Our School, Our Vision
Jon Simons, Head of the School of the Biological Sciences
In line with the University’s mission, the academic vision of the School of the Biological Sciences is the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. We know that to deliver this vision we must foster a working and learning environment that has the principles of collaboration, innovation and inclusivity at its heart, and I am proud of the bold and ambitious strides that the School is already making to achieve this.
I firmly believe that the diversity of research and education carried out across the School is fundamental to our continued excellence and success. We have world leaders working collaboratively across animal, human, plant and microbial science, spanning atomic, molecular and cellular research through to complex tissues, organs, whole organisms, human behaviour, ecosystems, and planetary health.
Working together across our 13 Departments and Institutes, our public facing Veterinary Hospital, Botanic Garden, Zoology Museum and the Herbarium, and with colleagues in our important strategic initiatives, our research and teaching is delivering positive impacts on society, improving health and disease outcomes across species, innovating solutions in agriculture, conservation and the environment, as well as contributing widely to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.
As the global research and education landscape evolves, we are committed to continuing to deliver both research and education at the highest levels, working in innovative ways to shift the boundaries of knowledge in biological sciences. To meet this objective, we are building plans to deliver an even higher quality working environment that inspires researchers, students and professional staff alike. This requires creativity and ongoing collective engagement across the School, and I am proud to be working with excellent colleagues from all areas to drive real progress towards achieving our vision.
We can be proud of all we have achieved but there is, and will always be, much to do. With the help of our dedicated, resilient and resourceful academic, professional and technical colleagues, it is clear to me that the School of the Biological Sciences will continue to go from strength to strength in the coming years and long into the future.