Dear All 

Oracle Fusion is go!

Last week saw a major milestone for the Future Foundations programme with the launch of Oracle Fusion’s first release. It brings key People processes such as payroll, absence and colleague expenses into a more connected system, replacing MyView and ResourceLink functions. Existing Oracle Financials procurement activity remains unchanged at this stage.

I hope many of you attended the online training in readiness for the launch. Recordings are available if you missed a session. Guided learning in Oracle Fusion, a chatbot, Q&A page and local Change Champions offer further help. There will be adjustments as we all learn the system, so please use the support available.

MyView remains view-and-download only until 29 January 2027. Please save any payslips, P60s, P11Ds or other documents you need before access ends. Historic pay documents will not transfer to the new system. It is really easy to download and save.

Future Foundations is part of the foundational infrastructure required to deliver the University's strategy, Manchester 2035, creating the simpler, more connected digital systems, reliable data and consistent ways of working that will enable us to operate as One University and focus more of our capacity on research and innovation and teaching and learning. 

A University where everyone counts 

Everyone’s sense of belonging and having the opportunity to contribute are central to the University we want to be. Launched on Tuesday 3 November, our new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Framework, A Place Where You Matter, places this ambition at the heart of delivering Manchester 2035. 

I encourage you to read Sarah Fox’s Viewpoint blog. As our Executive Director of EDI, Sarah reflects on significant progress through our first EDI Strategy and the work ahead, guided by the new EDI Framework, to further improve colleagues’ day-to-day experiences. 

This matters in Humanities as we consider colleagues’ and students’ everyday lives, the opportunities we offer and the barriers they may face. I am delighted that Sarah highlights our Faculty’s dedicated promotion workshops for underrepresented colleagues among the initiatives making a difference, and I am grateful to everyone contributing to embedding EDI across Humanities. We all have a part to play. 

A new festival and a new home for innovation 

The University’s first Innovation Festival, held from 5 to 9 October, showed how we are putting this key pillar of Manchester 2035 into practice. Workshops, demonstrations and discussions gave researchers, students, entrepreneurs and partners the chance to exchange ideas, showing the many ways these can lead to lasting public benefit. 

The festival was also a fitting backdrop to an event I attended celebrating the refurbishment of William Kay House as the new home of Unit M. As the University’s innovation unit, Unit M helps businesses and other partners connect with our researchers, students and resources, working together to turn ideas into practical solutions. 

The evening marked the careful transformation of the Grade II listed building and offered a chance to discuss how its new spaces can help those partnerships and new ventures flourish. Do visit this space if you can and embrace the innovation agenda. 

Devolution, democracy and development 

Manchester’s history as a powerhouse of innovation is also a story of reinvention. I enjoyed the chance to reflect on that story recently at the AMBS Vital Topics lecture, ‘Manchesterism, the Manchester Model and Inclusive Growth’, which explored the city region’s success in place-based economic development. 

The discussion of devolution, long-term collaboration and university-business partnerships led us to think about how we make sure the city of Manchester's success is enjoyed by the whole Greater Manchester city-region and beyond.Our Faculty has a critical role to play through our research and the evidence we bring to policy-making. 

The question of how power is shared, so central to devolution, also gave the audience plenty to consider at Professor Stefano Bartolini’s prestigious British Academy lecture, which I was pleased to introduce. 

Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute, Professor Bartolini explored how democratic institutions emerged through centuries of competition, negotiation and compromise between centres of power.It was a valuable reminder that understanding today’s models of governance requires the depth and perspective of humanities scholarship. 

Celebrating 20 years of the Confucius Institute 

On 8 October, I was delighted to host the Confucius Institute’s 20th anniversary celebration as Chair of its Board, welcoming colleagues and partners from the UK, Europe and China. Through Chinese language teaching, cultural engagement and academic exchange, the Institute helps people learn from one another and builds connections between our communities. 

Its partnership with Beijing Normal University shows the value of sustained international relationships. This work reflects both our Faculty’s strengths and Manchester 2035’s emphasis on global engagement and partnership. 

Leadership update and away day 

Congratulations to Andrew McMeekin on his appointment as our new Associate Dean for Research, from 1 January 2027. Andrew is Professor of Innovation at the Sustainable Consumption Institute and AMBS, with research interests in innovation, sustainability and long-term social and technological change. 

It was good to spend time with Faculty Executive colleagues at our away day on 13 October to consider the Faculty’s future priorities. Colleagues from each School shared their perspectives on recruitment, research, education, our finances, workforce planning and how we can improve services. 

We discussed where we could work more closely together, reduce complexity and associated bureaucracy and build on what Manchester does well. These conversations will help us decide where to focus our efforts and what to take forward, in the context of wider Manchester 2035 delivery plans. 

Your Voice Matters Faculty action plan 

Listening to your experience is equally important as we take forward our Faculty Your Voice Matters action plan. We have chosen three Faculty-level themes reflecting common threads across our Schools and the Faculty Office from the colleague engagement survey earlier this year. 

Head of AMBS Ken McPhail will lead our work on change, while Dimitris Papadimitriou, Vice-Dean for Social Responsibility and Inclusion, will take forward the theme of bullying, harassment, discrimination and workplace culture. 

Emma Rose will lead on career development and progression for PS colleagues. Faculty-wide attention will complement local activity and help us address issues affecting colleagues across different parts of the Faculty. We will soon set out our plans for involving colleagues in helping shape specific actions. 

I know there is much to manage alongside everyday responsibilities and delivery of our Manchester 2035 ambitions. Faculty Executive and I are committed to supporting you and improving the areas you have highlighted. 

Working towards next year already! 

Finally, we are already working on recruitment for next academic year.Our undergraduate open days play an important part in this, helping prospective students decide whether Manchester is right for them. 

It was therefore lovely to hear that our events on Saturday 3 and Saturday 10 October went down so well, with visitors finding out more about our courses, meeting colleagues and students and getting a feel for life here. 

Thank you to everyone who helped prepare for the open days and gave up time on a Saturday to welcome our visitors. I know how much work goes on behind the scenes, especially at such a busy point in the teaching year. I am very grateful for all you did to help prospective students and their families feel welcome and make the most of their visit. 

Regards Fiona