Diamonds, students and stolen tapestries

Started the week with a Senior Management Group meeting for our new building, The Diamond. We're into the design freeze now, so discussion is about progress on the building, and interior layout and details. Progress is good. Fascinating discussion about concrete. Who knew it was so interesting. Listening to the progress reports, and watching the webcam, as well as hearing about the lorries of concrete lined up at intervals and managing the tower crane capacities makes you realise what a massive logistical exercise it is.  And also now starting to appreciate what a huge, and stunning, building this is going to be.

Today I had a meeting with JISC to discus one of their latest innovation projects which I'm going to be involved with. Called from Prospect to Alumnus this is a big project which aims to provide a joined up digital student experience from pre-application to employment.  More details in this infographic. Just at the scoping stage at the moment, but I'm looking forward to being involved.

Finally, a piece of news tonight which made me smile. We used to have a meetings room called The Tapestry Room, with two Eighteenth Century tapestries. About 20 years ago one was stolen, rather brazenly by a couple of guys who walked in wearing brown coats, rolled it up, carried it out and calmly nodded to the porters as they went. It was some days before someone realised it hadn't been taken down for cleaning....

So, one of the tapestries remained until recently when the room was refurbished and decorated, and it was taken down.  We were going to sell it, but it's origin was traced to a French chateau where it had been looted by the Nazis in WW2. So, we've returned it! How cool.