Dear Colleague,
General Election and update on Graduate Route review
We now know that there will be a General Election on 4 July 2024. The period up to the election will put public organisations into purdah which means that as a university we must be careful to maintain official
independence. Of course, this should not inhibit individuals and groups campaigning for the causes or parties they think are important. Indeed, the University hopes to be able to hold hustings for local candidates on campus. We will also be encouraging our
community to register to vote and turn out on the day. For students this could mean voting at either their permanent or Norwich address if they are different.
As I mentioned in
my message last week, the Migration Advisory Committee recently published results
from their rapid review into the Graduate Route, which were in favour of keeping the scheme in its current form. The Home Office has today confirmed that the Graduate route visa will remain in place but ‘under review’. This is good news for UEA as we can continue
to recruit international students who can go on to work for two years (or three years for PhD students) in the UK after graduation. Tougher compliance standards will also be introduced but all eyes will now be on the General Election manifestos for all the
political parties to help us anticipate future policy changes that may affect our recruitment opportunities.
Recognising the generosity and achievements in philanthropy
One of the many things that makes me proud to represent UEA is that it was founded on the pillars of philanthropy and the spirit of giving, and that notion has continued through our 60-year history. At the end of last week, I had the pleasure of attending our
annual Scholarship Reception to thank scholarship donors for their generosity and present scholars with a certificate to celebrate their achievements.
We listened to inspiring talks, including from Dwayne Stallings, sponsor of the event and the Dwayne Stallings Scholarship, who shared personal insights on the importance of giving back to the community. Freddie Marlowe, 2023 Difference Undergraduate scholar,
also spoke beautifully about the impact the scheme has had on him, allowing him to pursue his dreams and achieve his goals.
There was also a surprise video message from local comedian and writer, Stephen Fry, who has been a generous donor to UEA over the years – a place that he calls his second home. In the video he spoke warmly about his admiration of UEA and our success. You
can watch this, as well as short interviews with some of the amazing scholars on
My.UEA.
A sincere thanks to the Development, Alumni and Campaigns team for your ongoing hard work and commitment to these important initiatives.
Update from Council meeting
The latest UEA Council meeting took place on Monday. During the meeting we discussed the progress of refurbishment of Building 3 in the Lasdun Wall. Preparatory works are now complete and the tender process for the main phase construction works will reach
the decision point in July. We are currently assessing the proposed costs, value for money, risks, and opportunities of the project. We will update on progress over the summer.
Council was also given an update on our strategic plan developments, including the near completion of all three of our core strategies: Student Education and Experience, Research and Innovation, and Organisation Development. These are in the process of being
shared internally for comment at the present time and will be published on My.UEA for all staff soon.
University signs agreement with Arts Council England
Earlier this week, we welcomed a senior delegation from Arts Council England (ACE), including their Chief Executive, Dr Darren Henley, on to campus to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
The partnership is an exciting opportunity for UEA to support ACE on its agenda to boost its creativity, research, and cultural activities in the region, especially in areas of historic underfunding, rural isolation, and socioeconomic hardships – as well as
closely align with UEA’s own civic agenda.
Our strengths in creativity, health, and climate will also assist in tackling wider issues in society, and we hope through this new joint working to develop initiatives and models of national significance in these areas.
The agreement builds on years of Arts Council England support for the Sainsbury Centre, including a generous £325,000 grant for urgent glass repairs in 2023. It also coincides with the opening of their new exhibition
The Camera Never Lies: Challenging images through The Incite Project,
which is well worth a visit if you get the chance.
If you would like to find out more about what the MOU means for UEA, please contact Justine Mann, Strategic Cultural Funding Manager (justine.mann@uea.ac.uk)
or David Ellis, Director, (d.ellis1@uea.ac.uk) from the Development,
Alumni and Campaigns team.
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