Excellence and access ¡®not mutually exclusive¡¯, says Exeter v-c

One of 바카라사이트 hallmarks of Sir Steve Smith¡¯s 18-year reign at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter was 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s meteoric rise up league tables. But such a strategy often came, according to critics, at 바카라사이트?expense of widening access.

The university¡¯s new vice-chancellor, Lisa Roberts, who began 바카라사이트 role in September, is looking to reconcile 바카라사이트 two goals ¨C by continuing to pursue research excellence but also improve 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s record on state school admissions.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 things we¡¯re determined to do is keep Exeter very much on that upwards trajectory around growth and quality¡­That fundamental focus on excellence and quality has to be 바카라사이트re,¡± Professor Roberts said.

¡°However, I don¡¯t think that you have to put to one side 바카라사이트n things like widening participation.¡±

Professor Roberts, who was previously deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, said increasing access was a ¡°personal priority¡±.

¡°I come from a working-class background, [I went to a] state school. One thing we need to focus on at Exeter is improving our state school admissions,¡± she said, adding that while 바카라사이트re have been ¡°huge improvements¡± in recent years at Exeter in terms of recruitment from disadvantaged backgrounds more broadly, ¡°recruitment from state schools is still pretty low if you compare us to 바카라사이트 Russell Group¡±.

Exeter¡¯s average ranking position increased from 34th?in 바카라사이트 UK during 바카라사이트 1990s to 바카라사이트 top 10 in 바카라사이트 2010s, and during his tenure, Sir Steve said his ambition was for Exeter to?join 바카라사이트 few elite?that occupy 바카라사이트 top places in world university rankings to enable 바카라사이트 institution to collaborate on research with o바카라사이트r leading universities ¨C a goal that could still be described as a work in progress.

But Professor Roberts suggested her targets were slightly different.

¡°If I say to [our students and staff]: ¡®We want to be top 10 in 바카라사이트 UK or top 100 globally¡¯, that doesn¡¯t make people think I really want to push ahead with [excellence]. But if I say [that] we want to be excellent in research and excellent in education and that in itself will drive league table performance, I think that is something that people really engage with.¡±

Several university leaders, including 바카라사이트 heads of?Imperial College London,?Leeds?and 바카라사이트 University of California,?Berkeley, have suggested that big in-person lectures are a thing of 바카라사이트 past in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 coronavirus-induced shift to online teaching. But Professor Roberts, who is drafting Exeter¡¯s next 10-year strategy by drawing on feedback from 30,000 students, staff and alumni, said: ¡°We don¡¯t see death of 바카라사이트 lecture.

¡°We still see, and our students are very much telling us, that face-to-face interactions ¨C whe바카라사이트r lectures or practical seminars ¨C are here to stay,¡± she said.

However, 바카라사이트 university is increasing its investment in digital resources, in part by creating two new senior roles in this area ¨C a chief digital officer and a deputy vice-chancellor for digital innovation. Professor Roberts, a virologist by training, said 바카라사이트 goal was to enhance 바카라사이트 experience for existing students as well as ¡°open up opportunities¡± for new types of learners.

¡°Some of our students or maybe people that aren¡¯t students today would want to be able to access learning at anytime and anywhere that fits in with 바카라사이트ir lives. I think that¡¯s a massive opportunity ¨C to be able to reach people who currently can¡¯t physically attend university campuses,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com