1. League Tables

1.1 Times/Sunday Times University Guide

The University has been ranked 13th in the UK by the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019, published on 23 September (12th last year). The University was also recognised for its outstanding graduate prospects, ranked in the top 5 in the UK – an increase of two places from last year.

1.2 Times Higher Education (THE) World Rankings

The THE World University Rankings 2019 were published on 26 September 2018. The University has risen up the tables into the 201-250 bracket.

2. Student Induction

I would like to thank everyone involved in the Student Induction events which have been very successful.

3. Bristol and Bath Science Park

The University has successfully completed purchase of the Bristol & Bath Science Park jointly with South Gloucestershire Council.

4. Milner Centre

The Milner Centre for Evolution formally opened on 21 September 2018.

5. Office for Students (OfS)

The Office for Students published its first list of registered higher education providers on 19 July 2018. The first 42 providers on the list were all institutions with early UCAS recruitment cycles (medical dental, veterinary and conservatoire provision). The University of Bath was added to the Register on 1 October 2018. The new regulatory framework for higher education in England will come fully into effect in August 2019. The 2018/19 session is transitional. The Office for Students is continuing to publish new guidance about arrangements for the future. The OfS has recently announced a further subject-level TEF pilot.

6. Degree Apprenticeships

The University hosted an assurance visit from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) on 10 September 2018 which provided confirmation that from the ESFA's perspective the University had appropriate policies and procedures in place to deliver apprenticeships.

This was subject to some additional wording, where appropriate, to confirm that apprentices were covered by reference to students as all apprentices registered for University of Bath degrees would also be students. The occupational standard for the Level 7 Digital and Technology Solution Specialist degree apprenticeship was approved for delivery by the Institute for Apprenticeships on 7 August 2018. A 'fast track' approval process, agreed by ULTQC in July 2018, was implemented over the summer in order to launch the University's first degree apprenticeship, in partnership with JP Morgan, on 1 October 2018.

7. Executive Board

In future I will be advised by the University Executive Board which meets weekly on a Tuesday and replaces the Vice-Chancellor’s Group and the Executive Committee.

8. International Engagements

8.1 The University, alongside the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, has funded a 12 month discovery phase with Bristol City Council's Brussels office, commencing October 2018. The office is widening its remit to cover the region and will enable the University to be represented in the city and to gain access to policy and funding insights as well as raise our profile with key stakeholders. The University will have shared use of the office space and the support of the Head of Office and will also provide a placement opportunity for one of our undergraduate students for 6 months. The key deliverables of our 12 month agreement are based around IAAPS, alongside this, colleagues from across the University will be encouraged to make the most of the opportunities the office provides.

8.2 Professor Jeremy Bradshaw welcomed the last of our 2017/18 Global Chairs, Professor Yong Zhao, to the University in June 2018. Professor Zhao, Foundation Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas is an international education specialist with particular expertise in the use of technologies in teaching and worked closely with his nominator, Professor Alma Harris, Department of Education, throughout his Global Chair appointment. In addition to discussions with departmental colleagues and doctoral students, Professor Zhao met with colleagues from the Centre for Learning and Teaching and delivered a highly successful public lecture, based on his latest book, entitled 'Reach for Greatness: Personalizable Education for All Children' as part of his visit.

8.3 The University was one of three institutions (along with the Universities of Edinburgh and Birmingham) to host the British Council's PAK-UK Gateway roadshow in June 2018. The British Council in partnership with Pakistan's Higher Education Commission organised the events in order to introduce UK colleagues to key decision makers from Pakistan in order to explore the possibilities for co-developing solutions to the challenges faces by the higher education system in Pakistan.

8.4 Professor Jeremy Bradshaw welcomed representatives from Yamaguchi University, Japan to the University in June 2018. Professor Kenji Hori, Vice President of Academic Research, Professor Makoto Furutani-Seiki, Professor of Systems Biochemistry, and Professor Kazuhiro Kimura, Head of Ophthalmology visited Bath as part of a two day visit which included a roundtable discussion with academic and professional services colleagues. The visit provided an opportunity to explore collaboration including student exchange and placement opportunities. Professor Furutani-Seiki holds a visiting associate professorship in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry and Professor Hori has visited the University numerous times due to his ongoing collaboration with Professor Ian Williams in the Department of Chemistry.

9. Other University news

I particularly wish to draw the attention of Senate to the following appointments and developments since our previous meeting:

9.1 The Chair of Council, Mr Thomas Sheppard, resigned on 25 September. Mrs Ruth Foreman, the Vice-Chair, is now Acting Chair of Council. Search agents have been engaged to recruit a new Chair.

9.2 Prof Richard Guy from the Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology has been awarded the 2018 Transdermal Delivery Kydonieus Foundation Award by the Controlled Release Society (CRS), a leading scientific society in the pharmaceutical sciences.

9.3 Drs Di Lorenzo, Estrella and Wenk were recognized in the Institution of Chemical Engineers Global Awards.

9.4 Dr Özgür Şimşek and Dr Peter Allen have been appointed Deputy Directors of IMI.

9.5 Prof Christopher Eccleston has received the Ronald Melzack Lecture Award from the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).

9.6 The University has signed a Strategic Partnership with the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission.

9.7 A new tool kit to report discrimination, misconduct, harassment or assault has been launched.

9.8 Recent significant grant awards include:

Professor Bernie Morley, Acting Vice-Chancellor