VC Bulletin May 2024

Jump to:

• Vice-Chancellor's Introduction
• UEB and Directors of Professional Services Away Day
• Advocacy & Policy Activity
• Recruitment and OED update
• London Campus opening
• Responding to market demand
• Research and innovation highlights and faculty success
• Student success - Student Impact Awards and Varsity
• Upcoming staff events

Vice-Chancellor's Introduction

Firstly, I would like to thank colleagues for their professionalism in very trying circumstances as savings are made and departments restructured in several areas across the University. Senior leaders are also aware that the disruption is being felt even in departments which are not directly affected as we do not work in silos. I know that significant changes such as these are deeply unsettling and create uncertainty for all colleagues. Our senior leaders will do what they can to support you through this. Understandably, questions are being asked and we will continue to do our best to answer them, while focusing on our ultimate goal to secure the long-term sustainability of our institution. 

In this month’s bulletin, there are updates from our recent away day held with UEB members and Directors of Professional Services, and details of how we are attempting to engage politicians to stop harmful activities in limiting international students, which is causing the sector to face immense pressures and directly threaten the financial stability of universities.

While some of these external political challenges may prove to be difficult to influence, we are doing what we can to improve and diversify our student recruitment by welcoming our first London Campus students this month. While there is plenty more work to be done, this is a positive first step for expansion in the capital city with more courses to start in September as part of a phased plan of growth to 2028/29. I am also pleased to highlight many other successes, from the global impact of our research in the faculties to celebrating the fantastic achievements of our students at Varsity and the Student Impact Awards. 

I would also like to thank colleagues for encouraging final year undergraduates to provide their valuable feedback in the National Student Survey (NSS) which closed on 30 April with a good response rate of 79%. It is our highest response rate since 2019 and based on previous years is also likely to be higher than the sector average. NSS results will be published on 10 July which will be used to help enhance courses, influence investment in facilities and guide how the student experience is supported.

UEB and Directors of Professional Services Away Day

At our recent away day held with UEB members and Directors of Professional Services, we focused on how we can work together to improve the offering to our markets to meet the changing needs of current and future students and researchers. The morning session focussed on how innovation by colleagues across the University can help improve applicant conversion and student retention. We want to create an environment where the students we recruit from diverse backgrounds can thrive and succeed, with our approaches to assessment and education enabling and supporting that success. This means being student focused - for example changing our approach to class scheduling to recognise that the majority of students combine study and work. The attendees identified some positive actions that our DVC (Education), Anne Murphy, will incorporate into an action plan which can assist colleagues in making the changes we need to make (so watch this space).

In the afternoon we collectively turned our attention to how we can manage and exploit our data, both to inform our decision-making and respond with more agility to the uncertainty that is inherent in the sector. Easily accessible and reliable data is essential for the effective planning of our University and is an area which has created a great deal of frustration and wasted effort across the University. We need to prioritise having a focused set of information available for all colleagues to support our development and decision making. We also recognised that whilst Reset is an important and necessary step change, it is important that we maintain the momentum created through a culture of continuous improvement, becoming comfortable in doing things differently and prepared to use our significant talents and resources in innovative ways (pedalling faster is not the solution).

Finally, we reaffirmed our commitment to our Top Modern vision and mission, with our University staff and our students, as well as the wider region, deserving the ambitious and successful university that we know we can continue to be.

Advocacy & Policy Activity

Unfortunately, the turbulent period that the UK Higher Education sector is experiencing doesn’t show any sign of abating. Recently, the Home Office has commissioned a review of the Graduate Visa Route and has also celebrated ‘an almost 80% fall in student dependent applications’. Ominously, the Home Secretary announced that ‘there is more still to come’. I have written to MPs and Ministers, alongside colleagues from across the sector, to oppose these harmful activities in the strongest terms. It is unacceptable that these policies, which directly threaten the financial stability of universities, should be pursued for cheap political objectives. 

With a general election looming, I have invited the candidates for Portsmouth North and Portsmouth South to our campus. Whilst I don't expect universities to feature prominently in the General Election or the manifestos, I am a strong believer in engaging productively with the democratic process, explaining the difficulties the sector is experiencing but also highlighting the immense benefits that our University brings to our students and to our city. 

Finally, last month I was fortunate to be invited to a reception in London to celebrate the transformative effect that Higher Education can have on young people. It was hugely gratifying to hear such positive testimonies from young people and individuals across the private and public sectors. I was also able to speak directly with the Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Shadow Minister for Higher Education, to make them aware of the immense pressures the sector, and the University of Portsmouth, is under. 

Recruitment and OED update

Thank you to all colleagues and students who supported our three open experience days (OEDs). We had very good attendance for these events and have received positive feedback from our visitors. We know that everyone has worked together to deliver a positive applicant experience and that includes doing some things differently. The last OED  had over 1,690 applicants and enquirers checked in for the day, one of our largest events in recent years, and it is down to the work of all in supporting the delivery of the OEDs.

Our home undergraduate recruitment looks positive at present and our applications are continuing to track above the sector and our benchmark competitors. Overall we are 21% above in firms compared to last year which is positive as we head towards confirmation and clearing. However, things remain uncertain and could change over the next few months as things remain extremely competitive and volatile. With the MAC review report due next week there remains uncertainty over the international student market. With international applications down from last year at this stage in the cycle, any government decision to change their approach to international student visas presents a significant risk. We must continue the excellent work to support our recruitment activity both home and international ensuring we respond with agility and flexibility to market changes. I am so grateful and appreciative of the hard work of colleagues who are supporting this activity, responding and managing a continually changing situation. This is such an important activity for us, considering the fact that growing back our income to previous levels is critical to support our financial sustainability.

London Campus opening

This is an exciting time as we welcome our first London campus students this month into our new teaching building in Waltham Forest north east London, which is ideally placed - just a 1 minute walk from Walthamstow Central train and underground stations. 

Funded by our partner Northchild, the newly-built Juniper House includes two floors of custom built learning spaces, a computer lab and a social space. As you can see from the photos, this is a modern, inviting and innovative space which will be our London learning hub until our purpose-built campus at Central House - right next door to Juniper House - will open in September 2027/28.

Waltham Forest was chosen as it is the only north east London borough without a Higher Education Institute. As the first London Borough of Culture, it is also an eclectic area attractive to students with excellent transport links.

Student registration opens on 13 May with teaching starting on 20 May initially on three postgraduate courses. Two more taught postgraduate courses and four undergraduate courses will launch in September 2024 as part of our phased approach to growth, which will ultimately lead to a portfolio of around 20 undergraduate and 20 postgraduate courses covering subjects from across our faculties for 4,000 to 5,000 students by 2028/29.

I’d like to thank colleagues in London and Portsmouth for their tireless work in making this a reality. The London campus is an important development to help alleviate our student recruitment challenges, and overcome our geographic and demographic limitations, by moving into an area of growing demand and population growth and a natural hub for the recruitment of overseas students. 

Responding to market demand

As an example of responding to market demand, I’m pleased that a new Master of Science in Strategic Procurement will launch in September 2024. This innovative programme, delivered by the School of Organisations, Systems and People, has recently been accredited by the prestigious Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). The MSc in Strategic Procurement is especially significant at a time when the procurement and supply chain sector is undergoing major reforms and experiencing a critical shortage of skilled professionals in the UK, exacerbated by both Brexit and the disruptions caused by Covid-19.

This programme is designed to equip graduates with the strategic skills required to navigate and lead in this changing landscape. We extend our congratulations and gratitude to Dr Philip Brabazon and his dedicated team, including Paul Alexander and members of the school's Senior Management Team, for their efforts in achieving this accreditation. Their hard work ensures that our curriculum not only meets but exceeds the high standards set by CIPS.

Research and innovation highlights and faculty success

I’d like to share a few of our recent Research and Innovation highlights which demonstrate the great work being done across the institution. These examples show the global impact of our research:

Our partnership agreement with Odesa Polytechnic National University continues to demonstrate the significant role that research and knowledge exchange can play in supporting our Ukrainian colleagues during this time of conflict. Dr Andrii Zharikov, Senior Lecturer in Law and the University’s Academic Lead for Odesa Polytechnic National University, presented the outcomes of 26 collaborative research and innovation projects at the recent UK-Ukraine Research Twinning Showcase and Networking Conference, and we are currently exploring several possibilities regarding future funding bids.

Researchers from the Revolution Plastics Institute delivered an important message to negotiators at the fourth round (INC-4) of Global Plastics Treaty talks in Canada. The researchers are urging the countries meeting at INC-4 to ensure reuse systems are recognised as a key solution to reverse the plastic pollution crisis.

A new paper, published in the journal Nature, presents the most up-to-date understanding of the flowering plant tree of life. The study was a collaborative effort by an international team of 279 scientists, including School of Biological Sciences scientists Dr Steven Dodsworth and Dr Natalia Przelomska and is a major milestone for plant science.

A £635,000 grant for a new project to learn lessons from past maritime energy transitions has been awarded to the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures. Four PhD students and post-doctoral researchers will be recruited as part of the six-year project called ‘Sail to Steam, Carbon to Green: Empowering Port Communities in the Global South'.

The Faculty of Business and Law has been very busy over the last month, hosting two large conferences - the Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference and the British Accounting and Finance Association Annual Conference. Each event drew hundreds of researchers to the University, and delegates at both events expressed their enthusiasm for the conference and our venues, noting the excellent opportunities for feedback, knowledge, connections, and a renewed inspiration for research.

Portsmouth will host the world premiere of a unique version of Haydn's Creation on Sunday 12 May at St Mary's Church in Portsea. The University of Portsmouth Choir, accompanied by the Havant Symphony Orchestra, will give the performance, which is in aid of the St Mary’s Music Foundation. This performance, which also marks 20 years of the directorship of the UoP Choir by Professor George Burrows, is the outcome of an 18-month research project, and will be the first time this version will have been heard anywhere in the world.

And the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences has undertaken work to highlight the wide-ranging future prospects that our graduates can expect thanks to the skills developed during their time at Portsmouth. This new video is a wonderful example of how we prepare our students through their studies for what comes next.

Student success - Student Impact Awards and Varsity

At such an incredibly busy and challenging time, it’s very important to take a moment to appreciate and take pride in the fantastic achievements of our students. 

At our inaugural Student Impact Awards we celebrated the positive impact our students have had on their studies or extracurricular activities such as clubs or societies, volunteering, fundraising, starting a new business – or contributing to a business or organisation as a placement student.

Students won awards in 14 categories and each one was tailored to acknowledge different forms of civic contribution, emphasising the diverse ways our students can positively impact their community and beyond. It was a joy to see so many students recognised. 

There were also many successes seen on the track, field and court in what was the closest Varsity in years against University of Southampton students. Over 4,000 students, staff and families came to watch over 80 fixtures across four days. It was a keenly fought contest with Southampton eventually winning by 170 points to 150.

While there were many notable victories I particularly want to highlight the Men's Rugby 1’s match which was won 25-5 by Portsmouth with over 800 spectators in attendance - the highest-attended single Varsity fixture to date. It was dubbed Match for Magee, to raise funds for the former President of Men's Rugby Harry Magee who suffered life-changing injuries on New Year's Eve. The event raised £1,500, a fantastic amount to support Harry in his recovery and rehabilitation. I would like to thank colleagues across the University for all their hard work and dedication in supporting such fantastic events. 

Upcoming staff events

There are two upcoming opportunities this month to speak to me and members of the University Executive Board:

• Café Conversations - Wednesday 15 May from 9.30am to 10.30am with Anne Murphy, Chris Chang and Jeremy Howells at The Hub, Dennis Sciama
• All-Staff Q&A - Thursday 23 May 2024 at 10.00am, Zoom link