No 6382
Wednesday 15 April 2015
Vol cxlv No 26
pp. 451–480
21 April, Tuesday. Full Term begins. Mere’s Commemoration. Sermon in St Bene’t’s Church. Preacher, The Reverend Canon M. Pryce, CC, Bishop’s Adviser for Clergy Continuing Ministerial Education in the Diocese of Birmingham, 11.45 a.m.
25 April, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 9.30 a.m. (see below).
27 April, Monday. End of first quarter of Easter Term.
28 April, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House (see below).
The Vice-Chancellor invites those qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 111) to attend a Discussion in the Senate-House, on Tuesday, 28 April 2015, at 2 p.m. for the discussion of:
1. Joint Report of the Council and the General Board, dated 25 March 2015 and 11 March 2015, on the rescission of the quota system for the number of Professorial Fellowships maintained by each College (Reporter, 6381, 2014–15, p. 439).
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that he has accepted with gratitude the following benefactions, of which both the capital and the income may be used:
(i)bequests from the late Mrs Katharine Monica Beck; £225,000 to support the Botanic Garden, and three paintings by William Ratcliffe and a further £225,000 to the Fitzwilliam Museum;
(ii)a benefaction of £247,000 from Clifford Chance LLP to support a fixed-term Lectureship in the Faculty of Law, payable over three years, which shall be known as the Clifford Chance Lectureship in Conflict of Laws for the duration of the funding;
(iii)a benefaction of £150,000 from Old Mutual plc to support the Systemic Risk: Mathematical Modelling and Interdisciplinary Approaches research programme run by the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences from August–December 2014.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that this Congregation will now begin at 9.30 a.m. and not at 11 a.m. as previously announced.
The Council, in consultation with the General Board, has considered the remarks at the Discussion on 20 January 2015 (Reporter, 6373, 2014–15, p. 361) about their Annual Reports for 2013–14 (Reporter, 6368, 2014–15, p. 226 and p. 236).
1. Research-only staff: Professor Evans commented on eligibility to be returned in the REF. HEFCE did allow the submission of postdoctoral researchers who satisfied the definition of independent researcher in the 2014 REF and Cambridge did select staff in this category for submission. The number of employees the University submitted in the 2014 exercise with a title of Research Associate, Senior Research Associate, Principal Research Associate or another title indicating a research role was 486 (after the exclusion of those with the title of Professor, Reader, Senior University Lecturer, University Lecturer, Director of Research and other titles indicating a senior role, and College employees).
2. Careers support: Professor Evans also commented on the University’s provision for supporting career paths. This is a major challenge for the HE sector as a whole, and the University takes its responsibilities for enabling the development of researchers seriously. The University is undertaking very significant initiatives to support its early career research community, including the creation of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs; the North West Cambridge Development, placing Cambridge at the forefront of developments in the UK; and promotion opportunities for senior research staff. The University is committed to providing high level opportunities in research and training for research staff to support their career development, as detailed in the University’s ‘HR Excellence in Research’ submission to retain recognition by the European Commission. This is published online at http://www.cam.ac.uk/research-staff/supporting-researchers-careers-progress-and-review.
The Council has also considered the remarks at the same Discussion about the Reports and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2014 (Reporter, 6368, 2014–15, p. 241). Council notes that the level of generality in the figures in the Reports and Financial Statements follows the presentation and disclosure requirements set out in accounting standards. The Council therefore publishes annually further details of the University’s accounts in the Financial Management Information special issue of the Reporter (the issue for the year ended 31 July 2014 was published on 14 January 2015: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2014-15/special/06/).