The University of Sheffield Annual Report 2002/03 ANNUAL REPORT 2002/03 CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD 1 Contents Chairman’s Foreword Chairman's Foreword 1 Higher education in the United year running it has been able to Kingdom continues to be undertake a major programme of Vice-Chancellor’s Introduction 2 characterised by rapid change and academic staff recruitment in areas of Financial Summary 4 by an increasingly competitive and strategic importance to the institution. evolving global market. The key Development of the estate has Investing in the Future 6 issues facing universities in the 21st progressed strongly, with expenditure century have been addressed by the of £42 million on buildings and The Dividend of Research 8 Government in its White Paper, ‘The equipment this year, principally for new Teaching and Learning210 Future of Higher Education’, and by research facilities. This substantial the Higher Education Funding investment in human and physical Widening Participation 12 Council for England in its Strategic resources will ensure that the University Enterprise and Innovation 14 Plan for 2003-08, which has been continues to be a leading player on the developed within the broad policy world stage. Preparing for Employment 16 framework of the White Paper. The Council of the University has In Partnership with Industry and Commerce 18 Widespread consultation on these two maintained its close involvement in documents has taken place in the strategic decision-making and its Part of the Region 20 University, and the institution has also members have taken a keen and developed its Corporate Plan for the supportive interest in the excellent work The International Dimension 22 period 2003/04 to 2007/08. The Plan being done by the Vice-Chancellor and The Union of Students 24 was submitted to HEFCE at the end of his very able team. July and will form an overall framework Honours and Distinctions 26 At the end of the session three for activities across the University in members of the Council, with 45 years the core areas of learning and teaching, Honorary and Ex-Officio Degrees 28 of service between them, retired. research, widening participation and I should like to place on record my Staffing Matters 30 knowledge transfer into business and thanks for the expert advice and the community. Student Numbers 32 support give by Dr Jim McQuaid, Dr As this report testifies, the University Elizabeth Walmsley and Mr Jamie Boot Examination Performance 33 is performing commendably in each of over so many years. Officers and The Council 35 these areas, but we recognise that there is no room for complacency.The Facts and Figures 36 University will continually respond to changes in the context of higher The University at a Glance 37 education in order to remain a healthy, sustainable and competitive enterprise. The University’s sound financial Peter Lee, CBE, MA, DL Front Cover: The Edwardian Firth Court building reflected in the glass panelling of the new position has meant that for the second Chairman of the University Council Institute of Molecular Physiology. Edited by Roger Allum, Public Relations Office. Photography by Ian Spooner, Mark Rodgers, Press Association, Miles Stevenson, H. Kohler. Designed and Printed by J. W. Northend, Sheffield. 2 VICE-CHANCELLOR’S INTRODUCTION ANNUAL REPORT 2002/03 ANNUAL REPORT 2002/03 VICE-CHANCELLOR’S INTRODUCTION 3 prepared on behalf of the four higher Our achievement in recent years in in the fields of stem cell biology, education funding bodies, recommended securing additional funded student biomaterials and tissue engineering, and Vice-Chancellor’s a new method of assessing the quality of numbers was repeated in 2002/03, when particle science and engineering. research in UK universities. This the University was awarded 866 places Our impressive capital development document was considered alongside a by HEFCE (one seventh of the national programme has seen the completion of Introduction total). Some of these places will be consultation on ‘The Sustainability of major schemes in the physical and life targeted at widening participation in University Research’, commissioned by sciences, and the initiation of new subjects associated with the architecture, the Department of Trade and Industry projects in medicine and the social law and accountancy professions. This and aimed at reforming parts of the sciences. The momentum will be initiative will build on our existing HIGHER EDUCATION HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL AND dual support system. We have also maintained through HEFCE’s Science activity in the Professions Progression PUBLIC SCRUTINY OVER THE PAST YEAR, WITH A SERIES OF NATIONAL REVIEWS contributed to HEFCE’s consultation Research Investment Fund, which has Partnership scheme. We have also made AND INQUIRIES INTO ALL ASPECTS OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. on ‘Improving Standards in Postgraduate allocated the University £27.7m in the a major investment in our staffing Research Degree Programmes’, the