All entries for Wednesday 18 October 2017
October 18, 2017
Connecting and collaborating in our region
Last night our University Chancellor, Baroness Catherine Ashton, hosted an event to celebrate our collaborations and partnerships within our region. It was also an opportunity to recognise the significant contribution of Sir Richard Lambert who stepped down as Warwick’s Chancellor at the end of last year.
On driving home, I reflected on how inspirational our student performances were - the University chamber choir and brilliant soloist Tom Slade. Even more than that, what made the event so enjoyable for me was the company of the people we had at the event.
The West Midlands region was truly represented, with local MPs, Vice-Chancellors from our neighbouring universities, senior figures in our local councils, local business leaders and colleagues leading major current projects like Coventry’s bid to be UK City of Culture. It highlighted to me the extent and depth of possibilities in our region.
As observed in the recent UUK report on the economic impact of higher education, it showed that the University has a vital role to play to contribute to regional social and economic growth and brought to mind that we do this best through relationships, partnership and respect for the contributions we can all make.
In the words of our new Chancellor as she discussed the current political challenges we all face ‘there is no single issue that can be solved alone, we need to be collaborators’ and from my perspective what better place to start than our region itself?