Billet WINTER 2022 including election information - The University of Edinburgh
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Billet WINTER 2022 including election information
The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 3
Welcome to Billet winter 2022 Report
by Sir Philip Mawer
We hope you enjoy this issue, which contains information about the
Convener of the Business Committee of the General Council
February 2022 General Council Meeting and elections, and the
As the world begins slowly to emerge from the worst of the pandemic, so
Half-Yearly Meeting in June. the University of Edinburgh is gradually emerging too, changed definitely
The General Council provides graduates with a continuing voice in the management of the but also renewed in its commitment to excellence in teaching and research,
University’s affairs and every graduate automatically becomes a member. Academic staff and determined to cement its position as a world-class university. Its status
and members of the University’s governing body, the University Court, are also members of in the world league table improved further in the summer of 2021 when it
the General Council. It meets twice a year and has the right to comment on matters affecting moved up from 20th to 16th in the QS World University Rankings.
the University’s prosperity and wellbeing. For more information on the work of the General It was particularly fitting that the General Council’s June 2021 Half-Yearly Meeting – again
Council, visit: www.ed.ac.uk/general-council conducted online – reflected the University’s strong links with China. Following the formal
business, an excellent panel discussion – expertly chaired by the Principal, Peter Mathieson,
and carefully arranged by the General Council’s Secretary, Professor Ann Smyth – offered
insights into several aspects of the University’s involvement in China across an impressive
range of disciplines and local partnerships, with input from current students helping to bring
the story to life. The challenges of working with Chinese universities and other institutions
were rehearsed honestly at the same time as the benefits of doing so were vividly illustrated.
International members of the General Council who joined the event on the day came from a
wide range of countries, many on the continent of Europe but also from the Far East, North
America, South Africa and the Middle East, evidence of the way in which the Council’s meetings
have now become global in their reach.
Nearer to home, the University has continued to manage the major programme of change
to its organisation and working practices which the pandemic has only served to accelerate.
At its final meeting of the 2020/21 academic year, the Business Committee was briefed by
Sarah Smith, University Secretary and Vice-Principal Strategic Change and Governance, on the
reshaping of the curriculum and other initiatives now underway, all intended to enable the
University to deliver the key objectives in its Strategy 2030. Alongside this focus on strategic
Front cover and above: Graduands Photography by change, a great deal of effort had been put into preparing for the 2021/22 academic year, with
and guests arriving at Edinburgh Castle Stuart Attwood; Hannah Bailey; Callum Bennetts/Maverick the University rightly determined to get as many students as possible back on campus and
Photo Agency; Gary Doak Photography; Paul Dodds; Neil to provide a safe but engaging environment in which learning, in person as well as online,
for a special ceremony this summer.
Hanna; Sam Sills; Thousand Word Media; Laurence Winram
could continue. Barry Neilson, Director of Strategic Change Management, was able to report
This publication is available in Design by
the overall success of this effort when he addressed the Committee at its first meeting of the
alternative formats on request. Communications and Marketing
new academic session, a success reflected in positive feedback from staff and students and in
Please contact: Printed by
J Thomson Colour Printers
record numbers of applications to study at Edinburgh from the beginning of the next academic
communications.office@ed.ac.uk
year in the autumn of 2022.
No part of this publication may be reproduced without the
written permission of the University of Edinburgh. Members of the Business Committee are having the opportunity to assess the position and
© The University of Edinburgh 2022 prospects for themselves as the programmes of work of each of its Standing Committees, on
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered which their respective Conveners have worked hard, unfold over the coming months. Already it
in Scotland, with registration number SC005336. is planned that:
4 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 5
• The Academic Standing Committee, chaired by Professor Steve Hillier, will focus on the
post-pandemic reshaping of teaching and learning, and the perspective on the changes of
Reports by the Conveners of the
both staff and students; Standing Committees
• The Finance and Services Committee, led by Dr William Duncan, is considering the changing
Academic Standing Committee
demands on and shape of the University’s IT strategy and of its built estate;
By Professor Stephen Hillier, Convener
• The International Standing Committee, steered by Krystyna Szumelukowa, has discussed
the University’s new international strategy and will consider its Global Plan and changing Teaching and learning, and the student experience, remain abiding
approach to global partnerships; and Academic Standing Committee (ASC) priorities. Pressures on students
and staff during the Covid-19 pandemic have increased immensely,
• The Public Affairs Standing Committee, convened by Candice Donnelly, will continue to
as documented over three consecutive meetings with Professor Colm
explore issues of communication as well as the University’s Community Action Plan, a
Harmon (Vice-Principal Students). Earlier meetings (22 June 2020 and
key part of the way in which it engages with the City of Edinburgh. This will help inform
13 April 2021) mainly focused on the work of the Adaptation and Renewal
preparations for the June 2022 Half-Yearly Meeting, which is expected to focus on aspects of
Team, which began as an immediate response to the pandemic but is now gradually becoming
the relationship between the University and the city.
increasingly involved with more traditional aspects of University governance.
The initial results of each of these Committees’ work will be available in time for them to be
The most recent meeting (15 November 2021) provided a deep dive into the ongoing student
reported to the February General Council meeting, thus complementing the Principal’s annual
(dis)satisfaction issue. ASC heard how this was being tackled through a cross University
overview of the state of the University.
programme built on a cultural shift in teaching delivery, technology use, curriculum, and
Other developments since the last edition of Billet include: student experience. Central to this process is the Curriculum Transformation Project, which
• The successful launch of the new General Council website – www.ed.ac.uk/general-council; intends to redefine the student experience through a complete overhaul of the curriculum,
• The reshaping of the General Council’s two endowment funds into a single new fund – the driven by evolving perceptions of what it means to be an Edinburgh graduate.
