One of the things that attracted me to accept the invitation to be our Chancellor was the University’s track record and commitment for being for, and of, people and their communities. This new strategy: People, Place and Partnership: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All emphatically recommits to partnering with people and their places.

I am particularly taken with the commitment in our strategy to our multiple campuses and to student life as part of our university offering. Of course, as a dual intensive institution with academic excellence in research and teaching, university life is immersed in scholarship but it is also important that we acknowledge, value, and support the full spectrum of opportunities that a university experience can bring.

The wellbeing benefits of a strong and engaging social life at university are well accepted as are the life-long benefits that accrue through the many opportunities to build friendships, networks, and interpersonal skills.

Important too is the commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion because only through togetherness will we achieve our full potential of addressing the grand challenges of our society and indeed those in the wider world such as the climate emergency.

As a practising artist, I’m delighted that as well as reiterating the profound impact we have on the economic prosperity of our region, our strategy makes explicit our commitment to the cultural life of our communities too. It has always been a strength of Ulster University that we recognise enrichment of people, their places, and our partnerships have many facets both economic and cultural.

I commend this strategy to you and wholeheartedly support the directional steer it offers for our shared and sustainable futures.

Colin Davidson Signature

Dr Colin Davidson
Chancellor