School of Informatics

1. School of Informatics General Meeting 26th September 2016

2. Agenda • Welcome and new staff introductions Johanna • Student recruitment update Bjoern • Student experience and student surveys Stuart & Bjoern • Equality and diversity update Jane • Research lunch Jane • Estates update Martin • School Strategy and Plan 2017-20 Martin • Current issues update Johanna • Closing remarks Johanna

3. New Academic Staff • Kartic Subr – Senior Lecturer in Computer Graphics – 1 Sept 16 • Maria Wolters – Reader in Design Informatics – 1 Sept 16 • Tim Hospedales – Reader in Image and Vision – 5 Sept 16 • Michael Gutmann – Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning – 5 Sept 16 • Andreas Pieris – Lecturer in Databases – 19 Sept 16 • Michael Mistry – Reader in Robotics – 26 Sept 16 (today!) • Vaishak Belle – Chancellor’s Fellow – 26 Sept 16 (today!) • Walid Magdy – Lecturer in Multimedia Information Retrieval – 28 Oct 16 • Pramod Bhatotia – Sen Lecturer in Computer Systems Architecture – 31 Oct 16 • Ivan Titov – Reader in Natural Language Processing – 1 Mar 17 • Benjamin Bach – Lecturer in Design Informatics and Visualisation – 10 Apr 17 • Dorota Glowacka – Lecturer in Machine Learning – 1 June 2017

4. New Support Staff (recent starts) • Karen Pinto-Csaszar – CDT Administrator (Pervasive Parallelism) • Samantha Black – Senior Admin Assistant (HR) – maternity cover • Patrick Hudson – IGS On-Course Support Administrator • Angela Muir – IGS Administrative Assistant • Sally Galloway – CDT Administrator (Data Science) • Tobias Hofmeister – Marketing Manager (Informatics Ventures)

5. Equality and Diversity update • New Equality & Diversity Co-ordinator: Kami Vaniea (below) • Athena SWAN • results expected anytime • action plan implementation group initiated • 1st Women in Computing event of session: lunchtime career talk by alumnus Anne Johnson 29 Sept (fully booked) • More female staff, student and alumni profiles wanted: watch out for the email! (‘Static’ and short video case studies) • Unconscious bias training 30 November (2hr session) • A.M - open session (booking will be required) • P.M. - Strategy Group

6. Estates update (1) • Informatics Forum • Continuing programme of ‘3for2’ conversions • Wolfson Wing decant summer 2017 (new heating and ‘3for2’s) • Shortage of PGR desks for 17/18 – likely to require meeting rooms to be temporarily used as PGR rooms (eg 2.33) until DTI completed

7. Estates update (2) • Appleton Tower • Level 3 now handed back – in use by PPLS • Remaining levels handed back over next few weeks • Reiach and Hall appointed as architects for internal reconfigurations • Potential phased completion and handover summer 2017 • More teaching space (inc practical labs and tutorial rooms), new level 9 MSc independent study suite and upgraded social/break-out spaces

8. Estates update (3) • Data Technology Institute (aka Thomas Bayes Centre) • Programme currently 11 weeks behind schedule but looking to regain two weeks • Occupancy still early 2018 • Currently working with occupants to confirm requirements • Envisaged that parts of IPAB, first year CDT students and Informatics commercialisation will be located in DTI, amongst others • Design Informatics will occupy extended ‘Inspace’ on ground floor of Potterrow wing

9. School Strategy and Plan 2017-20

10. School Strategy and Plan 2017-20 • Review strategic objectives and framework • Update narrative • Review of actions and progress on actions • Review of staff recruitment priorities • Review of student recruitment projections • Addition of specific high level SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-limited) targets

11. Strategic objectives • Promote Informatics as a coherent, multi-disciplinary area of academic research, learning and innovation, encompassing the structure, the behaviour, and the interactions of natural and engineered computational systems. • Take an international leadership role in Informatics, including retaining the leading position in the UK.

12. Strategic Framework 2016-19 Strategic priority: Greater Research Excellence Key enabler: Strategic Engagement and Collaboration Strategic priority: Enhance Student Experience Strategic priority: Demonstrable Impact Key enabler: Income growth

13. School Strategy and Plan 2017-20

14. Current issues - update • Recruitment of new Principal • Recruitment of new Head of College • Brexit

15. Recruitment of new Principal • Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea retires September 2017 • Perrett Laver appointed to conduct executive search • Perrett Laver have held open forum sessions and short online consultation (information circulated to staff and students) • Further information is now available from the Perrett Laver website: www.perrettlaver.com/candidates - reference 2689 • Closing date is 18 October 2016 • Short-listing in late 2016 • Appointment expected to be announced in early part of 2017

16. Recruitment of new Head of College • Professor Lesley Yellowlees stands down in July 2017 • Post will be advertised externally, but internal applications are also encouraged

17. Brexit • Timescales and outcome still uncertain • British Government has guaranteed EU funding beyond the date the UK leaves the EU. British universities therefore have certainty over future funding and should continue to bid for competitive EU funds, including Horizon 2020 projects, while the UK remains a member of the EU (Chancellor, Philip Hammond – 13 August 2016) • Not unreasonable to assume that EU nationals already resident in Britain will be permitted to remain (on a reciprocal basis to British nationals resident in EU countries) - but nothing is certain • No Scottish Government or University decision yet on a fee guarantee for students commencing in academic year 2017/18 • The University has established a web page with latest information and relevant links: http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/eu