The calendar may have flipped over to 2025, but in the academic world, January is just a month in the middle.
As you read this, Reading students will be busying themselves with preparation for their first semester exams and assessments, before we begin our second semester of teaching in February.
While the University year may not follow the January to December cycle, there are some parallels in our marking of endings and new beginnings. One of those that I very much enjoy is our winter graduation celebration, which is held just before Christmas.
Unlike our summer graduations, which mostly feature undergraduates, winter graduation is mostly for postgraduate students, who have come back to University to study a subject they love, gaining qualifications and knowledge to help them on the cusp of a new career.
We also took the opportunity to mark the achievements of two people whose work we consider of such great significance and excellence that we conferred them with an honorary degree. Both represent the attributes, as well as the academic partnerships, that help to make our University and our area great.
Professor Penny Endersby, chief executive of the Met Office, has reached one of the highest pinnacles of scientific leadership. Her groundbreaking work in this role has advanced scientific understanding and saves lives through crucial climate and weather information. We’re proud to be a part of the Met Office Academic Partnership and to host members of the Met Office in Reading.
Steve McManus, the visionary leader of Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, was an equally worthy recipient of an honorary degree. His 37-year journey from student nurse to hospital chief executive embodies the spirit of continuous learning and dedication to public service.
Under his leadership, the Health Innovation Partnership with our University has created synergies that directly benefit patient care and healthcare education.
These honorary degrees are wholly for the achievements of their recipients and reflect a commitment to applied research and forging meaningful partnerships – something that our University is firmly in favour of.
We have strong working relationships with many other institutions. The British Museum and Shinfield Studios are already operational on the University-owned Thames Valley Science Park. Some exciting films and TV series have already been filmed here, and it has led to a new community cinema for residents at Shinfield parish centre.
This year we look forward to building work beginning on labs and storage facilities at Thames Valley Science Park for the Natural History Museum, and the new headquarters of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts on our Whiteknights campus. Working in such close proximity with these organisations opens up the potential for even more exciting work.
Congratulations to Penny and Steve for their awards. An honorary degree is only ever given to those who we consider have shown a level of dedication and excellence in their field, on a par with the achievement of our talented students as they graduate from the University.
Whether honorary, or with honours, it is a genuine honour for us to mark the achievements of all our graduates. Their work for others in the future will be the true measure of our collective success.
Robert Van de Noort is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Reading
