.

This is an informal summary of the Council meeting; formal minutes will be published in due course.

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting and may now have been superseded.����

With the University’s growing presence in the City centre, we decided to hold the Council meeting in the Sir James Matthews (SJM) building on the afternoon of 6 March. Prior to the meeting, we were briefed by the new Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Professor Miguel Mera, on his initial impressions of the faculty and his emerging priorities. He presented in the context of the place of arts and humanities in the University at the time of our Charter and then focused on the future, looking at the opportunities presented in delivering the Strategy and the exciting evolution of our estates. It was insightful and interesting. We then toured the area (in rare sunshine), visited the John Hansard Gallery with a briefing from the Director and his team and finally, toured the SJM building itself. The high quality of the internal refurbishment was clear to see.����

As usual, the Vice Chancellor’s report at the start of the Council meeting covered important territory including: the response to the Tickell Report (the independent review of research bureaucracy); consultations on Research Excellence Framework 2029 (REF 29); a planned pilot review by the Technopolis Group on people, culture and environment in Higher Education (HE); the below inflation (2.5%) increase in student maintenance, which will increase pressure on our hardship funds; the implications of the Independent Review of University Spinout Companies, which has been accepted by Government and is likely to reduce university equity share of spinouts; OfS consultations on freedom of speech, the implications of which are unclear although additional, unfunded costs will fall to universities; and progress with the Class Action by students against universities for loss of teaching caused by strikes and COVID.��

We also discussed international student recruitment, including recent negative publicity on a range of issues. Council is confident that our approach is ethical and fair, with no differential standards and with appropriate use of recruitment agents and our pathway provider. While there are indications of some softening in international applicants to UK universities, this is strongly differentiated across applicant nationalities and across the HE sector. We were told that our own international student recruitment this year is broadly on track. That said, much is changing across the world, and it represents an increasing risk.����

We were pleased to hear of the renewal of our Disability Confident Leadership award and of the latest QS World University Sustainability league table result which rated Southampton as 13th in the UK and 54th in the world.������

The President of the Student’s Union, Ed Brooker, presented his excellent written report. We discussed participation in sports and the commitment to active lifestyles and “health for all”. Council supported SUSU’s drive to make it easier for students to participate in formal and informal sport and exercise.����

The University Economic Model was then approved by Council. There had been extensive discussion at Finance Committee the previous day on the importance of maintaining safe levels of liquidity (in simple terms, money to pay the bills) in future years when our capital investment has peaked, our investments have reduced in proportion and while student numbers are still increasing as planned in the strategy.����

Professor Andrew Atherton, Vice-President (International and Engagement) then briefed on progress with our proposal to establish transnational education (TNE) in India. Council will discuss the business case and supporting evidence at our April Awayday. If our submission to the Indian University Grants Committee is successful, we expect a proposal to establish a campus in India to come to Council in July for approval.��

Andrew then led a discussion on progress with developing the Digital Strategic Plan which we expect to come to Council for approval in May. This will be of fundamental importance to the University’s evolution over the next decade.��

We approved the publication of the Annual Research Integrity Statement for 2022-2023, in compliance with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity. We approved the movement of endowment funds as recommended by Finance Committee, and we noted the management accounts which, as expected, show a lower level of financial surplus than recent years. Professor Deborah Gill, Vice-President (Education) reported to Council on work on our Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and National Student Survey (NSS) improvement plans, which was well received by Council. We also noted the (routine) report on our compliance with Office for Students (OfS) regulations and that we remain compliant.����

Finally, Jo Donahoe, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, updated Council on the Campaign for Southampton following approval of its timings by the Campaign Leadership Group. As is normal with such campaigns, the quiet phase is underway, and it will not formally launch for some time. Council was impressed with all aspects of the plan and the potential for the Campaign to deliver exciting benefits.��

��The evening before the meeting, we met over dinner and enjoyed a presentation by Dr Neil Gostling, Lecturer in Evolution and Palaeobiology. Neil recently worked alongside Sir David Attenborough and the BBC researching the Pliosaur, which was the focus of his fascinating talk.��

This is an informal summary of the Council meeting; formal minutes will be published in due course.��

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 22 November 2023 – and may now have been superseded.

