Birmingham university appoints new Vice Chancellor
Birmingham’s Newman University has installed a new Vice-Chancellor, Professor J. Scott Davidson.
Prof Davidson, an expert in international law and human rights, succeeds Prof Peter Lutzeier, who retired at the end of 2016 after six years with the institution.
His appointment coincides with the university’s 50th anniversary year, although full university status was only conferred on the institution in 2013.
Prof Davidson was most recently Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Lincoln. With a master of arts from the University of Cambridge and a doctor of laws from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, he joins Newman at a time of growth as it invests in significant campus redevelopment to meet increasing demand for its courses, primarily in education, the humanities and social sciences.
He said: “I am fully committed to the values and vision of Newman University and will continue to nurture its distinctive educational character as a community of scholars, with classes taught by the very academics who are leading research in their fields.
“These are times of significant change across the higher education sector and, as marketisation continues apace, we remain committed to delivering a rounded, formative education that focuses on developing the whole student, equipping them with the skills and subject knowledge they need to succeed after graduation.
“As a Catholic university, our student body is made up of many different faiths, and none. This means that the university reflects its local community, with inter-faith dialogue being alive and well across our campus. Such dialogue is crucial to developing social cohesion, enabling students to develop an understanding of the complex issues of a globalised world, and analyse the implications of their actions, not only on their own lives but also the lives of others.”
The Vice-Chancellor also said students would need to hone critical thinking skills and personal resilience if they are to succeed in the modern world.
“In a fast-changing world, many of the jobs that exist today will not exist in five or ten years’ time,” he said.
“At a recent graduate employer conference, I wasn’t surprised to hear employers talking about a skills shortage, but the skills these employers were looking for were softer, transferrable skills: curiosity, critical thinking, the ability to learn and adapt and, above all, to become resilient.
“At Newman, our ethos is all about encouraging students to become active learners: developing their curiosity as well as learning from their mistakes. Sound subject knowledge is important but a good, liberal education still provides the best preparation for both employment and life.”
