2006 Annual Report - University of Salford

Thinking globally – broadening horizons
Annual Report &
Financial Statements
Academic advises French Prime Minister
Asia-Link
In May a Salford academic was invited to join a commission
organised by the Prime Minister of France to reform the
university system.
Professor John Keiger was appointed by the Prime Minister,
Dominique de Villepin, to help counter the high levels of
unemployment amongst the French youth. This is a major
issue in France and has recently led to protests and disorder on
the streets of Paris.
John was appointed because of his in-depth knowledge of the
British and French education systems. He was the only
foreigner on the group which is made up of vice-chancellors,
industrialists, academics and a journalist. The commission
interviewed student groups, trade unions, industrialists and
civil servants before submitting a report in June.
Mission to China
In May Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Harloe accompanied
Minister for Higher Education Bill Rammell MP to China. The
delegation, which also included the Vice-Chancellors of
Nottingham and Liverpool Universities, visited Beijing and
Shanghai, as well as Hong Kong, where the Minister signed an
agreement pledging closer cooperation with Hong Kong
universities. The trip will be followed up in November, when
Professor Harloe and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and
Learning, Jane Hanstock have been invited to take part
in a mission to Hong Kong strengthening university-touniversity
links.
In March the School of Art & Design took part in the
prestigious international design management symposium, D2B
in Shanghai. The conference brought together design
management academics and professionals from across
the world.
Our involvement was the culmination of an Asia-Link
Programme led by Salford in which the University worked with
Copenhagen Business School, Denmark; Politecnico di Milano,
Italy; University of Stockholm, Sweden; Tsinghua University, P.R.
China; Shanghai Jiao Tong University, P.R. China; Harbin
Institute of Technology, P.R. China; King Mongkut’s Institute of
Technology, Ladkrabang, Thailand – amongst the top
universities in their respective countries.
The Europe-Asia Design Management Network was a unique
two year EU funded project focussing on curriculum
development of postgraduate design management
programmes within EU and Asia; and to foster sustainable
educational links between EU, Chinese and Thai higher
education institutions. As well as the D2B symposium, our
involvement included the reciprocal exchange of academic
staff in order to assess teaching and develop new Masters
taught modules in International Design Management.
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