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President’s Weekly Update

21 July 2016

You are probably all aware of the many political changes that have happened over the last week. The main ones that impact universities are that most of higher education - except research and science - will move from one government department (previously known as Business, Innovation and Skills) into another - the Department for Education DfE - with a new Secretary of State, Justine Greening.

Assuming that plans outlined in the new Higher Education Bill go ahead, all research funding including the Research Councils, Innovate UK and what is currently known as QR (quality research funding for universities based on the last Research Excellence Framework –REF - results) will be brought together into UK Research and Innovation (UK RI) in what will now be called the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with a new Secretary of State, Greg Clark. This will mean that universities will be split between two government departments, BEIS and Education.

Jo Johnson has been reappointed as Minister for Universities and Science jointly in DfE and BEIS, Andrew Percy has been appointed Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Lord Jim O’Neill, who holds an honorary chair with us, retains his position as Chief Commercial Secretary to the Treasury.

The Higher Education Bill passed through its second reading in Parliament this week and will now go to Committee stage in the autumn. In addition to the changes to research funding outlined above, it includes the dissolution of HEFCE, the formation of the Office for Students and proposals for the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Following on from the meeting with staff, I held an open meeting for students on the outcome of the EU referendum. As they were all current students, I was able to assure them that nothing will change for them for the duration of their study. I also explained that nothing will change for EU students joining us in 2016 and that, while we do not yet know about loans, it is our intention to charge ‘Home fees’ for EU students entering in 2017. It was more difficult to give certainty in response to questions about remaining in further study or in work in the UK in future years, though this is not likely to change (if it does at all) for several years. Naa Acqua, General Secretary of our Students’ Union, also participated and indicated how the Union could give advice and help.

At the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership (of which I am a member), we discussed the implications of Brexit for the region. Despite the uncertainty, the LEP is moving forwards with plans for Greater Manchester and we heard reports on transport, housing, skills and government funding bids. I stressed that The University of Manchester sees itself as a strong partner in future planning for the City and the region.

Many LEP members are contributing to or participating in Science in the City, which starts on Friday, and EuroScience Open Forum, which starts on Sunday.

I had a meeting with Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, to discuss how the University can best contribute to the future success of Manchester and to tell him about some of our major activities in science, education, policy, culture etc.

The group overseeing the implementation of the recommendations from the Review of Life Sciences and Cognate Disciplines met this week to consider readiness for the new Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and changes to what will be the Faculty of Science and Engineering on 1 August. Plans are well progressed for the new structures and activities.

This week, we agreed to push ahead with our own plans to expand distance learning programmes, with a dedicated Centre for Distance Learning supporting programme development in Schools and Faculties.

I gave the opening address at a conference on ‘Zero Carbon’ at Manchester Town Hall attended by several hundred people. I spoke about our own many activities in this area but also about the great strengths of Manchester - in science and innovation, in leadership and in partnerships.

Professor Steve Flint, Associate Vice-President for Internationalisation, and I met Dr Nafees Meah, Director of the Research Councils in India. I had met Nafees on trips to India previously and he is very helpful in offering advice on links with Indian companies and research institutes. He said that ‘Brexit’ had not received negative publicity in India - perhaps because closer ties between the UK and India were envisaged.

Several senior colleagues from the University and the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are travelling to Windsor to be interviewed about our proposal for Biomedical Research Centre funding. We are hoping that the real interview will be a little easier than the grilling we got from colleagues in the mock interview!

A big thank you to everyone who made our many degree ceremonies such a great success again. As usual, they were very happy and colourful occasions and, while the weather might have been better on some days, the sun did shine quite often and we had the hottest day of the year!

      

Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor

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