General Council Prince Philip Fund – the purpose of which is to support the widening of A major work in progress is migration from the traditional personal tutor system to a more
access to a university education at Edinburgh; collaborative and collegial teaching structure, based on academic cohort leadership, student
• The appointment of the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander as a General Council Assessor on the experience teams, teaching teams relationships, and integrated peer support networks – all
University Court following the retirement of Ms Doreen Davidson. founded on a platform of broader University services, including Careers and Employability,
In addition, the Constitutional Standing Committee of the Business Committee has embarked Institute for Academic Development, Student Wellbeing, ResLife, etc. Above all, the aim is
on a major review of the criteria for membership of the General Council itself, with a view to to encourage students to feel supported in their personal development and wellbeing, and
updating them and removing anachronism and anomaly. You can find further information to enhance their sense of belonging to a wider University community. Early feedback from
about the nature of this review – the results of which will form the basis for consultation with students is encouraging. The committee were deeply impressed by the effort and activity being
General Council members before final proposals for change are brought forward – elsewhere in drawn together from across the University to achieve these objectives, and complimented
this edition of Billet. Professor Harmon accordingly.
Finally, the Business Committee learned earlier this summer that Professor Ann Smyth wishes Finance and Services Standing Committee
to stand down as Secretary of the General Council in the summer of 2022, after more than four
By Dr William Duncan, Convener
years in that demanding and crucial role. There will be opportunity for me to pay tribute to
Ann’s enormous contribution as Secretary – not just her contribution to the General Council The Finance and Services Standing Committee’s (FSSC) remit is much
but to the University as a whole – in the next edition of Billet. I am pleased to report that our wider than finance. It covers the full range of professional infrastructure
search for a worthy successor to Ann has been successful and you will find in the agenda for services on which so much of the teaching, research and knowledge
the February 2022 Half-Yearly Meeting published in this edition of Billet a motion proposing transfer prowess of the University depends. In the two meetings held this
that Dr William Duncan succeed Professor Smyth with effect from 1 August 2022. I look forward semester, we have seen how the excellent quality of that underpinning
to reporting further on our search, and the process of handover from Ann to William which will support played a key role in coping with the many challenges of another
follow acceptance of the motion, when we meet in February. exceptional year and will be critical to the future resilience of the University.
6 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 7
On 9 November 2021, Gavin McLachlan, Vice-Principal and Chief Information Officer and the University’s actions and strategic priorities for what will be a pivotal year following the
Librarian, gave an impressive overview of the work of the Information Services Group (ISG) consequences of the challenges posed by Brexit and Covid-19 and in recognition of COP 26.
and work on producing a comprehensive digital strategy. Through imaginatively applying the
Current redrafting of the Edinburgh Global Plan will reset directions over the next five to ten
wonders of modern digital technology, ISG enabled staff and students to respond promptly to
years. The emphasis on strategic partnerships to focus on transnational education, delivered
the pandemic in ways unimaginable only a few years ago. These developments will continue
flexibly and supported with digital technology, will respond to changing global demographics
at pace even after the constraints of the pandemic abate. His presentation demonstrated that
and the demand for education. Regional priorities will be reset for North America and Europe.
the business resilience of the University will increasingly depend on an effective customer-
Within five years India and China will account for 60 per cent of global student mobility and
friendly and secure digital infrastructure. Achieving this will require further investment and
demand for education from Africa will rise significantly. The scale and pace of change is
improvement in the digital estate which is now as important as the physical estate
reflected in countries such as Indonesia. The relationship between campus and overseas will
On 17 November 2021, Gary Jebb, the Director of Place, gave an excellent presentation on change. Diversity on campus is to be supported.
the impact the pandemic had on buildings’ operation and on accommodation and events
The internationalism of the University is reflected in its teaching and research now articulating
services. He also reflected on the longer-term impacts the pandemic had accelerated and
expertise in key contemporary areas such as energy transition and global health. Strategic
how this will affect the development of the estate. The University has five campuses and is
partnerships will look to fostering close links with local companies and enabling start-ups.
the second largest university estate in the UK. There were huge operational challenges during
Case studies are already in hand in countries as diverse as Malawi and the Galapagos Islands.
the partial closure and then the safe reopening of the estate. The whole Estates department
(development, construction and operations) responded to these challenges by working The potential for support of local alumni and their associations in concert with strategic
together as one team. partnerships will be developed further with a closer review of North America by the ISC in
January 2022 before the General Council Half-Yearly meeting in February 2022 time scheduled
Capital project expenditure in 2020/21 was £100m. Despite the restrictions on construction to facilitate participation from across the Atlantic.
caused by the pandemic and Brexit, priority projects across all sites continued, including the
Edinburgh Futures Institute at Quartermile and the Nucleus at King’s Buildings. Several projects The experience of international staff and students will be the focus of the next ISC meeting on
that had not commenced on site at the start of pandemic restrictions were deferred, for 2 December.
example Peffermill sport facilities and the student centre at Teviot Row House.
Public Affairs Standing Committee
Accommodation is fundamental to the overall student offering. The University is looking
By Candice Donnelly, Convener
strategically at how to address the lack of suitable available accommodation within the city.