This was a particularly significant meeting of Council. We postponed our usual morning visit to a faculty/Students’ Union/professional services to give us time to review and agree the University’s ambitions for growth over the next decade, and we spent the morning doing exactly that.��

The University Strategy was agreed in 2021 and is now being delivered through the excellent Strategic Plans. Similarly, we are making good progress on a number of core elements of our estates plan including the Northeast Quadrant, the configuration of the Sir James Matthews building to suit our needs, and the demolition of the Faraday Tower, to name a few. However, there has been some uncertainty around our planned student population growth in our UK campuses and on some of the key projects required to accommodate a larger number of students. In the summer, Council asked for work to be focused such that it could be presented in the round at this Council meeting.����

In the first half of the morning, the Vice-Chancellor presented a detailed rationale for the number of students we should plan to educate in the UK and the consequences in terms of our size and shape. Council agreed both the logic of the plan and that we should aim for a student population of significantly above 30,000 on our UK campuses by 2033. In addition, we are planning for more than 5,000 students to be studying for Southampton degrees overseas by various modes. Staff numbers would also grow roughly in proportion. This growth is needed to strengthen our research power and to underpin our continued financial resilience. The aim is to increase the impact of the University on a local to global scale, securing our place in both the world top 100 universities and in the top group of universities in the UK league tables for the long term. We agreed that this ambition was realistic, but not without risks: some are known, other “unknown unknowns” can, of course, emerge at any time.��

The second half of the morning was spent reviewing both the three-year estates capital programme and the 10-year rolling plan. Kieron Broadhead, Senior Executive Director, Students & Infrastructure (Deputy Vice-President (Operations)), outlined what we would need to do to accommodate a larger student body on campus and across the city. Kevin Argent, Executive Director of Estates and Facilities, presented proposals for all other aspects of estate development. After discussion, we agreed that these approaches were sound and that the plans would provide the teaching and learning facilities and accommodation for the target number of students. In the afternoon, we formally approved the creation of a 10-year rolling capital estates programme, including the next three-year interim capital programme.����

We had a full agenda for our afternoon meeting. The Vice-Chancellor covered the latest UCU ballot and the implications for industrial action; actions taken as a result of the Middle East conflict; student numbers this academic year (which are lower than predicted for reasons we understand, but still largely in line with the original plan); the recent report on universities’ spin out activities, and the unwelcome news of a very low allocation to the University from the Research England Regional Impact Fund, purely due to our location in the Greater South East. He also offered congratulations to the Social Mobility/Widening Participation team for their Gold award in the UK Social Mobility Awards (for the second time). Ed Brooker then presented his regular SUSU report. Among a number of highlights, he reported the highest voting turnout ever in the SUSU autumn elections.��

Council has a heavy burden of financial papers at this time of year. We approved the annual Financial Statements, which reported the University’s strong financial performance last year. We also approved the final budget for 2023/24 which, as anticipated, will be tighter than in recent years.����

The Chair of the Audit Committee, Richard Gledhill then presented his annual report. The Audit Committee provides Council with the assurances we require across the full range of University business and oversees both internal and external audit. Their substantial work over the full year has given Council the assurance it needs to fulfil its legal responsibilities. We also received and approved the annual academic assurance report and the annual report on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).��

Professor Andrew Atherton, Vice-President (International), reported on the process that is underway to establish a footprint in India, which Council approved. Progress is good, but commercial sensitivities do not allow me to report further at this stage. We also reviewed the International Strategic Plan.��

Having considered the estates planning in the morning, we then reviewed the Strategic Outline Business Case for the Institute of Medical Innovation. We agreed that the Institute and the new accommodation it requires on the University Hospital Southampton site, but not in the hospital, is essential both to ensure the long-term viability of our medical research in space that is fit for purpose and to release space back to the hospital. The business case was approved.��

Remaining agenda items included the approval of the annual PREVENT report and the name change of the Zepler Institute to its original name, the Optoelectronics Research Centre. We reviewed the Researcher Development Concordat and we considered progress against some University KPIs.����

The evening before the meeting, we met over dinner and heard of the exciting work of the newly-established Sustainability and Resilience Institute, presented by Professor Simon Kemp and Dr Lindsay-Marie Armstrong.��

This is an informal summary of the Council meeting; formal minutes will be published in due course.

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 27 September 2023 – and may now have been superseded.

Council met on the evening of 26 September over dinner with a guest speaker, Heidi Fraser-Krauss, chief executive of Jisc. In their words, this is “the UK digital, data and technology agency focused on tertiary education, research and innovation that provides products and services for digital transformation”. Jisc’s work is highly relevant to the University and Heidi’s talk raised many important issues. Later in the evening, Professor Andrew Atherton, Vice-President (International) and Kieron Broadhead, Senior Executive Director (Student Experience) responded with an update on the University’s progress towards digital transformation. While good progress is being made, we recognised the need for significant investment.��

