CPHC Statement on UK withdrawal from the EU

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The Council of Professors and Heads of Computing (CPHC) has issued the following statement on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union

CPHC Statement on UK withdrawal from the European Union

Before last week’s referendum, commentators expressed serious concerns about the impact of the UK withdrawal from the EU, and the inevitable uncertainty leading up to it, on the UK’s academic and industrial computer science sectors. CPHC believes it is vital that withdrawal negotiations are based on the best possible information about the current state of the various sectors and what is at stake under various options. The withdrawal of the UK from the Union could have a potentially profound impact on UK Computer Science education, research and industry.  CPHC recognises that the referendum was the first step in a potential withdrawal from the EU, and that many discussions, decisions and negotiations are required before any exit is complete, indeed before Article 50 is even invoked.  We aim to contribute to the information that will form the basis of any discussions and below we provide an overview of the potential impact of UK withdrawal, issues to be considered in any post-exit plan, and issues to consider in withdrawal negotiations.

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EPSRC Balancing Capability: Call for Evidence Closes Soon

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EPSRC has asked institutions for evidence to help in its review of its “Balancing Capability” framework. The call closes on 3rd June.

Colleagues will be aware that EPSRC is currently updating its Balancing Capabilities framework. This involves a relatively small amount of structural change (introducing or merging areas and changing definitions). It is also re-examining the classifications into grow, maintain and shrink.

As part of this, institutions have been asked to supply evidence. Please note, the call is to institutions, and the request is for a fairly tightly defined form of evidence. Put simply, evidence is a report (preferably published) written by somebody else. It is not a statement from an individual, no matter how knowledgeable or persuasive.

If you have knowledge of such a report, and would like it to be considered in the process, then:

CPHC is planning to make a small submission, and in the event that you can’t submit evidence through your own institution, then you are welcome to request that we forward it on your behalf. The phrasing is intended to discourage you from taking this route as easier than communicating with individuals at your own institution. And note that we are not guaranteeing to submit everything passed on to us.

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Shadbolt Review Published

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The Review of Computer Sciences Degree Accreditation and Graduate Employability, by Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, has been published and identifies significant roles for CPHC.

Nigel ShadboltShadbolt Review – FINAL REPORT – 20 April 2016

The 91-page report sets out ten recommendations and notes that: “It is important that reforms and recommendations across education and within industry are coordinated and meet the needs of different types of employers as well as enabling graduates to enjoy a career that will span many more scientific and technological advances.”  CPHC is identified as a leading force in a number of these recmmendations, particularly in relation to “Improving data” (Recommendation 1), “Work experience” (Recommendation 2), “Careers advice and graduate opportunities” (Recommendation 5) and “Horizon scanning” (Recommendation 8).

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New Committee Elected

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Introducing the CPHC Officers and Committee from April 2016 …

Carsten Maple (Warwick) takes over from Sally Smith (Edinburgh Napier) as Chair.  (Sally remains on the committee as Immediate Past Chair.)  Sally Fincher (Kent) takes the position of Vice Chair.  Colin Johnson (Kent) continues as Secretary and Edmund Robinson (Queen Mary) as Treasurer.

Current committee members, Balbir Barn (Middlesex), Vic Grout (Wrexham Glyndwr), Keith Miller (Manchester Metropolitan), Miltos Petredis (Brighton) and Rupert Ward (Huddersfield), are joined by new committee members, Ian Allison, (West of Scotland), Ray Farmer (Coventry) and a returning Ian Wells (Wales Trinity Saint David).

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Annual Conference Opens

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The 2016 CPHC Conference and AGM, opens on Monday 25th April 2016 at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The full agenda (PDF) is available here

Speakers include our Patron, Maggie Philbin, Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Professor Steve Furber, Professor Malcolm Press, Professor Graham Cormode, Professor Sean Ryan, Dr. Bill Mitchell, Sally Smith, Liam Blackwell, Jenny Taylor, Zia Hayat, Katie Gallagher, Colin Adams, Nicola Turner, Olivia Tan and many more.

cphc16Keith Miller, Prof Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Sally Smith & Prof Malcolm Press

Topics cover employability and accreditation, strategy and priorities, employer perspectives and degree apprenticeships, entrepreneurship and the ‘start-up’ culture, CS education and funding, BCS students and The Alan Turing Institute, among others.

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