It is also adapting to changes in study patterns and offering ‘learning accommodation’ in the During the 2021/22 year, the Public Affairs Standing Committee
residential portfolio as students increasingly spend more time studying online rather than (PASC) hopes to explore more deeply the themes of community and
being on campus. communication, building on the informative sessions that were held over
the previous academic year. With this workplan in mind, at our opening
Developing pathways to innovation for the future economy of the city/region is a key
meeting on 28 October, we were joined by Dave Gorman, the University’s
role for the University. In 2020 there were 102 student startup companies, a new record
first Director of Social Responsibility & Sustainability, to hear more about
for the University. Supporting these developing companies through providing suitable
the University’s Community Plan, which was originally discussed by us this time last year.
accommodation would be important.
Mr Gorman reminded the Committee of the context of the Community Plan, and its overall
International Standing Committee objective of ensuring that the University meets its social sustainability commitments and
plays a leading role in supporting the city and region’s Covid-19 recovery. The Committee
By Krystyna Szumelukowa, Convener
was impressed by the number and variety of programmes backed to date by the Community
The International Standing Committee (ISC) welcomes new membership Plan and the wider Social and Civic Responsibility Delivery Plan. The University’s efforts on
this academic year. In addition to Frances Dow, the ISC will benefit from tackling homelessness alone range from supplying PPE for support services to funding a
the insights and experience of Kristin Hannesdottir, Kirsty MacGregor charity providing care for homeless people’s pets to offering training sessions for guides of the
and Tanya Calitz. For our first meeting we welcomed Professor James Invisible Cities tour, where homeless people lead alternative walking tours of Edinburgh and
Smith, Vice-Principal International, who described the dynamics of give tourists a view of the city from their perspective.
8 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 9
The presentation highlighted the University’s clear commitment to financial investment in
social enterprise, where profits are reinvested in the business, and also to social aims such as
providing fair work and access to the University’s resources and estate. The museums outreach
programme and the IT Reuse Project are just two examples of the University’s efforts to use its
assets to their maximum benefit.
Mr Gorman is enthusiastic about the plan and its continuing aspirations. Future intentions
include diversification of community grant beneficiaries to include more ethnic and minority
communities, increasing attendance at local community festivals, and a new social impact
pledge to include specific commitments on digital inclusion. The first annual public report will
be published in January 2022 and will raise awareness of progress to date, and the University is
recruiting a Head of Social Impact, a senior level appointment who can help assess the plan’s
priorities for the next period.
Beth Simpson, Edinburgh University Students’ Association VP for Community, also attended
the meeting and gave insight from her perspective. Ms Simpson is a member of the Community
Board, which monitors progress against the Community Plan, and she spoke of students’
enthusiasm for volunteering opportunities and how the Students’ Association’s own remit
includes social enterprise initiatives. We are looking forward to featuring projects from both
students and the wider University at our Town and Gown Half-Yearly Meeting in June 2022.
Post-presentation, the PASC members exchanged views on sustainability, and shared their
experiences of engaging with community councils and the difficulty of creating methodologies
for measuring social impact. Our discussion was a good reminder of how General Council
members can use their experience to contribute to initiatives whether by volunteering or acting
as ambassadors for the programme. We would encourage members to consider how they can
get more involved.
Engaging with General Council members will be a continuing theme across our meetings this The Graduation Ceremony in the Castle’s Great Hall
session. At our next meeting on 24 November, we will be joined by Theresa Merrick for an
update on the University’s communications strategy, and planning is already well underway
for our February Half-Yearly Meeting and for an exhibition later in the spring to showcase the Celebrating new graduates
University’s response to the pandemic, including the invaluable contributions of the internal As a result of the restrictions necessitated by Covid-19 the University was unable to hold its
Essential Services team. PASC is moving with the times – our own meetings will continue to be usual graduation ceremonies in 2020 or in June 2021. After the cancellation of the Edinburgh
at least partly remote as our newest committee member, Elisabeth Feldstein, is based outside Military Tattoo for summer 2021 restrictions began to ease, creating an opportunity for the
Edinburgh – but we are looking forward to returning to some face-to-face gatherings as soon as missed graduations to be celebrated in a novel way at Edinburgh Castle.
restrictions permit.
Lisa Dawson, Director of Student Systems & Administration, and her team organised a
A more detailed report of the Standing Committee meetings can be found in the Annex. memorable experience for 5,000 graduates, belatedly to celebrate their graduation. Over a
four-day period, cohorts of graduates from summer 2020, winter 2020 and summer 2021 were
invited to gather, in their academic gowns, with two guests each, on the Castle Esplanade
where they were serenaded by the pipes and drums from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Unusually, these arrangements allowed disciplines to be mixed and friendship groups to
attend together.
10 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 11
Each cohort was addressed by the Principal or other member of the Senior Executive of the Current arrangements
University, with other senior staff in attendance on the Esplanade, to congratulate them on The GC Office continues to be managed by the Secretary and Assistant Secretary working
their achievement. Members of the General Council’s Business Committee attended to signal remotely. Alison can have occasional, time limited access to the GC office if necessary and can
their welcome to the new graduates to membership of the General Council. book working space and access to office equipment in D&A as required.
