Paul Greatrix

As universities welcome students from a multitude of backgrounds, the need for personalised responses to their diverse experiences and preferences has never been more apparent. Tailoring support to individual needs can greatly improve educational outcomes. This understanding is central to the approach of Paul Greatrix, Registrar at the University of Nottingham.

In today’s conversation, Paul sat down with Interview Co-Host Max Webber to discuss topics including his journey into Higher Education and the challenge of implementing large-scale changes in a complex institution.

‍Paul’s Journey

Max: Let’s start off with a brief introduction to yourself and your institution…

I'm Paul Greatrix, and I'm the Registrar at the University of Nottingham. Our university is a large institution with campuses in Nottingham, Malaysia, and China. I have quite a large portfolio, covering everything from recruitment admissions all the way through to student welfare, libraries, and governance. Fortunately, I have a group of talented senior colleagues who do a lot of hard work across the whole range. I’m very proud to be part of the university – there is never a dull moment.

Max: What inspired you to pursue a career in Higher Education? And how do you stay energised and engaged?

I've always worked in Higher Education. After graduating, I led a student political organisation in Scotland and then struggled to find a job. I started as an admin assistant at North Staffordshire Polytechnic (now Staffordshire University), then moved to the University of East Anglia, followed by various roles at the University of Warwick. In 2007, I joined the University of Nottingham. The most exciting aspect of working in universities is being surrounded by passionate and intelligent people, making every day unique and stimulating. It's an amazing environment where something new and exciting is always happening.

‍Max: You have quite a broad portfolio. What key programs are you currently working on – and how are you co-ordinating them across different departments?

We are heavily focused on student wellbeing and engagement. We've developed a holistic approach to the student experience, recognising its importance and investing in it. This includes student welfare, a range of engagement opportunities through the Students' Union, student societies, and sports at all levels. The residential experience is also crucial, especially for first-year undergraduates. Our goal is to build a sense of belonging and community in various ways. This ensures that in a large university, everyone feels cared for and supported. We strive to provide students from all backgrounds the chance to make the most of their opportunities. Ultimately, we want everyone to benefit fully from what our university offers.

‍Max: The Higher Education field has changed hugely in the past few years. How did the pandemic influence your approach to student engagement?

The pandemic made student engagement unpredictable in ways it wasn't before. Previously, we could make certain assumptions about how students would react, but now, everyone's experiences during their school years and their responses to COVID have been very different. Some students are eager to engage and be part of an active in-person community, while others prefer solitary activities and limit their interactions. We must respond to these diverse needs and be sensitive to everyone's unique expectations and experience . The biggest challenge is personalising our response and accepting that everyone approaches things differently. This requires us to avoid making assumptions about how students will respond to what we offer.

‍Max: Universities are large institutions with many moving parts. How do you navigate that to produce the best results for the university?

It is really challenging for big institutions. Our approach has evolved over time to professionalise project and program management. We now have skilled individuals who shape, support, direct, and lead activities within a clear strategic framework. This includes setting clear objectives, milestones, progress checks, and gateways. The hardest part is implementing institution-wide change programs because universities are complex and making uniform changes is tough. However, the discipline of good program management has greatly benefited us over the past four or five years. While we haven't perfected it, this approach gives us the best chance of making progress with large-scale changes.

‍Max: What has been a key lesson from your time in Higher Education in terms of getting people on board with new ideas and gaining momentum behind projects?

Universities have a unique culture, different from most organisations, as they consist of a critical community that is naturally sceptical. Engaging with this scepticism constructively is crucial. You must be prepared for arguments and recognise that rapid delivery of plans might not always be achievable. There will always be people who resist, simply because they are inherently sceptical. This is part of the university environment. Being ready and willing to engage in debates with some of the smartest people around is essential to getting people on board and driving momentum behind projects.

‍Max: What’s the top piece of advice you’d give to anyone starting a career in Higher Education?

Pick your battles. Whatever your role you will always have too many things to do and too little time, so prioritisation is key. You can’t change everything – you need to be selective because you need to commit time and energy to really make an impact. You can't do everything in the short term, so play the long game.