Latest message from the President & Principal
Tuesday 4th February 2025
Here we are already in the second month of our Gregorian Calendar, in a world that seems more unsettled than ever in recent times. As parts of the planet celebrate religious or lunar festivals others are engulfed in grief and tragedy, facing the harsh realities of war, economic turmoil and social disruption, to the extent that makes life near intolerable. Yet we go on.
Recently returned from a visit to the USA, and notwithstanding the dreadful events in California and the awful recent air disasters, one might be tempted to focus on the change in mood following the new administration. Truth be told, there is a deep sense of anxiety in some quarters as the apparent threat to at least some aspects of free speech increases and a reprioritisation of funding bites. And this in a sector so long champions of academic freedom, social challenge and equality. Closer to home, the financial outlook for many universities here looks bleak as the new government here wrestles with the many calls on limited resources.
Yet, however inexorable the pull of the negative, we must persevere and remain focused on the good and on what tomorrow can be like…as my old mentor would say in times of strife, “These things pass…”. The ºÚÁÏÉç has a long history that goes back to 1791 and the time of the French Revolution. A review of world events over the centuries shows we have weathered several major conflicts, at least three pandemics, and countless highs and lows of the economic cycle, including five major recessions. Despite this, we find ourselves in the privileged position of enjoying a period of unprecedented success.
How can this be? Personally, I have no doubt… it’s all about the people. It’s about those who have gone before us. It’s about those here now. It’s about you, and the values we hold.
So, what are these values?
If you go and have a look at our strategic plan which maps our ambition and direction, you will see them set out:
- Compassionate… as we strive for happy, healthy and resilient individuals and communities.
- Professional … as we aspire to the highest standards of behaviour and conduct in all our work and study.
- Respectful … of one another, with tolerance and understanding at the heart of our desire to create a diverse, inclusive and open culture.
- Committed … to our work and study, to our research and innovation, to our teaching and our learning, to the student experience, to the prevention and cure of disease, to the care of animals, and to our people.
- Curious … in all our endeavours as we improve, evolve and innovate, being the best we can be.
Easy to say and, for sure, more difficult to live, especially in an uncertain world, but I have no doubt that if we stick with these, embed them in our every day and require them of those with whom we work, we will be just fine.
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So, aiming for the stars ... those of you who have followed these blogs over the years will know that from my house in Hatfield I have spoken about the night skies above Hertfordshire and the path of the International Space Station as it shoots by overhead. Well, beside the unusually close juxtaposition of the Moon and Venus in January, this month will see seven of the planets in our solar system all visible at the same time. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are currently visible but, on the night of 28th February, for one night only, they will be joined by Mercury. The “stars” may not be in perfect alignment but it is a rare seven-planet spectacle in our night sky that will not happen again until 2040.
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Finally, as we mark World Cancer Day, thank you to all those who attended the funeral of our colleague, John Barr, last week. A huge turn-out at a very large and desperately sad gathering, your presence and support for him and those close to him were ºÚÁÏÉç at its best. For one of our best. For one of our stars.
As ever,
Stuart