Senior Officers' Meeting 2022
Senior Officers' Meeting 2022
In the historic surroundings of Christ Church, Oxford, the Senior Officers gathered together for their annual meeting in September 2022, sharing regional updates and developments from their universities. Future plans for the Global Internship Program and the IARU Courses were discussed , and the proposals for the new Education Committee and Early Career Collaboration Grants were refined and approved.
The Senior Officers also discussed the update reports and funding requests from the IARU groups and initiatives, noting that as travel restrictions ease, the groups have been enthusiastic in returning to in-person meetings and planning new work.
Oxford was a very welcoming host and attendees were able to explore some of the famous landmarks of the city. The 17th-century Trout Inn pro- vided an atmospheric venue for the Welcome Dinner and the Senior Officers visited St Peter’s College for an enjoyable meal on the final evening.
Universities' responses to international crises
Renata Schaeffer provided an overview of Cambridge’s response to the war in Ukraine. Senior Officers compared the crisis response structures within their institu- tions, noting the importance of agility and adapting at speed. Some Senior Officers commented that there was now an expecta- tion for universities to respond more broad- ly to international crises, following the work they did during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it was noted there were diffi- cult questions about why universities had not responded to past crises in the same way. Senior Officers agreed that manage- ment of communication was key to an effective response and that important les- sons had been learnt for the future.
The Oxford Character Project
Dr Edward Brooks, Director of the Oxford Character Project, led a discussion with the Senior Officers about approaches to leadership development, particu- larly within a university environ- ment.
The Oxford Character Project looks at the role of character and the key personal qualities that are part of effective and wise leadership.
Dr Brooks raised a number of subjects including how do we develop and educate our stu- dents as leaders, and how do universities provide this sort of training and then measure the results.
Senior Officers considered how these concepts could also be relevant for staff as well as stu- dents, and shared details of the leadership training models at their universities.