I am conscious that this Annual Report marks the end of another chapter in the history of the University of Bath, marking as it does the final year of Professor White’s tenure as our Vice-Chancellor. So let me begin by thanking him for all he has done in leading the University through another successful year. His strategic vision and unwavering focus on inclusivity and quality have stood us in good stead.
We have continued to advance our strategy, making progress across all four of our strategic pillars and I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of Council, to thank all those who have contributed to our success.
In teaching we have continued to implement our programme of curriculum transformation and we were delighted to be awarded a “Triple Gold” in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework. In research, we continue to see a steady increase in grant income. The launch of Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS), a £70m investment in green propulsion and the establishment of five new interdisciplinary research Beacons position us well for the future.
I am heartened by the strong sense of community and inclusion which is a hallmark of the University. This has enabled our students, many affected in different ways by the tragedy of the Middle East conflict, to navigate their way through these difficulties.
As an outwardly facing institution we remain grateful to our strategic partners for their constructive engagement. The signing of the Future Ambition Civic Agreement is an important example of this within our local community. Elsewhere, we continue to strengthen our links with industry and international partners and remain grateful to our major donors for their insight and support.
Looking forward, we have welcomed our incoming Vice Chancellor, Professor Phil Taylor, who joined us on 1 August 2024. He has quickly sought to understand both the challenges we face and opportunities open to us.
The outlook for the sector as a whole remains extremely challenging. The general economic climate is such that it would be unrealistic to envisage significant new funding being directed towards Higher Education and the recent budget has given rise to further cost pressures. At the same time, along with other institutions, we continue to experience a shortfall in international student admissions, particularly at the postgraduate level.
While our finances are sound, we must continue to be prudent in our approach. Our forward plans include significant investment in our ageing real estate and digital infrastructure and our commitment to addressing the climate emergency will all need to be resourced. So we must ensure we use all our available funds wisely. This will enable us to take advantage of the opportunities which will undoubtedly present themselves, while allowing us to remain in control of our own destiny, safeguarding the long term success of the institution.
Pamela Chesters CBE
Chair of Council