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President's Weekly Update

4 June 2015

We held a meeting of around 60 senior leaders to hear the results of the Staff Survey 2015. I’m delighted to report that the University-level results show that overall, staff continue to be very positive about their experience of working here at the University.

94% of respondents said that the University is a good place to work and 92% reported that they are proud to work at the University. This is the second time that the Staff Survey has been run with Capita, and there are several areas where performance has improved since the 2013 survey. One of the biggest increases has been around awareness of individuals’ responsibilities in relation to the University’s Dignity at Work and Study policy, which has increased from 68% in 2013 to 80% in 2015. Staff were clearly aware of the ‘We get it’ campaign which was initiated by our Students’ Union and which we worked on with them.

So these results are extremely encouraging, but there are also some areas where we need to improve, in particular in the way that we manage change and in helping staff to gain a better work-life balance. As well as the University-level results, each ‘Head’ received their own set of results for the area they are responsible for and will now share these results with staff and work to put together a Staff Survey Action Plan which will begin to be implemented in October. You can find the full set of University-level results at:

Our two new Vice-Presidents and Deans joined us this week. Professor Martin Schröder took up the position in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences joining us from the University of Nottingham, and Professor Ian Greer joins us from the University of Liverpool to lead the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences.

I visited staff in the School of Arts Languages and Cultures (SALC) with Professor Clive Agnew, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students. We were questioned about the financial model of the University and how the ‘contribution’ of each part to University activities is determined. A rigorous review of all budgets is undertaken annually, led this year by Professor Colin Bailey, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. This review is not intended to determine ‘formula based’ contributions, but rather to try to ensure that the levels of savings and investments available are comparable across budgets. Staff in SALC also asked about how we determine the viability of undergraduate and Masters programmes, which in both cases are based on academic, as well as financial, considerations.

Our senior staff had a joint dinner with members of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership. We discussed how the University can contribute to, and benefit from, the devolution of powers and budget to Greater Manchester and the ‘Northern Powerhouse’; Manchester as European City of Science and the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) in July 2016; and sought their views on what The University of Manchester should look like in the future.

I was interviewed and filmed by Drs Lawrence Benson and Nathan Proudlove from the Manchester Business School, for a new blended learning programme for NHS Clinical Scientists on leadership styles, including my own, and was asked what I would say to myself at 18. I said: “Be bolder.” I was also interviewed by another member of our staff, Dr Javier Garcia Oliver from the School of Law, for a book on freedom, belief and the British constitution.

Professor Ian Greer and I met with Roger Spencer, Chief Executive of The Christie, and Chris Outram, Chair of their Board. We shared future plans and discussed the impact of changes in the health budget and the importance of a collaborative approach.

Professor Colin Bailey and I met with Andy Westwood, our Associate Vice-President for Public Affairs. Andy briefed us on post-election changes in government and the civil service and advised on the plans he has for the forthcoming year including meetings with senior politicians and civil servants and events here in Manchester and in London.

My senior colleagues and I participated in a training session on ‘unconscious bias‘, in which we participated in some examples which demonstrated how ‘pre-conceptions’ and context can influence our assumptions and how we recognise and address unconscious bias.

We had a regular strategy meeting on graphene and related materials. There are now about 40 companies engaged in our research and applications and a large number and range of patent families filed. Later this month (22 June) we will host ‘Graphene Week’ when about 600 researchers and 4-500 representatives from business will visit Manchester and you can find out more about this at:

I chaired a meeting on precision medicine (how diagnostics and medicines are targeted to specific diseases and individual needs) and I attended further meetings on ‘Devo Manc’ about plans for when the health budget is devolved to Greater Manchester and on Health Innovation about engaging companies, large and small in our health agenda. Dr Clive Morris, Vice-President at AstraZeneca, is working with us on many of these plans. Clive was co-chair of the Task Force that helped with the transition of the Alderley Park site to Manchester Science Parks and is a triple graduate of the University!

I met Dave Crossen and his wife. Dave is a member of our North American Foundation who graduated from the University in economics and is now a Vice-President at NBC in the United States. He was given a tour of the campus by one of our students and was amazed to see some things that looked just the same (our older buildings) and some radical changes and improvements.

It was a pleasure to meet Professor Sir Cary Cooper, who has ‘returned’ to the University after several years to take up a chair in the Manchester Business School.

     

Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor

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