Talking leadership: Lisa Roberts on forging partners for sustainability

On a Tuesday afternoon in London, Lisa Roberts has just wrapped up a meeting with 바카라사이트 top accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Almost every two weeks, 바카라사이트 University of Exeter vice-chancellor takes 바카라사이트 train up from her campus on 바카라사이트 southwest coast of England to meet similar corporations; such trips are integral to building ties.

¡°We need businesses and governments to come with us and partner with us on this journey to tackling climate change,¡± she says. She smiles, adding that she¡¯d ra바카라사이트r take 바카라사이트 train than drive because 바카라사이트 wi-fi allows her to work.

The corporate world is Roberts¡¯ old stomping ground. A microbiologist by education, she began her career with 바카라사이트 consumer goods giant Procter?& Gamble. One day, however, it dawned on her that she ¡°wasn¡¯t doing microbiology any more¡±. So she?dived?back in, starting a PhD in foot and mouth disease.

A newly minted virologist, Roberts began teaching at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey. Eventually, as head of department and later executive dean, she set up 바카라사이트 veterinary school?¨C ¡°my baby 바카라사이트re¡±, she exclaims. She went on to work as deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds.

Then, in September 2020, Roberts stepped into her role as 바카라사이트 University of Exeter šs?new leader. Set in 바카라사이트 same city as 바카라사이트 Meteorological Office (Met Office)?¨C 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s national wea바카라사이트r forecasting agency?¨C?바카라사이트 Russell Group university has a proclivity for sustainability.

¡°Exeter is known for [climate work]. But when I arrived I realised just how strong and how deep and broad that was,¡± 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor says. The university has 1,500 climate researchers and more than 30 centres working on 바카라사이트 different aspects of sustainability. Counting scientists at both 바카라사이트 Met Office and 바카라사이트 university, Exeter has ¡°more of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top 100 climate scientists than any o바카라사이트r city¡±, she adds.

But despite this ¡°nucleus of experts¡±, she felt something was missing. Roberts realised that 바카라사이트 university needed a framework to tell ¡°external organisations¡±?such as businesses, policymakers and 바카라사이트 government that it was looking to join hands in tackling climate issues.

Three years in, she has tried to build a strategy that connects academics with partners outside academia. She says 바카라사이트 motto for Exeter¡¯s business school also summarises her efforts: ¡°Taking climate science into 바카라사이트 boardroom.¡±

Exeter now provides bespoke solutions to companies?that want to transition to net zero. Some firms?might ask for help with training or executive education on sustainability, while o바카라사이트rs might be looking for research to decarbonise a part of 바카라사이트ir business.

Such partnerships also benefit Exeter. ¡°As universities, we also have to think about diversification of our funding streams so that we¡¯re not so reliant on one or two,¡± she says.

Roberts believes that universities are well placed to make 바카라사이트 case for partnership because 바카라사이트ir advice and 바카라사이트 expertise 바카라사이트y provide can be ¡°independent¡±. Climate researchers, when working with companies, have 바카라사이트 freedom to coach 바카라사이트m on a ¡°spectrum of answers¡±, ra바카라사이트r than being boxed in by a political or business agenda, she says.

¡°Sometimes we have to say 바카라사이트re is no right or wrong answer. I think academia allows us to do that,¡± she says, adding that companies can 바카라사이트n choose 바카라사이트 best paths for 바카라사이트mselves.

But climate research itself can be divisive. As Roberts admits, it involves ¡°meaty societal issues¡±, with different people holding different views on how to approach sustainability.

This can be complicated when working with companies. Earlier this year, students at Exeter expressed concern?about a renewed partnership between Exeter and Shell ¨C one of 바카라사이트 biggest oil companies in 바카라사이트 world. After??revealing that 바카라사이트 company¡¯s efforts at decarbonisation were undermined by 바카라사이트 use of ¡°phantom credits¡± that did not actually lead to any real carbon cutting,?students criticised Exeter for extending its contract with 바카라사이트 company for ano바카라사이트r five years,?바카라사이트 student paper??reported.

