Hartley News Online Your alumni and supporter magazine
Recent news
Check here in each edition of Hartley News Online for the latest news from the University and your alumni and supporter community…
New chancellors
The University of Southampton is proud to announce the appointment of Justine Greening and Lord Patel of Bradford as Chancellors.
The pair are the first joint chancellors appointed by the University and succeed comedian Ruby Wax.
Justine Greening studied at the University of Southampton, graduating with first class honours with a degree in Business Economics and Accounting. After being elected MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields in 2005, Justine remained an MP until 2019. She held several Ministerial positions, including Secretary of State for Education.
Since leaving Parliament, Justine has been a strong campaigner for social mobility and equality of opportunity. In July 2023 she was awarded an honorary doctorate at Southampton.
Lord Patel started his career as a social worker, then moved into academia and government roles relating to health, education and social care. In 1999, he was made an OBE for services to ethnic minority health issues. In 2018, Lord Patel was appointed Chair of Social Work England, the regulator for child, family and adult social workers in England.
Lord Patel is Chair of the India Business Group and has links to the University as a patron for The India Centre for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development.
British Council Award winner
Congratulations to alumna Abbie Hughes (BA History, 2013) who has won the British Council Study UK Business and Innovation Award in the UAE. Abbie, who has a decade of experience working for global retailers, now runs Base Brands which helps brands grow and succeed.
Take part in the World 100 Reputation Network survey
As an alumnus, The University of Southampton would like to invite you to take part in a short online survey about university reputation. This is a project managed by The World 100 Reputation Network, a group of leading global universities, to which we belong.
All those completing the survey will be eligible to enter a prize draw to win one of two £100 Amazon gift cards or 16 £50 Amazon gift cards.
The feedback you provide will be extremely valuable to us, so we would be very grateful if you could take the time to complete this survey. It should only take 5 minutes.
You can complete the survey here.
University ranking news
The University has moved up one place to 80th in the QS World University Rankings 2025. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2024) Southampton has six subjects in the global top 50, with nursing ranked 6th in the world.
The University of Southampton has also been recognised as one of the UK’s top 20 universities in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025. The University ranked 19th in the UK and second in the Southeast, placing only behind the University of Oxford.
Nationally, we are ranked 22nd in The Guardian University Guide 2025 with seven subjects in the top 10. Midwifery is ranked 1st in the country for another year. Physiotherapy and Civil Engineering have both moved up one place and Mental Health Nursing has made it into the top 10 for the first time.
Celebrating our Olympians and Paralympians
We were very excited to see so many of our alumni competing in both the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games in Paris this summer.
Twelve years after he became the first ever Cypriot Olympic medallist, Pavlos Kontides (BEng Ship Science, 2013) has done it again, winning a silver medal in sailing in the laser class. Micky Beckett (BEng Ship Science, 2016) and Fynn Sterritt (MEng Aeronautics and astronautics, 2011) also competed in sailing events.
On the track, Anna Morris (BM5 Medicine, 2019) won a bronze medal for Great Britain in the Team Pursuit Cycling event.
The University was also represented in field sports. Alumna Margaret Hunnaball (BSc Physics, 1981 and MA Education, 2004) coached the women’s hockey team and Ellie Boatman (BSc Economics, 2018) competed in the Rugby Sevens.
Ben Pritchard (LLM Maritime Law, 2014) and Charlotte Fairbank (LLB Law and European Legal Studies, 2024) both competed in the Paralympic Games. Ben took part in the rowing, winning an incredible gold medal in the men’s single sculls for Team GB. Charlotte represented France, competing in the wheelchair tennis.
Your Alumni and Supporter Survey results are coming
Over 4000 of you completed the Alumni and Supporter Survey this year. Your responses help us understand what is important to you, how you feel about the University and what we can do to improve your experience as a member of the alumni community. Thank you so much for letting us know your thoughts! You had a lot to say about the University and we were really happy that 92% of you felt proud of your connection to us.
Look out for more details about the survey in the next issue!
Launch of Southampton Alumni Society
Earlier this year, alumni in Southampton launched a local network for alumni to come together for events and networking. The Southampton Alumni Society has hosted two events so far, including a talk at the John Hansard Gallery with award winning artist and WSA alumnus Amrit Singh in July. More than 50 alumni attended to hear about Amrit’s inspiring career and see his latest artwork – a Lighthouse, which was part of Southampton’s Lighthouse Trail this summer.
The next event is planned for November – if you would like to know more, join the mailing list.
Members of Southampton Alumni Society with award-winning artist Amrit Singh
School governor volunteers are transforming local schools
The University has partnered with national education charity, Governors for Schools, to recruit new school governors from our University community. So far, more than 20 alumni have become school governors, positively impacting over 7000 children in the local community. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a school governor, and how you can use your skills to transform educational outcomes for children in your community, register for one of our exclusive information webinars on Wednesday 23 October. Click here for the 12pm session and here for the 6pm session.
