Vice-Chancellor's February 2020 report to Senate
Friday, 06 March 2020
Updates on University appointments, student experience, strategic partnerships and were among the topics covered in the Vice-Chancellor Robert Van de Noort’s report to the University Senate in February.
Robert outlined the new appointments:
“The new Pro Vice-Chancellors Education, Professors Elizabeth McCrum and Julian Park, started in post on 1 January 2020, working as a job share. They will be responsible for ensuring that the University makes significant progress towards its aspiration to be in the top quartile in the UK sector. We have now agreed that the PVCs Education will assume responsibility for Student Experience, increase their role to 0.8FTE and will have the amended title of PVC Education and Student Experience.
“Professor Parveen Yaqoob has also been appointed as Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 1 January. She will deputise for me in both executive and ceremonial duties.”
On our strategic partnerships with the Nanjing University of Science and Technology in China and the British Museum he said:
“The Nanjing University of Science and Technology Reading Academy successfully passed a recent Chinese Ministry of Education evaluation. The Academy was rated highly by a panel of experts and was the only one among those evaluated in this round to be exempt from another evaluation for 7 years. The Academy is one of the largest and most diverse (in terms of the subjects offered) Joint Educational Institutions in China with over 1500 students.
“The British Museum has partnered with the University of Reading to develop the British Museum Archaeological Research Collection in Shinfield. This new storage facility will house part of the British Museum's research collection, including ancient sculptures, mosaics, archaeological assemblages and historic casts. The Museum and University already work together across a variety of research projects; this joint initiative will, however, be the first of its kind between the British Museum and a UK university.”
The full transcript of the Vice-Chancellor’s address to the Senate is available on the Staff Portal.
Senate is the University’s main academic administrative body. Reporting to the Council and meeting at least four times a year, the Senate advises on areas such as student entry, assessment and awards. With around 100 members, the Senate comprises Deans, Heads and elected representatives of Schools, as well as professional staff and students. University Boards responsible for developments and innovation in research, teaching and learning report to the Senate.