges become bigger problems. Led by Professor James Brusey from , the project builds on ongoing successful work to enhance student progression and has been evaluated using more than 9,000 student records across the first two teaching blocks of the 2025-26 academic year. Additional historical datasets are also being reviewed as the project develops. If successful, we hope the AI tool it is developing could further improve how support is targeted and delivered, ensuring students receive help at the right time while allowing staff to focus their efforts where they can have the greatest impact. The project is being delivered through our AI Adoption Lab, which explores how AI can be used to solve real-world challenges and improve services across the university. Visit pulse.ly/hy3qmlom8g to read more. @CovUniResearch #CovResearch

Coventry University is playing a vital role in the 10th edition of British Art Show (BAS10) as the major cultural event comes to the city. The university’s Delia Derbyshire Building is hosting an array of work from leading artists, including 2024 Turner Prize winner Jasleen Kaur, who is exhibiting a new artwork specially commissioned for BAS10. Supported by Art Fund, 'Peace and' (2026) draws on the city’s status as a place of 'Peace and Reconciliation' following the 1940 Blitz attacks. Leaving the title deliberately unfinished, Kaur uses RMD scaffolding, courtroom benches, a postcard and a gold necklace to explore how we can live and transform within histories of destruction and renewal. Other artists showing work in the Delia Derbyshire Building include Precious Okoyomon, Liz Johnson Artur, Hannah Perry, Ufuoma Essi, Melanie Manchot and Joy Gerrard, while Julianknxx, a graduate of at Coventry University, will be exhibiting work at the . Craig Ashley, Deputy Head of School in the university’s School of Arts and Creative Industries, said: “All of the Coventry venues for the show are fantastic but what makes Delia Derbyshire special is that it is a live working space where creative subjects are taught and practised - this space and the people who use it are creating artworks, we’re not just about exhibiting, we’re a live education space where future Jasleen Kaurs are developing their ideas.” The BAS10 exhibition is open to the public at the Delia Derbyshire Building, Monday to Saturday, 10am-4pm, from now until 10th January 2027. Learn more here: pulse.ly/o9oeh1lrtf #BritishArtShow #BAS10 @southbankcentre

An AI expert at Coventry University is urging businesses to avoid common mistakes when adopting AI so they can make the most of the technology.  Professor Elena Gaura, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and AI Lead, Coventry University Group, says many firms are missing opportunities to gain a competitive advantage by falling into common pitfalls.  Prof Gaura believes business leaders need to think carefully about where the technology can add value within their organisation before reaching for an AI tool, and warns against taking a piecemeal approach to adoption.  Prof Gaura said: “AI is here to stay, so businesses need to make sure they are ready to benefit.  “Companies often measure AI adoption by the number of tools they have bought or the proportion of staff using them. Those figures show reach but they say little about whether AI is improving the business.  “A better starting point is to identify a problem that matters to the company, understand the process around it and decide what improvement would be valuable. The technology will continue to develop – the advantage lies in being ready to use it well. " Visit pulse.ly/fu5pvmor4p to hear more from Professor Elena Gaura. @CovUniResearch

AI exposes how an organisation really works before it transforms anything. It reveals the silos, weak data and blurred ownership that separate a promising tool from lasting value. In our latest opinion piece, Professor Elena Gaura explains how Coventry University Group is using skills, governance and process redesign to turn that exposure into better services, productivity and growth: The scale of the gap between what #AI can do and what organisations gain from it is widely debated. Its causes receive less attention. Limited AI awareness among leaders and weak governance are well-recognised factors. Our experience at Coventry of working with many organisations points to a deeper problem: work is organised around human handovers between siloed teams, using documents and systems that were never designed to exchange data automatically. An AI tool or agent can perform its task perfectly and still add little value when data cannot move, no one owns the end-to-end process or the organisation cannot adapt. AI creates value when organisations redesign work around people and technology. It may support, drive or automate parts of the process, while people remain accountable for its purpose, exceptions and consequences. The new workflow needs an owner, usable data, proportionate controls and measures linked to gains in time, quality, cost, capacity or income. Coventry University Group is testing this whole-system approach on itself. We grow champions, offer every employee relevant development and help local teams own change within institutional guardrails. When a use case succeeds, we reuse its process, controls and learning elsewhere. This creates the critical mass for sustained change. The added benefit is taking the lessons of that into our work supporting businesses. Visit pulse.ly/lebhkpd7st to read the full piece from Professor Elena Gaura on: ◾ Why institutional AI readiness depends on how the organisation operates ◾ The importance of ensuring AI skills reach every level ◾ How real-world use cases turn interest into evidence ◾The support we can offer businesses #WorldAIWeek #AIWeek #AI #WSAI26 #ArtificialIntelligence @CovUniResearch

We're excited for next week's Centre for Doctoral Training (CTD) in AI Student conference! Coinciding with #WorldAIWeek, this event is an opportunity for students to showcase their research through oral presentations, enjoy enlightening talks and develop their professional network. The centre brings together PhD researchers from across disciplines and core AI to develop future leaders in artificial intelligence through training in AI methods, data, ethics, infrastructure and responsible innovation. The conference takes place on Wednesday 7 October from 9:30am-4pm in the Sir Frank Whittle building. CTD students can register their place here: pulse.ly/ccuaoxhsfv @covcampus #AIWeek #WSAI26

The NHS's efforts to support nurses following the pressures and trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic have been boosted by Coventry University academics producing the world's first handbook for supporting Professional Nurse Advocates’ wellbeing. Introduced in 2021 as part of the NHS response to the pandemic, Professional Nurse Advocates (PNAs) help nurses manage workplace pressures, improve wellbeing and build resilience. As demand for PNAs continues to grow across the NHS, academics have developed The Professional Nurse Advocate's Handbook, bringing together the voices, experiences and expertise of frontline healthcare professionals. The resource combines practical advice and real-world insights to help strengthen nurse wellbeing, foster compassionate leadership and improve patient care. Visit pulse.ly/uokwzzo9ch to find out more. @NHS @nhsuhcw @covuni_chc @HPFT_NHS