The pipe band led the procession, i.e. ‘platform party’, graduates and supporters into the
Longer term
Castle with further entertainment en route, for example Highland dancers, fiddlers and a jazz
band. In a carefully managed ceremony, graduates socially distanced, entered the Great Hall University staff have been surveyed about home versus office working and the University
of the Castle to be formally capped. Their supporters moved through the Great Hall in parallel is showing flexibility and sensitivity to individuals’ circumstances while naturally seeking
appreciating the unusual opportunities this afforded for close-up photographs of the event, to ensure effective business continuity. We expect to see new ways of working across the
which was in any case video recorded for each graduate. departments based in CSH reflected in a new configuration of office space. With support from
D&A, we are in discussion about our accommodation needs for the longer term. With the use of
The weather was kind, with beautifully clear views from this iconic setting. Unprecedented the whole building under review this will take time to resolve. We do expect a dedicated office
opportunities for the members of the Business Committee to engage with graduates and to be identified for the General Council in due course.
their supporters suggested that this creative response from the University at the end of a very
challenging period for students had resulted in a memorable experience which was much
2. Committee meetings
appreciated by all concerned.
We are grateful for the work that has been done to ensure a safe return to campus for students,
staff and visitors. The necessary restrictions pose some challenges for meetings of our Business
Report from the General Council Office Committee. Meeting rooms which meet the required standard of ventilation have been
configured for 1m distancing and accordingly the maximum permitted occupancy is specified.
By Ann Smyth, Secretary of the General Council This is significantly less than formerly – for example the permitted capacity of the Raeburn
Room, used board room style, is 10 people. While people are seated at 1m distance masks may
Arrangements for Academic Year 2021/2 be removed. The Business Committee is therefore continuing to meet online meantime.
The Principal has intimated that the University is taking a cautious Several hubs around the University have been identified as pilot sites for hybrid meetings, roll
approach to opening up the campus with a view to providing a ‘smoother out of which will be monitored to inform subsequent developments. This involves investment
and more enjoyable’ experience for staff and students this year – from Information Services, for example in microphones to improve sound quality and in
compatible with maintaining safety. It is repeatedly stressed across the technical support. Priority is appropriately being given to support for teaching requirements.
University that this is a year of transition in working practice.
With the welcome addition of new members to our Business Committee from outside the UK
1. General Council (GC) Office we are monitoring the roll-out of hybrid meeting rooms with an eye to that becoming the norm
for our committee meetings in future.
In operational terms the GC Office sits within the University Secretary’s Group which has laid
out overarching principles for hybrid working across the Group. Responsibility for detailed The General Council Prince Philip Fund
implementation is devolved across the various sites and workstreams. The GC Office is The fund has a current value of £193,000, which is sufficient to start supporting two new
managed within Development and Alumni (D&A) in Charles Stewart House (CSH). students from this academic year. The awards, which will continue annually for each year of
We have been advised that the ventilation in the GC Office does not meet the required safety the recipients’ studies, are administered through the Scholarship Office in Old College. With the
standards so the GC Office will not routinely be physically staffed for the foreseeable future. students’ permission we hope to bring you news of their first impressions of the University and
We will therefore not be able to deal with telephone enquiries meantime. We will be making of their progress in due course.
arrangements to check mail deliveries each week but this will inevitably involve delays other
General Council representation
than when postal responses are anticipated, for example for elections. Members are therefore
strongly urged to contact the GC Office by email whenever possible and certainly for matters After the cancellation of all such events at the height of the pandemic it has been particularly
requiring a prompt response. pleasing to see the General Council continuing to play its part in the re-emergence of
12 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 13
familiar events in the academic calendar, albeit in much scaled-down versions of the normal that time the system for managing amendments to Ordinances was stretched by the need to
ceremonies. The Secretary was able to represent the General Council at the Academic Service ensure timely compliance with the 2016 Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act across all
in St Giles on Sunday 31 October. This service marks the value attached in this city to Scottish universities, so the review of the rules defining our membership was put on hold. This
education at all levels, with a broad range of institutions represented. The University’s matter is being reopened now.
Remembrance Day Service took place on Sunday 14 November in the Old Quad, again with
In implementing the rules regarding membership, the General Council Office has found
much reduced attendance but with representations from each of the city’s universities. The
evidence of anachronism, anomaly and potential for confusion in various clauses of the extant
Secretary laid a wreath in memory of the members of the General Council who served their
Ordinance. Those alone would be a sufficient basis for a review but there is now also a more
country in time of war.
fundamental issue to consider.
The University’s contemporary ethos and values, articulated in Strategy 2030, clearly accord
respect and importance to the essential contribution of professional staff, alongside academics,
in delivering excellence across all the University’s endeavours. The General Council’s current
membership criteria reflect the University’s historic exclusive focus on academe. This raises the
issue of whether the General Council would better fulfil its role in the governance structure of
the modern University by extending its membership to include senior professional staff. The
Business Committee already relies heavily on their counsel in fulfilling its role.
The General Council Office has referred the matter to the Constitutional Standing Committee
and thence to the Business Committee. At the time of writing formal approval from Court
to review Ordinance No 186 is being sought. The Convener of the Business Committee will
Professor Stuart Macpherson
provide an oral update to the General Council meeting in February.
Business Committee Re-union General Council members will recall that the process for amending Ordinances is a long one.
Having not met in person since the start of the pandemic the Business Committee had missed When specific draft amendments are proposed, they will have the opportunity to respond via
the opportunity to offer personal thanks to members who demitted office in that period, for a formal consultation, notified on the General Council website. The consultation also includes
their years of service, including the outgoing Convener of the Business Committee, Professor Senate. Thereafter, informed by that consultation, the new draft Ordinance will be presented to
Stuart Macpherson. When at short notice the opportunity arose to meet in the Playfair Library a meeting of the General Council in the form of a motion for formal approval.
we were pleased to be able to arrange a small social event to make up for that lost time. At this early stage the purpose here is to inform members that this review is being instigated.