second round of the initiative. In January 2003 the Government There are, however, aspects of the Lambert Review of Business-University resource, with almost 200 new academic The diversity and quality of the published its White Paper on ‘The Future White Paper that give us cause for Collaboration (commissioned by the posts advertised in the last two sessions. University’s work, revealed in the pages of of Higher Education’, which confronts concern and which may in fact inhibit Chancellor, Gordon Brown), and Regional interaction between this Annual Report, are a manifestation head-on the difficulties of longer-term the realisation of the Government’s aims. HEFCE’s Draft Strategic Plan for the universities and business is a powerful of the skills and commitment of our funding for a high-quality, socially- The first of these is the assertion that the next five years. The University’s own driver for the delivery of change and staff. They are the bedrock on which inclusive higher education sector. The link between teaching and research is strategic objectives over the next four economic success. An important partner indirect, a view that could lead to some our future success will be built. White Paper, which was widely years have been conveyed to HEFCE in in this activity is Yorkshire Forward, the institutions with a university title not discussed in the University, recognises our Corporate Plan. regional development agency, which has the international quality and success of carrying out the range of functions Broadly speaking, the Corporate Plan provided seed-corn funding for our spin- UK universities, while at the same time normally associated with a university. focussed on the four key areas of activity out companies and established six new acknowledging that there is a massive With regard to the Government’s in higher education: research, learning Centres of Industrial Collaboration. The proposals on research concentration, investment backlog in teaching and and teaching, widening participation, University is involved in three of these, Professor Bob Boucher, CBE we believe it is essential that a balance research facilities in English universities. and knowledge transfer into business is maintained between funding top-rated A major new resource proposed in the and the community. During the past departments to support excellence, White Paper is the increased graduate year we have achieved notable success protecting areas of high-quality research The Vice-Chancellor and Professor Alan Walker receive the Queen's Anniversary Prize Gold Medal and contribution, on the basis that graduates in each of these areas. The University’s across the sector, and encouraging new Scroll from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at a presentation ceremony recorded on video at on average earn much more than those pre-eminence in the field of ageing Buckingham Palace, 19 February 2003. and developing lines of research. without degrees and are far more likely research was recognised by the award of A third area of concern is the inadequate to be in employment. The Council of the a third successive Queen’s Anniversary level of recurrent funding for teaching – University has agreed that we should plan Prize for Higher and Further Education, particularly given the White Paper’s for the charging of variable fees (up to an outstanding achievement in this major emphasis on teaching excellence and the £3,000 per year) if the proposal gains national competition. OUR ACHIEVEMENT need to modernise pay structures for all “ parliamentary approval. We also support, We maintain high standards in our staff. Finally, we believe that knowledge IN RECENT YEARS IN as does the higher education sector as learning and teaching activities, the most transfer should be the responsibility of SECURING ADDITIONAL a whole, the Government’s commitment recent evidence of which was the award all universities and not focused on the FUNDED STUDENT to abolish up-front payment of fees at of a prestigious National Teaching less research-intensive universities, as the registration, to make the loans interest Fellowship to Dr Nigel Bax, Director of NUMBERS WAS Government proposes. New technology free, and to increase the salary threshold Teaching in the School of Medicine and REPEATED IN 2002/03, is most likely to be transferred by the for repayment. We also welcome the Biomedical Sciences. The sponsors of WHEN THE UNIVERSITY universities that create it in the first place. Government’s intention to continue this award, HEFCE, also endorsed our WAS AWARDED 866 paying the first £1,100 of fees for The White Paper was one of a series Learning and Teaching Strategy, and are PLACES BY HEFCE (ONE students from lower income families, of national consultations which drew a providing funding to underpin our SEVENTH OF THE and to move towards the reintroduction formal response from the University.The innovative approaches to learning and NATIONAL TOTAL)” of targeted maintenance grants. Roberts Review of Research Assessment, teaching, and staff development.