They have told Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson all about it

A letter from 204 professors to Ms Hutchinson sets out the five things they want in the new vice chancellor, to will replace Michael Spence, taking over at University College London in January.

* “outstanding scholarship and integrity,” “a major university cannot be run in the same way as a public company without risking damage to its scholarly integrity”

* collaboration with academics, “at every level of governance.” “Unrelenting emphasis on change management can often detract from the achievement of excellence in teaching and research.”

* a defence of discipline-based departments, against “supersession” by interdisciplinary centres and programmes

* ease up on the marketing, which, “may risk becoming counterproductive if pursued further. “Marketing has become such a dominant force that even the university’s founding motto was removed from its crest and slogans appeared on buildings around campus”

* objectives the new VC must consider equally important: promotion of scholarship, research, free inquiry, the interaction of research and teaching, academic excellence