I trust that you, your family and friends are well and are coping with the current constraints. I would like to take this opportunity for us to remember and recognise those members of the City community who have lost their lives to the coronavirus. You may have seen their stories on the In Memory tribute page created in their honour.
Here in London, we have been welcoming our new and returning students to the start of the new academic year. While this year will look and feel different from normal and while much of the education we offer will be online, we are determined to provide our students with the best education and experience possible. We have put measures in place to make our campus Covid secure, enabling us to deliver safely some small group, in-person teaching. This blended approach has enabled us to move quickly and deliver more education remotely as restrictions tighten. In the future, when restrictions ease, we will be able to expand our face-to-face on-campus activities.
It is my hope and wish that we can soon welcome our alumni as well as all staff and students back to campus.
As I announced at the end of last year, it is with a heavy heart that, after eleven years at City, I will be standing down as President and leaving City in the summer. Being President of City is a daily privilege and the decision to step down was a hard one to take, as I will be leaving the colleagues, students and alumni who make City such a special place. I feel exceptionally proud to serve as President and look forward with great enthusiasm to the remainder of my time.
I am delighted to confirm that Professor Anthony Finkelstein has been appointed City’s new President. He will join in June from his position as the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security. Previously, he was Dean of the University College London Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Head of Computer Science. Upon joining City, Professor Finkelstein will be appointed Professor of Software Systems Engineering at the School of Mathematics, Computer Science & Engineering. Meanwhile, I look forward to keeping you informed of our progress.
The process for renaming our Business School started during the summer, will continue with Council approving the new name in the spring and will end with its launch in September. Alumni, students and staff will be invited to contribute to the search for a new name once the consultation starts later in the year. As you may have seen, in the interim we are using the name ‘The Business School (formerly Cass)’ with the additional strap line ‘Changing more than a name’ to signal our commitment to the name change and the wider changes we will be making.
Since the start of the pandemic, our alumni (as well as our staff and students) have shown so much resilience, tenacity, initiative and support to City and their communities, worldwide. I am very proud of the difference our City community has been making to society on a global scale and I am pleased this edition of Alumni News features alumni stories and achievements in celebration of Black History Month. Throughout October, City and the Students’ Union are hosting a series of events to mark and explore the meaning and importance of Black History Month. Do join in if you can.
I would like to close by extending a warm welcome to our new graduates, who have recently joined City’s global alumni network. To our new alumni and to you all, stay safe, best wishes and success in your private and professional lives for the months ahead.
I hope you enjoy this edition of Alumni News.
Paul
Professor Sir Paul Curran
President