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Tribute
Farewell to an educational giant
Share David’s vision
Professor Sir David Watson The world of higher education keenly felt the loss of one of its heroes in February after the untimely passing of Professor Sir David Watson, following a short illness. Tributes flowed in from across the UK university community to an educational stalwart, who was widely considered as ‘the students’ friend’ and described as one of the foremost academic leaders of his generation. Sir David was Vice-Chancellor between 1990 and 2005. He played a major role in shaping the institution as it transitioned from Brighton Polytechnic to the University of Brighton in 1992. When he left Brighton, Sir David became Professor of Higher Education at the Institute of Education in London before joining the University of Oxford in 2010 as Principal of Green Templeton College and Professor of Higher Education. The university’s Board of Governors has backed a proposal to name a new academic building and library to be built as part of the Circus Street development, adjacent to the university’s buildings in Grand Parade, Brighton, after Sir David. Our recently retired Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julian Crampton CBE said: “This will be in recognition of Sir David’s contribution to the success of the University of Brighton, the higher education sector more generally, and the cultural life of the city of Brighton & Hove.”
In October 2015, the university’s Community University Partnership Programme (Cupp) hosted a memorial lecture for Professor Sir David Watson. The lecture was delivered by Professor Emeritus Stuart Laing and included a panel discussion. More than 100 people attended the event, including staff, former colleagues, alumni and key influencers in the community and HE sector. Sir David was a staunch advocate of the accessibility of education for all and the Community University Partnership Programme (Cupp) is testimony to the legacy he fostered. In honour of Sir David, the university has established an awards scheme to acknowledge outstanding communityuniversity engagement across the globe in his memory.
Civic engagement presents a challenge to universities to be of and not just in the community: not simply to engage in ‘knowledgetransfer’ but to establish a dialogue across the boundary between the university and its community which is openended, fluid and experimental. Professor Sir David Watson
The Professor Sir David Watson Award for Community-University Partnerships This landmark international award has been created in memory of our late former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir David Watson, honouring his leadership in the area of community-university engagement. The annual award will recognise the combined efforts of community and university partners towards making a difference to the lives of people in their shared community. Community-university partnerships are still an emerging field of action, making effective and respectful partnerships
in research and policy development between community movements and academics often difficult to achieve. The award will offer visibility and a modest financial contribution enabling participants to share the stories of their combined work, deepening impact locally and helping to build the movement globally. In supporting this award, you will have the satisfaction of encouraging innovative collaborations between leaders in communities and academia
working together on some of the complex challenges facing our communities. You will be part of a transformation in the way that higher education institutions work with their local communities tackling issues of social justice, resilience and equity – all over the world. To find out more, contact Sam Davies on 01273 642600 / sam.davies@brighton.ac.uk. http://bit.do/BrightonWatson