The following morning, Council was hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) with briefings led by the Dean, Professor Jo Swaffield and members of her senior team. We toured parts of the estate including the Maths Tower where we saw at first hand some of the problems with its material state.�� We also saw work that has been done to improve other older buildings, demonstrating what can be achieved for relatively small sums. We heard of the excellent work carried out in the school of Mathematical Sciences in achieving their Athena Swan SILVER award and were briefed on the move of the Business School to Building 175. Finally, we had a series of short briefs on research and knowledge exchange and enterprise in the faculty. It was an interesting morning with many valuable insights.��

Our Council meeting was held in FSS Building 32 and we welcomed our new lay member, Lord Willetts, to his first Council meeting.����

In his report, the Vice-Chancellor briefed us on the impact of the UCU marking and assessment boycott and on the significant improvement expected in the USS pension scheme funding position. He provided us with the latest data on under- and post- graduate recruitment for this academic year; we are likely to end with some 400 students over our target, which is an excellent outcome. We discussed the implications of the Horizon Europe decision which has been strongly welcomed, and the changes to processes in the current REF cycle which are the cause of some consternation in the sector. He outlined progress on the size and shape work, which will be the major item for the November Council meeting along with the associated decisions on infrastructure investment. Finally, we discussed the latest league table information including the Times Higher World league table which places us 97th (and 11th in the UK).����

Ed Brooker, President of the Students’ Union, outlined key items in his first report to Council. His whole team of sabbatical officers is new and had spent much of the summer period getting up to speed with their responsibilities. Ed is particularly keen to increase transparency between SUSU and the student body and has been in contact with many students over the summer break. The SUSU Board has agreed to end its current strategy and has agreed four main priorities for the current academic year – sustainability, student engagement, external and civic engagement, and safety and wellbeing.����

Professor Rebecca Taylor, Chief Executive of University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM), then joined us via Teams to discuss her report on progress with UoSM’s expansion plan (which we had approved in November 2019). Despite the significant impact of COVID, the move to new facilities and delivery of an expanded programme portfolio has been delivered on time and under budget. However, student recruitment was significantly impacted, and recovery has been slow. Council questioned aspects of our policy for student recruitment at UoSM which appear to place us at a disadvantage compared to other providers in Malaysia including Monash, Nottingham and Reading but we were assured that the current growth plan is achievable. Crucially, we were also told that the support from UoS is now exemplary. ��

Our next item was a report from Deborah Gill, Vice-President, Education & Student Experience, on the National Student Survey (NSS) and the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The changes to NSS are such that it is very difficult to analyse year on year improvement but, while student satisfaction remains good and is close to that of much of the Russell Group and our competitors, we are not maintaining the improvement trajectory we aspire to and not keeping pace with the NSS improvements of some of our competitor group. Performance at subject level also shows marked variability. Clearly, improvement is needed, and we discussed at length the actions that are planned. Similarly, while our TEF Silver award is a success, there are areas of the University where we also need to improve. There is no doubt that we have made great strides in recent years, for which University professional and academic staff should take great credit and satisfaction. It is crucial now that we maintain our upward trajectory.����

Remaining agenda items included a discussion on the appointment process for Heads of School following Council’s previous concern that we were not achieving our EDI targets or aspirations. We were pleased to see a wide range of actions in hand.�� We considered progress of key performance indicators for the delivery of our strategy and noted our response to the consultation on the latest valuation of the USS pension scheme.����

At our November meeting, we will focus on the key elements of our future size and shape and on the infrastructure development which will be necessary to deliver our strategy and plans.����

This is an informal summary of the Council meeting; formal minutes will be published in due course.��

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 12 July 2023 – and may now have been superseded.��

Council gathered the evening before our final meeting of the academic year to hear about the plan to create an Institute for Medical Innovation (IMI) at the University Hospital Southampton (UHS) site. We were briefed by Professor Paul Elkington, who is leading the project, and by Jo Donahoe, Director of Development & Alumni Relations. The IMI is a core element of the Campaign for Southampton. Some Council members have been engaged in the development of the proposition for the IMI, but this was the first time that the whole Council has been briefed. We were convinced by the proposal and excited by the potential.��

The University has volunteered for the first phase of the new Access and Participation (APP) reforms undertaken by the Office for Students (OfS) and, following a lay members meeting, Council received a briefing on it. This was necessary as we were being invited to approve the plan at our meeting in the afternoon and there was a significant amount of detail to get to grips with. We then moved to the Students’ Union (SUSU) and were led on a tour by the new President, Ed Brooker, and the Chief Executive, Sonia Cottrell, followed by a briefing on the Union. Council visits periodically because it is essential for us to hear and understand the SUSU perspective on the issues faced by students. It was an important and successful morning.��

After the usual preliminaries, the Vice-Chancellor provided updates to key items presented in his monthly written reports. Topics included: the emerging (and potentially very positive) valuation of the University Superannuation Pension Scheme (USS); the impact of the current UCU industrial action; the new freedom of speech legislation which is expected to take effect in the 2024-25 academic year; changes in visa rules for dependents of international students; Government action on links with universities in Russia and China; and the anticipated changes in rules for REF 2028 (Research Excellence Framework). He reported the success of open days this year and the latest estimate for student recruitment. Finally, Council was delighted to be reminded of the University’s success in winning the lead role in the Responsible AI Hub.��

The SUSU President handed over to his predecessor, Oliver Murray, to highlight the key items in his written report. Of particular note were: the issue of the engagement of students in elections (for the union as well as local and national); the Real Student Stories exhibition, which was a great success; and the trial of the addition of Welfare Assistants in our night time venues.