Although the continuing restrictions limited the permitted capacity we were able to invite
some senior staff to join us. We appreciated that at such short notice relative few were free to
do so. We were therefore particularly pleased that the Principal was able to attend to receive,
The General Council Meeting
on behalf of his senior team, the warm appreciation expressed by the Convener of the Business 12 February 2022, 4–6pm
Committee, Sir Philip Mawer, for their exemplary leadership of the University through the
enormous challenges posed by the pandemic to every aspect of the University’s life and the Important information about arrangements in unusual times
assurance of our continuing support and good wishes for the challenges ahead. The next statutory General Council Meeting will be held on Saturday 12 February in the
basement meeting facilities in the McEwan Hall, entered from the Pavilion in Bristo Square.
Membership of the General Council This will be the first time the General Council has met in person in two years. Members are
Preliminary notice of a review asked to note that the arrangements remain subject to Government public health guidance
and the University’s health and safety measures. The current arrangements are outlined below.
The rules that define membership of the General Council were set down in the University’s
Ordinance No 186, 30 years ago. When the arrangements for General Council Assessors were In the event of any late change to the in-person arrangements, notification will be posted on
being amended it was noted that the provisions of Ordinance No 186 also merited review. At the General Council website and those who have intimated their intention to attend to the
14 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 15
General Council Office will be advised by email. Should the in-person meeting have to be Health and safety information for those attending in person
cancelled for public health reasons the event will go ahead online. Please:
General Council Half-Yearly Meetings are open to all General Council members and are free • Wear a face covering on entering the McEwan Hall;
to attend. For the above reasons it would be particularly helpful this year if members
• Observe any guidance on traffic flows/capacity designed to reduce congestion in corridors/
intending to attend could complete the form on page 27 and return it to the General
smaller spaces;
Council Office or, better still, provide the requested information in an email to:
General.Council@ed.ac.uk • Note the availability of hand sanitisers;
• Respect the social distance of others, particularly the catering staff looking after us at this
As usual those attending are asked to sign the General Council register on the day.
event;
Unusually, the meeting is being held at 4pm. This is to allow members in time zones to • Please do not attend if you develop symptoms of Covid-19 or feel otherwise unwell;
the west of the Greenwich zone to access the livestream. Our members in the Americas have
• There will be a QR code at the entrance to the event. If you have a QR reader on your phone
hitherto shown interest in the recordings of Half-Yearly Meetings posted on our website after
you can link in for track and trace purposes;
the event. This year we are inviting them to engage with us in the meeting in real time.
• Otherwise, please notify the General Council Office if, having attended, you test positive for
In future the timing of successive February meetings will be adjusted to give members around Covid-19 in the days thereafter.
the globe more equitable opportunities to engage live with the Principal’s annual report and
General Council business. As hosts of this event the GC Office will hold the contact details for all those attending for the
subsequent 21 days. You will be notified if any of those who attended test positive thereafter.
Questions
Information for those attending online
The February Half-Yearly Meeting gives members the opportunity to hear
Peter Mathieson’s annual report and put questions to him on matters The formal meeting can viewed online via livestream from the General Council website:
affecting the wellbeing and prosperity of the University. www.ed.ac.uk/general-council
Members can submit questions in advance online via the General
Council email or in person on the day. The General Council inbox will
be monitored during the meeting so that questions posted during
Advance notice of Summer Half-Yearly Meeting
the event can also be asked. For the records, members are asked to Saturday June 18, 2022 at John McIntyre Conference Centre,
give their degree and year of graduation, or otherwise the basis for
the membership of the General Council, when they submit a question,
Professor Peter Pollock Halls, Edinburgh
Mathieson, Principal
whether online or in person. and Vice-Chancellor Town and Gown
Following the statutory Half-Yearly Meeting of the General Council in June there will be an
Refreshments
event for General Council members and their guests to illustrate the University’s relationship
Members have not had the opportunity to meet in person for two years. We have therefore with its local community.
allowed plenty of time for members to meet and interact informally before the formal meeting.
Please do take advantage of this opportunity to meet with your elected representatives. The programme, which is being developed with guidance from Professor Lesley McAra,
Assistant Principal, Community Relations and Director of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, will
Teas and coffee will be available from 3pm. encompass examples from the Data-Driven Innovation initiative and the implementation of the
NB: There will be no social event after the formal meeting. University’s Community Plan.
More information will appear as it becomes available on the General Council website and in
the summer issue of Billet as usual.
16 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 17
The University’s response to Covid Many members of the
University’s community have
The University’s operational response to the pandemic was remarkable. Even before the supported our response
to Covid: Professor Devi
national lockdown had been declared the University had, at one week’s notice, pivoted from
Sridhar, Chair of Global Public
business as usual to online arrangements for all teaching and assessment. Health, has advised the UK
and Scottish Government
Thanks to the extraordinary endeavours of staff in essential services who maintained the
and given extensive media
estate throughout, the University never closed. Many others also went above and beyond their interviews during the
usual duties to mitigate the impact of the crisis on students, particularly for those stranded in pandemic. Elson Musenga,
Edinburgh unable to go home or in difficulties of one sort or another. is a class of 2020 medical
student who graduated
Some staff became familiar features on our television screens, translating the science to early to become an interim
inform our understanding of the virus, while many more were conducting research of global foundation doctor and join the
significance to public health policy, in clinical treatment or in other fields. NHS effort to tackle Covid-19.
