Embedding our new structures and ways of working

We talk to Professor Huw Williams, Associate PVC for Global Engagement Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

First published Weekly Bulletin Monday 19 December 2022

What is your role in a nutshell?

Huw: I'm the Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. It is a role that has a number of key functions including enabling our colleagues to work with partners internationally to develop and scale their research to create impact in the world, to continue to build Exeter's reputation globally, and also to ensure that we have a diverse student experience. Both by recruiting people from all over the world to come and study at Exeter and to create opportunities for studying with partner institutions globally.

Read more here.

“There is a real ‘can do’ attitude at Exeter” - we talk to Professor Helen Berry and Professor Adam Watt, DPVCs of the HASS Faculty

First published Weekly Bulletin Monday 12 December 2022 

As Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellors each has responsibility for five different departments/institutes within the faculty, Helen is responsible for; Archaeology and History, Communications, Drama and Film, English and Creative Writing, Social and Political Sciences, Philosophy and Anthropology, and the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies. Adam is responsible for; Classics, Ancient History, Religion and Theology, School of Education, Law School, HASS Penryn (Cornwall); Languages Cultures and Visual Studies.

What are your key priorities?

Helen: As Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellors for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), we work with the Heads of Department and Senior Leadership Team to help ensure the smooth running and success of the new faculty. We’re particularly keen to support and develop academic colleagues and to try to make sure equality, diversity and inclusion runs through everything that we do. We’re also tasked with helping to unlock interdisciplinary working between our departments and with the wider University.

What benefits have you seen of the new ways of working so far?

Adam: It’s been great to learn about what goes on in different parts of the University and to see new opportunities open up for people, to meet one another and collaborate – it leads to really exciting ideas and new ways of working with our students, colleagues and the wider world. There’s a real ‘can do’ attitude at Exeter that’s really about people appreciating one another and being open to change – we have fantastic students and colleagues!

Read more here.

“Exciting opportunities ahead” as we talk to Professor Sallie Lamb, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

First published Weekly Bulletin Monday 21 November 2022

Here we turn the spotlight onto the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, led by Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean, Professor Sallie Lamb - to find out more about her vision for a fairer, greener and healthier future and how the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences will support our aims.

Our new structures launched in September 2022, organising our University into three academic faculties and eight professional services divisions to create strong foundations to deliver the objectives set out in Strategy 2030.

Read more here.

“Building relationships is so key…” David Rose, Senior HR Partner (Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy)

First published Weekly Bulletin Monday 5 December 2022 

What’s your role in a nutshell?

David: I'm the senior HR partner for the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy (ESE). I've been at the University for just over a year, and this role since September - before that I was the HR Business Partner for the College of Humanities (as it was known previously). I work with my team to support the faculty on almost everything people related. The wider HR team support on matters relating to recruitment, changes to an employees status, or supporting managers with a variety of HR matters with their staff. The role can vary as people are wonderful things and some days you never know what you are going to wake up to – it can involve supporting on unique and complex matters that arise which demand immediate support. As well as this, another important part of my role is to work with the departments and the faculty senior leadership team as a whole to look ahead, to work out what our priorities should be and how we will work towards our goals as set out by Strategy 2030. It is my job to look at what we want to achieve in tandem with the reality of what our workforce data telling us about our current and future workforce needs – I look at how we can strategically use both to formulate our plans, in terms of, staff development, succession planning, recruitment strategies. This involves the coordination of many colleagues within the HR team and my role is to help facilitate that amongst colleagues.

Read more here. 

In discussion: Professor Dan Charman, PVC and Executive Dean, Faculty of Environment Science and Economy

First published Weekly Bulletin Monday 5 December 2022 

Introduce us to your new faculty – what are you most excited about?

Dan: We are a diverse group of disciplines, staff and students that bring together the very best in fundamental sciences, engineering and business to deliver a powerful combination of talent to help analyse and solve some of the big environmental and societal problems. This unique combination of talent and approaches and the potential to really make a big difference to the world are what really excites me about the faculty.

What is your vision for your new faculty and why is this meaningful to you?

Dan: We are currently developing a collective faculty vision, but my personal vision is for the faculty to be so much more than the sum of its parts in becoming a global leader in interdisciplinary research and education and the impact that delivers globally, nationally and regionally. We will blend the very best fundamental subject expertise and work with partners to deliver the necessary shift in technology, economy and policy to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet.

This means a lot to me, as it should to all of us, because I want a safe future for my children and all generations to come. I find it salutary to check on how much the earth has warmed since I was born (approximately 1oC - I’ll leave you to guess what year!) and I want this to slow and stop. However, our vision is wider than just helping to prevent the rise in global temperature - changing the direction of travel for society, economy, and environment in a range of fields is critical for all of us.

Read more here. 

“Nurturing a thriving research culture” Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor, Research and Impact (Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy)

First published Weekly Bulletin Monday 28 November 2022

What’s your role in a nutshell?

Krasimira: My role, as Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research and Impact, is to provide strategic leadership within the context of the new structures, and in alignment with Strategy 2030. My work involves making sure that we have a thriving research culture, attracting a diverse body of excellent researchers from those early on in their career having recently completed their PhD, to more established researchers. We want all our researchers to feel like our University is the best place for them to work, develop and make an impact – this is all really important to me. It is about creating an environment in which they feel respected for what they do, while also ensuring that there are opportunities to feel rewarded, stimulated and to flourish. Alongside this, and equally central to my role is growing our research activity and income.

Read more here.

In discussion: Professor Gareth Stansfield, PVC and Executive Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

First published Weekly Bulletin Monday 7 November 2022

Strategy 2030 sets out our bold and inspiring vision to use the power of our education and research, to lead progress towards a sustainable, healthy and socially just future through our people, place and partnerships. Each faculty’s broad range of academic activities will support elements of all three University strategic goals‌ - Environment and Sustainability, Health and Social Justice - each faculty will also act as the champion for one of these.

Here we talk to Professor Gareth Stansfield, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS).

Read more here.

“Department level planning is where it's at” We talk to Susan Fallon, Strategic Insights and Planning Professional Services Partner (Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences)

Full article coming soon to Weekly Bulletin Monday 23 January 2023

Susan Fallon, Strategic Insights and Planning PS Partner (Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences) tells us more about how she is working differently within the three faculty structure, and shares some of the positive outcomes she feels this has already led to.

Tell us about your role

Susan: I am the Strategic Insights and Planning PS Partner (Planning Partner) for the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. I provide support to the faculty for business planning and strategic development processes. This involves gathering data and sector insights etc to inform Business Plans and cases that feed into the strategic planning process and to support data-driven decision making.
The business planning process includes the five year plans that we put in place, it is the business plan that covers how we will deliver our strategic ambition. It's my job to support the faculty to produce a five year business plan every year.

Read more here.