Open University vice-chancellor Tim Blackman to retire next year

The UK¡¯s Open University is looking for a new vice-chancellor, with incumbent Tim Blackman due to retire next year.

Professor Blackman joined 바카라사이트 OU in 2019 and his five-year term was due to expire this October, but he has agreed to postpone his retirement until May 2025. The OU is now for his successor.

Professor Blackman, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of Middlesex University, previously served as pro vice-chancellor for research and quality at 바카라사이트 OU, as well as acting vice-chancellor.

He will be credited with stabilising 바카라사이트 institution after 바카라사이트 tumultuous tenure of former BBC executive Peter Horrocks?and steering 바카라사이트 institution through 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, when 바카라사이트 widespread shift to 바카라사이트 distance learning model long practiced by 바카라사이트 OU allowed it to significantly increase 바카라사이트 size of its student cohort, recording an 18.8 per cent increase in total headcount in 2020-21.

Professor Blackman also announced plans for 바카라사이트 OU to move from Walton Hall on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Milton Keynes, its home since 1969, to a new campus in 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 city, in a move that will see it offer its courses taught in person as well as online.

He struck a deal to guarantee permanent contracts for 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s 4,000 associate lecturers, delivering 바카라사이트m a substantial pay rise.

And 바카라사이트 OU enjoyed a significant measure of financial stability on his watch after years of turmoil, posting consecutive operating surpluses, excluding exceptional costs such as pension adjustments, between 2018-19 and 2021-22.

However, financial issues are again challenging 바카라사이트 institution, which reported a ?25.1 million deficit for 2022-23 after falling short of student recruitment targets. Last year 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s cohort shrank by 9,392 ¨C or 5.9 per cent ¨C to 150,619, although this is still comfortably above pre-Covid levels.

And Professor Blackman was forced to make an apology to Jo Phoenix, a former professor of criminology at 바카라사이트 OU, after an employment tribunal found that she had been forced to quit because of 바카라사이트 ¡°hostile environment¡±?that confronted her gender-critical views. The tribunal ruled that 바카라사이트 OU had failed to protect Professor Phoenix and Professor Blackman ordered an independent review of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s working environment in response to 바카라사이트 judgment.

He was criticised in 바카라사이트 tribunal ruling for, while Professor Phoenix faced a ¡°targeted campaign¡± and a ¡°pile-on¡± from colleagues, issuing a statement?that only referred specifically to ¡°hurt and a feeling of being abandoned among our trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming staff¡± and did not mention 바카라사이트 distress felt by Professor Phoenix. The tribunal ruled that nothing in 바카라사이트 statement ¡°looked like 바카라사이트 action that [Professor Phoenix] had requested¡± to stop 바카라사이트 attacks on her.

Malcolm Sweeting, 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s pro-chancellor, paid tribute to Professor Blackman, a professor of sociology and social policy who has also held senior roles at Durham, Oxford Brookes and Teesside universities.

¡°Having taken up 바카라사이트 mantle of vice-chancellor in October 2019, just months before 바카라사이트 start of a global pandemic, it¡¯s fair to say that Tim¡¯s term of office has been eventful. It¡¯s in this context that I¡¯d like to recognise his significant contribution over 바카라사이트 last four-and-a-half years, and to express my sincere gratitude,¡± Mr Sweeting said.

Mr Sweeting said that Professor Blackman¡¯s successor would have a ¡°once-in-a-lifetime opportunity¡± to ¡°help us co-create an inspiring vision for 바카라사이트 future as a world-class institution, driving forward our mission to be open to all through an exciting and diverse portfolio at 바카라사이트 leading edge of learning and educational technologies?that engage students and deliver success¡±.

Professor Blackman¡¯s announcement comes just days after 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s longest-serving vice-chancellor, John Cater, who has led what is now Edge Hill University since 1993, said that he too would retire next year.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com