Julie Fielder, interim Executive Director Finance, then introduced a suite of business planning and finance papers. These had already been considered, and were recommended to Council, by the Finance Committee. After discussion, we approved: the budget for 2023/24 and indicative plans/forecasts for the next four years; the treasury management strategy; and regulated fees for 2024/25. We also approved revised financial regulations and changes in the delegation of capital programme financial approvals.��

After our morning briefing on the Access and Participation reforms, we were able to approve the plan after a brief discussion.�� We considered our progress against University Strategy Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and were able to raise some concerns.����

We then discussed the latest thinking on the University’s future size and shape which has focused on the growth in student numbers to enable disciplinary strength commensurate with our ambition, which in turn would further support our REF Power ranking. This debate was followed by a presentation on the transformation of our estates. Both the Estates and Infrastructure Committee (EIC) and Finance Committee had already considered the report by Kevin Argent, Executive Director of Estates and Facilities, in some detail and steady progress is being made on key programmes including the North East Quadrant (NEQ), the Faraday Tower and the strategic business case for the Winchester School of Art (WSA). However, the list of potential projects that might form part of our estate transformation significantly exceeds available current resources and some predicted costs of high priority projects have risen significantly. Council asked for work to be expedited to bring together our size and shape thinking with a refined priority list for estate development. This will be challenging and will take some months, but it is core to the delivery of the University’s strategy. We will dedicate the morning of our November meeting to a discussion on proposals from the Executive.��

We also considered progress on actions from the Council Effectiveness Review and approved some, including the recommendation to increase student representation on Council from one to two. We agreed in principle that the Nominations Committee should take on responsibility for governance, that the Audit Committee should become the Audit and Risk Committee and that the Health and Safety Audit and Assurance Committee (HSAAC) should be dissolved – subject to further work to ensure that adequate and appropriate assurance will still be provided.��

In other business, we noted the Vice-Chancellor’s annual report on Health and Safety and the annual HSAAC report. We considered a set of Human Resources and Nominations Committee matters and approved the appointment of Lord Willetts as a Lay Member of Council. Finally, we noted the report on the University’s compliance with the OfS Regulatory Framework.��

Council’s last virtual meeting was held on Teams on 24 May 2023 when we carried out a deep dive on our research, and knowledge exchange and enterprise activities. We also approved changes to the University Ordinance on employment of staff at Level 4 and above (Ordinance 8).��

This is an informal summary of two Council meetings which have covered, as usual, much important business. Formal minutes will be published in due course.��

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 8 March 2023- and may now have been superseded.

Council now meets in person four times a year with up to three virtual meetings and an Awayday. As our Awayday will be on Teams this year, we took the opportunity of the evening before Council to meet the Deans and the Vice-President (Operations) in person and hear from them how each of the Faculties and Professional Services is responding to the University Strategy. We were pleased to see genuine but realistic ambition and a consistency of thinking which demonstrated clear alignment with the University’s values. We were able to continue the discussion informally over dinner.

We spent the following morning visiting and being briefed on Student Services, starting in the Student Hub and covering student support, careers and employability, and widening participation and social mobility. We were extremely impressed by the quality of support provided for our students, which in many respects is at the leading edge in the sector, and by the commitment of the staff who we met. We were also pleased to see that we are increasing staff resource to further improve the employability of our students. The morning provided strong assurance to us of the University’s commitment to students in this crucial area.

Our Council meeting was held in the Senate Chamber. In his report, the Vice-Chancellor provided updates to key items presented in his monthly written reports to us. He briefed us on the machinery of government changes and the recently published Science and Technology Framework which highlights five key technologies, four of which are particular strengths of the University. The Nurse Review on the UK’s Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Organisational Landscape��has also just been published and the Vice-Chancellor outlined the key recommendations and where they might impact on us. He reported on the current industrial action and the 2023 USS triennial valuation process that will begin with the valuation of scheme assets at the end of March, which is looking positive. Undergraduate and postgraduate applications are again looking good, and are above both the sector and our comparator group. We discussed the Civic Partnership Agreements (which have subsequently been signed with our five local Councils). Finally, we discussed the latest news on Horizon Europe and concerns on both the decline in research funding in real terms and in the number of PhD students.