Photos by Lawrence Winram
In fulfilling its role the Business Committee and its standing committees were struck by the taken from the Portraits of the
resilience of the University leadership’s determination to adapt to the circumstances and by Pandemic series organised
by the College of Medicine &
the University community’s determination to pull together to find opportunities for creativity
Veterinary Medicine.
and innovation in the face of the repeated challenges thrown up by the pandemic across all of
the University’s endeavours. We are working on an exhibition for spring 2022 to celebrate the
resilience and creativity shown by so many in these challenging times. Details will appear on
the General Council website.
A UK Government-backed Covid-19 asymptomatic testing site opened at the University’s sports centre at
the Pleasance. The programme, run in partnership between the University of Edinburgh and other Scottish
universities, the Scottish Government and NHS Test and Protect, opened its doors to students and the
wider community. In addition to University of Edinburgh students, those from Edinburgh Napier University,
The University’s Community Grants have supported projects operating during the pandemic including, Queen Margaret University and SRUC have also been able to use the facility. Pictured above, University of
above left, B Healthy, and, above right, Scran Academy. Edinburgh Mathematics student Caitlin Mitchell is tested by one of the centre staff.
18 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 19
General Council election, February 2022 Mrs Kate Elizabeth Hawley, BSc 2010
Proposed by Mrs Maria Weronika Gutowska-Ding, BSc 2010, PhD 2015
Candidates for Members of the Business Committee Seconded by Mrs Danielle Irving, BSc 2009
The following nominations have been received for the election of five members of the Business I am excited to stand for election and help to equip the next generation of Edinburgh
Committee to serve from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2026. students. I bring a passion for bringing people together, an excellent knowledge of
government pressures and sensitivities placed upon the University, and extensive
The names of the candidates appear in alphabetical order. experience sitting on government bodies, boards and councils across the UK.
Mr Arron Ashton, BSc 2013 Dr Donald Bruce Nelson, BSc 1979, PhD, 1983, MBA 1990
Proposed by Ms Sophie Elizabeth Marshall, MA 2012 Proposed by Professor David Stuart Robertson, BSc 1984
Seconded by Ms Almira Delibegovic-Broome, LLB 1995 Seconded by Mr James Robert Nisbet, BSc 1987
I have a genuine and real passion for the University to continue to be a global Recently retired administrator with extensive knowledge of HE and the University.
leader in education and research; and to ensure it does so in an ethical, Held Deputy Secretary, Director of Planning and College Registrar roles in the
responsible and sustainable way. I bring my mix of public and private sector University. Governance/non-executive director experience includes Chair of
experience and perspective as a recent graduate. Association of University Administrators, governor of University of the Highlands and
Professor Alice Brown, MA 1983, PhD 1991, Dr hc 2010 Islands, Management Committee Student Awards Agency Scotland.
Proposed by Dr William Duncan, BSc 1972, PhD 1977 Secretary of the General Council
Seconded by Andrew Miller, BSc 1958, PhD 1962
I could contribute effectively to the work of the Business Committee by drawing
on my extensive knowledge of higher education, wide experience of working in the
sector, and the relevant skills I have developed in different roles, including General
Secretary of the RSE and Chair of the Scottish Funding Council.
Mr John Gilmore Clifford, MSc 1990
Proposed by Professor Stephen Hillier, DSc, 1992
Seconded by Dr Shruti Chaudhry, PhD 2016
Graduate: Oxford (German/French). Edinburgh (European Legal Affairs). Austrian
Consul a/D Scotland 2003/2016. Professional focus: international discourse
in public affairs. Member GC Business Committee 2013/21. Building on the
University’s Consular Memorandum of Understanding, I wish to continue
strengthening the University’s links with centres of learning, government,
peoples in Europe and beyond.
Ms Candice Donnelly, LLB (Hons) 2005, PGD 2006
Proposed by Dr David James Robert Houston, PhD 1976, MBA 1987
Seconded by Professor Ann McIntyre Smyth, BSc 1970, PhD 1974, MPhil 1975
Improving member engagement was a personal priority during my first term.
I remain keen to ensure that members have a voice in furthering the University’s
strategy and can contribute actively to its new Community Plan. If re-elected,
I hope to develop additional platforms to showcase the University’s many
world-leading achievements.20 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 21
Voting in the General Council Election Papers for the General Council Half-Yearly Meeting
This is the opportunity for you to participate in the governance of the University by voting for Saturday 12 February, 2022, at McEwan Hall, Teviot Place, Edinburgh
members of the Business Committee of the General Council, who are responsible for much of
From 3pm Teas/coffee available
its work.
4–6pm General Council Meeting
Online voting The meeting can be viewed live online at: www.ed.ac.uk/general-council
Since February 2012 the General Council has been able to vote via a secure website, the Elections
channel of the MyEd Alumni Portal, which this year will be open from Wednesday 5 January, Members are invited to submit questions in advance of the meeting to: general.council@ed.ac.uk
2022, until 5pm Tuesday 8 February, 2022. In order to vote you must register via the EASE
registration process, as explained below, by 5pm on Monday 7 February, 2022, at the latest. Agenda for the General Council Meeting
1. Results of the Elections for five Members of the General Council Business Committee
To be able to vote online you need to be a member of the General Council and registered
through EASE as a MyEd Alumni Portal user. 2. Minutes of the Meeting of the General Council held online via Zoom Webinar on Saturday
12 June, 2021 (Paper A)
• Those who registered for previous elections do not need to do so again, simply use the same
3. Matters arising
username and password.
