{"id":707,"date":"2026-04-30T13:21:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T12:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/vice-chancellor\/?p=707"},"modified":"2026-05-11T13:26:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T12:26:10","slug":"from-the-vice-chancellor-april-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/vice-chancellor\/2026\/04\/30\/from-the-vice-chancellor-april-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Vice-Chancellor \u2013 April 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Close-up<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In my newsletter this month: Our\u00a0People and Culture strategy,\u00a0the new Research Academy,\u00a0our new Flagship Research Institutes,\u00a0study\u00a0identifies\u00a0pressure wave in\u00a0football heading,\u00a0and\u00a0Team England kit launched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Two<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Making progress – our People and Culture Strategy \u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Following the success of Project Expectations,\u202fwe\u2019ve\u202fbeen taking forward\u202fa number of\u202fnew approaches that shape how we all work,\u202flead\u202fand develop at the\u202fUniversity, including the development of our first ever People and Culture\u202fstrategy,\u202fwhich has recently been approved\u202fby Council.\u202fOver the next four years, this\u202fwill guide how we shape our colleague experience and approach our development, wellbeing and\u202fleadership\u202fin response to staff survey feedback, helping to maintain Loughborough\u2019s strong position in the sector.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the early deliverables of the strategy is the introduction of GLOW Conversations<\/a>. Colleagues from around half of our Schools and Professional Services are now having GLOW conversations during this pilot year, with strong engagement from managers with training and use\u202fof the resources available.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Importantly,\u202fwe\u2019re\u202fbeginning to hear what having GLOW conversations feels like in practice.\u202fColleagues are telling us they\u2019re having more focused and meaningful discussions using the GLOW Conversations approach, with a clear emphasis on what matters most in their role as well as the development that will support them. In some cases, these conversations are helping to raise important issues earlier,\u202fsuch as\u202fsupport around wellbeing, workload,\u202fday-to-day challenges,\u202for longer-term development.\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One member of staff said that being able to talk about their wellbeing and work-life balance in their GLOW Conversations, and to be listened to and not judged, had been amazing. Another said that having shorter term objectives, as opposed to 12-month ones under the previous Performance and Development Review process, had been helpful, saying \u201cI can see how I’m moving towards achieving these since the introduction of GLOW Conversations.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating space for regular, open conversations feels particularly important at the moment and can really help us all to feel supported. While\u202fit\u2019s\u202fstill early, there is a growing sense that these small, ongoing conversations are starting to make a\u202freal\u202fdifference.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our expectation is that GLOW Conversations will continue to roll out across the University over the coming months, with all areas moving into this approach by the end of the year.\u202fBy\u00a0taking\u00a0a phased approach,\u00a0it\u00a0ensures that\u00a0we can\u00a0build on what\u202fwe\u2019re\u202flearning, support managers and teams\u00a0as they move to GLOW\u00a0Conversations\u00a0and\u00a0share\u00a0our successes along the way.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to everyone who is already engaging with GLOW Conversations and\u00a0for\u00a0helping\u00a0to\u00a0shape\u00a0this\u00a0new approach\u00a0for\u00a0all colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Loughborough University Research Academy formally launched\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Last week we launched the new Loughborough University Research Academy (LURA), which will help us to create a more connected and supported research community and drive the transformative cultural change to position Loughborough as a global research powerhouse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The establishment of LURA, one of the priorities within our Research and Innovation core plan<\/a>, has been made possible thanks to the very generous philanthropic donation, the largest in our history, from Loughborough alum Chris Gill. I was delighted to be able to formally thank Chris for his incredible generosity at the launch event.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next five years, LURA will\u00a0enable us to offer opportunities\u00a0to more than 4,000 staff and doctoral researchers through tailored support and development programmes and support current students who are keen to explore a future career in research. It will also allow us to accelerate and amplify the impact of our innovative research that will help to shape global change.\u202f\u202f\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LURA will be housed in the\u00a0Angela Marmont building<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0a state of the art,\u202f<\/strong>modern, high-specification and inspiring space, funded by Chris\u2019s donation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Flagship Research Institutes launched\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This week the University Executive Board approved the formation of six new virtual Flagship Research Institutes, aligned to the University\u2019s three strategic themes<\/a>, to support our research ambitions and enhance our global impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of the Flagship Research Institutes represents a distinct area of our research excellence and will address the major societal, industrial and global challenges facing us today. They cover Clean Energy, Culture and Society, Digital Futures, Healthy Living, Responsible Manufacturing, and Women in Sport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Institutes will act as significant interdisciplinary platforms through which to connect existing areas of excellence, strengthen collaboration across disciplines, deepen engagement with external partners, and build a stronger institutional identity around a set of globally significant themes. They will enable us to take a more focused and effective approach to attracting and supporting large-scale research funding bringing in additional income, and leading ambitious, high-impact research programmes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Institutes will also help us to enhance our thriving research culture. Each will be led by an Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (APVCs)\/Director, appointed from our existing staff, who will work part-time in the role.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0Flagship Research Institutes’ APVCs\u00a0will build on\u00a0the\u00a0work of\u00a0the\u00a0previous\u00a0Associate Pro Vice-Chancellors for the three strategic themes<\/a>, whose term of office finishes\u00a0at the end of July.\u00a0Thank you to\u00a0Professor John Downey and\u00a0Dr Kathryn North\u00a0(Climate\u00a0Change and Net Zero), Professor\u00a0Emily Keightley and\u00a0Professor\u00a0Rebecca Cain (Vibrant and Inclusive Communities),\u00a0and Professor David Fletcher\u00a0and Professor\u00a0Diwei\u00a0Zhou\u00a0(Sport, Health and Wellbeing) for\u00a0their\u00a0work in laying\u00a0the foundations for this important next step in our strategic research ambition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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