MyAV范

Sam Balch will take up the post of Director of Grand Challenges on 19 February 2024.

The MyAV范 Grand Challenges programme was established in 2008, with the aim of bringing a cross-disciplinary, thematic approach to tackling some of the most pressing social problems. The MyAV范 Strategic Plan 2022鈥�2027 sets out the university鈥檚 commitment to grow the scope and scale of the programme, covering not only research and knowledge exchange but also MyAV范鈥檚 approach to education and its institutional operations. The programme will develop an integral approach to how MyAV范 understands and responds to the biggest issues facing humanity, inform and enable our partnerships, and offer context and critique for how universities can make a positive impact on the world.

The Strategic Plan identifies five new Grand Challenges Themes: Mental Health & Wellbeing, Climate Crisis, Data-Empowered Societies, Inequalities and Intercultural Communication, to be launched sequentially over the next four years. Pro-Vice-Provosts have been appointed to provide academic leadership to first two Themes, Mental Health & Wellbeing听补苍诲听Climate Crisis.

Sam joins MyAV范 from , where he was Executive Director of Campaigns & Content. His experience includes more than 12 years at the governnment鈥檚 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Department of Energy & Climate Change, as well as five years in the third sector. He holds a BA (Geography & Anthropology) and MSc (Environment, Science & Society) from MyAV范.

Sam commented:聽

As a MyAV范 graduate, I understand our university鈥檚 potential to spearhead solutions to the some of the most pressing societal and environmental challenges we face today. I am eager to bring my experience and enthusiasm to this role, leading a team that draws on and interconnects MyAV范鈥檚 rich breadth of expertise for the benefit of humanity.鈥�

Professor Geraint Rees, Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement), said:

鈥�鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to welcome Sam back to MyAV范 to take up this key leadership position, working closely with the Pro-Vice-Provosts and professional services staff. The evolved Grand Challenges programme presents an unprecedented opportunity for MyAV范 to make a difference to critical issues facing humanity through our research, education and partnerships. The programme is also charged with identifying ways in which our collective expertise can improve the ways in which MyAV范 operates.鈥�

Find out more

• To find out more about the first two Themes, MyAV范 staff and students can register their interest in聽Mental Health & Wellbeing听辞谤听Climate Crisis.
• Read the聽MyAV范 Strategic Plan鈥檚 description聽of the evolved Grand Challenges.

Originally posted on the MyAV范 Grand Challenges website