It has spent a bunch of time and money, improving student satisfaction and research rankings – now Head of School Simon Wilkie says it’s time for the next act

Professor Wilkie announces an intent to change how government and business see the school, from a “service provider of education or research to that of a trusted partner.”

And so he wants to “leverage our expertise into helping solve the ‘Challenges of the Age,’ particularly those in the university’s overall impact strategy, climate change, geopolitical security and “creating thriving communities.”

The way to do this is with a virtuous circle; “deeper engagement with business and government” which, “leads to greater insight into the pressing problems faced by industry and policymakers.”

“That, in turn, generates new research ideas, which then inform our educational offerings, and drives greater engagement with industry and government, which benefit from the relevance of our high-quality graduates.”

Good o – although staff who worked hard to lift the school’s research rankings may wonder where their super-specialist expertise fits in pitches to industry, mandarins and ministers.