The start of the academic year is always a special time in the life of a university, and this week feels particularly significant. Thanks to the remarkable efforts of many hundreds of people we have welcomed staff and students back to our campuses.

I’m sure I am not alone in feeling a buzz as our stunning campuses come back to life after an extended summer break and we can take a great deal of satisfaction in the tremendous team effort that has ensured that our final research-related areas and facilities are reopening.

Research remains an absolute priority and this message remains at the core of our conversations with you as we work together to return to pre-pandemic levels and look to grow our research in a post-COVID world.

We are planning further town halls for researchers to discuss this challenge, and our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shearer West, will invite colleagues from across our research community to join her in a series of conversations to further explore how we can seize opportunities to do research differently, and better. These conversations will help inform our response to the challenges and opportunities of the Government’s UK Research and Development Roadmap, while also developing our thinking on the University’s future research strategy.

Discover more in the latest research update from Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange.