Uncertainty has been a running theme during the long-drawn-out process of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. Initially this applied most forcefully to EU nationals worried about their future rights to study, live and work in this country (and vice-versa for their UK counterparts) but concerns also extended to whether we would be able to continue to take part in EU research and student mobility programmes and to wider issues around the potential impact of trade and regulatory change.
This period of time has often been referred to as a ‘great homeworking experiment’. But when organisations normally adopt remote working they usually do so in a strategic way, with much planning and organising. Like all organisations the pandemic forced us to adopt remote working at speed and in difficult circumstances.
Usually at this time of year our campus is buzzing with excitement and optimism as students from all over the world descend on Manchester, taking full advantage of the opportunities that our University and the wider city present. It’s also one of the busiest times for colleagues with all hands on deck to support our on-going research activities and to make sure our students feel welcome and help them adjust to their new life.
It is certainly an interesting time to start a role as Associate Vice-President (AVP) for Blended and Flexible Learning!
Fostering the conditions for more open forms of scholarship at our University is a priority in the Research and Discovery theme of the Our Future strategy.
At The University of Manchester we’re mainly not designing and providing wholly online programmes. We can make the online components higher-quality, with better production values, based on appropriate pedagogy for working with online learners – and our students are guiding us on how to do this. But we also believe passionately in an on-campus experience, and we miss the buzz of our campus full of students.
These last few weeks, particularly the last week or so, have undoubtedly been some of the most unusual and challenging of my entire career, and I am sure many of you feel the same way. These events are truly unprecedented, and moving at an astonishing pace.
The climate crisis is the most serious threat the planet faces today. All other issues that we worry about, and try to find solutions for – if I can pinch a line from Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca –‘don’t amount to a hill of beans’ if we cannot tackle the climate crisis.
I would like to spend some time on one particular issue that appears to have gained traction within the sector over the last year or so. That is the issue of so-called precarious employment within universities.
Absolutely the best thing since my arrival at Manchester has been the daily discovery of more and more colleagues who are also devoted to ensuring that we support our students as they learn, gain mastery of their academic disciplines, build their many and varied student experiences, and juggle their often complicated lives. If that’s you, then regardless of your job title or where in our University you work, I’m delighted to welcome you to ‘Team April’, whether or not we have met yet.
In our continuous effort to improve our site, we look forward to hearing your thoughts, questions and feedback
