Professor Duncan Ivison, FAHA,FRSN, President and Vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester, shares his vision on the future of universities, research and innovation, and economic development.

At a time when the world is buffeted by wide-ranging changes and challenges of an unprecedented magnitude, every entity needs an inspirational leader with the necessary experience, competencies and foresight to navigate uncharted waters ahead.

At The University of Manchester (UoM), with the recent installation of Professor Duncan Ivison, FAHA, FRSN, as President and Vice-Chancellor, it is well poised to open a new chapter in its 200 years of history as it embarks on an ambitious journey in its third century of educational service for the community.

Leadership qualities

“In any organization, the challenge for the leader is to grasp and foresee what and when changes or disruptions are on the way, and to develop and support their people to embrace them; and then to adopt a proactive approach and devise methods to tackle them,” Professor Ivison muses as he underscores the importance of creating an environment where teachers and students can thrive, contribute to society and create an impact for the benefit of humankind.

A veteran in the tertiary education sector, Professor Ivison is a multi-awardee for academic excellence. He has held senior leadership roles in renowned universities across the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, and is well-versed in the complex management structure of universities, as he emphasizes the importance of broad consultation with stakeholders, ranging from staff and students to researchers, alumni, partners, the community and government. “Meaningful dialogue and discussion engender new perspectives, foster collaboration and nurture a positive team spirit, all of which are vital in building and sustaining a university of unquestionable stature like the University of Manchester,” he notes.

Manchester 2035

Aside from the overall responsibility for the executive management of the University, Professor Ivison points out that his role also exercises primary influence on the development of institutional policy and strategy, the identification and planning of new developments and in shaping its institutional ethos.

In this connection, he has initiated a comprehensive planning exercise named Manchester 2035 which will help identify and accelerate UoM’s strategic ambitions for the next decade. “We want to define what we want to be, and what we need to be, ten years down the track,” he explains. “It is our moral responsibility to make adjustments to some major issues confronting us, like climate change, technological advancements, equity, health, and more. These are multi-dimensional problems where UoM has a unique role to play.”

Professor Ivison believes there is always room to reduce bureaucracy; a more agile university means students will enjoy an even better level of experiential learning while researchers can engage in multidisciplinary work to enhance their contribution to the community. He discloses that UoM is investing 1.2million pounds to establish an innovation agency that can mobilize research in collaboration with industry with the ability of spinning off companies.

A wealth of ideas

Since its launch in October last year, Manchester 2035 has received an overwhelming response from a wide range of stakeholders at the conclusion of the first phase of listening and discussing in February 2025. The consultation comprised 22 workshops with 1500-plus attendees, resulting in 5,515 responses from across the community, and the submission of 2,869 online ideas and comments.

This first phase has come up with a number of cogent themes, including, for example, the optimum size of on-campus teaching taking into account the growing importance of its digital campus; the degree of goal alignment in resources deployment; the acceleration of research impact – broad-based versus focused excellence; advancing the university’s social responsibility; and funding a world-class university of the future.

Based on the feedback, bold cross-cutting proposals will be formulated for community consideration. The final strategic report, scheduled for October 2025, will outline actions that enable the university to achieve its defined goals.

International outreach

The University of Manchester has a well-established history of offering education on a transnational level, with global centers in Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. To reinforce UoM’s international outreach initiatives, Professor Ivison has just concluded his first international visit to meet the university’s overseas partners as well as its fellow students and alumni in Hong Kong.

Speaking at UoM’s East Asia Centre in Hong Kong, the University’s inaugural overseas hub, Professor Ivison emphasizes the importance of experiential learning for the students who can opt for education at any of these centers to broaden their perspectives and build their global peer network. He notes that there are more than 50,000 alumni in the region. After meeting many of them in a local cocktail gathering, he cannot help but enthuses, “I’m just so proud of their achievement, energy, loyalty and passion. They are such a united force to reckon with in their dedication to taking UoM to the world.”

University of the future

With 26 Nobel Laureates under its belt and a consistent member of the Top 50 Universities worldwide in various independent higher education assessment rankings, UoM stands in high regard. But Professor Ivison is quick to emphasize that the university is not about to rest on its laurels.

His vision of a university of the future is that it must stay ‘relevant’. It is incumbent on its leaders to ensure that it is open and transparent, and always brimming with energy and dynamism. “What with technological breakthroughs like AI bringing endless opportunities, we must embed our students with lifelong learning skills to capitalize on these advances so that they can speed up their contributions and make a difference,” Professor Ivison observes. “And I’m not talking only on a personal or organizational level, but also on societal and global levels as well.”

“Manchester 2035 encompasses the combined wisdom of our stakeholders - students, staff, alumni and partners - as we congregate to shape our strategy and take on the challenges of the future,” Professor Ivison concludes. “With our whole-hearted collaboration, I firmly believe we are at the threshold of an exciting era of advancement for humankind.” 

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