Towards greater research excellence
TAYLOR’S University has appointed Prof Jonathan Winterton (pic) as executive dean of its Faculty of
Business and Law (FBL) and professor of employment.
A respected academic leader, Prof Winterton contributes strategic leadership and management at a senior level.
His proven experience in building research capabilities further complements the university’s gold standard in education reputation.
“It gives us great pleasure to welcome Prof Winterton to Taylor’s University.
“He has contributed leading edge research on the theory, policy and practice of human capital development, and is recognised as an international authority on skill and competence.
“With this appointment in place, I am confident that FBL will advance quickly and grow its academic and research excellence,” said Taylor’s University vice-chancellor and president Prof Michael Driscoll.
Dedicated to developing human capital in Asean, Prof Winterton stood out in the extensive search and selection process with his strong passion for research.
His impressive top line strategy to transform FBL into a research-intensive faculty involves building the capacity to deliver more high quality research publications that will achieve an international reputation for research excellence in selected areas.
Prof Winterton said: “I look forward to working with all staff and students in the faculty to maintain and enhance the standing of Taylor’s University in business and law education, and in research.”
“The first priority is research, but growing research will not detract from excellence in teaching and learning to ensure our graduates are ‘future-proof’.
“We have to maintain that excellence because it is our fundamental role to devel- op young people who will contribute to making the world a better place,” he said.
Research excellence will actually support this transition, he added.
“In the next five years, I believe Taylor’s Business School could achieve accreditation by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and EQUIS (the EFMD Quality Improvement System), and with a re-engineered flagship MBA programme, also achieve accreditation by AMBA (Association of MBAs).
“Taylor’s Law School has made tremendous progress and is growing strongly and part of that success was because of the accreditations achieved,” said Prof Winterton.
He explained that the faculty’s research strategy will build upon emerging areas of strength, focusing especially on areas like family business and entrepreneurship; human capital development; legal issues in Asean; operations and supply chain management, and financial economics, which are of crucial importance to economic growth in Malaysia and neighbouring countries.
Enlarging international research collaboration, within Asean as well as with Europe and Australasia, will be a priority for the next few years.
Prof Winterton graduated with first class honours in Industrial Technology from Bradford University in 1976, gained a Masters in Industrial Relations from the London School of Economics in 1977, and was awarded a doctorate in Economics and Business Studies from Leeds University in 1990.
He is visiting professor at Universities in Auckland, New Zealand, Leeds and Southampton in the United kingdom and Ljubljana, Slovenia.