This week we have launched the initial activity of our Bicentennial Year to coincide with Global Watt Day, the birthday of James Watt, whose philanthropic bequest was so critical to the development of our University. The pandemic has brought both good and bad changes to our ways of working, and amongst the good is the increased connectivity we can achieve together as a staff community and with our students. As such, Global Watt Day provided the launchpad for something that is important to our core purpose, the signing of the 2021 Student Partnership Agreement. This document focuses on ways of working for our learning community of students and University colleagues to enhance the learning experience. You can view the session with introductions from our Student Union, Sports Union & Student Association Presidents here.

Also announced was a major new prize for research in economics, which will be open to entries from across the world. The Inaugural Panmure House Prize is a $75,000 award to promote and encourage pioneering research in long-term investment to fund radical innovation. The research area is in the spirit of the 18th century Scottish economist and philosopher, Adam Smith, who lived in Panmure House in Edinburgh, which is now under our stewardship. A panel of esteemed judges, comprising representatives from both academia and business, will award the Prize in July to the best research proposal. Watch Professor McGregor talking about the prize here. Details will be announced soon, and it is expected to gain significant public interest.

Throughout this year, we will be celebrating 200-years since the early beginnings of Heriot-Watt University, providing us with the opportunity to reflect on where we have come from while having a focus on the future. You can keep in touch with the programme announcements of public and staff events on our bicentennial website.

Right now, everyone across the University is working flat out to cope with the current environment, many with family education and caring responsibilities. Of course, at this time it is also important for everyone to stay in close contact with their line manager to discuss work needs, priorities and personal welfare. With all this happening it seems more appropriate to delay our planned annual staff survey and instead focus on a Staff Pulse Survey to enable everyone to feedback how they are feeling right now and how we can support each other. We can focus on the annual staff review in a few weeks.

Speaking of connectivity, I am looking forward to our new season of All Staff Executive Briefings. The first session is on Wednesday 27 January at 9am (UK), 1pm (UAE), 5pm (Malaysia). We will have opportunity to discuss our wellbeing (including early feedback from the staff pulse survey, mentioned above), a round-up from each campus location, a forward look to our bicentenary and an introduction to our new University-wide annual strategic planning process.

Next month, for staff in the UK, we will have a topical discussion together on the important issue of our personal Financial Wellbeing including pensions on 3 February. More details will follow. The area of pensions is complex and challenging but it’s important we have the chance to unpack the benefits and understand the needs of colleagues at different stages in their careers. This is part of a wider dialogue together on Your Pension Matters as we move into the year ahead. Our March All Staff Executive Briefing is on Thursday 4 March and will provide an update on finances, the emerging plans for working in a post-COVID environment and we will take a tour together around the new Dubai campus.

I would also just like to take this opportunity to wish those staff that are leaving at the end of January all the very best. I thank you all for the contributions you have made to our University community, some across your whole career. I hope we will be able to invite you back to campus to share in some of our Bicentennial events later in the year when we will hopefully be able to celebrate your time at Heriot-Watt in person.

Meantime, may I encourage you to complete the Pulse Survey and also watch out for further news and updates about our working environments. Take care and thank you for your purposeful work as we step-through these complex times.

Professor Richard A. Williams
Principal and Vice-Chancellor