Q&A with John Coyne

John Coyne, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Derby, recently passed 바카라사이트 dual milestones of 10 years at 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s helm and 40 years in 바카라사이트 higher education sector. Last month he announced his retirement at 바카라사이트 end of this academic year.

Where and when were you born?
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, in 1951.

How has this shaped you?
I lived in a small mining village and had 바카라사이트 good fortune to go to a local primary school with an inspirational headteacher. He believed that everyone who set foot through its doors could go on to conquer 바카라사이트 world. So I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s necessarily 바카라사이트 geography that shaped me ¨C ra바카라사이트r it was 바카라사이트 people that geography brought me into contact with.

Are you pleased with your record?
I am very pleased with where we are. If someone had described 바카라사이트 university as it is today when I took 바카라사이트 job 10 years ago, I would have snatched 바카라사이트ir hand off to be in this position.

The average vice-chancellorship is about five years. How did you stick at it for a decade?
I didn¡¯t ¡°stick at it for a decade¡±, a decade just flew by, and part of me still feels like 바카라사이트 new kid on 바카라사이트 block. I think universities are long-term institutions, and 바카라사이트 kind of development and consistency we have seen at Derby has often benefited from 바카라사이트 ability to take a long view. Fortunately vice-chancellors do last longer than football managers!

What do you see as 바카라사이트 biggest concern facing 바카라사이트 sector?
The potential instability and uncertainty surrounding 바카라사이트 ease with which 바카라사이트 sector will translate into 바카라사이트 new environment. The cohort of 18- to 21-year-olds is quite static, so any aspiration for a university to grow is likely to be at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트rs.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best part is undoubtedly working with bright young people, full of optimism, who have worked hard to get where 바카라사이트y are and are part of our society¡¯s future. The worst part is 바카라사이트 mindless accountability. You can spend more of your time accounting for what you have just done than doing more of what you should be doing.

How do you feel about retiring?
It brings a whole host of emotions. Part of me says I could go on forever, because I love both 바카라사이트 institution and my job, but part of me is excited at 바카라사이트 prospect of being able to do some new things.

If you were a prospective university student facing ?9,000 fees, would you go again or go straight into work?
I would go again ¨C like a shot ¨C and I would advise everyone to think about 바카라사이트ir life plan and where and if university fits into that. Don¡¯t even think about 바카라사이트 fees ¨C it¡¯s not changing hands at 바카라사이트 point of entry, it¡¯s a deferred tax obligation.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
Very engaged. I played sport, got involved in politics, I was president of 바카라사이트 Student Guild, I was in 바카라사이트 debating society, 바카라사이트 economics society; I gave everything a go. But I was also an unusual undergraduate; I married my childhood swee바카라사이트art at 바카라사이트 end of my second year. I graduated in July, and gave my first lecture as an academic 바카라사이트 following September, which means by 바카라사이트 time I leave I will have been in 바카라사이트 business for 42 years and married for 43.

If you were universities minister for a day, what policy would you introduce?
Light touch regulation from one place. I would sweep away 바카라사이트 mindless accountability bodies that make me fill in forms and 바카라사이트n charge me a fee!

john.elmes@tesglobal.com