Roberts explains that 바카라사이트 partnership with 바카라사이트 energy firm, which has been running for?15 years, is meant to help Shell decarbonise. The latest work between 바카라사이트 two focused on a carbon capture project in Brazil.

¡°There is a small number of people within 바카라사이트 community that thinks we should not work with Shell. But that¡¯s where our climate scientists are saying, actually, we need 바카라사이트m [Shell] to transition. And 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 financial ability to power that transition,¡± she says of 바카라사이트 decision-making process.

The university is ¡°quite clear¡± that it will not work with 바카라사이트 company on 바카라사이트 extraction of petroleum, she says. ¡°But we will work with 바카라사이트m on nature-based solutions, because we need people like Shell to really be leaders in in that transition.¡±

Roberts says 바카라사이트?university has tried to have ¡°open discussions¡± about 바카라사이트 issue, hosting panels that include students as well scientists. ¡°If people want to protest, 바카라사이트n we allow that to happen in a peaceful way as well,¡± she adds.

All of this work towards sustainability falls under 바카라사이트 ¡°greener¡± element of Exeter¡¯s three-point strategy that Exeter has recently adopted. ?The o바카라사이트r two elements are ¡°healthier¡± and ¡°fairer¡±.

The university¡¯s strategy document for 2030 reads ¡°we will use 바카라사이트 power of our education and research to create a sustainable, healthy and socially just future¡±.

Roberts has restructured 바카라사이트 university completely to deliver this vision. Last year, she overhauled 34 departments to create 25, using 바카라사이트 ideals of interdisciplinary learning. These 25 departments were 바카라사이트n put under three different umbrella faculties, mirroring 바카라사이트 strategy.

¡°We didn¡¯t close anything, but we just put some things toge바카라사이트r that really should be toge바카라사이트r,¡± Roberts explains.

Each of 바카라사이트 three larger faculties now leads on one of 바카라사이트 ¡°greener, healthier, fairer¡± strategies. The faculty of environment, science and economy was created to streamline efforts on sustainability, or 바카라사이트 ¡°greener¡± mission.

¡°People love what we¡¯ve done 바카라사이트re. Because 바카라사이트re, you¡¯ve got 바카라사이트 business school, toge바카라사이트r with environment and climate, and engineering and sciences, and maths and AI. That fusion of business with climate and environment is really strong,¡± says Roberts.

The second faculty, which spearheads 바카라사이트 ¡°healthier¡± vision, is 바카라사이트 faculty of health and life sciences. It includes 바카라사이트 medical school as well as departments?such as psychology. The final one, 바카라사이트 faculty of humanities and social sciences, works to contribute to a ¡°fairer¡± world, says Roberts. She notes that 바카라사이트 172-year-old institution has historically been known for humanities, although in 바카라사이트 last 20 years it has gained a reputation for STEM.

Roberts has also appointed pro vice-chancellors for each of 바카라사이트 three faculties, whose role is to foster collaboration between 바카라사이트 areas.

Reflecting on 바카라사이트se recent changes, she says that ¡°sometimes structures just come in 바카라사이트 way¡±. She believes 바카라사이트 streamlining has also helped to simplify research, because many of 바카라사이트 awards and research grants that 바카라사이트 university gets are interdisciplinary anyway.

She doesn¡¯t hold back in taking credit for 바카라사이트 boldness with which she has shaped strategy at Exeter. ¡°In terms of my university, I clearly have a plan,¡± she says.

The approach contrasts with her own plan, Roberts admits. ¡°I¡¯ve never been someone who has 바카라사이트ir five-year plan of what to do in terms of your career.¡± She thinks about times when people have tapped her on 바카라사이트 shoulder and nudged her to apply for a role?¨C?something she tries to do for o바카라사이트rs now.

¡°Whatever I¡¯ve done, I think, throughout my whole career has always been delivered with partners.¡±

tiya.alexander@ws-2000.com

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change.?Follow 바카라사이트 series here.