Annual Annual Review 2006–2007 Review For more information, please contact: Communications University of Reading PO Box 217 Whiteknights Reading, RG6 6AH [email protected] Tel (0118) 378 8005 2006–2007 www.reading.ac.uk Visitor Officers of the University Her Majesty the Queen ChanCellor deans of the faCulties The Right Hon the Lord Carrington, arts and humanities KG, GCMG, CH, MC, PC Professor Cedric Brown, BA, PhD (Reading) ViCe-ChanCellor Professor Gordon Marshall, economic and social sciences CBE, BA (Stirling), DPhil (Oxford), FBA, AcSS Professor James Pemberton, MA, PhD (Cambridge) President of the CounCil life sciences Mr Timothy Ford, FRSA, FICPD Professor Christine Williams, ViCe-President of the CounCil BSc, PhD (London) Dr Geoff Botting, BSc, PhD, Reading science tr e a sur er Professor David Porter, Mr David Luffrum, CPFA BSc (Wales), PhD (Leicester) Pro-ViCe-ChanCellors seCretary to the CounCil Professor Dianne Berry, Mr Bill Watts, BSc (London) BSc (CNAA), DPhil (Oxford), CPsychol, AFBPsS, AcSS direCtor of aCademiC serViCes Professor Tony Downes, BA, BCL (Oxford) Mr Keith Hodgson, BA (Leicester) Professor Rob Robson, direCtor of faCilities management BA (York), PhD (Wales) Colin Robbins, BSc (Portsmouth), FRICS Professor Carl Stychin, direCtor of finanCe BA (Alberta), LLB (Toronto), LLM (Columbia) and CorPorate serViCes Mr David Savage, BA (London), FCCA direCtor of information serViCes Mrs Annette Howarth, MA (Oxford), Diploma in Computer Science (Cambridge), FBCS, FRSA direCtor of student serViCes Mr Bill Watts, BSc (London) auditor s KPMG LLP Designed at the University of Reading Printed by Advent Colour, Andover, Hampshire Cover photograph by Emma Foster, a student in the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication Additional photography by David Hatfull of Diem Photography www.diemphoto.co.uk University of Reading Annual Review 2006–2007 Introductions 2 Research 5 Teaching & learning 11 International & local 17 People 23 Facts & figures 29 Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor This past year saw We have greatly strengthened our invest- ment in international engagement, our ambitious estate with an innovative restructuring of our approach to international recruitment, as development programme well as enhanced support for our Schools being stepped up a gear. and Departments. My own contributions included trips to Oman, where successful Some of the building and refurbishment recruiting and alumni events were held, projects are outlined elsewhere in this and to Japan and South Korea, as part of Annual Review, but I am particularly a UK team accompanying the Minister pleased that we have transformed the for Higher Education on an official visit. public areas in the ground floor of the Whilst in Korea I also gave an impromptu Library, and that we are forging ahead television interview on the prospects for with the new buildings for the Business Reading Football Club – but that’s a story School and the Life Sciences. for another occasion. The formal opening of the new build- We have also received another big vote ing for student services also saw Lord of confidence from our students. In the Carrington, our Chancellor since 1992, National Student Survey, some 88% of perform one of his last official duties. Reading students polled in the 2006/07 Named in his honour, the Carrington academic year declared themselves satis- Building will draw together the Universi- fied with their course, again putting the ty’s many services for students, as well as University in the top 20 in England. For enhancing the appearance of the central the first time we entered the influential quadrangle on the Whiteknights campus. Times ranking of the World’s Top 200 Peter has been a great Chancellor and universities – no mean feat given that the Carrington Building honours him and there are (for example) more than 4,000 all he has given to the University over universities in Europe and a further 745 in the years. He has performed his official Japan alone. duties diligently and with great charm, Our alumni continue to show their and throughout his period of office he support for what we are doing, and not has undertaken innumerable informal just financially, although I would like to visits to the University and to events express my personal thanks to the many elsewhere, in support of this particular former students who have donated sub- institution. stantial sums towards the construction of During the year we also launched the the new Business School, to the Reading Walker Institute, a pioneering centre for Real Estate Foundation, and to the Uni- climate research, which exploits and inte- versity’s Annual Fund. Donations to the grates the unrivalled climate expertise last of these, through which alumni and within the University. This Annual Review current staff give regularly to support outlines a very small proportion of the today’s students, now stand at well over projects progressing under the umbrella three-quarters of a million pounds. of the Institute. Finally, I would like to thank all of the Uni- The University