President's weekly update
9 February 2024
Visit to the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED)
Senior colleagues and I visited SEED. Students were generally very positive about their School and the University and asked about our future ambitions. We had quite lengthy discussions with students and staff about the use of AI in assessments. This is timely because we have received a review by Professor Chris Taylor on AI in all of our activities. The students liked the new ‘hubs’.
Staff in SEED asked about recovery from the cyberattack, changes in visas and salary thresholds for international students and staff and our position on the conflict in Israel and Palestine. We were impressed by the School’s efforts to reduce their use of space and hence their carbon footprint. In one department they have chosen to move away from individual offices into more flexible areas, which will greatly save space and will hopefully enhance staff interaction. It was noted that this is particularly important since the pandemic as occupancy has dropped, though most staff are at the University at least three days a week to interact with students and staff and supervise research.
The recent Sunday Times article, claiming that Russell Group universities admit international students at lower grades than UK students was raised in the SEED meeting. I said that this is absolutely not the case for our university. All students have to meet the same rigorous entry requirements and international students do not take the places of UK students as they are always treated as separate targets.
Senior visitors
Michelle Donelan, The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, visited the site in the Science Park where UK Biobank will have its new headquarters. I met with her as a board member of UK Biobank and because our University has been helping with the move. The move of UK Biobank to Manchester will be a great opportunity for even closer collaboration. Several of us put plants in the ‘green wall’!
The Singapore High Commissioner to the UK, Mr Ng Teck Hean, visited the University. We discussed recruitment of Singaporean students, student exchanges, collaboration in research and the A*STAR programme, activities of our centre and our very active alumni in Singapore. The High Commissioner is keen to explore research and commercialisation partnerships in several areas where we have strengths.
Board Committees
At the Board Finance Committee, we received an extended update on progress with Innovation District Manchester and had a discussion on our approach to change programmes across the University. In addition to normal business and reporting we considered the recent management accounts and the merging of some of our endowment funds to provide improved financial benefit for the University’s core goals.
The Board People Committee discussed progress on the People & OD and EDI strategy implementation and priorities for this year, an update on gender equity work and our recent Athena Swan Charter silver award, and an update on partnership work with our local trade unions.
National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB)
I met the CEO and Chair of NCUB to discuss how we improve industry funding of universities, especially from overseas companies. We also talked about the incentives and hurdles to collaboration and how can government funding agencies help with industry-business collaboration.
Health Innovation Manchester (HInM)
The Board of HInM discussed the draft strategy and core offer of the organisation, which is being developed by three working parties, the Greater Manchester (GM) patient care record and updates from the HInM chief executive, the GM Integrated Care Board and the industry collaborative programme.
Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor