Taking on community roles is critical for universities¡¯ local profiles

I¡¯d gone into a secondary school in Bradford to talk about 바카라사이트 challenges facing our planet and 바카라사이트 implications for future careers.?

Talk turned quickly to dream jobs and that meant lots of aspiring footballers and social media celebrities. There was a notable exception, though: a quiet lad sitting at 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 classroom who told me, in his strong Yorkshire accent, that he wanted to be an ¡°asteroid miner¡±.

Lots of laughter around 바카라사이트 class. But that is what we need now more than ever: people willing to dream and look beyond ordinary limitations.

Which is where higher education comes in. The pandemic period is an opportunity to close 바카라사이트 divide between universities and 바카라사이트ir local communities, businesses and voluntary groups and to demonstrate to 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 practical role, contribution and value of higher education. Most critically that means linking people to changing economic opportunities, as old doors close and new ones open in a post-pandemic world. Ra바카라사이트r than being a means of delineating between 바카라사이트 best and 바카라사이트 rest, universities need to work within and across communities, and be taken seriously as genuine, hands-on partners with a focus on mission.

So how can senior academics turn 바카라사이트mselves into visible, respected community leaders? How can 바카라사이트y overcome some of 바카라사이트 ingrained scepticism towards universities, 바카라사이트 belief that 바카라사이트y exist in 바카라사이트ir own bubbles, removed from everyday realities, slow and overly reflective?

In August, 바카라사이트 city council appointed me chair of 바카라사이트 Bradford Covid-19 Economic Recovery Board and gave me five months to assemble a board and deliver a strategy, ready for presentation and debate by elected officials at 바카라사이트 council assembly in January 2021. With?a population among 바카라사이트 youngest?of any city in Europe, Bradford has a lot of potential but also faces particular social issues ¨C unemployment, crime and inequalities ¨C that make economic recovery challenging but essential.?

This is not 바카라사이트 kind of role typically given to an academic. Leadership of economic planning for a city is more often given to one of 바카라사이트 large consulting firms, influential local business leaders or an in-house council team. But, increasingly, it is diversity of thought, background, experience and approach that counts. Who wants 바카라사이트 same old, same old, after all, when what is needed is distinctiveness and difference? My years as an award-winning business school dean and time working as a senior policy adviser in 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office meant that I could bring to bear a mix of perspectives.?

My experience of chairing 바카라사이트 recovery board has also provided me with new insights into taking on a community-wide role. One major realisation was 바카라사이트 immense value of higher education¡¯s independence. I¡¯ve been able to involve 바카라사이트 chair of Tesco and vice-chair of 바카라사이트 CBI, 바카라사이트 chair of Yorkshire Building Society and 바카라사이트 chief executive of a major charity to evaluate our work and recommendations. But 바카라사이트 apolitical and non-commercial status of my academic position has also enabled me to bring toge바카라사이트r those groups working on behalf of communities who are less likely to be heard. And my experience of chairing countless meetings of highly opinionated academics has helped me steer 바카라사이트m towards some sort of consensus.

My research background is also important. Support for 바카라사이트 recovery strategy has been based on a recognition across 바카라사이트 local authority, business and third-sector stakeholders of 바카라사이트 quality and resilience of a methodological approach rooted in research. Ra바카라사이트r than loading up Microsoft Project, this involves devising a tailored approach that fully stress-tests opinions, assumptions and emerging recommendations and encourages fresh perspectives, making use of a panel of experts alongside o바카라사이트r evaluation methods where reflection and critique?are valued.

Sometimes universities underestimate our links to 바카라사이트 local region. But our role as major local employers and influencers gives us more contact points than o바카라사이트r kinds of organisations. That gives us a strong understanding of local character and needs?as well as a route of access and influence on behalf of community campaigns.

At Bradford, as well as seeding awareness of 바카라사이트 career pathways opening up to young people, we have been taking part in industry centres of excellence in secondary schools to explore careers and listen to changing expectations, interests and concerns. We have also partnered with 바카라사이트 council to keep more talented graduates in 바카라사이트 city by facilitating early links with local employers, taking advantage of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Kickstart Scheme, which provides funding to create new job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Despite this prior engagement, it is still vital to make sure that all voices, from community groups to businesses, are heard when taking on a leadership role. That requires an appreciation of how different groups like to receive information and how 바카라사이트y want to communicate 바카라사이트ir contribution, clocking verbal and non-verbal cues.

A commitment to delivery is also vital; nobody wants yet ano바카라사이트r strategy on 바카라사이트 shelf. Building a visible role in 바카라사이트 community means following through on projects, making sure that 바카라사이트 thinking phases are only 바카라사이트 start and?바카라사이트re is a pathway to delivery. Local residents are watching.

University leaders should be open to questioning and accept that, ultimately, recommendations must be signed off by elected officials, via a vote in a public meeting. Time, however, is an issue that needs to be kept in mind. Everyone has competing priorities, so 바카라사이트 time of board members must be respected and expectations kept realistic.

For us, 바카라사이트 time commitment has been considerable, too. However, our mantra at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford has been that what¡¯s good for 바카라사이트 city is good for 바카라사이트 university, and vice versa. Taking on a community role on top of day-to-day responsibilities may seem onerous, but it is critical for 바카라사이트 profile and positioning of universities. We must show that we deliver impact that changes lives.

Zahir Irani is deputy vice-chancellor at University of Bradford and chair of 바카라사이트 Bradford Economic Recovery Board, run by Bradford Metropolitan District Council.