Dear colleagues,
As we approach the spring break, I wanted to thank you all for your extraordinary efforts this term. It’s been an incredibly busy time and we’ve achieved a great deal together.
I’ve recorded a short video message, in which I celebrate our many recent successes, including the award of nine Centres for Doctoral Training, progress on the Reparative Futures programme, our new logo, and the outstanding response from you all to the Our Voices Matter, the 2024 Staff Experience Survey, with over 4,000 responses.
Elsewhere, work continues on the University Structures 2030 programme; on our transition from six faculties to three, ensuring our Professional Services are the best they can be under the Professional Services Transformation Programme, and preparing colleagues for the new structure of the academic year.
Under the Structure of the Academic Year project (SAY), we are looking in detail at key areas including assessment, international students and the start of the 2024/25 academic year. I am very grateful to all colleagues who are carefully planning how we transition from the current structure to the new one which will mean compressed time in August for many teams.
As we look ahead to our final term, I’m looking forward to this year’s Bristol Teaching Awards and celebrating our shortlisted nominees and their incredible efforts. We also look forward to welcoming our new Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, Professor Michele Acuto, in early June. Meanwhile, the search for our next Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation is well underway.
Finally, the next ‘In Conversation’ event will take place on Wednesday 8 May at Langford Campus, hosted by Professor Jeremy Tavaré, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. I hope many of you can join us; more details to follow soon. And as always, if there is anything you would like to discuss with me personally, do please book a slot at my next surgery on Monday 22 April.
On a more sombre note, I am acutely aware that this is a very hard time for many, and I would like to express the importance of looking after one another. The continuing Israel-Gaza conflict is being felt across the world, and it’s important more than ever that we stand together as a community and uphold our shared values of mutual respect, care, compassion and inclusivity.
For now, the spring holiday is a perfect opportunity to take some time out, rest and reflect on the past few months. I particularly love this time of year, with our campus in bloom and the promise of warmer and lighter days in the air.
For colleagues observing the holy month of Ramadan, I wish you Ramadan Mubarak! And my best wishes for colleagues celebrating Easter this weekend and Passover next month.
Thank you again for your hard work, and a huge thank you to our brilliant colleagues who will be working over the closure days – the University could not function without you, and I hope you manage to take your own break very soon.
Best wishes
Evelyn
Professor Evelyn Welch
Vice-Chancellor and President