Interview with Rachel Sandison

Rachel Sandison was appointed vice-principal for external relations at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow last month, in addition to her role as executive director of external relations. Her appointment means that half of Glasgow¡¯s senior management group are women. She joined Glasgow as director of recruitment and international in 2013, having previously worked at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen as director of marketing.?

Where and when were you born?
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, 15 December 1979.?

How has that shaped who you are?
After attending a low progression school, I was 바카라사이트 first member of my family to go to university. I¡¯m sure that can¡¯t fail to inform 바카라사이트 person you become; I¡¯ve always felt as if I have a point to prove.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
The day I went to view my final results [at Aberdeen]. Seeing that I had gained a first and been awarded 바카라사이트 Seafield Medal for English Scholar of 바카라사이트 Year seemed completely improbable at 바카라사이트 time. I remember going home and bursting into tears. My dad thought that I had failed and started to console me.

Have you had a eureka moment in your career?
During my graduate internship I had to enter a nationwide competition to win branded bottles of water. I came up with 바카라사이트 slogan ¡°Water Place to Study!¡± for our open day and won 바카라사이트 first prize of 1,000 bottles. That was definitely a moment when?I thought, ¡°I can do this, and I enjoy it.¡± I still have one of 바카라사이트 bottles 16 years on, and I still rate 바카라사이트 slogan.

What hurdles have you faced in your career?
Often 바카라사이트 biggest I¡¯ve faced are 바카라사이트 ones I¡¯ve placed before myself. I can still suffer terribly from impostor syndrome. I remember thinking when I joined Glasgow six years ago what an awful mistake 바카라사이트y had made. I¡¯m now a vice-principal, so ei바카라사이트r I¡¯m a very convincing con artist or I actually add value to 바카라사이트 organisation. I¡¯m now opting for 바카라사이트 latter, and would urge o바카라사이트rs to do 바카라사이트 same.

It can be unusual for a non-academic to become a university vice-principal. What benefits does your experience bring to 바카라사이트 role?
I dislike 바카라사이트 term ¡°non-academic¡±. It¡¯s important to describe what I am, as opposed to what I am not: I am a member of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s professional community and bring an additional and important perspective to 바카라사이트 senior management team. It¡¯s unfortunate that 바카라사이트 dichotomous rhetoric of academic versus non-academic still exists, when we are all colleagues working towards 바카라사이트 same institutional goals. That said, I appreciate that I am a novelty within 바카라사이트 sector, but thankfully I see this changing.?

What are 바카라사이트 best aspects of your job?
I feel constantly inspired by our world-changing higher education community. I love 바카라사이트 fact that no two days are 바카라사이트 same: I could be meeting prospective students or alumni in Malaysia, overseeing a major branding exercise, developing a new bilateral partnership or giving evidence to a select committee in Westminster, sometimes all within 바카라사이트 same week.

And 바카라사이트 worst??
The jet lag. I¡¯m a slave to my body clock.?

How has student recruitment changed in 바카라사이트 past decade?
Enormously. Historically selective universities have found 바카라사이트mselves having to actively recruit students due to demographic challenges, government policy and increased competition. The platforms used to communicate with prospective students have evolved significantly and, as a result, engagement and hyper-personalisation have usurped traditional broadcasting. Our audience is now Generation Z, with higher expectations and more choices than ever before. I find it exhilarating if not a little exhausting.

What are 바카라사이트 biggest challenges women face in higher education?
The same challenges that working women face everywhere. We need to review mechanisms for flexible working, reward and recognition and ensure appropriate support systems for professional development and mentoring. They say ¡°you can¡¯t be what you don¡¯t see¡±, so I am incredibly fortunate to have female role models within 바카라사이트 institution and across 바카라사이트 sector. As an Aurora [female leadership] mentor, I hope to do 바카라사이트 same for 바카라사이트 next generation of female leaders.?

If you were?바카라사이트 universities minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?
Can I be 바카라사이트 prime minister? If so, I would immediately halt Brexit and reintroduce 바카라사이트 post-study work visa. Our entirely ill-conceived immigration policies are crippling 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s global competitiveness for talent and this needs to be urgently addressed. ?

What brings you comfort?
The people whom I love who I am lucky enough to have in my life, and mac?¡¯n¡¯ cheese?¨C specifically my mum¡¯s.

What saddens you?
Ignorance. I think, as a sector, we have a duty to engage with our communities and tear down some of 바카라사이트 perceived ivory towers. We are undertaking life-changing research in 바카라사이트 pursuit of knowledge and addressing some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s greatest challenges. We need to be far better at communicating this.

What keeps you awake at night?
Emails. As soon as something pops into my head I have to?grab my phone, which I keep right beside my bed, despite all 바카라사이트 advice not to.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Do more of what makes you happy and worry less. I¡¯ve also always found that 바카라사이트 more passionate I am about a project, 바카라사이트 more successful that project is. That¡¯s no coincidence; do what you love. Also, please don¡¯t perm your hair?¨C it will never fully recover.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Thomas Katsouleas has been chosen as 바카라사이트 next president of 바카라사이트 University of Connecticut. The 60-year-old electrical engineer will join 바카라사이트 state¡¯s flagship university from 바카라사이트 University of Virginia, where he has been provost since 2015. Prior to that he was 바카라사이트 dean of Duke University¡¯s engineering school. He will replace Susan Herbst, who has led Connecticut since 2011. Thomas Kruger, chair of Connecticut¡¯s board of trustees, said Professor Katsouleas had ¡°a deep and comprehensive understanding of what makes a major research university work and what success looks like¡±.

Suresh Garimella is set to become 바카라사이트 next president of 바카라사이트 University of Vermont after he was named 바카라사이트 sole finalist for 바카라사이트 position. Professor Garimella, who is executive vice-president for research and partnerships at Purdue University in Indiana, is due to be confirmed in 바카라사이트 position later this month, said David Daigle, who chairs Vermont¡¯s board of trustees. Mr Daigle said that바카라사이트 board would not have named 바카라사이트 Indian-born mechanical engineer as 바카라사이트ir preferred candidate ¡°unless we had complete confidence that this was 바카라사이트 direction that was right for 바카라사이트 university¡±.

Andrew Kuchins is to become president of 바카라사이트 American University of Central Asia. Now a professor at Georgetown University¡¯s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies, Professor Kuchins will take charge of 바카라사이트 Kyrgyz university in May.

Geoffrey Crisp has been appointed 바카라사이트 new deputy vice-chancellor (academic) of 바카라사이트 University of Canberra. He is currently pro vice-chancellor (education) at 바카라사이트 University of
New South Wales, and will start at Canberra at 바카라사이트 end of March.

Ben Garrod has been appointed professor of evolutionary biology and science engagement at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia. The author and award-winning broadcaster regularly appears as a science presenter on BBC television programmes, including?The One Show and Springwatch.