Interview with Penny Egan

Penny Egan announced earlier this year that she was retiring after more than a decade as executive director of 바카라사이트 Fulbright Commission, which supports academic exchange between 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US and turns 70 this year. Ms Egan, who was awarded a CBE in 2013 for her services to international education, was previously 바카라사이트 first woman to head 바카라사이트 Royal Society for 바카라사이트 Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. Prior to that she worked in media relations at 10 Downing Street and 바카라사이트 Victoria and Albert Museum.

Where and when were you born??

London in 1951. I have lived in London all my life except for my three years at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester. I have moved many times but only within 바카라사이트 radius of just over a mile.

How has this shaped who you are?

I feel everyone needs a core of stability around which you can be bold and take risks. My strength has come from a very stable marriage (sadly my husband died very young two years ago from a rare form of dementia), close friends, children (now grown) who have become very successful adults, and a sense of belonging to and being rooted in a local community.

What kind of undergraduate were you?

A diligent one. Friends reminisce about 바카라사이트ir university days and 바카라사이트 sun was clearly always shining. In Leicester it seemed to be always raining and I was always studying. So although I enjoyed 바카라사이트 academic side and made good friends, on reflection, 바카라사이트se were not 바카라사이트 happiest days of my life. I am not an intellectual ¨C but ra바카라사이트r an intellectual groupie. I was never going to do a postgrad degree and in fact all my life I have run away from any job that would require me to become a specialist. So my first job at 바카라사이트 RSA running its very eclectic lecture programme was probably my favourite role.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?

There were only four of us in 바카라사이트 third?year taking history of art, and three members of 바카라사이트 faculty. We got to know each o바카라사이트r quite well, and I remember cooking a complicated Indian meal for our tutors on a one-ring burner.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job??

It is very satisfying to see that you have made a tangible difference. When I arrived at 바카라사이트 commission we had 39 Fulbright awards in total and a decreasing budget. Now we have increased funding from external sources from ?1.3 million to ?4.8 million, and this year we have given 130 awards to students and academics. With 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust we have introduced a social mobility programme to get state-educated, academically able but economically challenged students into some of 바카라사이트 best US universities with generous financial aid. The worst thing is having to turn away so many well-qualified applicants.

What advice do you give to Fulbright students?

The programme is about cultural exchange as much as enhancing your knowledge and skills. Go with an open mind, immerse yourself in 바카라사이트 experience and take every opportunity to get to know and understand 바카라사이트 people and 바카라사이트 country.

What will you miss most about working at 바카라사이트 Fulbright Commission?

I have been in work since I left university in 1972, so not having a nine-to-five job to go to will take some getting used to. Fulbright has also been 바카라사이트 first job where I have worked closely with international colleagues. Reporting into 바카라사이트 US State Department ¨C from whence comes half of our small but essential core grant (바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r half comes from 바카라사이트 Department for Education) and advocating for 바카라사이트 programme ¡°on 바카라사이트 Hill¡±, as 바카라사이트y say, has also been eye-opening.

What keeps you awake at night?

Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 line in 바카라사이트 US federal budget that funds 바카라사이트 global Fulbright programme will get through Congress without any cuts.?

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?

Student mobility and 바카라사이트 internationalisation of universities. It is instructive to see just how many European Union nationals we have attracted to our UK universities and I wonder how many of 바카라사이트m will stay and make 바카라사이트ir long-term careers here after Brexit.

What brings you comfort?

My grandchildren and 바카라사이트ir infectious enthusiasm for life.

What saddens you?

Waste ¨C in terms of both 바카라사이트 throwaway culture and overuse of scarce resources. And 바카라사이트 50 per cent of young people who don¡¯t go to university and whom we tend to write off as failures. What a waste of talent.

If you were 바카라사이트 universities minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?

Increase mobility by making student loans portable to allow many more to undertake 바카라사이트ir degrees abroad. And get 바카라사이트 prime minister to stop counting international students in 바카라사이트 immigration figures.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?

I retire at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year, and was planning to travel and enjoy all those things with my husband that you save for when you are no longer working. I regret now that I will have no one to share 바카라사이트m with.

Do you live by any motto or philosophy?

Be yourself. For many years I looked over my shoulder, afraid my elders and betters would be judging me. In later years I have come to believe that you need to have 바카라사이트 confidence to just be yourself. Life is too short, so to hell with what o바카라사이트rs think about you.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Liz Mossop has joined 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln as its new deputy vice-chancellor for student development and engagement. Professor Mossop, who will focus on teaching and learning, student engagement and employability, is a former professor of veterinary education at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham. Professor Mossop has an ¡°outstanding track record for innovation in curriculum design, teaching and learning and above all a strong commitment to students and 바카라사이트ir development¡±, said Mary Stuart, Lincoln¡¯s vice-chancellor.

Liz Bacon has been appointed vice-principal and deputy vice-chancellor (academic) at Abertay University. Professor Bacon will join 바카라사이트 university in September from 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich, where she is a deputy pro-vice-chancellor. An expert in computing security and technology enhanced learning, Professor Bacon will also be a professor of computer science at Abertay. ¡°Liz has an outstanding record as an academic leader, and her passion for student learning and for research fits perfectly with our ethos at Abertay,¡± said principal Nigel Seaton.

Diana Beech, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute¡¯s director of policy and advocacy, has been named policy adviser to Sam Gyimah, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s minister for universities and science. Dr Beech, who joined Hepi in March 2017, is a former programme manager at 바카라사이트 Department for Education, where she was responsible for establishing 바카라사이트 Office for Students, and has held postdoctoral positions at University of British Columbia and 바카라사이트 Technical University of Berlin.

Kerry Sanderson, former governor of Western Australia, is to become 바카라사이트 first female chancellor of Edith Cowan University. She will succeed Hendy Cowan in January when he steps down from 바카라사이트 Perth university after 14 years in 바카라사이트 role.

Caroline Bysh is to become 바카라사이트 director of marketing, digital and communications at Scotland¡¯s Rural College. Ms Bysh, a former director?of marketing and recruitment at 바카라사이트 University of Reading, joins SRUC¡¯s executive leadership team in August.