Court meeting: 26 February 2024
The University’s governing body, the University Court, met on 26 February 2024.
Summary of the key topics discussed
Court Seminar
Prior to the formal meeting of Court, Court received presentations on and discussed key aspects of the Curriculum Transformation Project.
Update from the Principal
Peter Mathieson, Principal & Vice-Chancellor, reported on a number of recent successes for the University and for members of the University community, including:
- Record levels of philanthropic support received in the previous academic year.
- The award of Educational Partnership of the Year to The University’s Zhejiang University partnership at the recent China-British Business Council awards:
- The founding of Scotland Beyond Net Zero (SBNZ), initially by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, which would bring together world-class expertise from institutions across Scotland.
- The award of the Tam Dalyell Prize for Excellence in engaging the public with science to Dr James Cook of Edinburgh College of Art;
Tam Dalyell Prize for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science
- The announcement by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) of the new £14.25m Engineered Genetic Control systems for Advance Therapeutics Hub bringing together a multidisciplinary team from the Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford, Imperial College London and the CRUK Scotland Institute, as part of a £100m UK-wide investment by UKRI in engineering biology:
Edinburgh Innovations | Game-changing gene therapies are focus of…
New £100m fund will unlock the potential of engineering biology – UKRI
- Edinburgh’s lead role or involvement in more than half of the nine centres announced as part of the £80m UK-wide investment in applying AI to read-world data and research by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC):
£100m boost in AI research will propel transformative innovations – UKRI
Main Agenda Items
Student Experience Update
Court received an overview of recent work to enhance the student experience, including how the University was responding to the recommendations of the Quality Enhancement and Standards Review carried out by Quality Assurance Agency Scotland:
The discussion focused on the implementation and monitoring of consistent practices on assessment and feedback, where significant progress had been made through a newly-established Student Experience Delivery and Monitoring Oversight Board, and also encompassed the Student Support Model (SSM).
Students’ Association Report
The President of the Students’ Association provided updates on the sabbatical officers’ recent activities and outlined the Association’s concerns regarding three particular issues: the impact on students of the cost of living, increases in rents charged for University-owned accommodation and the handling of reports of gender-based violence. Court discussed recent changes in the supply of relevant accommodation in the city, in the demand for University accommodation and the consequent need for the University to respond in ways that addressed both short-term and long-term needs. The discussion also covered the uptake of available support for students and how this might be improved by adjusting communications.
Court noted the Students’ Association’s concerns and agreed that the University’s senior leadership team should be asked to respond to the specific points raised, given the different remits and responsibilities of Court and the University’s senior management.
Finance
The Director of Finance provided a report on actual and forecast financial results. The University was inevitably subject to inflationary cost pressures and had also been affected by changes in patterns of student recruitment which had been noted at sector level. The University had responded by adjusting aspects of its recruitment processes to maximise the conversion of high-quality applications to acceptances, with early signs of success in the current recruitment round. Overall, Edinburgh had a high degree of resilience relative to many higher education institutions. The University remained committed to targets previously approved by Court to ensure financial sustainability and stability and would carefully manage budgets to this end, on both short- and longer-term timescales.
People and Money System
Court received an update on work relating to the People & Money system. A roadmap for further improvements was in development. This took into account user feedback and the findings of an external review. The update included priority areas, new governance arrangements for this programme of work and the development of a communications plan. The University was also preparing for significant updates that were to be independently rolled out by the external provider for all such systems.
Forest and Peatlands Programme First Annual Report 2022-23
Court received the First Annual Report of the Forest and Peatlands Programme, the University's carbon sequestrian scheme, which would also bring multiple opportunities for educational, research and community benefits:
Estates
Court approved funding for the Small Works and Statutory Compliance Programme 2024/25 and for a multiyear energy efficiency programme.
Rector
The Rector, Debora Kayembe, received the Court’s thanks on the occasion of her final meeting in the role and offered reflections on her time as Rector and her personal hopes and priorities for the future. It was noted that the next Rector, Simon Fanshawe, would take office from 4 March 2024.
Other items
Revised and updated election regulations were approved for Senate and Senate standing committee elections and for the election of a Professional Services Staff Member of Court. Draft Ordinances relating to membership of the General Council were approved for submission to the Privy Council. Regular reports from the Sports Union, the Development and Alumni Office, and from Court’s committees were also considered, as was an annual report from Development and Alumni. Court also approved meeting dates for the next two years and Resolutions to establish a professorial Chair and amend the titles of two Chairs.
More detailed information on the University Court, including the membership, agenda, open papers and approved minutes can be found on the University Court webpages: