Sad passing of Lord Myners
In January 2022, we were deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Lord Myners, who was our Chancellor from 2016 until he stepped down in 2021.
Having begun his working life as a teacher, Lord Myners went on to have a long career in business, finance, media and politics, where he was instrumental in the UK government’s response to the financial crisis of 2008. He was made a CBE in 2001 and in 2003 received an Honorary Doctorate in Laws from the University.
Tributes have flowed in from prominent figures including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Chief Executive of Asda Stuart Rose, and Robert Peston who described him as, “One of the great City figures of the past 40 years [who] crusaded against corruption and had a powerful sense of right and wrong.”
Lord Myners was a proud Cornishman and a great supporter of the University, presiding over the graduations of 20,000 students, celebrating their successes and always encouraging them to “go out and live purposeful lives.”
He played a prominent role in our fundraising and alumni relations and his support and enthusiasm for students as they graduated and began the next steps of their lives, coupled with his twinkling sense of humour, was an inspiration. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew him.
Top 150 Rankings success
In June 2021 the University of Exeter broke into the top 150 in the QS World University Rankings for the first time. The University is now ranked 149th in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2022 – a rise of 15 places compared to the previous year – placing it among the very best institutions worldwide.
In September 2021 the University also reinforced its global reputation by rising into the top 150 worldwide in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Exeter is now ranked 143rd in the world – a rise of 31 places. The University has also moved back into the top 20 in the UK in the league table, rising five places to 19th.
Sir Michael Barber appointed Chancellor of the University of Exeter
Sir Michael Barber, once described by Time magazine as ‘the single most influential educator on the face of the earth’ and who has been at the forefront of education and public life for more than two decades, has been appointed as the new Chancellor for the University of Exeter.
Sir Michael took over from Lord Myners of Truro, who stepped down after five years in the role, on 1 January 2022.
Exeter leaders recognised in Queen’s Honours lists
The Queen’s New Year’s Honours recognised Richard Atkins and Professor Andrew Thompson for their outstanding achievements in education and academic research. Richard, who was knighted, is the Further Education Commissioner for England with responsibility for leading on quality improvements in FE and Sixth Form Colleges. He has been an independent Member of the University of Exeter Council since August 2016. Andrew, who was awarded a CBE, is the former Executive Chair of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and was Professor of Modern History and Director of the Centre for Imperial and Global History at the University of Exeter from 2011 to 2018.
In the Queen’s Birthday Honours, Professor Caroline MacEwen was awarded Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Ophthalmology and Healthcare Leadership during the Covid-19 Response. Meanwhile, Wol Kolade was bestowed with the Commander of the Order of the British Empire honour, for services to financial services. Professor MacEwen is a member of the University of Exeter’s Council, and serves as the Independent Lead for Ethics and Human Resources. Wol Kolade is a member of the University of Exeter Business School’s Board of Advisors and has an MBA from Exeter’s Business School.
New partnership with the National Trust
A new, national partnership between the University of Exeter and the National Trust will see the two organisations join forces to help protect the natural world. The joint research initiative will explore how both organisations can best respond and adapt to environmental and cultural change, support wildlife renewal and improve wellbeing through nature.
Experts will develop science-based, action-orientated research to inform land use decision making and better understand ways to care for our natural and cultural landscapes. The focus will be to plan and manage the inevitable transformation of landscapes so they work best for people, place, nature and future generations. This is only the second university collaboration of its kind from the National Trust. It builds on more than 20 joint research projects and four student placements run collaboratively by the University of Exeter and the National Trust over the last five years.
New SWIoT facility opened
The South West Institute of Technology (SWIoT) facility opened on the Streatham Campus in October 2021. It is a pioneering new multimillion-pound facility, designed to revolutionise digital technology education for the next generation of highly skilled technicians and engineers.
The SWIoT building is a unique collaboration between a number of partner organisations, designed to train thousands of students in technical subjects across the South-West region, bringing unparalleled new skills development and career opportunities. The new Institute will enable the University to work collaboratively with partners to research teaching and curriculum development in the SWIoT Observatory and is one of 12 Institutes of Technology located across the country.