Oliver Murray, President of the Students’ Union, then drew our attention to a number of items in his excellent written report which included the results of the Union’s cost of living survey. We discussed the issues raised in the report at length and noted the support already provided by the University to students in particular need. Council’s concern was noted, and the University will consider what more can be done. This will include increasing efforts to bring knowledge of available support to the attention of our students.

This is the meeting at which Council is asked to approve the University Economy Model (UEM), which provides a five-year financial projection and forms the basis for the preparation of an annual budget. The model, which had already been considered by the Finance Committee who recommended it to Council for approval, reflects financial challenges primarily related to inflationary cost pressures, but shows the University is on track to achieve its investment plans and continued strategic momentum.

The Modernising Governance Project has been making good progress and the new Charter has been submitted to the Privy Council for formal approval (subsequently we learnt approval has been granted). Related discussion with Senate and negotiation with the Trade Unions has been very constructive. Pending conclusion of further talks with the Trade Unions on one Ordinance (No. 8 – employment of staff at Level 4 and above) and a set of “Overarching Principles”, we agreed to approve all the other new Ordinances.

As I have reported previously, the Halpin Partnership has been conducting an independent review of Council effectiveness, overseen by a steering group chaired by the Vice-Chair of Council, Dame Judith Macgregor. Halpin presented their final report to Council at this meeting, concluding that, overall, governance arrangements at the University are good with some areas demonstrating leading edge practice. In a long report, Halpin have offered commentary and a large number of commendations, suggestions and recommendations to further improve our governance. Council warmly received this positive and helpful report and we will develop an action plan in response to be shared with our community.

In other business, we reviewed the last (November) survey of staff engagement, the results of which were broadly comparable to the first such survey in April 2022. We took reports for noting on the OfS Regulatory Framework and on Research Integrity, Ethics and Governance, including the Research Integrity Statement, and we noted the latest management accounts.

Council’s last virtual meeting was held on Teams on 1 February. We take the opportunity of these virtual meetings, which are usually shorter, for deep dives on key aspects of Council’s responsibilities. On this occasion, we reviewed the Education and Student Experience Strategic Plans in depth. We were briefed on the TEF submission, which had been submitted to OfS a few days earlier, and we looked critically at how the strategic plans will deliver improvements to our students’ experience and outcomes. We reviewed how the plans for education and student experience are interlinked and considered three strategic major projects which are due to launch this year. We welcomed the good progress on these plans and thanked all those who are taking this crucially important work forward in such an energetic and exciting way.

This is an informal summary of two Council meetings which have covered, as usual, much important business. Formal minutes will be published in due course.

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 22 November 2022 – and may now have been superseded.

Council convened the afternoon before our formal meeting for a Board-to-Board meeting with University Hospital Southampton (UHS). In a particularly cold Senate chamber, both Boards were updated on joint working. We then discussed how our organisations are engaging in partnerships in the city and the region, and progress with Civic Partnership Agreements. At the dinner, our guest speaker, Dr Navina Evans, Chief Workforce Officer for NHS England, spoke to both Boards and then led a discussion on the recruitment, training and retention of all NHS staff, for which she has overarching responsibility. Her insights were particularly interesting and very helpful to both UHS and UoS Boards.

Our Council meeting on 22 November was hosted by the School of Ocean and Earth Science at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). Prior to the meeting, we were briefed on the work of the Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences by the Dean, Professor Tamar Pincus, and senior members of the Faculty’s Schools. In a very positive session, we covered the issues and challenges faced by each of the Schools in delivering the University Strategy and were impressed by the ambitions we saw. We then toured the school and visited parts of NOC – meeting Boaty McBoatface on our way round:

After the usual preliminaries, the Council meeting started with reports from the Vice-Chancellor who covered the latest changes in government and the implications of the Autumn Statement on research and innovation funding. This included the ‘Plan B’ should the UK not remain within Horizon Europe – we were reassured that the University is keeping very close to developments. We also discussed the likely impact of UCU industrial action and success with student recruitment this academic year (which is 1,100 higher than planned); early indicators for next year are similarly positive but we noted that this will need to be carefully managed to avoid over-recruitment. The VC reported that Civic Partnership agreements with all four local Councils (Southampton, Eastleigh, Winchester and Test Valley) should be signed by early next year. We noted the recent announcement of our position in the QS World sustainability league table – 88^th in the world and 18^th in the UK – and the award of Bronze in the Race Equality Charter.

