Impact and city link key for new boss at university
VICE-CHANCELLOR SETS OUT HER PRIORITIES FOR DE MONTFORT
THE new vice-chancellor of De Montfort University has set out her priorities for the role.
Professor Katie Normington said the university should be a “visible partner” for the city and conduct research with “real social impact”.
Prof Normington joined De Montfort this month from Royal Holloway, part of the University of London, where she was deputy principal academic.
She replaces interim vice-chancellor Andy Collop, who had been in the role since the departure of Dominic Shellard in 2019.
“My grandmother left school at 14 and my mother at 16. I was the first woman in my family to go to university and now I’ve become a vice-chancellor,” Prof Normington said.
“It was a reminder to me about the power of higher education to change people’s lives.
“I’m excited and honoured to be starting here.
“I really want to develop what I think of as the DMU-ness of DMU. The student-centred approach, the research which is of real benefit to the community and the really important work going on as a key partner to the city.
“The energy and verve DMU has is very special.
“De Montfort University is so well connected to the community around it and I want to further encourage that work.
“It’s a new role and like any new role – or starting a new course – there’s apprehension. I want it to go well and I want to learn the right things.
“I have thought a lot about why I wanted to become a vice-chancellor and it’s because it genuinely offers me a chance to make a real difference to others.
“But the first thing I want to do is listen. I want to meet staff, meet students and I want to hear what they have to say.
“That, for me, is my priority when I start the role.”
Having taken on a live Newsnight interview the day her appointment was publicly announced, Prof Normington said she is aware of the importance of speaking out on behalf of De Montfort and the higher education sector.
She said: “Universities need to be able to communicate their worth and they need to be able to do it in a simple way.
“For me, there are three things universities do – or should do.
“They should provide education to students. This upskilling positively affects the economy.
“Then they should conduct research with real social impact.
“The work done by Oxford to develop a Covid vaccine shows the worth of university research in our world.
“Would we be where we are in the fight against Covid without universities?
“Finally, universities play a critical role in their communities and should be a visible partner to their cities.
“De Montfort University does all three and I feel lucky to have the chance to help build on these strengths from here.”