Tributes paid after death of creator of revolutionary Exeter Hip
Professor Clive Lee was one of the two masterminds behind the Exeter Hip, which research shows is among the most successful hip implants globally. He died on Tuesday 2 November 2021 following a long illness, at the age of 82.
Professor Lee created the hip alongside Professor Robin Ling, of the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hospital, Exeter, who died in 2017. Their ground-breaking design overcame a problem of previous hip implants, which often required further surgery after they became loose. First fitted in 1970, the simple yet effective design has been fitted globally in over two million patients, with one million happening in the last 10 years alone.
University of Exeter recognised for “financial lifeline” during pandemic
Exeter was shortlisted as University of the Year in the UK Social Mobility Awards 2021 thanks to the Success for All Fund, set up as a response to the first lockdown. Supported by alumni donations, it has helped the most vulnerable students survive financially, stay well, keep a roof over their heads and continue with their studies. The University was one of the first to launch a comprehensive funding scheme to support students in need due to Covid-19. Some students could no longer be supported by their families, were stranded far from home with little means of support, had caring responsibilities, were already without family support or had disabilities. To date, £2 million has been given to around 2,000 students. Funding has been mainly spent on accommodation, food, and utilities, as well as medical and quarantine expenses.
New Sustainable Finance Centre
The University of Exeter Business School has launched a new research centre focusing on finance and sustainability, an area experiencing huge growth within the financial sector. Professor Chendi Zhang is heading up the new Exeter Sustainable Finance Centre (ESF), which draws on the Business School’s vast expertise in the areas of sustainability, finance, accounting, economics and management. The centre will publish world-class research on areas of growing importance such as ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing. It will also look to develop a teaching focus with new undergraduate and postgraduate modules on sustainable and responsible finance. The centre will also reach out to engage with students, faculty and industry, holding talks and research events.
Funding from the A.G. Leventis Foundation supports PhD students and a new Chair
The A.G. Leventis Foundation has supported research at Exeter for almost 25 years and marked this milestone with a gift of £1.2 million to endow a new Chair within the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University. The A. G. Leventis Chair in Ancient Scientific and Technological Thought will be unique within the UK and will play an extremely significant role in promoting research, teaching and wider public engagement in this increasingly important field.
Additionally, two complementary PhD studentships have been funded thanks to donations from the Foundation. Both will be based within the Global Systems Institute and focus on tropical forest protection and restoration, specifically understanding carbon storage within degraded and recovering forest ecosystems.
Major boost to special partnership between the University and Exeter City Football Club
The University of Exeter and Exeter City Football Club marked the continuation of their special relationship at a ceremony in November 2021. Having forged the unique partnership a decade ago, the University and Football Club signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the ceremony which is designed to further support and benefit members of the local community. The partnership has already created several initiatives since it began in 2011 including creating over 150 work placements and knowledge exchanges, benefiting the Club’s youth player development, ticket processing, and sports science capability. Thanks to these and many other activities, the two organisations were awarded the Best University-Employer Partnership (2013), and the ‘Work Placement of the Year’ (2014).
Convex launches Seascape Survey Partnership
In November 2021 Convex Group Limited announced a multimillion-dollar partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation (a charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health) and the University of Exeter, with the launch of the Convex Blue Carbon Seascape Survey.
Bringing together a multidisciplinary team made up of world-class ocean and blue carbon scientists, this ambitious five-year global research programme is the largest attempt yet to build a greater understanding of the properties and capabilities of the ocean and its continental shelves in the earth’s carbon cycle, in the urgent effort to slow climate change.
Thomas Cromwell’s Tudor London mansion revealed in unprecedented detail and first-ever artist’s impression
New insights came on the anniversary of Thomas Cromwell’s death in July 2021 as his magnificent London mansion was revealed for the first time in an artist’s impression, following a new study which examines the building in unprecedented detail. The research findings of historian and research fellow at English Heritage and the University of Exeter, Dr Nick Holder, informed the artist’s impression created by illustrator Peter Urmston which was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the British Archaeological Association. It includes floor plans for the mansion, which had 58 rooms plus servants’ garrets, and a large garden.