Celebrating our volunteers
Volunteers are essential in ensuring universities like Southampton go above and beyond in what they offer to students, to our research projects and to the local community. Many alumni, staff and friends of the University give their time to ensure our students and causes are given a chance to thrive.
To celebrate the contributions of our volunteers, we have produced a report documenting some of the amazing things they have achieved. We want to thank those who volunteer to give talks, mentor students, give advice to graduates, or raise money for important causes. Your contributions make a real difference.
Read the report here.
Read the lastest edition of Re:action magazine
The Summer 2024 edition of Re:action magazine is out now. This edition focuses on the ways the University is working to turn research into real outcomes in local, national and global policy-making. Read more here.
A new champion for artificial intelligence
The University of Southampton’s Professor Tim Underwood has been selected for a national network promoting responsible artificial intelligence (AI) in health and social care.
Tim will be part of a group aiming to develop AI that improves patient care. He is a Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the University and leads a research team at University Hospital Southampton.
Responsible AI UK (RAI UK) was launched last summer. It is a major international project to help develop responsible and trustworthy AI. The leadership team includes Professor Dame Wendy Hall from the University of Southampton and RAI UK’s CEO Professor Gopal Ramchurn of the School of Electronics and Computer Science. Dame Wendy is the only academic from the UK represented on the UN body on AI.
Tim takes his place as part of a multidisciplinary team of experts, including clinicians, doctors, AI experts, social scientists, academics and ethicists.
“The AI Champion initiative aims to foster the development and deployment of AI across healthcare in a responsible and equitable way,” Tim says. “This is vital if the full benefits of AI are to be realised in the NHS.
“I hope to work with like-minded researchers and clinicians in Southampton to drive the adoption of explainable and responsible AI in healthcare.”
And from our last edition…
Southampton alumni and supporters recognised in the New Year’s Honours
Several talented and passionate alumni and supporters of the University were recognised in the 2024 King’s New Year’s Honours list for work across a huge range of sectors.
- Professor Sir John Iredale (BM Medicine, 1985, DM Medicine, 1995) was appointed Knight Bachelor for services to Medical Research
- Professor Dame Carol Black GBE (Honorary Graduate 2007) who conducted an independent review on the use of drugs in the UK, was appointed Dame Grand Cross for Public Service.
- Mr Gerard Grech CBE (BEng Acoustical Engineering, 1994) the founder and Managing Director of Tech Nation, was awarded the CBE for services to the Technology Sector
- Dr Jahangir Alom (BM6 Medicine, 2016) Doctor and Campaigner was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Tackling Health Inequalities, particularly during Covid-19
- Mr Sean Adcock (BA Modern History and Politics, 1982) Master Craftsman, was awarded the British Empire Medal for Services to Drystone Walling
- Mr Leslie Want (BSc Physics, 1970) was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community in Sketty and Swansea
- Dr Kathryn Marks (BSc Environmental Science, 1996) was awarded the OBE for services to Flood Risk Management and to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Mrs Hannah O’Callaghan (BSc Geography, 2003) was awarded the OBE for services to Charitable Fundraising and Tackling Violence Against Women
- Professor Jane Monckton-Smith (PGCert, Academic Practise, 2008) was awarded the OBE for services to Criminal Justice
- Miss Helen Leadbitter (DipMSc Social Work, 2003) was awarded the MBE for services to Young Carers
- Mrs Miriam Luke (BSc Physiology and Biochemistry, 1987) President of the Henley Rowing Club and Chair of the Henley Women’s Regatta, was awarded the MBE for services to Women’s Rowing.
Major healthcare initiative to target Southampton’s most deprived areas
Southampton residents will benefit from a £5 million scheme, tackling health inequalities. This investment will bring under-served groups and areas to the forefront, tackling the root causes of poor health and wellbeing. As well as easing the burden on the local NHS, the project plans on regenerating deprived areas of the city.
Using UV light in the fight against disease
Researchers from the University of Southampton have discovered how UV light can kill viruses, such as COVID-19. The ultraviolet light degrades the genetic code of the virus, as well as its protein coat, effectively ‘killing’ the viruses. This research allows for more versatile disinfection of public spaces, offering more applications than conventional liquid-based sanitation.
Archaeologists discover long lost monastery
A team of archaeologists, led by a researcher at the University of Southampton, believe they have located the lost Monastery of Deer in Scotland. Some of the earliest written Scottish Gaelic can be traced back to this monastery, dating as far back as the late 11th century. These early texts were placed around the margins of the Book of Deer, a small gospel. These investigations help inform the overall academic understanding, as material records of monasteries from this time period are so poor.
