Csgan090911
DRAFT
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
COLLEGE OF MEDICINE and VETERINARY MEDICINE
COLLEGE STRATEGY GROUP
Action note of the meeting of the College Strategy Group held on 9th September 2011 in
the Polish Room, Chancellor’s Building
Present: Professor Sir John S Savill (HoC), Professors D Argyle [DoPR], J Bradshaw
[DoPT], D Dewhurst [DoEIS], D Hume [Dir RI], G Leng [HoS BMS], J Seckl [DoR], I
McArdle [CA], Z Lewandowski [HoHR]
In attendance: I McGowan [IS], R Stewart [HoAA]
Apologies: Professors A Cumming, C Haslett, N Hastie, SH Ralston, E Watson, D Weller; H
Edmiston, A Stamp
1. Action Note of the meeting held on 9th May 2011: AGREED to be a correct record and
could now be published on the College website – CR
2. Year-End Accounts for 2010/11:
The College Accountant drew the attention of CSG to the following –
1. Paper 2a compared the gross income for the College over the last two financial years and
shows a growth of 4%.
It was noted that income from the SFC T and R grants had increased, the research income for
Roslin had grown by 4% and the Category B areas had reported surpluses. CRIC generated
income of £374k and this is expected to rise in 11/12. The research income is, however,
expected to fall as awards dropped by 15% in 10/11.
CSG welcomed the growth in income and noted that the MVM income had grown more
rapidly than that of the other two Colleges. Discussions will be ongoing with the VP for
Planning and Resources to ensure that the College benefits from the increased income to the
University as a result of the growth in SFC QR/REG funding. It was noted that the financial
model underpinning the Easter Bush site was under review and the successful model in place
at the Roslin may be rolled out across the rest of the site.
2. Paper 2b contained the management accounts showing the outturn for 10/11. There is an
overall surplus of £1.8m but the salaries budget is £371k in deficit. It was noted that £1m of
salary costs in R(D)SVS have been set against the Vet School business plan.
The following was noted
 The reported overspend of £300k on the College Teaching budget was as a result of a
deficit in overused endowments being transferred in order to clear
 The PGDI had benfitted from a one off salary repayment from the NHS
 The Roslin surplus of £1.2m would be translated into its capital contribution to its
new building.
This year will be challenging but currently expected to come in on budget. The University
financial situation is in the process of changing significantly with the introduction of the new
RUK fee arrangements. 2012/13 will be particularly challenging as a 5% budget cut is
anticipated.
CA
3. Postgraduate Update
The DoPT reported that Recruitment in general has been strong for 2011/12 and final
numbers will be available for the next meeting of CSG. The review of PGT programmes
carried out over 10/11 had led to the closure of non-recruiting programmes. Two
programmes, Neuroimaging for Research and Translational Medicine, are not hitting
recruitment targets but given the strategic importance of these programmes other solutions are
being sought. In the case of Translational Medicine it is hoped that the change in culture in
Foundation training could lead to opportunities for this programme to become integrated in
Foundation training.
The DoPR reported that significant numbers of additional international students had been
recruited as a result of creating an additional 66 bursaries by dissolving a £2.6m endowment.
To date 60 of the students to whom the new bursaries had been offered have accepted. This
should result in the intake of new PGR students being at 200 by the end of 2011/12. CSG was
reminded that the stretch target for PGR recruitment was one student for each of the 360
members of staff submitted to the RAE.
DoPR/DoPT
4. College Registrar Update
CSG noted the following
1. The MRC mergers will be completed on 1st October. Professor Ralston will remain as HoS
till the end of July 2012 to ensure the first few months go smoothly. Professor Weller had
agreed to remain as HoS of CSCH until then also.
2. Plans to move DCN from WGH to Chancellors Building are in progress.
3. A feasibility study to extend the west end of Chancellors Building and to review an
extension of QMRI has been commissioned. This is primarily with a view to moving CIP
from the Hugh Robson Building
4. The College Registrar is leading a review of the administration and support services on the
Easter Bush site.
5. NHS Lothian have commissioned a review of the Edinburgh Dental Institute and in parallel
with this the College is taking part in the review of the SLA between NES and the NHS
regarding the Dental Institute. It was noted that Dr Tony Anderson is the interim head of the
PGDI following the departure of Professor Richard Ibbetson.
