President's weekly update
19 December 2019
Following the outcome of the General Election last week, we await details of new policies, but we know that Chris Skidmore, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, will remain as our key minister.
The Board of Governors’ Investment Sub-Committee met to discuss socially responsible and environmentally sustainable investments. Our students are represented by Lizzie Haughton, the Activities and Development Officer of our Students’ Union. We had a long and very productive discussion with Mercer’s, our investment advisers. Following this Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility and a member of the committee, who leads in this area, we will be making quite a significant new proposal for consultation early in the New Year.
At one of our regular meetings with Executive Officers of the Students’ Union we discussed environmental sustainability, industrial action by University and College Union (UCU) members, the Greater Manchester Student Assembly, library access and Report and Support (for reporting harassment and bullying).
We have now published data on the number of staff who have reported taking strike action in November and early December which averaged 430 staff per day over the eight days. As the issues of pay and conditions and the USS pension are nationally negotiated we continue to encourage UCEA and UUK in their dialogue with UCU with a view to finding a resolution. The second report of the Joint Expert Panel (JEP2) has been published with a number of recommendations that will now be considered by employers (including our University), led by UUK, the main union (UCU) and the USS Pension Trustee.
I chaired our Digital Futures Board which oversees digital activities in the University. In addition to general updates, we heard in more detail about our research on digital health from Professor Niels Peek and on digital trust and security from Professor Emma Barrett.
At an informal meeting with staff from across the University we discussed the importance of our heritage and promoting what we do across Manchester, improving the efficiency of our processes, freeing up time for staff to focus on core activities and reducing workloads, promotions, use of social media, equality and diversity, environmental sustainability, pensions, the new government and Brexit.
I was fortunate to attend two leaving events for very longstanding colleagues this week. Professor Kersti Börjars has served in many academic leadership roles, most recently as Associate Vice-President for Teaching Learning and Students. Roger Starling has played a critical role in our Planning Office and has been responsible for much of our essential reporting to our regulators.
I met Jon Rouse who leads the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership to discuss progress in health devolution and, in particular, digital health and improving health in early life. Our colleagues have been working with the Partnership on evaluating various interventions to improve health outcomes.
I met a group of leaders from the top Israeli universities who are in the UK on a visit organised by Universities UK International, to discuss collaborations in research and education. Israeli universities are particularly strong in the commercialisation of their research findings, and were interested in our work on social responsibility.
It was a pleasure to see Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, who came into the University for an informal chat. He is recovering well but of course needs to take things easy for some time yet.
Tomorrow I will be speaking at Manchester Cathedral at a memorial for Mike Oglesby who contributed so much to Manchester, the city region and the University, particularly our cancer research. Others will speak about Mike’s many other contributions to business, leadership and his generous donations to so many causes.
This has been an exceptionally busy semester with the challenges of industrial action and a general election. There will be no message now until 9 January, and I hope that you all manage to take a well-earned break and enjoy time with your families and friends over the Christmas period. My particular thanks go to those of you who will continue to work in order to keep vital services open over this period.
Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor