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University of Reading

Vice-Chancellor's start of term message for all staff

Wednesday, 23 September 2015

Sir David Bell

The 2015-16 academic year is well and truly underway with the arrival on our UK campuses of thousands of new students.  This year will be one of the most significant years in the University's post-war history, so please take a moment or two to view my start of year staff message which outlines some of the exciting and challenging times ahead.

Welcome Week

Last weekend's weather, and a fun atmosphere at Whiteknights, made arrivals weekend a memorable couple of days.....or so I have been told because, to my immense frustration, I wasn't there.

I had spent last week in Ecuador and Peru as part of a Universities UK delegation. I was due to have flown out of Lima on Friday night which would have got me back to Reading late on Saturday. However, and this was a first-time experience for me, the flight was put back 24 hours. So, I didn't get back to Hall Farm until after 6pm on Sunday.

One of many photographs taken at the reception for international students

Now though, I have been enjoying the week's events and getting to know some of the 2015 'joiners'. With the RUSU President, Oli Ratcliffe, I did a series of welcome talks in the Dome. On Monday night, I attended a reception for newly arrived international students, with many photographs taken and sent across the world. I also met a group of mature students on Tuesday and visited a number of the - very lively - events taking place in the RUSU building.

Making Welcome Week happen successfully is a huge undertaking involving colleagues across the campus and in UPP. The fact that everything has gone well so far is testament to their dedication and hard work. You have my warmest thanks.

Universities UK trip

The trip to Peru and Ecuador was designed to build relationships in two countries where, up until now, UK higher education engagement has been relatively modest. In both countries, the British Ambassadors stressed the importance of education to our hosts.

With an Ecuadorian student at a reception in Quito hosted by the British Ambassador

As is normal during such a week, it was dawn to dusk busy, with meetings in government departments and out in universities. The delegation agreed to adopt a 'TeamGB' approach which meant that we emphasised the opportunities available across the full range of UK universities and not just those in the 14 institutions represented on the trip.

There are likely to be some tangible outcomes, both for the UK generally and Reading specifically. In the case of the former, there is a new scholarship programme for 200 Peruvians to study at Masters level in UK universities, as well as opportunities for UK-led doctoral training for those working in universities in both countries.

As for Reading, we will explore further research partnerships in areas such as climate science and agriculture. There may also be opportunities for our students to spend time in either Peru or Ecuador which would be very exciting indeed.

I did though have a chance to hear, first hand, about an important Reading project. Liz Stephens in the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science, along with other Reading colleagues, is collaborating with the Red Cross on the use of flood forecasts in Peru. This builds on work that Liz has done previously in Uganda. As the Director of the Peruvian Red Cross pointed out to me, the hazard to the country posed by the current El Nino makes Liz’s work invaluable. What a vivid illustration of how research at Reading has impact across the world.