UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
COURT
11 October 2005
Present:
The Chancellor (in the Chair), Mrs M O Grant (Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of
Council), the Vice-Chancellor, Professor J B Goddard (Deputy ViceChancellor), Professor C B Riordan and Professor A C Stevenson (Pro-ViceChancellors), Professor T Anderson, Mr A G Balls, Mr N E Braithwaite, Sir
Patrick Brown, Mr P D Carr, Professor D R Charles, Ms M Coyle, Dr E G N
Cross, Mr A Fenwick, Ms C Galley, Dr G P Greener, Dr V A Hammond, Mrs C
M Harvey, Councillor M Henry, His Honour Judge David Hodson, Lady Irvine,
Mr J Jeffery, Mr P M Johnson, Lord Joicey, Lord Judd of Portsea, Mr P J
Kellner, Miss F M Kirkby, Mr J W Leng, Dr H Loebl, Mrs S Murray, Professor
P J W Olive, Mr S Pleydell, Mr A Robson (Communications Officer), Sir
George Russell, Mr P Shaw, Mr I Stratford, Lord Walton of Detchant, Professor
M J Whitaker, Sir John Willis and Mr D K Wilson.
In attendance:
Dr J V Hogan (Registrar).
Apologies for absence: Sir Thomas Allen, The Rt Hon Alan Beith MP, Mr A Bergshaven, Mr J
Edwards, Councillor D Faulkner, Mr A E E Glenton, Dr R Hawley,
Professor O R Hinton, Mr R H Maudslay, Judge Mithani, the Bishop of
Newcastle, Professor T F Page, Professor E Ritchie, Mr N Sherlock, Mr
H Shukla, Mr R Taylor and The Rt Hon Sir Mark Waller.
MINUTES
1.
MEMBERSHIP
(Minute 19(a), 6.5.2005)
Reported that:
(a) The Chancellor, on behalf of Court, had approved the appointment of the following as
member of Court until 31 July of the year shown:
Judge Abbas Mithani (2006)
Mr R Taylor (2007)
(b) That the following had been appointed/*re-appointed by Academic Board to serve on
Court until 31 July of the year shown:
*Professor T Anderson (2007)
*Professor D R Charles (2007)
*Dr E G N Cross (2008)
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Dr V A Hammond (2008)
*Mrs C M Harvey (2008)
*Professor P J W Olive (2007)
*Professor M J Whitaker (2007)
(c) That the Union Society had appointed Mr A Robson, Communications Officer, as
the Sabbatical Officer to serve on Court for 2005-06.
Received a copy of the membership of Court for 2005-06.
[Circulated with the Agenda as Document A. Copy filed in the Minute Book.]
The Chancellor welcomed all the new members to their first meeting of Court.
Resolved that, for the next meeting of Court, the Registrar be requested to prepare a brief
statement on the statutory role of Court by way of having a discussion of the overall
contribution of Court to the work of the University.
2.
MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting held on 6 May 2005 were approved as a correct record and
signed.
3.
PROGRAMME FOR 10 & 11 OCTOBER 2005
(Minute 19(b), 6.5.2005)
Received a copy of the programme for 10 & 11 October 2005, for information.
[Circulated with the Agenda as Document C. Copy filed in the Minute Book.]
Noted that:
4.
1.
Individual members of Court had appreciated the programme of special visits and
requested that similar programmes be arranged in the future.
2.
The Communications Officer of the Union Society offered a tour of the Union Society
as a possible visit in the future.
STATUTES
(Minute 9, 13.12.2004)
Reported that the Privy Council had approved the amendments to the University Statutes.
5.
UNIVERSITY STRATEGY/SCIENCE CITY
Received an oral report from the Vice-Chancellor on the University strategy and
specifically Science City.
Noted that:
1.
A copy of the slides used by the Vice-Chancellor were attached as ANNEX I
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2.
The University had undergone significant growth in recent years, both in terms of the
number of students and its overall turnover.
3.
Two years ago there had been a detailed debate with the University of Durham about
the possible benefits of some form of closer collaboration, including the possibility of a
re-merger. In the event, this proposal had not been supported by the University of
Durham. Nevertheless, a range of collaborative activities were in place with the
University of Durham, including collaboration over stem cell research and medical
education. The universities had both collaborated over an exchange of staff in
linguistics and religious studies, which was recognised to be beneficial to both
institutions.
4.
Much of the recent growth in income in the University had been as a result of the
increase in overseas fee-paying students. This was a highly competitive market and
one which was made more difficult by some of the Government’s decisions over the
way in which it operated its visa control system.
5.
The University was particularly strong in applying research, as was demonstrated by
income from Government contracts and Knowledge House.
6.
The University had been particularly successful in securing research income from the
European Union under the Framework 6 programme. However, this programme was
not adequately funded by overhead income and, whilst the University had taken a
strategic decision based on the future importance of such a funding stream, there was a
need for the European Union to re-consider the overhead rates associated with its
research grant programme.
7.
The University’s investment in new academic buildings had greatly strengthened its
capacity to undertake interdisciplinary research, and examples included the Devonshire
Building for Environmental Research and the Northern Institute for Cancer Research
Building.
8.
The University played a very important part in the regional economic strategy.
9.
Gordon Brown had, in his 2004 Budget, announced the creation of six Science Cities,
of which Newcastle was one. Since this announcement, the University had been
working in very close partnership with One NorthEast, the Regional Development
Agency, and the City of Newcastle to develop the concept. This led to a specific set of
proposals being submitted back to the Treasury which presented an exciting prospectus
for the development of science in Newcastle with a new site, currently housing the
former Newcastle Brewery site, identified as Science Central.
10. The Science City concept was a new vision for science and business to come together
on a single site so that scientific research and teaching would take place alongside
incubator space and ongoing business activities.
11. Very significant additional funding would be required to develop the Science City
concept and much of this additional funding would need to come from One
NorthEast’s investment in this new form of entrepreneurial activity.
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12. In addition to funding from One NorthEast and business, the University was preparing
proposals for a very significant increase in funded student numbers supported by the
HEFCE.
13. It was recognised that any further significant increase in student numbers in the City
would require a further investment by the University in student support facilities and
particularly student accommodation. A development company had purchased part of
the site adjacent to the proposed Science Central location and this company had, in the
past, built large numbers of student residences. The University was also looking to
increase its own capacity, although it had faced some planning difficulties over the
proposed increase of study bedrooms at Castle Leazes. It was currently appealing
against the decision of the Development Control Committee and this appeal would be
heard at a Public Inquiry in March 2006.
14. The University recognised that it needed to improve both the quantity and the quality
of its student residences.
15. The University had no intention of isolating its science students into separate halls of
residence.
16. The University had a good track record in the commercialisation of its research but the
Government had made a mistake in a tax change eighteen months ago under Schedule
22, which made academic staff who developed a spin-off company liable to individual
tax at the point of the IPO. This tax problem had now been removed by the
Government but it had put a temporary halt on spin-off company activity.
17. The University had a great deal of research that matched very well the ten most
significant problems identified by the Nobel Prize Winner, Rick Smalley.
18. The University was currently working with public authorities in Easington on
addressing the worklessness problem in the North East. In Easington approximately
24% of the adult population were on incapacity benefit and new approaches to solving
this problem were being tried, including the development of geothermal power.
19. It was recognised that much of the University’s research and expertise could be used to
address critical development issues in the developing world and this aspect of the
University’s work could be the subject of a future presentation to members of Court.
20. Some concern was expressed about the supply of clinical academic staff. The ViceChancellor explained that the University’s approach was to work in very close
partnership with the NHS on this issue, and there had recently been a national review
of the clinical academic career structures which it was hoped would encourage more
staff to take up clinical lectureships.
21. It was recognised that the proposals around Science City and specifically Science
Central would take many years to implement in full and in the interim the University
would need to continue to invest in its science activities. A key step would be to
increase its scientific capacity by the appointment of additional key scientists.
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22. An important aspect of Science City was the promotion of science education and the
increase in the number of schoolchildren and eventually university students studying
science.
23. The University took seriously its commitment to professional development for its staff
and had a range of CPD activities. Provision was also made for senior leaders and the
Vice-Chancellor drew particular attention to the work of Common Purpose, which the
University actively supported.
24. The University had established a Development Council to support its fundraising
activities, which played a vital part in providing additional funding for key projects,
including the University’s efforts to widen participation and its capital programme.
6.
COURT STEERING COMMITTEE
Considered a minor change to the terms of reference of Court Steering Committee.
[Circulated with the Agenda as Document D. Copy filed in the Minute Book.]
Resolved that the terms of reference of Court Steering Committee be amended by the
addition of the following paragraph in its terms of reference:
‘To recommend to Court the names of persons to be awarded honorary University
Fellowships in accordance with the agreed principles for these awards.’
7.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Reported that the next meeting would be held at 11 am on 5 May 2006.