Meeting with Chancellor of Reading University

The new Chancellor of Reading University invited me in for talks about the future of the University and his plans as Chancellor. I will not presume to summarise his thoughts as he is still consulting on the best approach.

In response to his ideas I made the following points

1. As a past entrepreneur he should play to his strengths. He  could encourage more spin out businesses from Reading research. He could work in partnership with more local companies. Business can bring money, practical challenges and experience to add to University research equipment  and staff insights. He could build on Reading’s strengths in food science, land management and meteorology. The theme of encouraging more film and entertainment businesses to locate  here could be reinforced.

2. He could increase University engagement in the local area with more joint use of facilities, more open lectures, more courses tailored to local skills needed.

3. He could fund raise especially through stronger past alumni groups to build a larger Endowment fund.

I also pointed out that as a specialist academy for farming and land management the University should not sell off all its farms for housing development.