President's Weekly Update
17 November 2016
The University’s accounts for the year 2015/16 were reviewed this week. Following consideration, first by a meeting of the Board of Governors’ Finance Committee, then at a joint meeting of the Finance and Audit Committees, they will now go to the Board of Governors’ meeting on 23 November. Our financial position, as reported in our accounts, will be published a few weeks later when we will be updating staff on our current and future financial position. These are much more difficult to interpret than previously because of new accounting standards (called FRS102, for those who know about these things). This means that the reported ‘bottom line’ becomes more unpredictable and more difficult to compare year-on-year as we have to now take into account future liabilities such as pensions (which at the present time are significant). It was a credit to our staff in the Directorate of Finance that the external auditors were extremely positive about our processes and reporting in a particularly difficult year due to the different regulations.
I chaired a meeting of the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) as Sir Howard Bernstein, the Chair, was not available. Our Centre, which is the only one outside the south-east, will be reviewed imminently. We discussed how MAHSC links to devolution and Health Innovation Manchester (HInM), which is the innovation organisation that contributes to the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
At a Board meeting of HInM that I attended, we discussed the detailed business plan for the future, focussing on areas of delivery of health benefit, evaluation of benefits, and potential partnerships and governance.
I was filmed about the importance of technicians to our University, organised by the University technical working-party, Technical Excellence@Manchester University (TE@M). Having worked with many technical staff for over 40 years, it was a pleasure to explain why I felt they are so important to our success. Technicians are highly skilled in many complex techniques and use of equipment that are invaluable for research and teaching. They often train students (and sometimes also staff), they provide continuity and are often the experts in regulations and necessary reporting.
I gave a talk to Masters students in Education studying leadership in education on leadership, where I talked about my own career history and what I had learnt (often the hard way!), my style of leadership and what I felt were the key qualities of great leaders. Then I tried to answer numerous very thoughtful questions from the students who were of many different nationalities.
I also travelled to Lichfield to give the annual Erasmus Darwin Memorial Lecture to the very active Lichfield Science and Engineering Society. I spoke about my career, my research and my role as President and Vice-Chancellor to an audience of almost 500 members of the Society and local sixth formers, who asked many questions.
It was a pleasure to see Ronald Kong, one of our alumni and a member of our Hong Kong Foundation in Manchester. Ronald’s two sons are both graduates of the University and he is a generous donor. Ronald was here mainly to discuss investments in graphene. He met graphene researchers and senior staff from our wholly owned subsidiary, UMI3, and visited parts of the University, including the John Rylands Library and the National Graphene Institute - and also the great Manchester Christmas Markets!
Alistair Jarvis, Deputy Chief Executive of Universities UK, visited us to discuss key messages for Higher Education. We discussed the many ongoing issues including Brexit, TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework), the Higher Education and Research Bill and statements from government about international students. Alistair spent the day with staff, particularly in the Division of Communications and Marketing.
Senior colleagues and I met members of the Students’ Union Executive to talk about TEF, University finances, our capital plan, student safety and security provision in student areas such as Fallowfield. They were also keen to hear what senior staff in the University are working on just now - we gave them a summary but suggested they might need several hours to cover all!
I met Simon Ross, who was recently appointed as Chief Executive of Manchester University Press (MUP), the University’s publishing company. Simon commented on what a warm welcome he had received, with many positive meetings and a general ‘can do’ attitude from our staff.
I had a meeting with Professor Dame Janet Finch, former Vice-Chancellor of Keele University and an eminent social scientist, who now holds a part-time position with us in the School of Social Sciences.
Great to see that we are in the top 25 in the world (24th in fact) in one league table - the THE Global University Employability Ranking! Visit:
Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor
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