Registrar resigns

Jon Baldwin, who joined Warwick University as Registrar in 2004, resigned from his post on 14 October 2011 effective at the end of December.

He commented that during his seven years in the position, he had felt “honoured and proud to have been part of that Warwick community” and also described the University as a “singular success story.”

“Warwick’s staff and students have consistently worked together and innovated to create one of the UK’s most emulated and envied universities,” he continued.

Nigel Thrift, Vice-Chancellor of Warwick University, paid tribute to Baldwin in a statement on the Warwick Insite website, stating that overall, he had “played a key role” in developing the university through recent “periods of sectoral challenge.”

Prior to his appointment at Warwick, Jon Baldwin served as the Registrar of the University of Wolverhampton from 1995 to 2000 and will move on to, in the words of the Vice-Chancellor, “develop his leadership potential further.”

While serving as a core member of Warwick staff, Baldwin was a regular conference speaker and found time to contribute to both national and international debates.

Most notable was Baldwin’s April 2008 Guardian piece defending the interests of universities against “a well-meaning but increasingly intervening and interfering government.” The article argued that universities were facing challenges beyond the necessary ones of improving student services, maintaining financial sustainability and the increasing competitiveness of higher education due to globalisation.

In addition, Baldwin publicised the University’s successes in a 2011 Guardian Professional interview, during which he advocated universities sharing administrative services with other institutions, naming services provided and led by Warwick University such as Unitemps and jobs.ac.uk.

Nicola Owen, Academic Registrar since January 2007 and Secretary to the Academic Resourcing Committee since 2006, will become Acting Registrar until a new Registrar is appointed, as Baldwin will step back from his internal duties from 1 November 2011 to focus on external engagements representing the University.