Sir Andrew Witty, Lady Caroline Wiity tours the campus with Professor Christine Ennew, Professor Graham Kendall, Vice Provost (Research & Knowledge Trsnafer) and Professor Stephen Doughty, Vice Provost (Teaching and Learning)
The new Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, Sir Andrew Witty, has paid his first official visit to The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC).
This is the first time that Sir Andrew has visited UNMC, since he was officially installed as the 7th Chancellor of the University last month. During his visit he had the opportunity to meet students, staff and alumni, and to learn more about the history and the future development of this pioneering institution.
Sir Andrew, Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline, graduated from The University of Nottingham in 1985 with a BA in Economics and was formally installed as Chancellor on March 12 in an official ceremony at University of Nottingham in the UK.
Sir Andrew became Chief Executive Officer of GSK in 2008 and was knighted for services to the UK economy and to its pharmaceutical industry in the 2012 New Year Honours.
During his visit to UNMC, Sir Andrew toured the campus and formally opened the new 1200 bed Student Accommodation Village. In a formal ceremony, he also delivered a lecture titled, “Quality Degree or Quality Experience – What’s University About?” to staff and students. In the evening, the University hosted a dinner, providing Sir Andrew with the opportunity to meet Board members, and key figures from the business, education and government sectors.
The new accommodation will be fully available to students in September of this year. The newly unveiled rooms are spacious and boast a range of facilities to enhance student comfort. All rooms are air conditioned, have ensuite bathrooms and hot water shower facilities, a mini refrigerator and are Wifi enabled.
“It is a great honour for us to host Sir Andrew, a Nottingham alumnus himself, at UNMC. I was particularly pleased that he chose Malaysia for his first official trip overseas since becoming the University Chancellor barely two weeks ago” said Professor Christine Ennew, Pro Vice Chancellor/ Provost and CEO of UNMC.
Sir Andrew said: “Universities are truly remarkable institutions. In the UK we are very lucky to have some of the world’s greatest universities and I am grateful to have been a student at one of them. Now, to have the chance to give something back, and to help the Vice-Chancellor and the Council to develop the institution for the future is an honour and an opportunity I look forward to enormously. With such a strong affinity for Nottingham, it was a very easy decision to accept the invitation to become the Chancellor of the University.”
Regarding Nottingham’s unique status as the first UK University to have an international campus, Sir Andrew noted.
“The internationalisation of the University is truly commendable and while I am here at UNMC, I encountered once again Nottingham students who have the same spirit, zeal and creativity as our students in the UK.” he said.
Students at UNMC were actively involved in hosting the visit. Students Pamela Victor and Mohd Nazreen Mohammed were emcees at the formal ceremony, Student Association President, Sattyam Veerapen, Student Council Chair, Adeleke Ismail Kassim and other student representatives attended the lecture by Sir Andrew.
The Chancellor has a number of key roles in the University including ceremonial duties – playing a formal part in graduation ceremonies – and acting as an ambassador and advocate for the University in the UK and around the world. He also acts as a key adviser on matters of major strategic importance to the development of the University. It is an unremunerated role.
