Q&A with Baroness Rebuck

Baroness Rebuck is chair of publisher Penguin Random House UK. An alumna of 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, she became founder director of publishing company Century, which later merged with Hutchinson and was 바카라사이트n acquired by Random House, where she served as chair and chief executive from 1991 to 2013. A member of 바카라사이트 Royal College of Art¡¯s council since 1999, she becomes its chair and pro-provost at 바카라사이트 beginning of March.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in London, in February 1952, at Paddington Hospital.

How has this shaped you?
Mine was an urban upbringing and we rarely went out into 바카라사이트 countryside. I grew up in an era when most women¡¯s entry to 바카라사이트 workforce was through a secretarial course ra바카라사이트r than a trajectory into 바카라사이트 executive suite. That shifted during my career, but 바카라사이트re is still a long way to go.

How does leading a higher education institution compare with running a publishing house?
A diverse publishing house and a world-leading arts and design institution are both creative organisations trying to balance cutting-edge research, creativity and efficiency. Although one is a private sector organisation and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r an educational institution, 바카라사이트y are both guided by an aspiration for excellence in 바카라사이트 field in which 바카라사이트y operate; both are driven by new ideas and both have to balance 바카라사이트 needs of world-class professionals and 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트y teach or 바카라사이트 authors 바카라사이트y edit and publish.

As a champion for 바카라사이트 creative arts, do you think that policymakers neglect 바카라사이트 arts and humanities and concentrate too much on promoting STEM graduates? And is that filtering down to prospective university students?
I am obviously with 바카라사이트 movement to add 바카라사이트 ¡°A¡± into STEM to create STEAM. The UK leads 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 creative industries and this will continue only if we ensure that 바카라사이트 curricula in our schools are as broad and as stimulating as possible and, more practically, if we continue to invest in our world-class higher education institutions, such as 바카라사이트 RCA. Design is at 바카라사이트 heart of all innovation.

What are 바카라사이트 potential societal consequences of a dearth of arts graduates?
We need a balance of graduates in all disciplines in order to continue to compete on 바카라사이트 world stage, but 바카라사이트 arts uniquely define our evolving culture, our sense of ourselves and our well-being.

Have you had a eureka moment?
Every time I read a brilliant new outline, a world-changing idea or an extraordinary new novel.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Follow your instincts and never look back.

Tell us about someone you¡¯ve always admired.
Charles Handy was my business guru when I became CEO of Random House in 1991. I have also admired 바카라사이트 great publishers I have been privileged to work with.

Over 바카라사이트 course of your career, what book have you taken 바카라사이트 most pride in publishing?
There are far too many. The joy of being a publisher is that each year is a new adventure, when you can be surprised by 바카라사이트 brilliance of an established author¡¯s new work, or feel that 바카라사이트 world has been permanently changed by a new intellectual insight.

What¡¯s an undergraduate degree worth?
In my industry, 바카라사이트 majority of new recruits are graduates. We are lucky to be able to employ many of 바카라사이트 best and 바카라사이트 brightest.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
Constantly curious; generally rebellious, in keeping with 바카라사이트 times (1970-74); but also quite assiduous in my studies.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
Being taught by Quentin Bell in my first semester. Deciding to change my degree to 바카라사이트 newly invented intellectual history course, sitting in lectures on 바카라사이트 modern European mind by Istv¨¢n M¨¦sz¨¢ros.

If you were universities minister for a day, what policy would you introduce?
Sort out 바카라사이트 mechanism for allowing bona fide, talented international students to come and study at our great postgraduate institutions without 바카라사이트 complexity and red tape of current visa applications. I also agree with [RCA provost] Sir James Dyson¡¯s recent comments that Theresa May¡¯s immigration plans would damage 바카라사이트 UK both intellectually and commercially.

What do you do for fun?
Read and visit art exhibitions.

What is your biggest regret?
Giving up art after O level.

What keeps you awake at night?
Having too much to do and unnecessarily worrying about 바카라사이트 whereabouts of my fully grown-up daughters.

If you were a prospective university student now facing ?9,000 a year fees, would you go again or go straight into work?
I would go again, 100 per cent. University changed my life.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com