President's weekly update
19 July 2018
We held the last Board meeting of this academic year in the National Graphene Institute. In addition to the usual reports, we had an update on our social responsibility activities including equality, diversity and inclusion from Professor James Thompson, Vice-President for Social Responsibility. We received an annual report from our Students’ Union and discussed changes to our Statutes and Ordinances, including comments from some Senate members. The Board approved our budget for next year but noted major challenges and work to be done on the five year financial projections, not least because of many uncertainties and risks.
Prior to the formal Board meeting we had a briefing on our Global Inequalities research beacon from Professor Diana Mitlin, Managing Director of our Global Development Institute; our International Strategy - with focus on our ever growing relationships with China from Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Luke Georghiou and Vice-President and Dean of Humanities Professor Keith Brown; and on plans for our North Campus from Director of Estates and Facilities Diana Hampson.
After the Board we said “thank you” to departing staff and lay members and also to Will Spinks, who is Secretary to the Board. Patrick Hackett, who will take over from Will Spinks as our Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer in October, attended the whole meeting.
One of the degree ceremonies that I presided over was Will’s last ceremony with me so I acknowledged his great support. We will be marking his retirement more formally later in the year.
The Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) endorsed support to facilitate the expansion of the global diagnostics company Qiagen in Manchester. We also had updates on business growth in the region, plans for transport in the city centre, start-up and scale-up businesses across Greater Manchester, impacts of Brexit on the region, a report on the performance of the Manchester Growth Company and an update on work on our local industrial strategy.
I reported on the LEP Foresight Group which I chair with Chris Oglesby, Chief Executive of Bruntwood. This group is looking at the needs of Greater Manchester over the next 5-20 years. The first meeting was on the requirements of an ageing society. I told the LEP about the most recent meeting which considered the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) to the city region, now and in the future and we looked at plans for investment in AI.
We were visited by senior staff from GCHQ, which is expanding its presence in Manchester, and discussed our plans for enhancing digital research and education. We also discussed graduate recruitment and opportunities for collaboration in research and education.
I was given an update on our University College of Interdisciplinary Learning (UCIL) by Professor Cathy McCrohan, who now leads on UCIL, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students Professor Clive Agnew and Director of the Student Development and Community Engagement Division Jane Ratchford. They have developed an incredibly impressive and exciting suite of online programmes that we now need to promote to our students.
Rowena Burns, Chief Executive of Manchester Science Partnerships and Chair of Health Innovation Manchester, and I discussed the implications of the announcement about Qiagen and the need for government support, the Strength in Places proposal that we are working on (expression of interest will go in next week), Corridor Manchester and other commercial opportunities.
At the Governance Board meeting of our Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), of which I am a member, we heard of great progress on all fronts, plans for the next international scientific advisory board, significant media coverage and that all research themes are on budget.
I met Tom Bloxham, our former Chancellor, to exchange updates and discuss how he could continue to support the University. He has hosted several dinners for us with current and potential donors to the University.
There will be no message next week as I will be away for a few days.
Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor