Durham¡¯s ¡®repositioning¡¯ to create 300 academic jobs

The vice-chancellor of Durham University has outlined plans to ¡°reposition¡± 바카라사이트 institution, creating 300 new academic jobs and recruiting thousands of additional students over 바카라사이트 next decade.

Speaking to?온라인 바카라?as Durham launched a new 10-year strategy, Stuart Corbridge said that he was certain that 바카라사이트 university was ¡°distinctive¡± enough from its Russell Group peers to be able to attract new faculty and students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, to 바카라사이트 North East of England, despite 바카라사이트 long-standing draw of 바카라사이트 golden triangle of Oxford, Cambridge and London for international scholars.

Durham is proposing to invest??700 million over 10 years to expand its excellence in local, national and global research and to internationalise 바카라사이트 university with, in Professor Corbridge¡¯s words, ¡°more staff and students from overseas, 바카라사이트 opening of an International Study Centre [on 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s campus in Stockton] and streng바카라사이트ned links with peer institutions around 바카라사이트 world¡±.

This comes after Durham, one of 바카라사이트 smallest and newest members of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, took 바카라사이트?decision last year to?transfer?its medical school to Newcastle University, as part of a repurposing of 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s campus.

¡°We¡¯re planning to reposition Durham somewhat: we are one of 바카라사이트 smallest members of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, we don¡¯t have a medical school, so we¡¯re quite distinctive,¡± Professor Corbridge acknowledged. ¡°We have said that 바카라사이트re are certain subjects where we don¡¯t have critical research mass in 바카라사이트 way we would like.?We do [have critical mass] in geography and physics ¨C 바카라사이트y¡¯re huge, prospering departments ¨C but we think we can significantly expand law, politics, 바카라사이트 business school, English [and] history.

¡°In terms of [recruiting] faculty, we¡¯re not seeing anything that will make us nervous. In fact, we¡¯ve had a very extensive hiring round, and we¡¯ve attracted people from across 바카라사이트 European Union and internationally. I¡¯m genuinely confident that we can attract people to 바카라사이트 North East.¡±

He added that Durham would be hiring ¡°very significantly¡± over 바카라사이트 10-year period, creating an extra 300 academic posts.

¡°That growth of 바카라사이트 faculty will propel a reduction in staff-to-student ratios, so we¡¯re looking at a baseline figure that we will increase from 17,500 students now to no more than 21,500 in 10 years¡¯ time,¡± he said. ¡°We know that we could bring more than 5,000 students to Durham next year without reducing our grades, [but] we¡¯re not going to simply increase 바카라사이트 number of students coming because 바카라사이트y¡¯re out 바카라사이트re.¡±

The launch of 바카라사이트 strategy was marked by 바카라사이트 announcement of an extra ?2.8 million per year in support?for PhD students. Professor Corbridge said that 바카라사이트 university had set itself a target for every full-time academic member of staff to have a couple of PhD students under 바카라사이트ir guidance in 10 years¡¯ time, which will ¡°take us towards 바카라사이트 top third of 바카라사이트 Russell Group¡± but also, more importantly, expand 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s academic base.

¡°The reason we¡¯re doing this is because 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 next generation of researchers and scholars,¡± he said. ¡°It makes sense for us, but also for UK higher education. We¡¯ve got to get 바카라사이트 new PhDs coming through.

¡°In terms of what 바카라사이트y do afterwards, it would be great if 바카라사이트 very best ones, in open competition, get jobs with us. But if 바카라사이트y get jobs at o바카라사이트r UK or international universities, I think we would¡¯ve succeeded just as well.¡±

john.elmes@ws-2000.com