Oliver Murray, President of the Students’ Union, introduced his report. Top of the list of issues discussed was the impact of inflation on the cost-of-living, but we covered a range of other matters of concern to students.

The Council agenda at this time of year always includes significant financial papers. The first was the Financial Statements for 2021/22 which we approved, noting that the University is in a secure financial position despite being in deficit last year due to the USS pension scheme. We expect the Statements to be published in December. We approved the budget for this financial year and the five-year financial return to OfS. In presenting the Audit Committee’s annual report, the new chair of the Committee, Richard Gledhill, provided Council with his early assessment of our audit processes and his reflection on our approach to risk. His view is that the capital programme is both our biggest risk and our biggest opportunity.

We then considered a set of reports on academic matters: the OfS Conditions for Registration, the OfS Regulatory Framework and the Annual Academic Assurance Report. Although these were for Council to note, OfS makes clear to us that this is a key Council responsibility, albeit that we depend on Senate to oversee the work.�� We also discussed and noted the recent report on the University’s economic impact, which is an extraordinary £4.14bn contribution to the UK economy each year.

Council has consistently reinforced the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and this is the time of year when we consider the annual report. We were joined by Camilla Gibson, Head of EDI.�� In a “deep dive” we reviewed how we are meeting our legal responsibilities, progress in delivering the strategic plan for EDI and priority areas of work for 2022/23. We agreed that we should retain the same four equality objectives as last year and that we would continue to actively support and advocate EDI across the University. We noted the progress in embedding good EDI practice across the University but recognised that there is still much to be done.

Meeting the obligations of the Researcher Development Concordat is crucial in improving research culture and researcher careers. We discussed the Concordat annual report and approved both the report and the action plans.

Finally, we offered our profound thanks to Sarah Pook, Executive Director of Finance and Planning, who leaves the University at the end of the year. Sarah has led the finance and planning function for eleven years and has served Council exceptionally well throughout this period.

Council now meets virtually between most of our in-person meetings with an agenda geared to reviewing significant areas of Council interest in depth. On 12 October, we met on Teams to review the monitoring of progress with the University Strategy, essentially, reviewing the University-level KPIs, and we reviewed in depth both the International Plan and the People Plan. There has been substantial progress in all these areas. We also approved a package of changes to the PASNAS pension scheme, following its last valuation and consultation with the unions, ahead of its submission to the Pensions Regulator.

Both Council meetings and associated events have been monitored by consultants from the Halpin Partnership who are providing an independent input to the Council effectiveness review. The outcome will be reported in due course.

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 21 September 2022 – and may now have been superseded.

Council held its first meeting of the academic year by welcoming two new members, Ms Jenni Douglas-Todd, chair of University of Southampton Hospital Trust, and Mr Richard Gledhill, who will also chair the Audit Committee.

Our Council day started with a visit to the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences where we were hosted by the Dean, Professor Michael Butler, who was our guest speaker at the Council dinner the previous evening, and the Heads of Schools. We were briefed on key education, research and enterprise activities and discussed the performance, challenges and ambitions across the Faculty. We then split into groups to tour the National Infrastructure Laboratory and Towing Tank, as well as the Cleanroom Labs and facilities. We were immensely impressed by the quality of all we saw and by the achievements of the Faculty, which is amongst the best in the UK.

At the start of the meeting, Council acknowledged our debt to the late Queen Elizabeth II who had granted us our charter in 1952, the first of her reign, and was the University Visitor.

We then discussed the Vice-Chancellor’s report in which he covered the recent changes in government ministers (which includes the removal of a dedicated science minister), the upcoming government financial statement and its potential implications, pay and pension issues, further information on the National Student Survey (NSS), and recent league tables information. We discussed the roll-out of the new website, the problems encountered and plans to resolve them.

The President of the Students’ Union, Oliver Murray, presented his report to Council. The main focus of discussion was the impact of the rise in the cost of living on our students, including postgraduates. He also briefed us on preparations for the arrival of students for the new academic year.

The Senior Vice-President (Academic), Professor Phillip Wright, updated us on the latest data on undergraduate student recruitment which is ahead of target and has been accompanied by an increase in our entry tariff. Postgraduate student recruitment also looks very strong, although it is too early to be certain of final numbers. We were pleased to note that our accommodation commitment to students has been met in full, confirming the success of what can be a difficult balancing act. We discussed the challenge of ensuring that we can provide this increased number of students with the quality of learning experience they deserve and were satisfied that the essential steps have been taken. As the increase had been anticipated from early in the year, we were assured those preparations have been underway for many months. We noted that we are now ahead of the University’s plan for student number growth and will need to balance future student recruitment carefully against the provision of new buildings and facilities to accommodate them.

