Principal's Column

Four significant things happened in the few days before Christmas - we achieved a very positive set of RAE results, Senate voted 5:1 in favour of introducing semesters and a harmonised modular system, the University Court approved the recommendations of the group set up to review central services and administration and the new faculty of education and social work was established through the merger with Northern College.

All four will have a positive influence on the shape and future development of the University. All four raise new implementation challenges for individuals and the University as a whole.

For many the RAE results mark the end of years of sustained hard work. The level of excellence achieved across a broad range of subjects puts the University firmly on the international map and this is also reflected in the fact that the University won 600 research grants and awards in 2001 with a value in excess of £42m. I have now asked the Research Committee to work on a "post RAE" strategy which will build on our current strengths, promote cross faculty and cross institution initiatives, advise on infrastructure needs and ensure that we have systems in place to maximise income and overhead recovery. Their work will be available for wider discussion in the summer.

The decision to work towards a new academic structure based on modules and semesters is a positive response to changes in the landscape of higher education with higher participation rates, the commitment to credit based provision and changes in student financing. The key advantage of modules and semesters lies in flexibility of provision -the opportunity to offer attractive undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes and to respond quickly to further changes in the external environment. A working group under the leadership of the Vice-Principal is now charged with the task of bringing forward a system of modules and semesters that recognises the diversity of our current courses, the intensity of research in many parts of the University, the challenge of student recruitment and the disciplinary needs of our honours programmes. The Vice-Principal's group will report to Senate at its March meeting.

The review of central services and administration is explained in more detail in the report of the December Court meeting (page 16) and the review group's work is available on the web. The planned changes in organisational structure and the streamlining of the committee system are important steps but they are only a means to an end. In implementing the review, the focus will be on improving the quality and the efficiency of services provided to students and academic staff, establishing clear and effective lines of accountability and ensuring that the University is able to attract and retain high calibre staff in non-academic posts. The Secretary will lead the implementation process for central services and administration and I will be bringing forward complementary proposals for change in the academic management arrangements at this term's meetings of Court and Senate.

Finally, I am pleased to welcome new colleagues to the faculty of education and social work. The University will work hard to provide state of the art facilities for the new faculty on the main campus and we are proud to extend our responsibilities for preparing professionals to work in schools, community education and social care. The faculty will also support the development of new education and learning technologies as an engine for change in the University as a whole.

Serious progress was made in 2001 and I take this opportunity to thank everyone who is contributing to the development of the University and to wish you and your families personal happiness and continued success in 2002.

Alan Langlands

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