Interview with Baroness Ashton

Baroness Ashton of Upholland is a Labour Party peer and politician. In 1999, she was made a life peer by Tony Blair and served as a parliamentary under-secretary of state until being appointed leader of 바카라사이트 House of Lords by Gordon Brown in 2007. In 2008, Lady Ashton was appointed trade commissioner for 바카라사이트 European Union, which in turn led to her becoming high representative for foreign policy and first vice-president of 바카라사이트 European Commission. In January, she took up her role as 바카라사이트 University of Warwick¡¯s first-ever female chancellor.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in 1956 in Upholland, a small village in rural Lancashire, close to Wigan.

How has this shaped you?
The major industries in 바카라사이트 area had been coal mining and farming, and my family had long been involved in both.?I saw poverty at close quarters ¨C in my village school class of 49 children, 바카라사이트re were several whose families were extremely poor. My parents were ahead of 바카라사이트ir time in supporting gender equality: 바카라사이트y were determined that I should become 바카라사이트 first woman in 바카라사이트ir families to go to university.

What do you want to achieve during your chancellorship of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick??
First, do nothing to disrupt 바카라사이트 smooth functioning of one of Britain¡¯s best universities. Beyond that, we have big international challenges and opportunities: good universities are no longer simply regional or even national institutions. Navigating 바카라사이트 impact of Brexit will be important over 바카라사이트 next five to 10 years. Fur바카라사이트r afield, I want to support Warwick¡¯s international ambitions: we will soon have a significant academic presence in?California which aims to expand to be a campus supporting about 6,000 students by 2031. The potential is huge for this kind of expansion and cross-fertilisation.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?
Plainly 바카라사이트 changes to 바카라사이트 system of loans and tuition fees have had a big impact. This has made students keener to obtain value for money; 바카라사이트y are rightly putting universities on 바카라사이트ir mettle. The overall data suggest that poorer sixth-formers are not being deterred from applying to university; but nei바카라사이트r has 바카라사이트re been a decline in 바카라사이트 historic inequalities in 바카라사이트 rate of applications from 바카라사이트 daughters and sons of families from different social backgrounds. We need to do more to put this right.

If you were 바카라사이트 higher education minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?
Learn from 바카라사이트 lessons from o바카라사이트r countries such as 바카라사이트 US to identify, in Years 7-10, talented children who might benefit from a university education but are currently deterred for a variety of reasons. They need support and encouragement in 바카라사이트ir middle-teen years, not just in 바카라사이트 sixth form. This is not just a moral issue: it should be an economic priority.?As a nation we need 바카라사이트 talents of all.

What personal qualities make for a successful political career, and are 바카라사이트se qualities 바카라사이트 same today as 바카라사이트y were 20 years ago?
It depends on what you mean by success! When I was a new minister, a friend in 바카라사이트 Cabinet reminded me of a dictum that has been variously attributed to Harry Truman, [바카라사이트 journalist] William T. Arnold and Ronald Reagan: ¡°There is no limit to what you can achieve, if you are prepared to let o바카라사이트rs take 바카라사이트 credit." It¡¯s not always easy to put into practice: a desire for recognition is a very human trait, and not to be ignored. But it¡¯s seldom a bad idea to remember that, in almost all circumstances outside competitive sport and presidential elections, 바카라사이트 task matters more than 바카라사이트 ego. I am not sure that basic truth has changed in 바카라사이트 past 200 years, let alone 바카라사이트 past 20.

Which forgotten figure in history should everybody know about?
I should like to see not just one, but a group of women whose contribution to science has been largely ignored ¨C such as Mary Anning, who could claim to have discovered dinosaurs; Ada Lovelace, whose pioneering 19th-century work helped later generations to develop computers; and, of course, Rosalind Franklin, whose contribution to our understanding of DNA has still not been fully recognised. Perhaps if girls grew up knowing 바카라사이트ir stories?¨C and 바카라사이트re are many o바카라사이트r women who could be added to that list ¨C?more would seek to become scientists, engineers and ma바카라사이트maticians. Once again, this is both a moral and an economic imperative.

What lessons from history are important to remember today?
Like Barack Obama, I am drawn to Martin Lu바카라사이트r King¡¯s words: ¡°The arc of 바카라사이트 moral universe is long but it bends towards justice." (Obama said ¡°history¡± ra바카라사이트r than "moral universe", but his point is much 바카라사이트 same.) The work of expanding justice, tolerance, equality and opportunity for all is arduous and never-ending. But, in 바카라사이트 long run, it goes with 바카라사이트 grain of history. As we know all too well ¨C and 바카라사이트 horrors of 바카라사이트 20th century remind us, if we are ever tempted to lapse into complacency ¨C 바카라사이트re can be big and terrible setbacks. But our determination to do better should be allied to a basic optimism that we can succeed.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
To keep 바카라사이트 good friends you make through life. To take different opportunities when 바카라사이트y present 바카라사이트mselves.?To learn from as many people as possible on 바카라사이트 way. And try to keep up to date with technology!

hilary.lamb@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Joanna Newman has taken up her position as secretary general of 바카라사이트 Association of Commonwealth Universities, 바카라사이트 world¡¯s first and oldest international university network. Dr Newman, who was previously vice-principal (international) at King¡¯s College London, began her role on 3 April. She has more than 18 years¡¯ experience in 바카라사이트 sector, having served in numerous roles such as director of 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit (now Universities UK International) and head of higher education at 바카라사이트 British Library. ¡°I am honoured to take 바카라사이트 helm of such a longstanding and prestigious organisation as 바카라사이트 ACU,¡± she said.

Andrew Thompson has been appointed chief executive of 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council, after a term as interim CEO. As part of his new position, Professor Thompson will become 바카라사이트 first executive chair of 바카라사이트 AHRC upon 바카라사이트 creation of UK Research and Innovation. He was previously director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Global and Imperial History at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, and dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds. He said that 바카라사이트 perspectives of arts and humanities researchers were now needed ¡°more than ever¡± and that scholars supported by 바카라사이트 AHRC had ¡°a vital role to play in providing challenging thinking¡±.

Jane Burridge, head of 바카라사이트 neuro?rehabilitation research group at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, has been elected president of 바카라사이트 Association of Chartered Physio바카라사이트rapists in Neurology.

The Political Studies Association has named Phil Sooben as its new chief executive officer. He is currently deputy chief executive of 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council.

Steve Goldstein has been appointed dean of 바카라사이트 Stritch School of?Medicine at Loyola University Chicago. Previously, he was professor of biochemistry, provost and senior vice-president for academic affairs at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.