Author: Shaun Williams, Executive Director Engagement and Advancement
The Vice-Chancellor started this week’s UEB meeting by formally welcoming the Executive Director Student Experience as a new permanent Member of UEB, and also welcoming the President of SUSU who has been invited to attend future meetings.
On the agenda today:
- On the first day of formal teaching for the new term, there was an update on our Active Campus preparations which have been put in place over many weeks to allow the resumption of face-to-face teaching in a COVID-secure campus environment. UEB heard that at the time of the meeting there were currently 12 active positive COVID cases involving students, and 2 active cases involving members of staff.
- UEB formally reviewed, as it will now every week, our current position on the RAG-rated Tier Table detailing levels of teaching, research and operational activity appropriate to the prevailing COVID environment. UEB confirmed that we remain at the baseline level Tier 1.
- UEB also heard that the second phase of our saliva test-based Southampton Testing Programme is in full swing, with 60% of students in our halls of residence already registered and numbers increasing. This asymptomatic testing is an important part of our approach to controlling the risk of transmission. Eligible staff who have registered for this phase of the testing programme will be asked to submit their first test shortly.
The rest of the meeting was devoted to the monthly UEB review of our Strategic Major Projects. This included:
- An update on the University’s estates projects: in the light of the COVID pandemic and the financial challenges we are potentially facing, the Estates Programme Board has re-prioritised capital projects to focus on those that most directly enhance the student experience, and those that will be demonstrably a priority post-COVID to support delivery of the University strategy, and align with our Sustainability Strategy. The immediate focus will be on how we can enhance our sport and wellbeing provision for students, the development of the North-East quadrant of the Highfield campus, and redevelopment of the Faraday tower site. More details on these are expected in early 2021.
- Consideration of a proposal to simplify the business process and systems that underpin the management of our externally funded research and enterprise applications and awards – UEB was very supportive and asked for the project to progress.
- A further progress report on delivery of the World Rankings Project, aimed at making sure Southampton’s excellence in Teaching, Research and Enterprise across a wide spectrum of subjects is rightfully recognised and picked up by the QS World University Rankings metrics. Year two is well into delivery stage with key school-facing engagement planned across the University during October and November. It is clear that in order to continue the progress we are making, it is our academic and employer reputation that needs most improvement, and we will need our staff to help deliver that.
- A verbal update on our extensive Education Programme. It was clear that a lot of excellent work is going on across the University, and that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic there have had to be elements of acceleration (for example with curriculum simplification) and refocussing (for example with the blended approaches) of elements of the Education Programme. Very encouraging figures were produced for the level of engagement across the University with CHEP and other pedagogical development activity. UEB recognised the huge progress being made and thanked all of those involved.
Finally, UEB approved a recommendation for the University to sign up to the Care Leaver Covenant as part of our wider Access and Participation Plan to meet Office for Students’ requirements to improve equality of opportunity in Higher Education.