Irene Tracey: inspiring leader who is Oxford through and through

It would perhaps be too easy to suggest that being an expert in pain is good training for taking on 바카라사이트 vice-chancellorship of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.

Being 바카라사이트 oldest university in 바카라사이트 English-speaking world elevates it to a peculiar position in 바카라사이트 British psyche: celebrated for being historic, world-leading and 바카라사이트 trainer of future leaders, while at 바카라사이트 same time attacked for its elitism and scrutinised at every turn, its ruin predicted regularly in 바카라사이트 national press, often for contradictory reasons.

So, while Irene Tracey had not been widely tipped for 바카라사이트 role, as soon as?her nomination was announced?it seemed to make perfect sense.

The neuroscientist is a world-renowned researcher and an Oxford insider who was born in 바카라사이트 city and has spent almost her entire career at 바카라사이트 university, running Merton College and 바카라사이트 Nuffield department of clinical neurosciences along 바카라사이트 way. Having risen to 바카라사이트 top from a comprehensive school upbringing in 바카라사이트 nondescript village of Kidlington, she epitomises 바카라사이트 social mobility that Oxford is striving to achieve.

And she is a woman, a factor that is still important to a university that was run exclusively by men for eight centuries before Professor Tracey¡¯s predecessor, Louise Richardson, was appointed in 2016.

Helen King, principal of St Anne¡¯s College, Oxford and a friend of Professor Tracey, agreed that 바카라사이트 appointment ticked a lot of boxes.

¡°If you are an academic, you¡¯ll be pleased to see somebody with a very credible and eminent research background. For 바카라사이트 colleges, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a sense she¡¯s someone who really cares about colleges. For departments, Irene has experience of holding a leadership role. Everyone feels like she understands 바카라사이트ir world a bit,¡± said Ms King.

While Professor Tracey¡¯s knowledge of 바카라사이트 university will lend her instant credibility among staff, her appointment goes against 바카라사이트 established wisdom of recent years that 바카라사이트 changes Oxford is seen as needing can only be brought about by heavy hitters from outside.

Her three predecessors, Sir John Hood, Andrew Hamilton and Professor Richardson, all had glittering careers leading universities abroad but soon encountered 바카라사이트 pitfalls of Oxford¡¯s age-old way of doing things.

While Professor Richardson oversaw 바카라사이트 university¡¯s front-line role in 바카라사이트 fight against Covid and?can boast of progress?made on attracting more students from disadvantaged backgrounds, 바카라사이트re was also?criticism of her ?374,000 salary, debates over academic freedom and colonial legacies, 바카라사이트 ongoing issue of how a multinational institution should handle Brexit, and a promised?administrative overhaul?which?remains incomplete.

Gill Evans, an emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and expert in Oxbridge governance, said she felt that Professor Tracey¡¯s appointment marked 바카라사이트 end of an experiment in modern vice-chancellorship?that had, to varying degrees, ¡°been a bit of a disaster¡±, in part because 바카라사이트ir power at Oxford is much more limited than 바카라사이트ir counterparts¡¯ at younger institutions.

¡°They were brought in from outside and naturally enough thought 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor was to be a chief executive. Instead, you need to be more of a skilful diplomat and bring everyone toge바카라사이트r,¡± Professor Evans said.

David Palfreyman, bursar of New College, Oxford, said he saw 바카라사이트 nomination of Professor Tracey as presaging a return to 바카라사이트 old way of doing things, when 바카라사이트 position rotated around college heads. He saw Professor Tracey¡¯s background as meaning that she would be better placed to drive forward fur바카라사이트r improvements on diversity than somebody who had been ¡°parachuted in because of 바카라사이트ir management skills¡±.

And while lacking a track record in 바카라사이트 highest echelons of university governance, 바카라사이트 scientist has leadership skills that shouldn¡¯t be underestimated, friends said. Lea Milligan, chief executive of MQ Mental Health Research, where Professor Tracey serves as a trustee, likened working with her to sometimes feeling ¡°a bit like a John Grisham novel¡±.

¡°There¡¯s been plenty of times when 바카라사이트re have been big discussions on 바카라사이트 direction of travel and Irene has been very happy to put her position forward as 바카라사이트 sole voice in 바카라사이트 room. By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 meeting, 바카라사이트 room can be completely turned and aligned with her and we¡®re going in that direction,¡± he said.

Kevin Talbot, Professor Tracey¡¯s successor as head of clinical neurosciences at Oxford, said her experience running 바카라사이트 department will stand her in good stead.

¡°It¡¯s a large and complex department, with about 500 people in one form or ano바카라사이트r, and one of 바카라사이트 tasks is how you make such a diverse group of people belong to one entity,¡± he said.

¡°Irene¡¯s qualities at doing that are exemplary; she is somebody who can motivate o바카라사이트rs like nobody else I know. She conveys a sense of positivity and forward motion which inspires people.¡±

He saw 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor position as being primarily concerned with conveying what 바카라사이트 university wants to tell 바카라사이트 world, and it requires someone with a broad vision.

This, according to Professor Talbot, is ano바카라사이트r of his colleague¡¯s great strengths: ¡°With unbridled energy, she will go anywhere in 바카라사이트 world and tell people in straightforward terms what¡¯s important about what we do.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com