Extract from CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ONE THOUSAND AND FIFTY SEVENTH MEETING OF THE COLLEGE COUNCIL held in the Bevin Room on Tuesday 30 November 2010 at 5.30 pm
22972Nursultan Nazarbayev By-Fellowship
The Council noted the draft proposal (CC-2010-138) for the creation of the Nursultan Nazarbayev Fellowship for a visiting By-Fellow or graduate student from Kazakhstan, to be sponsored by PriceWaterhouse Coopers. The Master and Senior Tutor had carried out the initial discussions of the scheme. Assuming, as was currently planned, that the visitor would be of By-Fellow status, short-listed nominations would go through Fellowship Electors.
The Council agreed to the proposal in principle, but a final proposal would be brought back to Council for agreement and the press release would be approved by circulation.
Master
------
Extract from CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ONE THOUSAND AND FIFTY EIGHTH MEETING OF THE COLLEGE COUNCIL held in the Fellows’ Dining Room on
Tuesday 18 January 2011 at 5.30 pm
22991 Nursultan Nazarbayev By-Fellowship (min 22972)
The Master reported that a number of informed individuals had expressed very positive opinions as to the setting up of a By-Fellowship for candidates from Kazakhstan. However, PwC in Kazakhstan had since informed him that the President of Kazakhstan would prefer PwC to support a one-year postgraduate studentship. PwC were considering the financial implications of this. The Master would report back to Council when more information was available.
Master
------
Extract from CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ONE THOUSAND AND FIFTY NINTH MEETING OF THE COLLEGE COUNCIL held in the Fellows’ Dining Room on Tuesday 1 February 2011 at 5.30 pm
23012Nursultan Nazarbayev By-Fellowship (min 22991)
The Master reported that PWC in Kazakhstan had been informed of the positive response to the idea of a sponsored By-Fellowship but had expressed some concern about the cost and were considering whether a studentship or By-Fellowship would be more appropriate.
Master
------
Extract from CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ONE THOUSAND AND SIXTY FIFTH MEETING OF THE COLLEGE COUNCIL held in the Fellows’ Dining Room on Tuesday 7 June 2011 at 5.30 pm
23149 Nazarbayev By-Fellowship Scheme (Min 22970)
The Council noted the paper (CC-2011-060) which reported on the meeting held between the Master and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for international relationsfollowing the initial discussion in the College Council about a proposal for a sponsored By-Fellowship for a Kazakhstani academic, at ChurchillCollege. (The PVC) was content with the proposal for the By-Fellowship scheme at ChurchillCollege, with no specific commitment on the University’s part to develop any relationship with the leader of Kazakhstan. Council emphasised the need for candidates to have both academic excellence and good English language skill, with a clear understanding that the individual will be working independently on their research. It was also clear that only one visiting By-Fellow could be accepted each year and that the scheme would be reviewed after the first year and would be for three years in the first instance. The final selection of a By-Fellow would be decided by the Fellowship Electors with nominations provided by a working commission with members from the President’s Administration, Ministry of Industry and New Technologies and PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Kazakhstan. It was noted that the Provost of Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan and former Pro-Vice-Chancellor for international relations at Cambridge, also supported the proposed scheme which would be funded by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
------
ChurchillCollege Council - Confidential Minute - Unreserved
25 October 2011
23283Nazarbayev Fellowship
This item was brought forward due to the Master having to leave for a meeting in London.
The Master introduced a paper (CC-2011-112) which outlined a proposed selection process for the Nazarbayev Fellowship. It was reiterated that Council had discussed this Fellowship in depth on two previous occasions and it had been agreed in principle.
Two issues had been raised. The first concerned the process and timetable put forward by the Provost of the Nazarbayev University, which proposed candidate interviews in December 2011 and the successful Fellow starting at the beginning of Lent term. The second issue was the concerns raised by (a Fellow) due to the downgrading by the Freedomhouse website of their assessment of civil liberties within Kazakhstan.
It was confirmed by the Bursar that the College was being reimbursed for its costs for this Fellowship by PriceWaterhouseCoopers only, and by no other body. The Council was also reminded of the support given by the College to the Eastern European Scholars Scheme.
Master left the meeting
Council discussed the matter further and felt that the process and compressed timetable put forward was unworkable due to heavy undergraduate admissions commitments during December. The issue of the Kazakhstan government’s human rights record was a cause for concern, but this had been discussed in earlier meetings, and it was felt that, although its record was far from perfect, the principal problem was that this was a one-party state rather than that the regime treated its citizens especially badly by comparison with many others. The College had academic connections with other countries whose record in human rights was similar. Council members were agreed that supporting academic opportunity in a developing country like Kazakhstan was something that fitted properly with the College’s purposes.
