On 19 March 2019 over 200 colleagues and their families attended the European staff celebration event hosted by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Shearer West. The Sheriff of Nottingham and the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire also attended.
The event celebrated the enormous contribution our European colleagues make to the University, to Nottingham and to the UK. In her speech, recognising the prolonged uncertainty faced by our European colleagues, the Vice-Chancellor gave her commitment that the University will remain open and welcoming to all however the political situation develops.
The Senate Chamber was decorated with flags from European countries and European food and drink were served. Dozens of puddings from around the world were enjoyed as part of the inaugural ‘University of Nottingham European Fuddle’, which BBC East Midlands broadcast to the region.
We also showcased the stories of a number of our European colleagues on screens around the room and across the University’s communications and social media channels. You can also view these stories here. If you are University of Nottingham staff, you can read a full report on the #WeAreUoN campaign and the European Staff Celebration Event here.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andy Long, outlined some of the steps the University is taking to prepare for Brexit, including weekly meetings of the No Deal Incident Management Team, developing a network of Brexit contacts across the University, and developing a strategy for engagement with and in Europe beyond Brexit. Colleagues were invited to feed into this thinking by posting ideas to boards around the room. The feedback collected has fed into the University’s post-Brexit planning.
You can see more from the event by searching for the hashtag #WeAreUoN. This hashtag was trending on Twitter during the event — it was in the top ten in the UK and was number one in the East Midlands.
Staff wishing to seek HR advice relating to Brexit can email a dedicated help desk hrbrexitadvice@nottingham.ac.uk.