Financial Statements 2018/19
I am delighted to take up the role of Interim Vice-Chancellor at Middlesex, a University that transforms the lives of its students.
This has been a successful year for Middlesex. As always, I am impressed with the hard work, commitment and dedication of our staff, who recognise the potential in every one of our students, and help them to achieve success. In a time that is uncertain for the sector, we are minimising financial risk, taking decisions that will ensure a financially sustainable future for the University.
This year we have continued to invest in initiatives that improve our student experience. Increasingly, we are harnessing the power of data to make sure that we provide the support that our students need. We know that around 50% of our students are the first in their families to go to university, a majority commute and that many balance their studies with part-time jobs. We are working to adapt our services to their needs. Our student body covers over 160 different nationalities. We see this diversity as a key strength and aim to support our learners to succeed in new and increasingly flexible ways.
Learning at Middlesex is hands-on. We engage our students in active, practice-based learning, with teaching enriched by research and innovative practice that creates highly employable graduates. Our courses and research are designed to connect our students with opportunities around the world in the professions, the arts and industry. We want our students to develop the skills and competencies that can be transferred not only between jobs, but also between sectors and industries and between cultures and countries. Examples of this approach extend across our Faculties and a highlight this year has been the work of our Architectural Technology BSc students who collaborated with industry professionals to design a learning, event and wellbeing space on campus.
Our investment in our students also means improvements in our facilities and equipment. Students at Middlesex now benefit from new, interactive teaching spaces. We have invested £195,000 in nursing and midwifery equipment. For me, this is an excellent example of Middlesex working at the cutting-edge. We are the first university to invest in this equipment and we are very proud to be leading the way in the use of technology for teaching.
We were delighted when the Universities Minister Chris Skidmore MP made Middlesex one of the first universities he visited in January 2019. He was impressed with our new nursing and midwifery equipment and spoke to our students about their experiences. We also advised him on accelerated study degrees, commuter students, widening participation and the Government’s review of post-18 education and funding.
Our research remains an important part of our strategy. Through our research we benefit the wider world and create an exciting learning environment shared by our staff and students. This year we are part of some exciting research projects, including work on community engagement, the environment and wellbeing. Middlesex research is benefitting people across the world, from security systems that use smart technology to spot patterns in crimes, to technology to monitor new born babies.
This outstanding research, dedication to our students, and investment in the latest industry-standard equipment is reflected in our success in league table rankings. In June 2019 we were named the top modern university in the UK in the Times Higher Education Young University rankings, and we remain one of the top 500 universities in the world.
We are, of course, also living through an extremely volatile and uncertain external environment. At the time of publication, the higher education sector is preparing for the outcomes of the recommendations from the Augar review of Post-18 Education and Funding, and all providers in the higher education sector must navigate the demographic dip in the 18-year-old population.
From policy makers across the political spectrum, we are seeing an ongoing focus on improving technical education through the introduction of T levels, apprenticeships and higher technical qualifications. Given our proud history and our foundation based on practice-based learning, we expect to be at the heart of this transformation.
Brexit will also pose a financial and reputational risk for the UK university sector. We will continue to plan for and update our staff and students in key developments in Brexit. We are working with Universities UK and other membership organisations to campaign for a post-Brexit policy environment that supports our financial sustainability, enables us to help our students to thrive and fulfil their potential, and retains the UK’s position in the world as an attractive partner and destination for work and study.
Despite the challenging future we face, I am confident of Middlesex’s mission and our commitment to strategic decision making. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved this year.
James Kennedy Interim Vice-Chancellor Middlesex University 5
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