Annual Report - Royal Academy of Engineering

Academy Business
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Academy’s Annual General
Meeting was held for the first time at
its Carlton House Terrace headquarters
on 7 July 2008. This 32nd meeting
was chaired by the President, Lord
Browne of Madingley FREng FRS and
attended by 70 Fellows. The President
gave a review of the year, describing
how the move to the Academy’s
new building will offer a dedicated
space to design, debate, and deliver
the future of engineering. He also
gave an overview of the engineering
policy agenda and announcied plans
to increase the number of Academy
partnerships to further the impact of
its work.
The meeting saw the election of
six International Fellows, 44 British
Fellows and four Honorary Fellows.
There were also four new Officers
elected to Council. The AGM approved
changes to the Fellows’ subscription
rates and declared that changes to
statutes on the maximum number of
International Fellows should be put to
a postal ballot.
Following the conclusion of
the meeting’s formal business,
presentations were given by: Emma
Kent (Buro Happold Ltd), a former
Engineering Leadership Award holder;
Dr Paul Greening (UCL), Industrial
Secondment Scheme participant; and
Dr Robert Dorey (Cranfield University),
an Academy/EPSRC Research Fellow.
PROACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
COMMITTEE
The Proactive Membership
Committee, chaired by Dr Ian Nussey
OBE FREng, was established in 2008
on the recommendation of Sir Peter
Gershon’s Membership Study Group.
The principle aim of the committee is
to ensure that the pool of candidates
for election properly represents
the society in which the Academy
exists. To ensure this, the committee
operates to a set of targets agreed by
Council.
Current objectives include: increasing
the proportion of nominations from
industry, particularly from those in
smaller companies; increasing the
proportion of female nominees
significantly; and reducing the
average age of nominees. It is
encouraging that so many Fellows are
actively involved in this work through
participation in networks to identify
new candidates in target areas. All
their efforts are appreciated.
DEVELOPMENT REPORT
The Academy’s £25 million Making
Things Better campaign has made
steady progress. Significant new
gifts have been achieved for the
Academy’s highly regarded education
and engagement activities and
several key parties have indicated a
willingness to back plans for 3 Carlton
House Terrace.
While the current economic climate
is challenging for fundraising, the
case for engineering has never been
stronger. Furthermore, the Academy’s
visibility and reputation for getting
things done well has been beneficial
and the outlook is positive.
During the year emphasis has again
been placed on extending the
Academy’s contacts. The Campaign
board, chaired by Sir John Parker
FREng has provided invaluable
assistance in securing major new
commitments from companies,
charitable trusts and individual
donors. The Campaign board
was further strengthened by the
appointment of three new members.
We are very grateful to the Campaign
board, as well as to Fellows and other
supporters of the Academy. New gifts
of more than £150,000 were received
from Fellows, including legacies from
the late Lord Stokes FREng and the
late Professor Peter Vaughan FREng.
Further legacies have also been
notified, evidencing this medium as a
particularly suitable form of planned
support.
The Rolls-Royce Fellows gift scheme
has nearly reached its goal. Personal
donations of nearly £100,000 and
more than matched funding from
Rolls-Royce plc have made a total just
short of the target £250,000. This is a
tremendous achievement.
The work of sourcing and
securing new gifts has been aided
immeasurably by the Academy’s
prestigious new home. Not only
does 3 Carlton House Terrace offer
the location and space to promote
engineering, the building also helps
to illustrate the Academy’s ambition
and leadership role. The President
and Campaign board have used the
facilities successfully to host events for
prospective donors from the UK and
abroad.
The experience of using the building
for nearly eighteen months has also
helped to inform the Academy’s views
on its highest priorities for capital
expenditure. The need for a larger,
well equipped lecture theatre (circa
150 seats) is most important, together
with improved services throughout
the public areas. Obtaining listed
building status and planning consent
for the proposed alterations was a
major achievement and can act as a
catalyst for new gifts. As it is likely to
take a little longer to raise the funds
required, attention is being given to
how this expenditure can be reduced
or phased, especially given lower
short-term building costs.
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