We then discussed the 10 Strategic Plans, as presented in posters for each of them. We were content that the Plans, which are each supported by further fine-grained detail, articulate how the University is to deliver the Strategy and how progress will be measured. In our annual cycle of meetings and deep dives, Council will review progress of all 10 Plans through our process for assessing the top-level University Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). In approving the Plans, we thanked Yvonne Hawkins, who has led this work, for putting in place the means to deliver this key part of our responsibilities.

We then received an update on the University’s “Size and Shape” plan which links, at high level, plans for student number growth, capacity within the University and affordability, and which underpins the rationale for new buildings and refurbishments over the next 5-10 years. In essence, this analysis demonstrates to Council that the investment in facilities is justified by our growth plans and is necessary to provide the appropriate education, research and enterprise facilities. While the details will inevitably change, we were content that the size and shape work provides the essential high-level business case to underpin the Strategy.

In other matters, we received an update on progress on estates and infrastructure development, we considered and noted issues on pensions and we noted the plans for the Council effectiveness review which will be supported by an external consultant (Halpin Partnership) and is due to start shortly. Our next meeting will be held online and will include deep dives on our International and People Strategic Plans.

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 13 July 2022 – and may now have been superseded.

This has been an unusually busy period for Council which has met on five occasions since our last main in-person meeting on 8 March. We met after our away day on 13 April to agree the schedule for approval of early capital investments to deliver the new Estates Strategic Plan. On 17 May, we met in person to consider the Modernising the Governance project and, specifically, to agree the special resolution of Council to amend the Charter of the University and to revoke the Statutes. We agreed a number of amendments. As required by the Charter, we met again in person on 20 June and passed a second resolution. With this part of the process complete, the resolution will now be taken forward to the Privy Council for its approval.

Council met on Teams on 25 May with a full agenda. We had a comprehensive discussion on the annual report on research and enterprise which was presented by the Vice-President (Research & Enterprise) and included analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) outcome. We congratulated Professor Spearing on a strong REF performance and recorded Council’s appreciation of the efforts of a significant number of members of the University community who have made it possible. We noted that the preparations for the next REF have already started.

We then considered the estates masterplan and approved the investment in Sports Phase 2, as well as approving the plan for the next Council Effectiveness Review which will be conducted in the autumn/winter of 2022 with external support. We received the Vice-Chancellor’s annual report on Health and Safety and discussed the Annual Report of Health and Safety Audit and Assurance Committee (a Council sub-committee). Finally, we considered a report on the PASNAS pension scheme and approved a £30M contribution from the University towards deficit recovery.

Our regular, in-person Council meeting was held on 13 July. We met over dinner the previous evening with a broad and stimulating discussion on the work of the Biomedical Research Centre introduced by Professor Mike Grocott, Professor of Anaesthesia and Critical Care and a Consultant in Critical Care Medicine at University Hospital Southampton (UHS). The following morning, we visited the Faculty of Medicine at UHS and were briefed by senior members of the Faculty on key activity and future plans.

Our Council meeting started with the Vice-Chancellor’s report in which he covered pay and pension issues; the political scene; lessons learned from the January exam period; and our recent performance in the National Student Survey (NSS) and league tables. We asked to record our thanks and congratulations to the many people who have contributed to these successes.

The new President of the Students’ Union, Oliver Murray, presented his first report to Council. Amongst other items, he was encouraged that the estates masterplan is addressing the refurbishment of Building 42 and recorded his appreciation of the one-off £1M grant awarded to the Union by the University.

At this time of year, Council reviews the outcome of the business planning process which now looks forward to the next three years. The Finance Committee had already considered the five papers and recommended them to Council noting, in particular, that the papers as a whole demonstrate that our investment plans are affordable. On current plans, we are in a good financial position and Council was content to approve the draft budget and the Treasury Management Strategy.

Having approved the University Strategy earlier in the year, we were presented with the 11 individual Strategic Plans that support its implementation. We were pleased to see this excellent work which articulates how we are going to deliver the strategy and, importantly, how outcomes will be measured in each area.

We then approved the Faraday scheme and the development of the North-East Quadrant. We agreed maximum funding envelopes and approved immediate release of funds to demolish the Faraday Tower. This has taken a long time to arrive and will be a major, and visible, sign of the start of the next stage of improvement of our estate.

The result of the recent staff engagement survey was reported to us, and we were pleased to note the big improvement over the last full survey in 2018, although it highlighted the work that still needs doing to make this the genuinely inclusive institution we aspire to. We discussed potential changes to the conduct of the next survey, which will be reported to us in early 2023, but noted the importance of consistency across surveys so that we can monitor trends.

