Court news - February 2015

Court open forum

The Principal, Vice-Convener of Court and the University Secretary delivered presentations to staff and students on the activities of Court.

The event was recorded and can be viewed online.

Designation of Vice-Principal

Court approved the extension of the remit of the Vice-Principal Equality and Diversity to establish the new position of Vice-Principal People and Culture.

From 1 April 2015, Professor Jane Norman, the current Vice-Principal Equality and Diversity, will take on this extended role.

She will provide academic leadership and perspective on people strategies and organisational culture in order to optimise the ability of staff and students to contribute to the University's strategic goals of excellence in education, research and innovation.

Alan Turing Institute

Court welcomed the recent announcement by the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, that Edinburgh has been selected as one of five universities to take forward the development of the Alan Turing Institute.

The Institute will enable knowledge and predictions from large-scale and diverse digital data.

Its delivery will be coordinated by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council, and the other four universities invited to join it are Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick and UCL.

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014

Court congratulated all staff involved in REF2014, particularly Professor Jonathan Seckl, Vice-Principal Planning, Resources and Research Policy, for his leadership role in chairing the REF coordination panel.

Edinburgh performed exceptionally well across all of its research activities: based on the quality and breadth of its research, it was ranked fourth in the UK and top in Scotland. Its submission was one of the largest and most comprehensive in the UK.

Student experience

The three Heads of College reinforced the priority they attach to the student experience and each provided Court with an update on the various initiatives being undertaken across their College.

Enhancing employment

Court was pleased to receive an update that the University has ceased the use of zero-hours contracts, with all hourly-paid employees now being offered contracts that guarantee a minimum number of hours of work.

Other items

Court received reports from the Policy and Resources Committee, the Knowledge Strategy Committee and the Nominations Committee on activities being undertaken in support of Court.

Court also approved the recommendation of the Nominations Committee to appoint Professor Charlie Jeffery, Senior Vice-Principal, as a Curator of Patronage from 1 August 2015.

Curators of Patronage have a role in the appointment of professors to some of the longest established University chairs.

A paper was also considered and welcomed on the outcome of an IT Infrastructure Review.

Further information on the remit and work of Court and its Committees can be found online.