6. The MoU between Edinburgh, St Andrews and Alberta regarding the delivery of the
MBChB to Canadian students is due to be signed imminently. The first cohort of Canadian
students have just been admitted to St Andrews.
CR
5. Matters arising from PSG and CMG
The Head of College reported two key areas of discussion at recent meetings. The first was
the new RUK fee structure. Edinburgh is currently the most expensive University in the UK
but has the best Bursary package. The second was the NSS results. The Vets continue to
improve slightly year on year but the MBChB results in the assessment and feedback domain
2
had got significantly worse. It is clear that action is needed and these results are a mandate for
change. The DoPT reported that MVM had done very well in the Postgraduate Taught
Student Experience Survey.
HoC
6. Update on Senior Academic Appointments: – CSG noted the following progress with
appointments: Chair of Medical Microbiology – this continued to be on hold
 Chair of Paediatric Infectious Diseases – ongoing. Recruitment of a basic scientist
being considered.
 Chair of Adult Respiratory Medicine – this post is on hold
 Senior Clinical Lecturer in Critical Care – a locum appointment is pending. Two
recruitment rounds have taken place and no successful candidate has emerged.
Consideration is being given regarding how to progress
 The Anne Rowling Chair of Tissue Regeneration – an offer had been made for this
post and the response is awaited
 Senior Clinical Lecturer in Neuropathology – this post is on hold
 Chair of Resilience Biology (Director of the MRC Centre for Reproductive
Health – recruitment is in progress
 Roslin: Chair of Veterinary Immunology – an appointment has been made to this
post
 IGMM: 2 Senior Fellows – ongoing
HoC/HsoS
7. KPI Reports to July 2011
The draft final report for last year is now available. It was noted that overall the number of
grants applied for had decreased by 9%n but a 46% success rate had been achieved. The
number of very large awards received is down but a few larger awards have recently been
agreed in principle and there has been the advantage of the HGU merger which has resulted in
an immediate additional £25m in research income and is expected to bring £12m-£13m
annually.
An EU grants writer is now in place and available to advise anyone in the College writing a
grant proposal for EU funding.
HoR
8. REF
A mock REF has been run and the results are usefully informing the REF preparation
HoR
9. Recruitment Advertising Arrangements
CSG agreed to implement a proposal from the HoHR that for a trial period all recruitment
advertising would be online unless an online option was unavailable
HoHR
3
10. Immigration – Guaranteeing Maintenance
It was noted that new staff holding Tier 2 visas were required to demonstrate that they had
sufficient funds to support themselves in their first month in the country by demonstrating
they had £800 in their bank account and that these funds had been there for three months. The
alternative to this is that the University acts as a guarantor to support the individual in the first
month should it be required. CSG had previously agreed to act as guarantor in specific cases
and with HoS consent. In practise nearly all staff coming in with Tier 2 visas are receiving
this guarantee and CSG was asked to consider whether the requirement for cases to be
specifically approved by the Head of School needs to be reinforced or strengthened.
HoHR was asked to bring more detail of the numbers and therefore the risk associated with
this to a future meeting on the basis of which a decision will be taken.
HoHR
11. Information Services: Materials Budget Allocations
The IS Head of MVM Consultancy services reported that there would be no journal
cancellations in 2011/12. £35k from the NHS SLA is being allocated to online journals. It was
noted, however, that next year subscription fees will be increased and the income from both
the NHS and University will be reduced and the situation will therefore have to be reviewed
again at that stage.
IS
12. College Servers
It was noted that the upgrade to Windows 7, currently ongoing, would put increased pressure
on the SAN as documents would require to be stored there and not on local hard drives. CSG
agreed to a proposal that all staff should be allowed 5 gigabytes of space on the SAN. This
could be increased to 25 gigabytes on request while users needing more than 25 gigabytes
will be required to find funding to pay for a 250 gigabyte quota.
DoEIS
13. Data Security Survey
A survey of the security of sensitive data had taken place. The projected outcome is that 505
members of staff are in the high risk/mobile category – ie using mobile data storage for high
risk data. It was agreed that awareness of data security should be raised and the DoEIS was
asked to fond out the cost of supplying every member of staff with an encrypted USB stick.
DoEIS
14. Date of Next Meeting
Monday 24th October at 10.00am. It was noted that the NSS results will be discussed at this
meeting
4