4. Report of the Business Committee
• If you have already used the Portal as a student, you should still be able to use your student
username and password to access the Alumni Portal. 5. Dates of future meetings of the General Council and Notice of forthcoming elections
• If you are a new user you will need to contact the support service. To do this send an email 6. Motion (Paper B) Appointment of Secretary
to the Information Services helpline at IS.Helpline@ed.ac.uk requesting access to MyEd and 7. Presentation by Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, of the Annual
giving your full name, date of and degree awarded at first graduation from Edinburgh. A Report to the University
username and initial password will then be sent to you. 8. Any other competent business
• If you experience problems at any point when registering for, or accessing, the Alumni 9. Adjournment
Portal, please also contact Information Services at the above address, identifying yourself by
matriculation number (if known), full name, and year and degree awarded at first graduation
Paper A
from Edinburgh.
Minutes of the Meeting of the General Council held online via Zoom webinar on Saturday 12
June, 2021
Postal ballot
Voting Papers are only enclosed with Billet if members specifically requested them before 18 Present
November 2021. These should be completed and returned in the enclosed addressed envelope Ms Debora Kayembe University Rector, in the Chair
to the Secretary of the General Council. Details of all candidates appear on pages 18–19. Ms Sarah Smith University Secretary
Anyone wishing a postal vote for future elections can contact the General Council office at any Professor Ann Smyth Secretary of the General Council
time before the published deadline for registering for postal voting in the next election. Sir Philip Mawer Convener of the Business Committee
Rev Dr Harriet Harris Chaplain to the University
The Secretary serves as the Returning Officer. The vote count and analysis of results are
managed by Information Services and overseen by the Electoral Reform Society. The results 81 Members present online
will be announced at the General Council Half-Yearly Meeting on 12 February.22 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 23
1. Minutes of the Meeting of the General Council held online via MS Teams Live
Events on 6 February 2021
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 February 2021 were approved.
2. Matters arising
The Chairman reported that there were no matters arising from the Minutes.
3. Report of the Business Committee
The Convener of the General Council Business Committee, Sir Philip Mawer, began by
welcoming the new Rector, Debora Kayembe, to her first meeting as Chair of the General
Council and was also pleased to note the many members of the Council who were attending
the meeting online both within the UK and internationally.
He went on to highlight that the current academic year had been one of extraordinary
Katherine Grainger, alumna
challenge for the University, not just from the pandemic but from other geopolitical
and Olympian, helps a young
developments, not least the UK’s exit from the European Union, and that the past year student at the opening of
had been hugely demanding for both students and staff. He added that there is also much IntoUniversity at Craigmillar.
determination and hope as the vaccination programme in the UK and abroad continues
apace and the University learns from its recent experience and rethinks the ways in which it The Public Affairs Standing Committee, convened by Candice Donnelly, had looked carefully
does things in order to build a better future. at the way in which the University interacts with different parts of the community, in the City of
There followed a brief synopsis of the work of the four main Standing Committees: Edinburgh and more widely. The Convener referred to two projects in which General Council
members living in the City may wish to become involved as volunteers – the IntoUniversity
The Academic Standing Committee, led by Steve Hillier, had begun the year by reviewing initiative and the Students as Change Agents programme.
the impact of hybrid teaching and assessment on staff and students. The Student Association
Vice-President for Education had reported that overall, student attitudes to teaching and The Committee had also examined the work of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, based in
learning were less negative as the year had developed and as they began to see some of the the old Royal Infirmary in Lauriston Place. The Institute will feature heavily in the Half-Yearly
benefits of the hybrid approach. The challenge was how best to reshape the curriculum as Meeting in June 2022, during which the General Council will explore further the University’s
a whole to ensure that students leave the University having had a broader experience which Community Plan and its engagement with the community in Edinburgh and beyond.
gives them the skills needed in the wider world while maintaining their rootedness in a The Convener went on to mention that the Business Committee has kept in touch with current
particular academic discipline. developments affecting the University in which alumni have expressed a particular interest,
William Duncan’s Finance and Services Standing Committee, had examined the impact such as the ongoing work to address historic and contemporary racism. He announced the
of the pandemic on the University estate, including developments to the digital estate. The launch of the new General Council website and The General Council Prince Philip Fund, a
Committee had also met with the Directors of HR and Finance and concluded its work this revised scholarship fund originally named in Prince Philip’s honour and set up to mark his
year with a look at the University’s Audit and Risk arrangements. 57 years of service as Chancellor of the University and Chairman of the General Council, and
which will achieve a more significant impact in helping disadvantaged students to finance their
The International Standing Committee, chaired by Krystyna Szumelukowa, had university education.
continued to monitor and assess the implications of the Brexit Trade Agreement and new
UK immigration rules for international students and staff. The Convener noted that it was The Convener concluded his report by looking ahead to new hybrid working practises for the
heartening, in spite of all the difficulties, that international undergraduate applications General Council as two new international members join the Business Committee, and paid
to Edinburgh had increased this year, although the pattern of applications from different tribute to valued members who had come to the end of their term of office.
countries had altered. The report of the Business Committee was approved.24 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 25
The full text of the Convener’s remarks is contained in the Annex to Billet, and a recording of 8. Engagement with China: Opportunities and challenges
the live report can be viewed on the General Council website: The formal proceedings were followed by an interactive online programme, chaired by the
www.ed.ac.uk/general-council/half-yearly-meetings/report-from-previous-meetings Principal, with presentations from senior academics whose work is focused on the University’s
partnerships with China.
