‘We’re working with the city to shape the University for Bristol’

Moving to a new city for a new job is daunting for anyone, no matter what your age or experience. Just over two months in and I’m happy to report that Bristol has welcomed me with open arms. I feel hugely privileged to be leading an exceptional university in an exceptional city.

The prospect of living and working in Bristol was one of the things which attracted me to my new role. When I think about what makes the University unique, it is because we are located in such a beautiful, and vibrant city.

As an historian, I’ve been eager to learn about Bristol’s urban history, some of it very complex and challenging. That same history has shaped our University and we need to have the open, honest conversation about how we move forward, understanding but not being bound by our past.

A computer generated image of what the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus will look like – photo: University of Bristol

One phrase I’ve been using repeatedly is that I want us to be the University for Bristol, an institution working with the city and not just operating within it. This ambition is reflected in the strategy we’re launching today (Thursday, November 17), which outlines our vision for the University’s future until 2030. At its core is a heartfelt commitment to ensuring the University is beneficial for the city and region as well as benefitting from being located here. These links are what makes us ‘uniquely Bristol’.

Since I have arrived I have seen collaborations where the city and its university put research into action. There are examples of this all around us, from new materials that will help Airbus make more sustainable airplanes to ground-breaking projects like the Children of the 90s study, which has followed the lives of families in Bristol for over 30 years, leading to many important health discoveries. We are doing this work in partnership, with the University of the West of England, with schools, the local NHS Trusts and charities, and with the support of businesses based in Bristol and beyond.

It’s a symbiotic relationship: the city and region’s expertise in sectors such as aerospace and creative technologies has helped us to secure funding for a range of high-profile projects such as MyWorld, which was awarded £30million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and is working with partners such as the BBC, Aardman Animations and Bristol Old Vic to pioneer new digital formats and technologies across fiction, documentary, games, and live performance.

Education is another way we can work with our local communities. One that stands out is our micro-campus at the Wellspring Settlement in Barton Hill. This long-standing collaboration is now home to our contribution to the city’s welcoming places initiative, where we will soon be supporting young people with after-school clubs led by IntoUniversity.

We know how important it is to support the educational aspirations of local pupils and hopefully attract local students to study here, which is why we’re aiming to double the number of undergraduate students we recruit from our region. All our students will be taught the skills needed to thrive in a changing world, creating a diverse talent pipeline and supporting regional growth and productivity. New flexible programmes and short courses, as well as partnerships with industry, civic and educational organisations, will help make this a reality.

The Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus is key to our aspirations. It will be a major part of one of Europe’s most ambitious urban regeneration projects in the heart of the city next to Bristol Temple Meads. Despite delays due to the pandemic, several buildings are already open and operational.

Construction work is due to get underway on the former Royal Mail sorting office site next year before a planned opening in 2026. We’ve been working hard to ensure these new developments are shaped in collaboration with local communities and businesses.

University strategies can seem very similar. Ours is different precisely because it is based on what makes the city, as well as the University, so distinctive. I can only hope that all Bristolians are as excited as I am about the potential for our future together.

Professor Evelyn Welch is vice-chancellor and president of the University of Bristol

Main photo: University of Bristol

Read more:

• Evelyn Welch has got the love for Bristol
• University of Bristol launches new environmental campaign
• Bristol Temple Quarter gets £95m of Government funds to level up
• New Bristol University campus delayed until 2025

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