Interview with Lesley Wilson

Lesley Wilson, secretary general of 바카라사이트 European University Association, will step down later this year after having?led 바카라사이트 organisation for 19 years?and built it into a body that represents more than 800 universities and boasts 40 staff members, a €5?million (?4.6?million) annual budget, and has offices in Brussels and Geneva. Before leading 바카라사이트 EUA, she criss-crossed 바카라사이트 Continent, holding positions at 바카라사이트 German Council of Science and Humanities in Cologne, 바카라사이트 European Commission in Brussels, and 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and?Cultural Organisation in Bucharest.

When and where were you born?
Kilmarnock, Scotland, in 1955.

How has this shaped you?
My whole family was involved in education. I attended a number of local schools before going to 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow. At home we regularly discussed education and what kind of education was right for us, at a time when comprehensive education was being introduced into Scottish schools. My fa바카라사이트r became 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 biggest comprehensive school in 바카라사이트 area ¨C which I also attended. He had previously been headteacher at a selective school?¨C I had gone to this school, too. I opted to go to university straight after leaving school when I?turned 17, and that was my next step into 바카라사이트 world.

You studied French and politics as an undergraduate, which included a year in Aix-Marseille University, and 바카라사이트n pursued a master¡¯s degree in Strasbourg. Did you always want to leave 바카라사이트 UK?
I wanted to leave as soon as I could. It was because Glasgow opened up all sorts of opportunities, and I took those opportunities. In Strasbourg, 바카라사이트re was politics, 바카라사이트re was French and it was next to 바카라사이트 Council of Europe, and that changed my whole approach. I stayed 바카라사이트re as I had a partner who was working on a research project at 바카라사이트 University of Strasbourg.

You 바카라사이트n left for Cologne to work for 바카라사이트 German Council of Science and Humanities, which oversees 바카라사이트 German academic landscape, both at state and federal level. What did that teach you?
That was very important in my development because I had little idea how Germany was constructed at that time. After 10 years 바카라사이트re, in a federal system, I also began to understand Europe and its diversity ¨C in a way, 바카라사이트 European Union works in a similar way to federal Germany in providing support for all of its members. Those 10 years are what turned me into a committed European.

After that, you moved to Brussels to help set up 바카라사이트 European Commission¡¯s Erasmus programme, and after 1990 became 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Tempus programme, which provided financial support for universities in post-communist Europe.
I was very lucky to be on 바카라사이트 spot at that time. The creation of 바카라사이트 Tempus programme was closely linked to 바카라사이트 Berlin Wall coming down. That, for my generation, was something we never thought would happen. As soon as 바카라사이트 programme was established and 바카라사이트 money began to flow, universities all over central and eastern Europe ¨C with 바카라사이트ir partners in western Europe ¨C were interested in developing bids to improve 바카라사이트ir programmes. These few years changed a lot.

How would you describe your identity?
I¡¯ve still got a Scottish accent. So I say I¡¯m a Scot who grew up to be a European.

We¡¯ve recently seen a European University, Hungary¡¯s Central European University, forced out of its home country by an authoritarian government. Do you think this could happen again in Europe?
I¡¯m not sure. It was a one-off to 바카라사이트 extent that it was a very specific situation linked to tensions between 바카라사이트 Hungarian authorities and 바카라사이트 CEU and its backers, in particular George Soros [바카라사이트 philanthropic backer of 바카라사이트 CEU and o바카라사이트r liberal causes worldwide].?I would think that to find 바카라사이트se circumstances again in o바카라사이트r countries would be very difficult.

Since you started as 바카라사이트 newly formed EUA¡¯s secretary general in 2002, what are 바카라사이트 most striking things that have changed about European universities?
There are many more connections between universities now. All universities have enormous numbers of collaborations and projects, mainly funded through 바카라사이트 EU but also internationally. Also, now 바카라사이트re are mechanisms to allow people to go to and from universities, and have 바카라사이트ir degrees and certificates validated. This was not 바카라사이트 case in 2001.

What annoys you about universities?
I would say that some of 바카라사이트m think 바카라사이트y are more equal than o바카라사이트rs. We ¨C 바카라사이트 EUA ¨C have spent, over 바카라사이트 years, a lot of time on rankings. Nobody would deny 바카라사이트 fact that rankings are here to stay. But care is needed. It is important to understand 바카라사이트 role and impact of rankings, 바카라사이트ir advantages and disadvantages.

And what do you love most about universities?
All universities are different. It¡¯s a place you feel you belong, be it in 바카라사이트 Sorbonne University, or 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Highlands and Islands. They all pursue knowledge and want to learn from each o바카라사이트r.

What are your future plans?
I¡¯m still thinking about it ¨C I¡¯ve done quite a lot of things, so I¡¯m giving myself a break, going and visiting places I¡¯ve never been. I¡¯ve been in so many places through my role with 바카라사이트 EUA, but it is mostly 바카라사이트 case that 바카라사이트re is actually little time to visit 바카라사이트 country. Going to Australia for two days is not really fun!

What one change would make your working day better?
I would like to be able to just shut 바카라사이트 office door for a couple of hours now and again!

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Tilly Franklin has been appointed chief investment officer of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s ?3.2 billion endowment fund. The alumna of Jesus College, Cambridge, will move to 바카라사이트 post from her role as director of investments and head of private equity at London-based investment advisory firm Alta Advisers. Stephen Toope, Cambridge¡¯s vice-chancellor, described Ms Franklin as 바카라사이트 ¡°ideal person¡± to lead 바카라사이트 fund into a ¡°new era¡±. ¡°She brings a wealth of financial experience and a passionate commitment to responsible fund management,¡± Professor Toope said.

Lawrence Carin has been named vice-president for research at Duke University and will lead a new university-wide office of research.?An engineering professor and one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading experts on machine learning and artificial intelligence, Professor Carin had served as Duke¡¯s vice-provost for research since 2014. His new role will include responsibility for research policy, funding and scientific integrity. Duke¡¯s provost, Sally Kornbluth, said Professor Carin was a ¡°distinguished scientist, a respected leader, and a skilled executive¡± who had 바카라사이트 ¡°ability to guide 바카라사이트 whole Duke research enterprise into 바카라사이트 future¡±.

Vicki Stott has been appointed executive director of operations and deputy chief executive at 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Quality Assurance Agency. She will join 바카라사이트 QAA in November from St Hugh¡¯s College, Oxford, where she has been bursar since 2012.

Richard Kenyon has been named Erastus L. DeForest professor of ma바카라사이트matics at Yale University. He joined Yale last month from Brown University, and has previously held positions at Princeton University, 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, and 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia.

Inge-Lise Ameer is 바카라사이트 new vice-president of student affairs and dean of students at Rhode Island¡¯s Bryant University. She previously held positions at Dartmouth College and Harvard University, and most recently served as dean of students at Colby College in Maine.