President's weekly update
29 February 2024
Medal of Honour
Our Medal of Honour is the highest non-degree award. At a ceremony this week, we bestowed the honour on four recipients for their contribution to the University and/or Manchester and the wider city region.
Nick Bent and Abigail Shapiro were recognised for their outstanding contribution to the University’s social responsibility goal and to improving the life chances of the young people they have helped through their vital work at the Tutor Trust. Andrew Brode was awarded the Medal in recognition of his truly outstanding contributions to education through his philanthropic activities at the University and more widely. Justin Watson received the Medal in recognition of his outstanding services to children and young people. The Chair of our Board, Philippa Hird, presided over the ceremony, and I gave the vote of thanks. We always welcome suggestions for worthy recipients, so if you have suggestions, please contact Deborah.black@manchester.ac.uk.
Students’ Union discussions
Professor April McMahon, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students, and I met Hannah Mortimer, Union Affairs Officer, then we and further senior colleagues met with the wider Students’ Union Officers. This is a busy time as elections for next year’s officers are in full swing with a record number of candidates. Do encourage students to vote.
We discussed some successes in raising gifts to support student bursaries, which was greatly welcomed. We also discussed some more controversial issues. You may have seen significant coverage of a relatively new ‘Pro-Life’ student society which has attracted criticism. The Students’ Union has put out a very clear statement on this explaining why, even if many students do not agree with the remit of this society, they have to accept such societies and are unable to ban them under the law since it is not illegal to establish a pro-life society.
We also discussed the terrible situation in Israel and Gaza and our hopes that the latest international discussions will bring a cessation to the hostilities and loss of innocent lives. We reflected on the continued impact this is having within our own community – students, staff and our wide-range of partners, many of whom have tragically had family and friends directly affected by the conflict and we are all hopeful of a rapid resolution.
We respect the varied views of staff and students on this terrible situation and have to give voice to all, provided that they stay within the law. A university such as ours must be a place where staff and students are free to express views, however divergent and difficult they may be, and must be able to do so with respect and in recognition that others may have different views.
Digital Health
According to a recent THE/Clarivate table of universities strengths in this area we are ranked fourth in the world for citations!
Visit to School of Engineering
Students in the School asked for clearer communication especially around induction and reported some inconsistencies in academic advisors but said many were very good. The School had reported that the start of year issues with time-tabling were resolved. Students didn’t raise anything about start of year issues. They wanted to know all about how the university is run.
Staff raised estates problems in getting work done and noted that they still face high staff vacancies in some areas, particularly in teaching learning and students and in technical staff which were causing some problems, but we heard that January exams had gone very well and recruitment of students for next year was strong.
Greater Manchester
At the Innovation Greater Manchester (GM) Board, we discussed a review of our processes for allocation of the Innovation Accelerator and Investment Zone funding, the planned science and innovation audit of GM and the recent communications, visits and discussions, notably with a series of ministers.
In our regular meeting of GM vice-chancellors, we discussed how we can collaborate on artificial intelligence, Innovation Greater Manchester and support for the religious needs of students through our Chaplaincies.
Amazing visitor numbers to our Museum
In the last full year before closure for the extension and refurbishment, our Museum had 342,247 visitors and the past record year was 520,000. In the past year since the reopening there were 882,327 visitors! Congratulations to Esme Ward and her team.
Happy leap year!
Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor