At the end of June we saw the Graduation ceremony for the cohort of SMLC students who joined the University in the strange and unsettling circumstances of 2020, and who had to cope with all the personal, academic and social impact of that time. As ever, it was a fabulous Graduation ceremony, and it was uplifting to see students process, receive their degrees, and celebrate with family and friends. Congratulations to all our students who have recently graduated both on the Glasgow campus and at the University of Nankai in China.

I moved to Glasgow as incoming Head of School that same summer of 2020. I will always cherish the help given to me in settling into the job, as well as the understanding of students in French as they saw me bumble my way through Zoom lectures (‘I’m sorry we can’t hear the clip you are playing’) and language classes (‘The transcript is converting your French into nonsense verse’). But there was also time for experimentation. It is heartening to know that a lockdown lecture I gave on Surrealism – with a large stuffed toy seal balanced on my head – was noted by students for its lessons in Surrealist juxtaposition and incongruity, and the importance of one’s own absurdity.

I am a big believer in the ‘life’ of a University, in the broadest sense, and as the lockdowns eased it was wonderful to see so many students and staff take part in a whole series of events and activities. The sense of creativity and community in the School is also to be seen in a whole range of initiatives in teaching, scholarship, and research, many highlighted again in this current newsletter. New appointments, programmes, and other projects are also coming in the long-term, and the University of Glasgow continues to be a place where languages, cultures, and the arts and humanities in general are seen as a critical part of the institution, and of the prosperity and well-being of society at large.

In that light it is a particular pleasure to welcome Professor Nina Parish as she takes over from me as Head of School from August 2025. Nina joins us from the University of Stirling, where she was a Professor of French and Francophone Studies, and Head of the Division of Literature and Languages, as well as Director of Research for The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. I know that colleagues join me in welcoming Nina very warmly to the School, and I wish her very well for her tenure as Head of School.

I will continue to be based in the School, and I look forward to continuing working with our staff and students.

Meanwhile thank you to all colleagues and students for all that you have done for me during my time as HoS. You have made it a pleasure, as well as a privilege.

Stephen Forcer

First published: 5 August 2025

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Professor Stephen Forcer stands in the cloisters wearing academic dress.