It was decided that the name of the Fellowship should be changed to the Nazarbayev University Fellowship, since it appeared that the post would be connected to future employment by that university. In addition, the College wished to retain the option of rejecting all candidates proposed if they are academically unsuitable and could not benefit from Cambridge. The timetable would also be altered so that it was in line with the next Fellowship Electors meeting on February 3rd which should give more time for academic references to be submitted along with the details of the shortlisted candidates. If a candidate was elected, they could start in the middle of Lent Term.
A vote was taken. As chair, the Vice-Master abstained; otherwise there was a unanimous vote from Council members in favour of proceeding with the Fellowship with the change of name to ‘Nazarbayev University Fellowship’ (it was recognised that the original name might be adhered to within Kazakhstan), and with the requirement that the Fellowship Electors select a suitable candidate at their next appropriate meeting, if the short list included one.
Council also approved the Vice-Master’s proposal for a small Ethics Group to be set up to review potential new sources of donations and funding.
Vice-MasteroH H
------
Extract from the CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE THREE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH (STATUTORY AND ELECTION) MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BODY held on Friday 2 December 2011 at 5.30 p.m. in the Fellows’ Dining Room.
3312Council Business
(A Fellow) reported on business that had been conducted at College Council in the Michaelmas Term. Attention had focussed on the Academic Audit and financial matters relating to the College Accounts. Negotiations were also ongoing with respect to the proposal to set up a Fellowship scheme through NazarbayevUniversity in Kazakhstan.
------
ChurchillCollege Council - Confidential Minute
17 January 2012
Minute 23283 – Nazarbayev Fellowship CC-2012-008
The ActingMaster confirmed thatfollowing further discussion over the Christmas period an alternative name for the Fellowship was put forward: ‘The PriceWaterhouseCoopers Nazarbayev Fellowship’.
Council felt that the new name wasacceptable as it clearly shows that PriceWaterhouseCoopers were the ones sponsoring the Fellowship and honouring the nameNazarbayev. Another important consideration was felt to be the fact that the College was not receiving additional funding other than for the costs of the Fellowship: thus the College could be seen to be notbenefiting from this relationship. Of primary importance was that Kazakhstani nationals would have the opportunity to study in Cambridge and take that knowledge back to their own country.
The Acting Master confirmed that the next meeting at which new Fellows could be considered by the Fellowship Electors was the 3rd February (with applications to be received at least a week beforehand), and that if no suitable applications were received than the Fellowship would not be awarded this year.
The Council approved the name-change and agreed in principle to go ahead with the Fellowship after a vote with 10 in favour, 2 against and 3 abstentions.
(Secretary’s note: since the meeting the previously agreed name of the NazarbayevUniversity Fellowship has been accepted by the Kazakhstani government.)
------
Extract from the CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE THREE HUNDRED AND TWELFTH (STATUTORY AND ELECTION) MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BODY held on Friday 27 January 2012 at 5.30 p.m. in the Fellows’ Dining Room.
3328Council Business
(A Fellow) reported on recent Council business. In addition to the setting up of a new Ethics Committee, there had been extended discussions relating to the establishment of a NazarbayevUniversity (post-doctoral) Fellowship which would enable researchers from Kazakhstan to visit the College.
------
Extract from the CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ONE THOUSAND AND SEVENTY- FIFTH MEETING OF THE COLLEGE COUNCIL held in the Fellows’ Dining Room on Tuesday 14 February 2012 at 5.30 pm
Minute 23283 - NazarbayevUniversity Fellowship – The Acting Master reported that a small article in the current Private Eye about the Fellowship appeared to draw on the earlier proposals. There had been no other media interest and the Fellow and Alumnus, who had been in contact with the College about the article, had received replies from the Acting Master.
------
ChurchillCollege
Unreserved Confidential Minute
28 February 2012
23427 Outstanding Action Points from previous meetings
Minute 23283 - NazarbayevUniversity Fellowship(C-2012-035) –
(A Fellow)presented concerns expressed by himself and other Fellows following the recent advertisement for the Fellowship in Kazakhstan and elsewhere on the web. The Fellowship was described in the advertisement thus: “A 6-month post-doctoral Nazarbayev Fellowship in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Republic of Kazakhstan is offered at Churchill College, Cambridge University by Price Waterhouse Cooper and the College…” The wording disregarded the College’s own firm request, which it had been told had been acceptable to the parties in Kazakhstan, that in any contexts outside Kazakhstan itself the Fellowship was to be called the Nazarbayev University Fellowship with no reference to the anniversary celebration or the president.
The question as to whether this disregard of the College’s wishes was wilful or a clerical error in Kazakhstan could not be clarified but it raised issues of the College’s authority and whether this indicated possible future problems with administering this Fellowship.
