Message from the Vice-President and Dean

05 Oct 2026

This week, Fiona reflects on the start of the academic year, considers the important issues and discussions at recent university and national conferences, and celebrates colleague achievements.

Dear All

After the energy and excitement of Welcome Week, it has been wonderful to see our campus busy again and to greet new and returning students. I know how much preparation goes into creating a positive start, from the Welcome activities themselves to induction, registration and the first days of teaching, and I am very grateful to everyone who played a part.

As we settle into the rhythm of the first semester, I hope the year has begun well for you.

Conferences and conversations

I have enjoyed taking part in a number of conferences in recent weeks, each offering a valuable chance to step back from the immediate demands of the academic year and consider the wider environment in which universities operate.

At the Universities UK Annual Conference at Nottingham Trent University in early September, discussion ranged across the financial sustainability of higher education, access and quality, the international standing of UK institutions and the contribution universities make to skills, innovation, local communities and economic growth. These are complex and connected issues, and the conference reinforced the need for the sector to make a confident case for its public value while remaining open to change.

Later in September, The Productivity Institute’s two-day conference at AMBS brought researchers, policymakers and business leaders together to examine the UK’s persistent productivity challenge. Discussions repeatedly highlighted the critical importance of productivity not simply as an economic measure, but because it underpins sustainable growth, stronger public services and improved living standards in the UK and internationally.

I also attended a wide range of events at the Labour Party Conference last week. These included a UCL Policy Lab breakfast briefing on public attitudes towards universities and how our sector can support students, economic growth and communities. I also joined a roundtable organised by the University of Liverpool’s Civic Health Innovation Labs, involving Alan Milburn, on how devolution, prevention, data and responsible AI might improve health, participation in work and opportunity.

These were just two examples of the important conversations taking place. I was particularly struck by the dedication of so many good people and their determination to develop practical solutions to shared challenges for the public good.

Ahmed Iqbal Ullah commemoration

On 21 September, I attended The Legacy of Ahmed: 40 Years On event at Manchester Central Library, marking four decades since the racist murder of 13-year-old Ahmed Iqbal Ullah in a Manchester school playground. The evening brought together people involved in the response in 1986 with those leading anti-racist action, education and youth work today.

It was a moving opportunity to reflect on Ahmed’s legacy and on the strength of community-led activism. The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre and Education Trust plays an essential role in preserving histories that might otherwise be overlooked, creating inclusive resources and supporting communities to challenge racism through education.

Marking the Rutherford Building’s refurbishment

On Tuesday last week I was delighted to join colleagues and partners to celebrate the refurbishment of the Rutherford Building as the new home of Geography. This historic building has been sensitively reimagined, retaining its character while providing bright, modern spaces for research, teaching and learning, and collaborative work. It really is a gorgeous space which you should visit if you get the chance.

Rutherford is a superb environment for colleagues, postgraduate researchers and students, and is a fantastic example of investment by Humanities and the wider University in high-quality infrastructure. As the first fully open-plan building in the Humanities estate, it offers a valuable model for future developments and for making shared spaces flexible, attractive, welcoming and effective. My thanks go to everyone across Geography, SEED, Humanities, Estates and Facilities, and external partners who contributed to the project.

Faculty Leadership Forum and Faculty Executive updates

We held our first Faculty Leadership Forum of the academic year on Wednesday 30 September, bringing leaders from across Humanities together to consider the student experience, our financial position and the latest admissions picture. A particular focus was our NSS results and the University’s new Excellence in Student Experience 2035 framework, a unified approach to continue to improve our students’ experience during their time at Manchester.

The lively table discussions explored how we can build secure foundations for long-term improvement, address risks to delivery and translate Faculty priorities into changes students notice this year. Forums such as this matter because they create space to test ideas, share perspectives and encourage a collective view of the issues shaping our Faculty.

I am also pleased that minutes from Faculty Executive meetings are now published on StaffNet. Making these available to all colleagues is an important step in supporting openness and helping everyone understand the matters being considered and the decisions being taken. Most importantly, I am delighted that Alec Severs, the Humanities Students’ Union Executive Officer, will be joining us on the Faculty Executive, thereby enhancing the student voice at Faculty level.

Getting ready for Oracle Fusion

Hopefully you will already have heard about Oracle Fusion, the new People and Finance system being introduced through Future Foundations in November. The priority now is for everyone to complete the practical steps that will help ensure a smooth transition.

Please deal with any outstanding activity in MyView before the relevant October deadlines outlined in a recent StaffNet update, save copies of important documents you may need in future and book the training most relevant to your role. This includes expenses, employee changes, absence, and timesheets where applicable.

Training opens today, with tailored pathways for employees, casual workers, managers and approvers. Acting early will help us all avoid disruption and build confidence before the new system goes live.

Appointment and promotion celebrations

It was a pleasure recently to celebrate academic colleagues who have been promoted, as well as those elected as Fellows of external academies, at special social events. These achievements recognise intellectual leadership, sustained contribution and commitment to our academic community. I was glad to join other Faculty leaders in congratulating colleagues and acknowledging the many different forms of work that underpin such success. Their achievements are a source of pride for the whole Faculty.

There is much to look forward to in the new academic year, even as we recognise that this is a period of significant change for our University and our sector. Thank you for the thoughtful, collegiate way you continue to work and for the support you offer students and one another. It makes a real difference. I wish you well for the year ahead and look forward to seeing you here and there!

Regards Fiona