All across our Heriot-Watt world we are about to embark on our biggest celebration ever!
It’s the celebration that marks the graduation success of our ‘Class of 2020’. This is not something to replace a formal graduation at a future date, as I sincerely hope we will be able to return to that special moment at some point ahead. This is our digital celebration that marks the success of our academic and professional colleagues in support of our graduates and it marks the personal success of our students and their peers. I talked about these extraordinary celebrations across the world with Jen Johnston and Adam Gillies in my video chat this week. I learnt, as you will see in this video, that these are not passive celebrations but are also personalised to leave each student with a memory to share. May I thank the Communications and Alumni Teams for working with Schools and the Watt Club in launching this important initiative. Watch out for news of how you can see the celebration points in Malaysia, Dubai and in Scotland.
I have been pleased to have the opportunity to offer congratulations to graduating students where they have contacted me using social media in the last fortnight. Despite the lockdown, there is still a great sense of satisfaction all around. I was impressed by the posts from Edinburgh Business School’s MBA graduate and broadcaster, DJ and presenter Mark Pilgrim. Of course, we look forward to welcoming Mark and his family along with hundreds of other alumni to a physical graduation one day ahead.
A further cause of celebration lies ahead as we push through the midpoint of the year in July, we can look forward with a sense of hope. I very much wish colleagues have a chance for some break and holiday and catching up with family and friends in face to face meetings. My own plans fall towards the end of the month after the last Court governance meeting of the year.
Meantime my time is occupied with developing our planning options for the future and re-opening the campuses safely. We want to be a University that leads the way, shaping our own future, and is pioneering in our thinking and teaching. The effects of the pandemic have, perhaps, accelerated our move towards being even more truly globally connected as we take advantage of the technology available to us – and some still being developed – to reach our students. Building our resilience and flexibility for the future was always our goal. We may have been distracted slightly from our Strategy 2025 by the immediacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have not lost sight of our direction of travel. There will be an update on our Strategy and Budget at the next Executive Briefing ‘town hall’ meeting on Thursday 23 July, which will run from 12- 1pm, as we adjust to our circumstances. For those away on holiday, it will be recorded so you can catch up with the briefing online at your convenience.
With best wishes
Professor Richard A. Williams
Principal and Vice-Chancellor