A message from the Vice-Chancellor - Keeping in touch

Wednesday, 28 May 2014

Over lunch recently, a couple of academic colleagues commented that I hadn't sent out one of these messages for a little while. They cheerfully admitted that, as much as anything, they were interested to find out what I had been reading. They were kind enough to say that they also enjoyed hearing about the other things I had been doing.

With so much happening around the University recently, I have been cautious about adding to the number of messages being circulated. However, this is probably a good time to reflect on the past couple of months.

I have continued with my extensive programme of meetings and visits around the University. Examples include a very interesting session with the Evolutionary Biology group in the School of Biological Sciences, a visit to the Central Kitchen at Whiteknights to see how we ensure that the University's 'army' marches on its stomach, and a discussion with students in Clinical Language Sciences.

I have also judged a Part 1 Commercial Law competition, seen a performance by final year students in Film, Theatre and Television and attended and participated in a number of other student-led activities, including a very successful European Elections debate in RUSU.

These are just a few examples of ways in which I have engaged with the University community in recent times. I also place great store in the external facing activities of the University as I believe that it is vitally important that we connect with those in our locality. So, our public lectures continued to be very successful, with recent highlights being the inaugural Fairbrother Lecture, given by Isabelle Peres, one of our PhD students, and a CfBT-sponsored lecture in the Institute of Education on the subject of teaching assistants.

Alongside all of this goes the vital day-to-day work that we all do to keep the University moving forward. I won't be the only person who occasionally struggles to get the balance right between the vital 'routine' activity of my job and the equally vital forward looking work. That is why I am so grateful for the active participation of colleagues in all aspects of our Strategy. No university can afford to stand still but, at the same time, the 'day job' must continue to be done to a very high standard.

I am very conscious as Vice-Chancellor that I can only flit across the huge number of activities, academic and otherwise, that go to make up the University. It doesn't make me any less interested in them and I always welcome invitations from across the institution to see, at first hand, what is happening. Having said that, I have been known to invite myself!

Looking ahead, I know that the period between now and the end of the academic year is one of considerable activity and pressure. Checking my own diary, it is hard to find a free day, and that includes weekends, between now and when I finally go on holiday at the end of July. But if the last two years are anything to go by, it is also a time of great variety and enjoyment, not least when it comes to Graduation. And before we know it, another academic year will be about to begin...

To end where I began, I should say a brief word about what I have been reading. Two books which I recently gave 'flash' reviews to in the THE were particularly enjoyable. One was John Campbell's biography of Roy Jenkins and the other, A Very English Affair by Richard Davenport-Hines, related to the Profumo affair in 1963. I have also revisited the late Professor James Holt's history of the first 50 years of the University. You might see and hear me refer to it again before the end of term.

Finally, I am grateful to the many colleagues who attended my recent Q&A sessions. A number of questions were asked and I hope to provide a summary of both the questions and answers very soon.