New university vice-chancellor wants to ‘rebuild trust’

Professor Andy Collop

The interim vice-chancellor of De Montfort University, Leicester (DMU) has said he wants to build a “safe and honest” community for views to be heard.

In his first communication to DMU staff since taking the role, professor Andy Collop said that while changes to leadership had taken place, the university’s highest priorities remained the same: “the outstanding student experience we deliver and our teaching and research excellence.

“Everywhere across the university there are talented and dedicated people doing extraordinary things every day and I know that that commitment will continue.”

On Monday, DMU’s former vice-chancellor professor Dominic Shellard resigned to “pursue other opportunities”. Shellard had been head of the university since 2010 and has stepped down following watchdog, the Office for Students, “looking into a number of regulatory matters” at the university, which had first reported ” an issue” last autumn.

Professor Collop said that following these events, he wanted to rebuild trust, foster greater transparency and use the opportunity of change to take a “fresh look” at how the university operates.

He said: “I want us to embrace new opportunities and, in particular, change the way that we engage and listen.

“We also need to ensure greater transparency in our governance through, for example, greater elected staff representation on our Board of Governors.

“I am determined to create an environment and develop a culture where staff feel safe so that they can freely express their views allowing for honest discussion to take place.

“But this is just the first stage in a process of listening and learning that I want to start and I invite you to be a part of.”

He outlined a series of listening engagements he is set to hold across campus and said he wanted to encourage closer relationships between all levels of staff.

He said: “I am proud to work for this university, to be in the position I am and to be able to lead an institution like this.

“I am proud to work with all of you and excited about what we are yet to do.”

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