scholarly journals Mission and challenges of higher education: an interview with G.Q. Max Lu, the president of the University of Surrey

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1108-1113
Author(s):  
Ling Wang ◽  
Zhengtang Guo

Abstract The University of Surrey (referred to as Surrey hereafter) is one of the renowned universities in the UK that was established on 9 September 1966 with the grant of its Royal Charter and its roots go back to Battersea Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1891. Surrey is the research hub of small satellites, mobile telecommunication and artificial intelligence in Europe. In 2016, Surrey was named as ‘University of the Year’ in the UK and, in February 2018, Surrey won the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education (Surrey's fourth award)—the highest national award for the UK universities, in recognition of the outstanding contribution of Surrey to nutrition and health. The president and vice chancellor of Surrey, Professor Max Lu, took this position in 2016 and is also the first scholar of Chinese origin to be the leader of a British university. Before he joined Surrey, he was the provost and senior vice president at the University of Queensland in Australia. Professor Lu is not only a talented leader in education field, but also a distinguished scientist in materials chemistry and nanotechnology area. He has been honored with numerous awards, including the Orica Award, RK Murphy Medal, China International Science and Technology Award and Medal of the Order of Australia, etc. He has been also appointed to the Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technology and the Board of UK Research and Innovation, etc. The rich experience and open-mindedness lead to his profound insights into higher education around the world. Lately elected as a fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Lu shared his broad and deep perspectives on higher education with National Science Review during his travel in Beijing.

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (98) ◽  
pp. 16-28
Author(s):  
Jenny Delasalle

The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) Higher Education (HE) Trial Scanning Licence has been implemented to varying degrees across UK HE institutions. The UK HE community has sought to share expertise in the technical, practical and compliance issues associated with the licence since its introduction. The University of Warwick Research and Innovation Unit (RIU) conducted a survey of scanning practice which revealed different approaches and levels of scanning in evidence. This, taken with the CLA's own data about how the licence has been used, presents a picture of how UK HE Institutions are providing electronic extracts to their students. Issues such as who is using the licence, how much they are scanning, what the nature of that scanned content is and how they are creating scanned extracts, reveal much that can help those considering whether and how to use the CLA HE Trial Scanning Licence.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-66
Author(s):  
Olga Komochkova

Abstract The article deals with peculiarities of undergraduate and postgraduate linguistic courses at Lancaster University. It has been stated that the latter is considered to be one of the best higher education institutions both in the UK and worldwide. Being a relatively new higher education institution (founded in 1964), it can already boast its academic reputation. According to data of British surveys it has been found out that Lancaster University is extremely popular among students. Speaking about linguistic achievements it should be mentioned that Lancaster University’s linguistic centre, spanning four generations of researchers, has been recently awarded The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. It has been revealed that degree programmes at Lancaster University are flexible and provide students with the opportunity to master a wide range of subject areas to complement their main specialism as well as numerous optional modules selected to satisfy various education needs and inclinations of students. Teaching approach at the University is research-driven and research stimulated, that is why much curriculum time is dedicated to carrying out research projects. Students are significantly motivated towards self-study as most of study time (81–89 %) is dedicated to independent learning. Lectures, seminars and similar are given only 11–19 %. Positive aspects of British experience in professional training of future linguists have been outlined.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandy Samantha Crawford-Lee

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a short overview of current government policy and context to the development of higher and degree apprenticeships and the engagement of higher education (HE) providers in delivery to achieve the ambition of three million apprenticeship starts by 2020. Design/methodology/approach Opinion piece contextualising the UK Government’s approach to apprenticeship reforms and the role of HE and further education in the design and development and delivery of higher and degree apprenticeships. Findings The apprenticeship system is at a critical stage of development and HE providers need to embrace the opportunities and address the competitive challenges of apprenticeship delivery given the £2.5 billion per annum that will be raised by the apprenticeship levy and the threat to their existing and traditional HE provision. Originality/value Reflects the ambition and mission of the University Vocational Awards Council.


Author(s):  
Galina A. Untura ◽  
◽  

Integration of science, higher education, innovative entrepreneurship contributes to the solution of topical problems caused by global challenges. The article shows that universities integrate scientific, educational, innovative activities both within their structural units and in cooperation with other participants in regional innovative systems. The aim is to identify the trends in multichannel funding of universities in the regions, which creates the conditions for the integration of educational and research activities, and summarize the experience of universities that have created strategic academic units (SAUs) as one of the forms of integrating science and higher education. Based on the statistical analysis of financial receipts to universities from various sources in 2015 and 2019 (form VPO_2), the trends and structure of the funding distribution by type of educational and research activities in the regions of the Russian Federation were compared. It has been revealed that educational activities dominate in universities, accounting for about 70% of all income, and research activities 12–13%. Regional cases of the universities (ITMO, NNU, TSU, NSU, SFU) were analyzed. They integrated science and education in the form of SAUs. The cases were prepared on the basis of a content analysis of roadmaps for the period 2016–2020, interviews, and other open information. The analysis has showed that the organizational model of each SAU is created on the basis of the uniqueness and competitiveness of the university’s scientific and educational specialization by mechanisms that ensure the integration of the educational process and research activities through the involvement of students, graduate students in research and innovative projects. It is concluded that the flexibility and versatility of training programs and research at the university in the SAU format is formed in cooperation with many participants in regional innovation systems, which leads to the demand for its services by enterprises in the regions of the European part of the country and Siberia. The synergy of educational, research and innovation activities is achieved within the framework of both one university and through its network interaction with other Russian and international universities, scientific organizations, and enterprises. The experience of creating SAUs can be used by regional administrations, corporations in the development of world-class scientific and educational centers within the framework of the Science national project and national research and flagship universities of the strategic academic leadership program.


