Author: Shaun Williams, Executive Director Engagement and Advancement
- UEB noted with great sadness the news of the death of Professor Sir Peter Gregson, who spent much of his early career at Southampton, culminating in a four-year period as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of our University, from 2000 to 2004. His distinguished career also saw him become President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, as Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield University, and most recently as Chair of the Henry Royce Institute. We know many colleagues here will have worked or studied with him, many more are benefiting from the immense legacy he left. An internal Obituary has been published on SUSSED.
- UEB noted a letter from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) setting out how they will implement the actions falling to Research England from the Government response to the independent review of university spin-out companies published by Professor Irene Tracey and Doctor Andrew Williamson last November. The review included a number of recommendations to help improve the creation and growth of university spin-out companies, which the Government has supported. UEB looks forward to further details in due course via the relevant internal committees, which will look in detail at the implementation plans.
- UEB had a detailed discussion about the emerging principles from the Workload Principles Strategic Major Project, following extensive consultation across our community last autumn. This project is an important strand of our People Strategic Plan, with themes emerging around working together, wellbeing, workload allocation, learning and development, and personal responsibility. Further engagement with our community, and our campus trades unions, will take place in the Spring.
- UEB reviewed a draft response to the Office for Students Consultation on a new freedom of speech complaints scheme. Like many in the sector, we have a number of concerns about its practical implementation, the proposed timescale, and the wider challenge of balancing freedom of speech issues with other legal and regulatory requirements, including trusted research.
- UEB discussed a paper highlighting some potential principles as part of the wider ongoing revision of our Consultancy Policy, intended to ensure a greater degree of consistency across the University from which everyone will benefit. Further communication is planned as the first phase of the review is completed.
- Finally, UEB reviewed the University Risk Register and noted some recent amendments relating to ongoing cyber security risks.
- The next meeting of UEB, and the next UEB Blog, will be in two weeks’ time.