I write this, on the morning of my last day as Pro Vice Chancellor, in a state of shock (where has the last 40 years gone?) and sadness (the academic yearly cycle has dominated my life since I was 5). Many of you will know that I came to University College Cardiff as an Undergraduate, Read more
I was delighted to open the Centre for Education Innovation’s Learning and Teaching Conference today on the theme of Active Learning. The event had “sold out” in under two weeks and it was wonderful to see such a broad range of academic and professional services colleagues there. Throughout the day, delegates explored the thorny issue Read more
I’m delighted that the University Council has now approved the case to build a Centre for Student Life on Park Place, next to the Students’ Union. It represents a once-in-a-generation investment in the student experience at Cardiff University and will transform the delivery of non-academic student services. Read more
Earlier this month, we announced the outcome of the first round of applications to the Centre for Education Innovation’s new Innovation Fund. I was delighted by the quality of the bids we received and by the consistently strong commitment to delivering an outstanding educational experience for our students. I’m excited by the range of themes Read more
Last week saw exciting developments in the future of Learning and Teaching at Cardiff. At the beginning of the week we appointed a Dean for Education Innovation, Dr Robert Wilson from MATHS, and his role will help shape and guide the Centre for Education Innovation. The Centre is the keystone project in the Academic Engagement Read more
Today saw the conclusion of our 2015 Graduation celebrations. Graduation Week is undoubtedly a high point in the academic year. It’s an opportunity to recognise all the effort and commitment from students and staff – and their families – that results in each graduate getting the chance to cross the stage. It’s easy to focus on how much university life has changed over the past few decades. Read more
I thoroughly enjoyed chairing the lively panel discussion that concluded our very well attended Education Portfolio Showcase today. The topic in question was “What will learning and teaching look like in our sector in 2030?” and discussion was wide-ranging. What will today’s toddlers expect of their university experience? How might new technologies impact on the Read more
Today I had the pleasure to be the Guest of Honour at the Wales University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) Ceremonial Leavers’ Divisions passing out parade. We were extremely fortunate with the weather, which kindly cleared so that the Division could take place in the dry! ‘Divisions’ are a traditional Royal Naval ceremony dating back to Read more
I was delighted to attend the Careers and Employability celebration this evening. The event celebrated the amazing achievements of so many of our students who have engaged in a range of co-curricular activities this year, including acting as Student Mentors, participating in Enterprise challenges and completing the Cardiff Award. The evening was hosted by the Read more
The Leadership and Management Development Programme for Research Team Leaders is an established and successful part of our staff development portfolio. Today we held the final session of Leading Teaching Teams, a new short course focussed on development of leadership capacity in learning and teaching, run in conjunction with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education. Read more
