Candidate Brief Brief for the position of Director of the GW4 Research and Innovation Alliance May 2016 Candidate Brief Contents 2 The GW4 Alliance 3 The University of Bristol 4 The University of Bath 5 Cardiff University 6 The University of Exeter 7 GW4 Governance and relationships 8 Person specification 9 Terms of appointment 9 How to apply 1 Candidate Brief The GW4 Alliance GW4 is a strategic research and innovation alliance between The University of Bath leads on the Sharing Research the four research-intensive universities in the South-West and Infrastructure workstream. This workstream is committed to South Wales super-region (Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter). sharing infrastructure and opening up more opportunities to GW4 was established and designed to catalyse discovery and collaborate by sharing and co-investment in equipment and creativity for the benefit of society, the economy, environment, facilities. The GW4 Equipment Sharing Database. The GW4 health and the arts. The combined excellence of the GW4 on-line searchable Equipment Sharing Database is open to all alliance links the four universities together and has created GW4 researchers and is accessible via the GW4 website. It is a major new research and innovation powerhouse. We are the fully compliant with RCUK funder requirements and feeds bridge between two nations, connecting the cities of Exeter, directly into the EPSRC national equipment database. Our GW4 Bristol, Bath and Cardiff and the communities around them. Treasures brings together 10 kilometres of Rare Books and 5 Together we generate talent for the industries of tomorrow and kilometres of Manuscripts and Archives that cover a huge range develop solutions to economic and societal challenges. of subject areas and offer unlimited potential in support of cross-institutional research partnerships and collaborative GW4 Key facts (figures for 2014-15): working. • £1.6bn turnover The University of Bristol leads on Building Capacity and • £370m p/a research income Developing People (BCDP). GW4 is unique amongst regional • 8,000 academic staff collaborations in having a work-stream that focuses entirely • Higher REF 2014 performance than the N8, Midlands Innovation on ‘people’, both research students and staff. GW4 has a and Eastern Arc substantive track record of achievement in these domains. • 37 cohort-based doctoral training centres and partnerships We are particularly strong in externally funded postgraduate research partnerships and centres with GW4 universities involved • 23,000 post graduate students in 37 funded cohort-based programmes and hosting 27 of The Alliance has four workstreams, each led by one of the these centres. The aim of this workstream is to strengthen our partner universities, to drive this vision forward. A key aim of portfolio of funded doctoral programmes and enable students the GW4 Alliance is to build research communities of scale and staff to broaden and enrich their research experience and capability that will deliver a step change in world-class and to equip them to reap the full benefits of collaborative research. The Building Communities workstream, led by University working, shared learning, training, development and of Exeter, is designed to build new, high-quality GW4 research partnership opportunities. communities or help existing collaborations to build on their Cardiff University leads on the Connectivity and Communications work and secure long term sustainable funding. Since starting workstream. The aim of this workstream is to support the in 2014 GW4 has invested over £1.6M in developing GW4 collaborative working of the GW4 Alliance both internally and research communities through its competitive Initiator externally, and to develop and implement the communications, and Accelerator funding schemes. To date it has funded promotion and marketing strategy of the Alliance. Cardiff are 57 GW4 research communities across all disciplines which also currently responsible for the GW4 Website. in turn has leveraged £4.2m of external funding to date. See www.gw4.ac.uk for more information. 2 Candidate Brief The University of Bristol For over a century, the University of Bristol has inspired generations of students, pushed back the frontiers of human understanding, and served its city-region and nation with distinction. It is one of the most popular and successful universities in the UK and one of the world’s top research intensive universities – fifth in the UK in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and 37th in the 2015 QS World Rankings. Today, the University employs internationally respected academics and recruits some of the brightest students from across the globe; no less than 12 Bristol graduates and members of staff have been awarded Nobel Prizes. With an annual turnover of £485m, the University continues to invest in new technology and services, to offer the best student experience. Bristol’s academics are engaged with the cultural life, structure and history of societies and communities across the world; with the future of science and technology; and with the development of innovation in every field. The University actively encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, and nurtures creativity and independence of mind. The University is located in the heart of the city of Bristol, and is a major force in the economic, social and cultural life one of the most beautiful and liveable cities in Europe. Bristol is an extraordinary global city with a powerful tradition of enterprise, exploration and non-conformism. It is a Social Enterprise City, the UK’s first European Green Capital, and one of the UK’s five Centres of Cultural Excellence. Bristol is also home to the only fast-growing and globally significant tech cluster in the UK and, is one of the leading digital clusters in the UK. The University constantly uses research collaboration, educational partnerships, placements and knowledge exchange to build links with the external community and its industries. It has a strong record in creation and support of new companies and enterprises and the licensing of intellectual property. In 2013, the University collaborated with Bristol City Council to create Engine Shed – already world renowned as an exemplar in University/business/local authority collaboration. 3 Candidate Brief The University of Bath The University of Bath received its Royal Charter in 1966 and is now firmly established as a top ten UK university with a reputation for research and teaching excellence. Its vibrant research culture is driven by the enthusiasm and invention of its academic community. In REF 2014, 32% of submitted research activity was classified as world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, while 87% was defined as world-leading/internationally excellent. Students are attracted by the University’s excellent academic reputation, outstanding graduate employment record, world-class sports facilities, and wide array of other social, recreational and personal development opportunities. Over 25% of students come from outside the UK, representing over 100 nationalities. The University is unique among UK research-intensive universities for its ability to offer placement options across its discipline base, and with leading organisations. Over 60% of undergraduates undertake an industrial or business placement, which translates to improved career prospects. 85% of employed UK full-time first degree graduates are in the top three occupational groups, compared with 64% of employed graduates nationally. The campus overlooks the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath, which was first established as a spa town by the Romans around AD 60. Its popularity during the Georgian era led to a major expansion, leaving a heritage of architecture crafted from honey-coloured Bath stone. Students benefit from accommodation in the city centre, with easy access to its amenities. The campus offers excellent facilities for teaching, accommodation and leisure, and benefits from continual investment. In 2012, the University began a three-year campus improvement project to provide new teaching space, student accommodation and a new space for the arts. The Innovation Centre provides support and expertise to local technology enterprises that emerge from the University’s academic research. The University is a sector leader in the commercial exploitation of intellectual property, with strong international links. 4 Candidate Brief Cardiff University Founded in 1883, Cardiff University is established as one of Britain’s leading research universities. It is an international community, with more than 7,500 international students and 6,800 staff from 78 countries. It has more than 145,000 alumni in more than 180 countries. The University has a strong commitment to the student experience. In 2015 it scored more than 90 per cent in the National Student Survey, placing Cardiff in third place among research-intensive UK universities for overall student satisfaction. It also has a strong graduate employment record, with 95 per cent of students finding employment or further study within six months of graduating, more than any other Russell Group university. Academic staff are leaders in their fields, creating a stimulating environment for learning. The quality and impact of Cardiff’s research was evidenced in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), when Cardiff came fifth amongst UK universities when measured on research excellence. Cardiff was ranked as the 2nd university nationally based on the impact