The Acting Master confirmed that the College had been very clear on the matter of its requirements for the Fellowship including the need for external advertisements for the Fellowship to clearly state it was the Nazarbayev University Fellowship. It was noted that, apart from a very small article in Private Eye (8 Feb 12), there had been no media interest and that asking for public retraction of the advert would only create more unwanted publicity. In addition, the purpose of the Fellowship was to provide young scholars from a developing country with an opportunity to study in Cambridge and it would be regrettable if this were withdrawn as a very good candidate had been elected, independently, by the Fellowship Electors at their meeting on 3rd February. The Council was reminded that the College was not profiting financially from this arrangement.
After discussion Council agreed that the Acting Master, Senior Tutor and Bursar would draw up a letter and a press release outlining the Council’s conditions for the Fellowship to proceed. These conditions would include the clear understanding that if the College were unhappy with how the Fellowship was being advertised or administered it would withdraw the offer of the Fellowship immediately, irrespective of what stage it was at. The draft letter and press release would be sent to all Council members for comment prior to being sent out.
Acting Master/Senior Tutor/Bursar
------
Extract from CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ONE THOUSAND AND SEVENTY- SEVENTH MEETING OF THE COLLEGE COUNCIL held in the Fellows’ Dining Room on Tuesday
13 March 2012 at 5.30 pm
Minute 23427/23283 - NazarbayevUniversity Fellowship (CC-2012-043)
Council took note of the confirmation from the provost of NazarbayevUniversity, of the correction of the title of the Fellowship in communications over which she had control, as well as the article published the previous week in the Times Higher Education supplement on higher education in Kazakhstan. The press release announcing the award of the Fellowship would come from ChurchillCollege and NazarbayevUniversity. The text was approved by Council. The Council also took note of the statement from ()of the intentions underlying PwC Kazakhstan’s support for the visiting Fellowship. It was confirmed that it was hoped that any holder of the Fellowship returning from Cambridge to Kazakhstan would be offered a position in a University, though this could not be guaranteed.
Council approved the acceptance of the Nazarbayev University Fellowship by a vote of 10 in favour and 4 abstentions (0 against; Chair also abstained).
------
Extract from the CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE THREE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH (STATUTORY AND ELECTION) MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BODY held on Friday 16 March 2012 at 5.30 p.m. in the Fellows’ Dining Room.
3336NazarbayevUniversity Fellowship (confidential)
The Acting Master reported that (A Fellow) had asked for the Nazarbayev University Fellowship to be placed on the agenda for the Governing Body meeting that day. She reminded those present that the possibility of a Nazarbayev University Fellowship had been under discussion for some fifteen months, with a record of the discussions being published in Council minutes. The discussions were also reported to the Fellowship Electors, who took action on those aspects that fell within their remit. These too were minuted and the minutes were circulated to Governing Body once confirmed. She encouraged Fellows to read Council minutes when these were made available so that items of concern could be raised at an early stage.
The Governing Body now had before it a copy of the paper on the Nazarbayev University Fellowship that had been circulated to College Council prior to its meeting on 13 March 2012. The Acting Master reported that the College Council had agreed to go ahead with the Fellowship under certain strict conditions. However, she advised that this decision by Council did not preclude a discussion at the current meeting. She reported that considerable unease had been expressed by both Council Members and Fellows about the ethics of making an appointment that might be perceived to connect the College with President Nazarbayev, and about possible reputational risk, but that, after much discussion, Council had taken the view that the Fellowship could provide a valuable opportunity to talented young Kazakh academics and make a positive contribution to supporting the academic community in Kazhakstan. The Acting Master emphasised that the College was not set to gain financially from the Fellowship. She noted that human rights abuses were also reported in many other countries with which the College and the University had academic links, and that the University was separately forging links with higher education projects in Kazakhstan. She noted in particular encouraging information about academic development at NazarbayevUniversity, and the role as Provost of that University currently being undertaken by a former pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (…). She regretted the difficulties that had arisen with respect to the wording of the advertisement of the Fellowship, as explained in (the paper) and reported that strict conditions had been applied to enable the College to withdraw the offer if necessary.
(The Fellow) reported that he had been alerted to the proposal via an alumnus who had seen an article in Private Eye. He acknowledged that there had clearly been long discussions about the desirability or otherwise of such a Fellowship at College Council. He noted the establishment of a new Ethics Committee in the College’s fiftieth year of existence and regretted that such a committee had not been put in place before. He said that he was unconvinced by the documentation that had been provided.
There followed a long discussion. Some Fellows felt strongly that the College should dissociate itself immediately from the proposal. Others saw merit in the College having a relationship with a country seeking to develop its academic system and felt the College should support young researchers in developing countries (as was already the case with the College’s support of the long-standing Central and Eastern European Scholars Scheme).
It was noted that procedurally Governing Body was not empowered to overturn a Council decision, but that it could express a view. It was proposed that the College should proceed with the Fellowship for this year but that the question of a future commitment to it should be referred to the Ethics Committee.