After six years in post, I’m about to step down from the best job in the world. Since 2020, I’ve been vice-chancellor of London’s Catholic university, St Mary’s. Inevitably, there has been reflection on what, together, we’ve been able to achieve at this remarkable institution, but I’ve also been saying at the various farewell gatherings that the future is even more exciting.
My start here was not the easiest. My wife and I arrived back in the UK, after five years in Australia, the day before then-prime minister Boris Johnson declared the first Covid lockdown, and my first few months in the job were largely conducted via Zoom in the spare room of a rented flat. Even then, the remarkable spirit of this place and its staff shone through, with our wonderful catering and housekeeping staff ensuring that those international students who couldn’t get home continued to be cared for and fed. I made sure I came in once a week to work in my office – connection with place is important at St Mary’s. The first Christmas, and its temporary easing of restrictions, was very special, with Mass in the university chapel and a full Christmas dinner in the refectory. We returned to full face-to-face teaching as soon as we possibly could. This is a community, and a community needs contact – our students were very clear about that and our staff responded.
