Staff updates 8 June 2023

Dear colleagues,

You may already be aware that, on Monday afternoon, there was a small chemical fire in the Thomas Graham Building which was dealt with quickly by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service who attended in numbers with associated local impacts on road closures.

I am grateful to the response of the emergency services, and would like to thank those colleagues at the scene for their professionalism and quick actions to contain the situation and ensure that no one was injured by this incident.

Colleagues at the scene reacted swiftly and in line with all of our emergency response guidance and our Incident Management Team was convened to ensure that campus coordination, safety, and business continuity were directed in accordance with our plans. This is a reminder to us all of the importance of health and safety, being mindful of relevant safety and emergency procedures, and ensuring we do everything we can to keep our community safe. 

You may wish to take this opportunity to review the Health and Safety Training courses that are relevant for your area and ensure all mandatory courses have been completed.

Yesterday, you will have received guidance on completing Accountability and Development Reviews (ADRs).

The ADR provides an important opportunity to review your achievements and contributions over the past year, set your objectives and priorities for the next 12 months, understand your support and development needs and to discuss your career ambitions with your line manager.

Please take the time to review the guidance that has been sent to you and access the support available – whether this is your first ADR, if you want to refresh your knowledge, or if you are a reviewer.

Next year will be a very special one for our institution when Strathclyde will celebrate its Diamond Jubilee – marking 60 years since the University received degree-awarding powers in a Royal Charter granted by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 

Our celebrations will take place across the full year and reflect on Strathclyde’s distinctive contribution to the world around us as a Leading International Technological University that is socially progressive – not just over six decades since 1964, but also over the more than two centuries since our foundation as Anderson’s Institution in 1796. 

The Jubilee will involve all of our community – staff, students, alumni, partners and the people of Glasgow – in a packed programme of events.

Planning for the Diamond Jubilee is well underway, overseen by the Diamond Jubilee Engagement Group. We want to hear your ideas for events and other initiatives we might include in the programme and, next week, we will be issuing a call for suggestions. You can read more about this and how to submit your ideas in next week’s Inside Strathclyde.

Finally, the University has appointed Beth Lockhart as Acting Director of Finance. Beth has provided strong leadership as Finance Business Partner for the Faculty of Science for the past 11 years and I am confident she will bring her skills to bear on this new post.  I am sure you will join me in congratulating Beth on her appointment.

Thanks as always for your efforts and contributions in support of Strathclyde’s activities and priorities.

Please enjoy the rest of the week and have a great weekend when it comes.

Best wishes,
Jim