A message from Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell
Dear Colleagues,
We are entering a busy time of the year for staff and students alike with end of year assessments less than a month away. We wish all our students the very best of luck at this crucial time in their academic careers, and in July I look forward to celebrating in Bath Abbey with our new graduates as they embark on the next exciting stage of their lives and careers.
As a nation we are also counting down the days until the start of London 2012 – the biggest sporting event Britain has seen for a generation. As you would expect given our proud tradition in sporting excellence, both in terms of performance and research, we will be playing a key role in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.
Not only will we play host to the Paralympics GB squad, the Malaysian Olympic team and the Chinese Olympic swimming team, a number of British Olympic and Paralympic athletes also call Claverton campus their ‘home’.
But before the Games begin I am delighted that the Bath leg of the Olympic Torch Relay will begin here on the afternoon of May 22. It will be a moment to savour and I invite you to take time out of your day, where possible, to enjoy this unique occasion. Further details of the Torch Relay including where you can watch it will follow in the coming days and weeks.
Of course, events such as this also offer an opportunity to promote ourselves and our many strengths to the outside world. External recognition of our excellence is greater now than it has ever been and accolades have come thick and fast in the past year, but this success has not come by accident. It is a consequence of a long-term commitment to excellence, not just in teaching and research, but in every aspect of the University from extracurricular activities to professional services.
We deserve this recognition but I acknowledge we need to do more to promote ourselves in an increasingly competitive global market. I am therefore delighted we have made two recent appointments to strengthen this key area.
Professor Colin Grant has been appointed as the University’s new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Internationalisation. This is a newly created role and he will be responsible for the development and implementation of our international strategy and leadership, as well as acting as an ambassador overseas to raise our international profile.
A Bath alumnus, Professor Grant is currently in a similar role at the University of Surrey. His international credibility in HE and past evidence of achievement in the international domain will be a real asset.
He is joined by Tim Kaner as our new Director of Marketing & Communications. His challenge will be to provide the dynamic leadership to ensure we maximise every opportunity to enhance our reputation through co-ordinated marketing and communications.
Tim brings with him over two decades of marketing and communications experience, knowledge and achievement across large and complex commercial organisations.
Thank you
Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell
Vice-Chancellor