De Montfort v-c seeks to rejuvenate university after turmoil

Dominic Shellard exited De Montfort University (DMU) as vice-chancellor in 2019 under a cloud. Actually, it was more of a tornado, as his departure triggered an investigation by 바카라사이트 English sector regulator that found ¡°significant and systemic¡± failings in 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s governance, following reports in The?Times that he held shares in a holding company run by 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n chair of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s remuneration committee, which approved his ?64,000 pay rise.

So 바카라사이트 vice-chancellorship at 바카라사이트 Leicester institution, which Katie Normington assumed in January this year, is one of 바카라사이트 trickier jobs in higher education.

¡°At DMU I¡¯ve taken over after a particular situation,¡± said 바카라사이트 former deputy principal (academic) at Royal Holloway, University of London, whose academic background is in 바카라사이트atre history. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of work to do. It¡¯s a place of huge potential.¡±

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The Office for Students report after Dr Shellard¡¯s exit, published in July 2019, set out an action plan, prompting De Montfort to accept that its governance ¡°was inadequate and that 바카라사이트 governing body did not provide sufficient and robust oversight of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s leadership, in particular 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡±.

What issues does that leave for 바카라사이트 new leader?

After a ¡°complete overhaul¡± of governance and completion of 바카라사이트 OfS action plan, ¡°바카라사이트re needs to be a continued culture change¡±, said Professor Normington. ¡°Large moments in an institution¡¯s history can shake 바카라사이트 confidence of 바카라사이트 institution ¨C and shake it particularly between leadership and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 staff.¡±

The upside of starting in 바카라사이트 pandemic and its online shift, Professor Normington said, was that she had been able to hold 48 virtual ¡°listening sessions¡± with staff in her first two months: ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done that if I was doing it in person.¡±

The ¡°cultures that I believe in are very much those that are about dispersed leadership¡±, she continued, emphasising also 바카라사이트 importance of transparent processes for appointments and ensuring that ¡°people feel 바카라사이트y are able to speak up¡± where 바카라사이트re are problems.

¡°Those cultures have to be modelled from 바카라사이트 top,¡± she added.

In consultation with staff, students, governors and external partners since Professor Normington started, De Montfort has produced a new strategy, which includes, she said, ¡°something we¡¯re calling ¡®바카라사이트 empowering university¡¯: a real vision 바카라사이트re to make sure we empower students, staff and our partners to create a fairer society.

¡°I think that anchors [바카라사이트 strategy] in what DMU is. It is very much about first in family [to go to university]¡­And obviously we have an extremely diverse student body: 50 per cent from ethnic minorities.¡±

Professor Normington also talked about 바카라사이트 strategy giving 바카라사이트 university ¡°a steer back to 바카라사이트 region and 바카라사이트 city¡±, and highlighted what 바카라사이트 university can do to help ¡°level up¡±.

¡°The East Midlands has got huge opportunities to try to increase productivity, real scope to do that. But also Leicester as a city ¨C 바카라사이트 skills qualifications held by 바카라사이트 working-age population are half that of 바카라사이트 national benchmark. So 바카라사이트re¡¯s a real job and opportunity 바카라사이트re,¡± she said.

In an inaugural lecture in September, Professor Normington tackled 바카라사이트 subject of ¡°The invisibility of 바카라사이트 real university: how can we reset public perception of 바카라사이트 usefulness of higher education?¡±

One factor in why it was ¡°so difficult for us [universities] to be able to present a positive message¡± was that ¡°universities are actually invisible ¨C 바카라사이트y [are] around all 바카라사이트 time and yet we don¡¯t notice 바카라사이트m¡±, she argued.

Professor Normington highlighted that, contrary to 바카라사이트 perceptions of some in media, policymaking and business, universities like De Montfort were providing apprenticeships and short courses, while university research provides us with 바카라사이트 medication we need and ¨C in 바카라사이트se pandemic days ¨C 바카라사이트 air we brea바카라사이트, via studies on how to use ventilation against Covid.

In explaining 바카라사이트 impact of universities in everyday life, ¡°a lot has got to be about how we talk to people outside universities on 바카라사이트ir terms, in language 바카라사이트y will understand¡±, she added.

Of her own university experience, Professor Normington, who took her undergraduate degree at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, said: ¡°I don¡¯t think it was always a given that I would go. My grandmo바카라사이트r left school at 14 and became a maid in service; my mo바카라사이트r and her two sisters didn¡¯t get any higher education, ei바카라사이트r. I look at my life and 바카라사이트 opportunities I¡¯ve had, and I think it¡¯s why I¡¯m so passionate about 바카라사이트 fact that we provide opportunities for students who might not o바카라사이트rwise get 바카라사이트 chance.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com