also acquired from IBM versity staff who have contributed to the the UK’s most powerful academic super- continuing success story that is Reading, computer – the second most powerful since without their efforts there would computer in the UK overall – for use by be no University. Reading scientists and others in research using very large and complex data-sets. Professor Gordon Marshall CBE, BA (Stirling), DPhil (Oxford), FBA, AcSS VICE- CHANCELLOR 2 Universit Y of ReadinG Annual RE VIE W 2006–2007 Foreword from the President Reading is a university As the Annual Review looks back so the Council, as the University’s governing founded on core values body, looks forward for the challenges ahead. Both in formal session and in of academic excellence more informal meetings to which its and integrity coupled members give generously of their time and expertise, the Council sets the strat- with a responsiveness to egy for the future and works to support, current concerns which encourage and advise those who manage the University. We are determined underpins an ability to set to ensure the University of Reading’s continued and developing international the agenda for the future. recognition and secure its pre-emi- This Annual Review nence and that our current planning will achieve that. The funding environment, bears striking witness both for teaching and research, is fraught to the work of a leading with future uncertainties but I am confi- dent that this University is as well placed international university. as many, and rather better placed than most, to read the signs astutely and to The work of the Council in the past year emerge even stronger and fitter. has been dominated by the formulation of ambitious plans to refresh and renew Reading sits in a vibrant and exciting part the University’s academic and residential of the country, one with a fast develop- estate and to ensure the resources to ing profile and economy. The University realise them. The University’s environ- is taking full advantage of this enviable ment is an asset treasured by all who live position and, through the talents of its and work here and which enhances its staff, its students and its alumni, is exert- striving for excellence; these integrated ing an ever-growing influence not only and phased developments will ensure throughout the world but also closer to that Whiteknights remains a green and home. I invite you to celebrate and share pleasant place but one which boasts in that success through the words and state-of-the-art facilities within which images of this Annual Review. teaching and research of the highest quality will flourish. Timothy Ford, FR SA , FICD President of the Council 3 SEARCHR E 4 Universit Y of ReadinG Annual RE VIE W 2006–2007 The University of Reading Our research strength is signalled in areas such as agriculture, biological by the fact that we receive around and physical sciences, European histories is a strong research- £20 million research funding from and cultures, and meteorology. Govern- Government each year. In addition, ment, commerce, charities and research intensive university that is we receive around another £25 million councils are among the many organisa- committed to conducting a year from externally-funded research tions that utilise and value our specialist grants and contracts. These funding expertise. The high quality of our work internationally excellent streams allow us to compete with the and the talent and leadership of our research in a broad range best universities in the country, as well researchers are widely recognised with as internationally. The University is awards from business and industry, as of areas spanning the home to a number of international well as the University. physical and life sciences, centres of research excellence social sciences and arts and humanities. 5 R esearch The Walker Institute Leading researchers The Institute aims to address funda- Wheat, peanuts and mental questions in understanding rice under threat from from the University’s and forecasting climate variability and change and its impacts – on timescales climate change specialist areas of climate, of weeks to decades and beyond. This Farmers across the world could see meteorology, agriculture, research is essential for informing a dramatic drop in their harvests of adaptation strategies that will enable wheat, peanuts and rice by the end of soil science and geography sustainable development in the face of this century unless plant varieties are are now working together climate change, especially in the devel- developed that are more suited to a oping world where vulnerability warmer climate. to climate is already high. as members of the Walker Scientists from the Walker Institute have Institute for Climate The Walker Institute will address found that peanut crops could drop by important issues such as: how pol- two thirds in India – the world’s largest Systems Research, to lutants, for example emissions from producer of peanuts – by the 2080s as a form an unrivalled centre aircraft, affect climate; the potential to result of global warming.