6
Integrated Annual Report 2020-21
Chair’s introduction
The year continued to be very challenging for all types of organisations around the world and the University of Winchester was no exception to that. Our academic staff and students managed extremely well with the ongoing challenges of online learning and working from home, ensuring Winchester did its best to protect everyone, as much as possible, from the pandemic. From Spring 2021, we focussed on establishing the best way to welcome students back to campus for the new academic year, so that they felt happy and safe studying at Winchester. The pandemic brought with it significant challenges and risks and the Board and Executive Leadership Team worked closely to maintain focus on our major risks. This included managing new circumstances with the majority of staff working from home, some staff on furlough for part of the year and the majority of students studying online from home.
Winchester like most organisations, faced loss of income as we could not undertake all of our normal activities. We invested considerably in supporting the wellbeing of our staff and students during this difficult time. The senior leaders managed that situation with great skill, turning out a much better financial position at year-end than had been expected at the start of the year.
Alan helped lead Winchester through a very successful growth period, including overseeing the construction of the West Downs Centre, as well as the significant and rapid adaptation required at the start of the pandemic. I am very honoured to have been selected to succeed Alan and am looking forward to working with my fellow Governors and the senior leaders.
Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joy Carter, retired in March 2021 after 15 years in the role. Professor Carter made a huge contribution to Winchester leading it through much change and success, including significant growth of student numbers and courses and enhancing our standing within the region. Our First Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Reverend Professor Liz Stuart, has continued to lead the University as Vice-Chancellor from 1 April 2021 with great skill at a very challenging time.
Finally, I would like to express my huge gratitude to all the Winchester staff and our great leadership team for their dedication and resilience, and for ensuring our Winchester community spirit was maintained despite everything thrown at them from the pandemic. I would also like to thank my fellow Governors for their continuous and enormous support through a long period of disruption. I look forward to the new academic year which, hopefully, will bring a ‘new normal’ to our activities and enable us to continue our mission of providing excellent education and research.
I would like to pay tribute to my predecessor, Alan Lovell DL, who has chaired the Board of Governors for 5 years and stepped down at the end of his term on 31 July 2021.
MARY EDWARDS CHAIR OF BOARD OF GOVERNORS