In other matters, consideration was given to progress against our Strategy KPIs, which is broadly as expected, and the latest Office for Students (OfS) reportable events guidance and the OfS regulatory framework, and approved the proposed regulated fees for 2023/24. We approved promotions and honorary degrees, and variations of our Access and Participation Plan required to meet new guidance from OfS.

Finally, we said farewell to Peter Hollins and Graeme Hobbs who have both completed their second, and last, 3-year terms on Council. We thanked them for their huge contribution to the important work of Council and to the University. Peter’s successor as Chair of UHS, Jenni Douglas-Todd, and Graeme’s successor as chair of our Audit Committee, Richard Gledhill, join Council on 1 August.

Please note: information in this blog was accurate at the time of the meeting – 8 March 2022 – and may now have been superseded.

Council has met twice this year so far: on 19 January via Teams and on 8 March in-person.�� We now hold shorter virtual meetings to deal with specific issues and to give us time for deep dives on important topics.

In January, we discussed the draft education strategic plan, which sets out to define what blended learning will look like in future and which builds on our experience with teaching and assessment in the last two COVID-impacted years. This is work in progress, to be taken forward by the new Vice -President (Education and Student Experience) when she joins the University next month. The Senior Vice-President (Academic) then updated us on progress with our sustainability plans and goals, which Council considered to be good, and we took a further report from him setting out progress with work on the University’s future size and shape.�� This is an essential adjunct to the new strategy and necessary to inform decisions on capital investments; the final version will be brought to the Council Away Day in April. We agreed the format, content and reporting frequency for the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) against which we will monitor the delivery of the strategic plan. Finally, we noted actions taken to improve our Health and Safety systems and progress with the modernising governance project.

Our March meeting was preceded by a visit to the Science Park which gave us important insights into the value it offers both to the University and to the economy of the region. This was timely, given the emphasis on enterprise in the Strategy. After the usual preliminaries, our meeting started with an update from the Vice Chancellor.�� His report included: actions taken in response to the war in Ukraine; USS pension reforms; the positive indicators on student recruitment for the next academic year and how we are planning to ensure a quality experience should our numbers increase significantly; his meetings with staff to brief on, and discuss, the new strategy (he is half way through the planned 44 meetings); and the long-awaited government response to the Augar review and what it means for us.

Ben Dolbear, President of the Students’ Union, then highlighted key items in his excellent written report. These included concerns about the possible interpretation by some members of staff of the University’s guidance on lecture capture and student concerns about the conduct of exams in January (a lessons learned review has been commissioned by the Vice Chancellor). We congratulated him and the Union on the number of union initiatives on student wellbeing.

Council then approved the University Economy Model (UEM), which had already been considered in detail by the Finance Committee. The model looks ahead five years and forms the basis for the 2022 business planning exercise. It also underpins decisions on our infrastructure investment plans. Although there are many uncertainties, current indications are positive for our long-term financial sustainability and for our ability to meet our expectations for growth.

Each year, Council takes a report from the executive on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). We are one year into the delivery of our strategic plan for EDI and were pleased to see progress in many areas, albeit that change in outcomes against EDI indicators is slower than we would wish.�� The new Gender and Diversity Dashboard was demonstrated to us and will provide a valuable tool for leaders across the University to hold themselves to account. We also approved Level 6 promotions and will review all promotions against EDI criteria when this year’s Level 6 and 7 promotions have been concluded. We also took, for information, the annual report to Council on research integrity, ethics and governance. During the discussion, we received the news that the University has successfully renewed its Athena Swan Silver award.�� Council was delighted and we offer our congratulations to all those who have worked so hard to achieve it.

The Office for Students has issued three consultations on which the University is responding which cover the Teaching Excellence Framework, regulation of student outcomes and the indicators for use in OfS regulation. We were briefed on and noted this work.

We considered progress with the development of the estates strategic plan and masterplan which is being supported by the consultancy CBRE. They have identified a number of key strategic and operational challenges as well as issues with the character of our estate. This is due to report at the Council Away Day in April with a final plan for sign off at the May Council meeting. This, along with the conclusion of the size and shape planning work and the strategic plans which support the University Strategy, is essential to enable us to proceed with major investment decisions in the summer.

The Finance Committee Chair, Stephen Young, introduced three items recommended to Council by the Committee for approval: the business case for investment in High Performance Computing; the appointment of new investment managers selected to deliver each of the mandates for the University’s investment portfolio; and some resources for contingency space to accommodate the anticipated growth in student numbers. Following discussion, we approved all three.

Other items we considered included the analysis of the December 2021 management accounts, which provide confidence that we can deliver against the agreed budget for this year, and progress with the modernising governance project.�� We concluded a long day slightly ahead of schedule.