4. Dates of future meetings of the General Council
The next Half-Yearly Meeting will take place on Saturday 12 February, 2022, in the McEwan Hall, A recording of the event can be viewed on the General Council website:
Teviot Place, Edinburgh. Any Motions for discussion at this meeting should have been received www.ed.ac.uk/general-council/half-yearly-meetings/report-from-previous-meetings
in the General Council Office by Wednesday 24 November, 2021.
Paper B (Motion)
The following Statutory Half-Yearly Meeting will be held on Saturday 18 June, 2022, in the John
McIntyre Conference Centre, Pollock Halls, 18 Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh. Any Motions for Motion
discussion at this meeting should be received in the General Council Office by Wednesday 30 Appointment of Secretary
March, 2022.
The Business Committee proposes:
5. Notice of forthcoming Elections 1. That the period of office of the current General Council Secretary, Professor Ann Smyth, be
There will be elections for five Members of the Business Committee in February 2022. extended until 31 July 2022;
Nominations on forms available from the General Council Office and on the website should
2. That the General Council appoints Dr William Duncan, BSc 1972, PhD 1977, as Secretary of
have been received in the General Council Office by Wednesday 24 November, 2021.
the General Council for an initial period of four years, renewable for a further four years,
6. Any other competent business with effect from 1 August 2022.
There was no other competent business. Proposed by the Convener of the Business Committee.
Seconded by the Vice-Convener of the Business Committee.
7. Adjournment
The Motion by the Convener of the Business Committee that, for the purpose of considering
matters which may be transmitted to the General Council by the University Court or any other Officers
business of a competent nature, the Business Committee be empowered to act on behalf Chairman: HRH The Princess Royal
of the Council, and that this meeting be adjourned to a date to be fixed by the Business Secretary: Ann Smyth BSc, MPhil (ClinPsychol), PhD 2022
Committee, was approved. Registrar: Sarah Smith, University Secretary ex-officio
Rev Dr Harriet Harris closed the meeting with a benediction.
General Council Assessors on the University Court
The Annex to the Billet containing supporting papers for the Agenda, including
communications from the University Court, full Standing Committee reports and the Business Jock Millican, BSc, FCILT 2023
Committee’s report to the meeting on 12 June 2021 is available on the website at: The Hon Lady Wolffe (Sarah Wolffe QC) 2023
www.ed.ac.uk/general-council/recent-publications/annex-to-the-billet The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander, MA, LLB 2025
General Council members may also request it by emailing the General Council Office: Business Committee
general.council@ed.ac.uk; or pick a copy up at the location of the Council Meeting from Convener: Sir Philip Mawer, DLitt, LLD (Hon), MA, DPA, Hon FIA 2024
half-an-hour beforehand. Vice Convener: Gordon D Cairns, LLB 2024
A Convener of Academic Standing Committee: Stephen Hillier, OBE, DSc 2024
C Convener of Constitutional Standing Committee: Gordon D Cairns, LLB 2024
F Convener of Finance and Services Standing Committee:
William Duncan, BSc, PhD, CIPD 202226 Billet Winter 2022 The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Billet Winter 2022 27
I Convener of International Standing Committee:
Krystyna Szumelukowa, BA Hons, MPhil, MRTPI 2024
The February 2022 General Council
P Convener of Public Affairs Standing Committee: Registration form
Candice Donnelly, LLB (Hons), Dip LP, NP, WS 2022 McEwan Hall, Saturday 12 February, 2022
Members
Chancellor’s Assessor: Sheriff Principal Alastair Dunlop QC ex officio
Name ...........................................................................................................................................................
F David Houston, BSc, MBA, PhD, FSITM 2022
A Ario Santini, Doc(hc), PhD, DipFMed, BDS, DDS, FDS, FFGDP, DGDP, FADM 2022 Address ...........................................................................................................................................................
F Arron Ashton, BSc 2022
...........................................................................................................................................................
P Moyra Forrest, DL, MA, MCLIP 2023
A Bruce Ritson, OBE, MD, FRCPE, FRCPsych 2023 ........................................................................................ Postcode .............................................
A Lady Joyce Caplan, BEd 2023
Preferred contact information, i.e. tel/email..............................................................................................
F Peter De Vink, BCom 2024
F Almira Delibegovic-Broome QC 2024 Degree ..............................................................................................................................................................
P Francis McManus, MLitt, LLB(Hons), FRSPH, MREHIS, FHEA 2024
A Graeme Reid, BSc, PhD, FRSB 2024 Year of graduation .........................................................................................................................................
I Frances D Dow, CBE, MA, DPhil 2024
Subject of study ..............................................................................................................................................
P Brian Smith, MA, MLitt 2025
P Elisabeth Feldstein, MChem 2025 This event will be livestreamed for the benefit of our international alumni members,
I Tanya Calitz, LLB, LLM 2025 and will be filmed and recorded for the General Council website and publications.
I Kristin Hannesdottir, BArch(Hons), BA, MFA 2025 Any access requirements ..............................................................................................................................
I Kirsty MacGregor, MA, MBA, DipEd 2025
...........................................................................................................................................................
Assistant to the Secretary: Alison MacLeary, MA
‘A’ denotes a member of the Academic Standing Committee, ...........................................................................................................................................................
‘C’ a member of the Constitutional Standing Committee,
‘F’ a member of the Finance and Services Standing Committee,
‘I’ a member of the International Standing Committee, and Please return to: Ms Alison MacLeary,
‘P’ a member of the Public Affairs Standing Committee. Assistant to the Secretary of the General Council
The University of Edinburgh
Charles Stewart House,
9–16 Chambers Street
Edinburgh EH1 1HT,
Scotland, UK
Email: general.council@ed.ac.uk
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