The inaugural Critical Governance Studies conference will be held at the University of Warwick on 13th and 14th December 2010.

On the 11th June 2004 Sir Nigel Crisp, Chief Executive of the NHS, will address the new Health Service Partnership founded by the Warwick Institute of Governance and Public Management.

Today sees the publication of The Times’ Good University Guide 2005. Warwick is up three places to take fifth place after seeing a rise in entry standards, library and computer spending, facilities spending, the number of firsts and upper class seconds awarded and graduate destinations.

Lord Whitty and Professor David VandeLinde are visiting the Wellesbourne site of Warwick HRI on Friday 19 March to sign the formal Change of Control document.

Richard Lambert, author of the Lambert Review into Business-University Collaboration, will be visiting the University on Thursday 29 April.

You may already be aware that AUT members have voted for industrial action over aspects of the Framework Agreement. All the other unions represented on campus have voted decisively in favour of the Agreement.

A powerful display of support for the Coventry Partnership kicked off its second annual conference in December.

The University’s acquisition of the Wellesbourne and Kirton sites of Horticulture Research International (HRI) marks the biggest transfer of assets and staff to the University since the acquisition of Westwood a quarter of a century ago. Taking the two sites together, almost 600 acres of land and over 200 staff will be transferred to University ownership and management from 1 April 2004.

I believe that the members of the present Cabinet, like the Conservatives before them, do not understand what universities are for. They want useful universities — ones that are practical, efficient, and focused on business needs.