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New job, new opportunities

As some of you may have noticed, I have started my new job at the University of Wales this week as Director of Research and Innovation.

More details are contained within an article by Martin Shipton in the Western Mail today but after nearly twenty years in academia, this is probably the most exciting role that I have ever undertaken.

Given the massive interest it is already generating amongst industrialists in particular, the Global Academy is the perfect opportunity to put Welsh business on the world map.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Prof Jones-Evans said: “These two projects are exceptionally exciting. Under the Innovation Scholarship scheme, we aim to attract the brightest PhD students to work within businesses in Wales as they are supervised by Welsh universities
Any hopes for a Valleysmam in this new programme, or people llike me, or is it just for bright young things
July 04, 2008 10:56 am
Anonymous said…
Congratulations on the new job, more power to you Prof, good to see that you are being listened too.
July 04, 2008 12:41 pm
Victoria Winckler said…
This is a great development - and let's see more like it.

But the real brain drain is amongst ordinary people in Wales who don't go to University in the first place.
July 04, 2008 6:20 pm
Anonymous said…
You make a neat point, Victoria, and I agree. The trend of creating more university places is to be welcomed, but there are parts of society (and this one suspects may be especially true in Wales) for whom it is not choice. More lifelong learning opportunites are needed, I know universities in Wales are doing some of this but the numbers (all right I haven't got them)studying to higher level are relatively small. In the past year, University of Glamorgan withdrew from its association with the Open College of The Arts one such organisation giving distance learning opportunities to BA level. Part time students contributing through work whilst they are studying should be given special consideration. This would benefit those that Victoria refers to, for whom it may be they only practical way of gaining a degree.
July 04, 2008 8:15 pm
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans said…
Mam and WL - thanks for the comments. Victoria and Bern - I totally agree with your views but the role of the University of Wales in its new form is very restricted and we have decided to focus on facilitating innovation. As we do not have any students (and even the Ph.D studentships we will be giving out are to be gifted to the Welsh HE sector), we cannot directly support your concerns but certainly we can help to influence the process. Watch this space.
July 05, 2008 8:24 am
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