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402110566
Author(s):  
Sophia Alim

Although the web accessibility of universities around the world is well documented, much remains unknown about this aspect of higher education institutions in the UK. Using three automated web accessibility tools (TAW, WAVE and EIII Page Checker), this study explores the accessibility of the homepages of 66 research-intensive universities with respect to the WCAG 2.0 checkpoints. The results show that the most common checkpoint violations involve the provision of text alternatives for non-text content, contrast errors and the need to increase the computability of webpages with future technologies and tools. The results show that there are variations between UK universities, and there is some evidence of consistent compliance amongst the university homepages. However, when evaluated against results from similar studies of web accessibility in other countries, these web pages perform well. Overall, this study adds to the body of knowledge on web accessibility in higher education in the UK.


Author(s):  
Joanne Pransky

Purpose The following paper is a “Q&A interview” conducted by Joanne Pransky of Industrial Robot Journal as a method to impart the combined technological, business and personal experience of a prominent, robotic industry PhD-turned-entrepreneur regarding the commercialization and challenges of bringing a technological invention to market. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The interviewee is Dr Jun Ho Oh, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Director of KAIST’s Hubolab. Determined to build a humanoid robot in the early 2000s to compete with Japan’s humanoids, Dr Oh and KAIST created the KHR1. This research led to seven more advanced versions of a biped humanoid robot and the founding of the Robot for Artificial Intelligence and Boundless Walking (Rainbow) Co., a professional technological mechatronics company. In this interview, Dr Oh shares the history and success of Korea’s humanoid robot research. Findings Dr Oh received his BSc in 1977 and MSc in Mechanical Engineering in 1979 from Yonsei University. Oh worked as a Researcher for the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute before receiving his PhD from the University of California (UC) Berkeley in mechanical engineering in 1985. After his PhD, Oh remained at UC Berkeley to do Postdoctoral research. Since 1985, Oh has been a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST. He was a Visiting Professor from 1996 to 1997 at the University of Texas Austin. Oh served as the Vice President of KAIST from 2013-2014. In addition to teaching, Oh applied his expertise in robotics, mechatronics, automatic and real-time control to the commercial development of a series of humanoid robots. Originality/value Highly self-motivated and always determined, Dr Oh’s initial dream of building the first Korean humanoid bipedal robot has led him to become one of the world leaders of humanoid robots. He has contributed widely to the field over the nearly past two decades with the development of five versions of the HUBO robot. Oh led Team KAIST to win the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) and a grand prize of US$2m with its humanoid robot DRC-HUBO+, beating 23 teams from six countries. Oh serves as a robotics policy consultant for the Korean Ministry of Commerce Industry and Energy. He was awarded the 2016 Changjo Medal for Science and Technology, the 2016 Ho-Am Prize for engineering, and the 2010 KAIST Distinguished Professor award. He is a member of the Korea Academy of Science and Technology.


1996 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceris Burns

This article provides a practical case example of the way in which international collaboration between government, higher education and business can lead to new commercial opportunities for small companies which would otherwise lack the necessary resources for the extensive market research required, and also to enhanced knowledge and understanding for all participants. The author summarizes the results of her market research in France, undertaken as part of a TCS programme of the University of Stirling and Albyn Medical, a small Scottish-based company in the medical electronics business. The six-week visit to France was the result of a TCS scholarship supported by institutions in both France and the UK.


Author(s):  
Kirsten Forkert ◽  
Ana Lopes

This article examines unwaged posts at UK universities, using recent examples of advertised job posts. While unpaid work is common in the UK higher education system, unwaged posts are not. The posts under scrutiny in this article differ from traditional honorary titles as they target early career academics, who are unlikely to have a paid position elsewhere, rather than established scholars. The article contextualizes the appearance of these posts in a climate of increasing marketization of higher education, entrenching managerialism in higher education institutions, and the casualization of academic work. We also discuss resistance to the posts, arguing that the controversy surrounding unpaid internships in the creative industries created a receptive environment for resisting unwaged posts in academia. We analyze the campaigns that were fought against the advertisement of the posts, mostly through social media and the University and College Union. We explore the tactics used and discuss the advantages and limitations of the use of social media, as well as the role of trade unions in the campaigns against these posts, and we reflect on what future campaigns can learn from these experiences.


Author(s):  
David Willetts

The early 1960s saw the biggest transformation of English higher education of the past hundred years. It is only matched by the break-up of the Oxbridge monopoly and the early Victorian reforms. It will be forever associated with the name of Lionel Robbins, whose great report came out in November 1963: he is for universities what Beveridge is for social security. His report exuded such authority and was associated with such a surge in the number of universities and of students that Robbins has given his name to key decisions which had already been taken even before he put pen to paper. In the 1950s Britain’s twenty-five universities received their funding from fees, endowments (invested in Government bonds which had largely lost their value because of inflation since the First World War), and ‘deficit funding’ from the University Grants Committee, which was a polite name for subsidies covering their losses. The UGC had been established in 1919 and was the responsibility not of the Education Department but the Treasury, which was proud to fund these great national institutions directly. Like museums and art galleries, higher education was rarefied cultural preservation for a small elite. Public spending on higher education was less than the subsidy for the price of eggs. By 1962 there were 118,000 full-time university students together with 55,000 in teacher training and 43,000 in further education colleges. This total of 216,000 full-time higher education students broadly matches the number of academics now. Young men did not go off to university—they were conscripted into the army. The annual university intake of around 50,000 young people a year was substantially less than the 150,000 a year doing National Service. The last conscript left the army in the year Robbins was published. Reversing the balance between those two very different routes to adulthood was to change Britain. It is one of the many profound differences between the baby boomers and the generation that came before them. Just over half of students were ‘county scholars’ receiving scholarships for fees and living costs from their own local authority on terms decided by each council.


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