Simon Robinson is Professor of Applied and Professional Ethics at Leeds Metropolitan University, and Hon. Fellow in Theology at the University of Leeds.

Before this he spent 14 years as Anglican Chaplain to the University of Leeds, and 7 years as Anglican Chaplain to Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. His career began in Scotland as a medical social worker.

Simon’s publications include Agape, Moral Meaning and Pastoral Counselling (2001), Their Rights: Advance Directives and Living Wills Explored (2002), Spirituality and the Practice of Healthcare (with Kevin Kendrick and Alan Brown, 2003), Ministry Amongst Students (2004), Values and Higher Education (ed., 2005).

His research interests include: spirituality and virtue, ethics and employability, ethics of care, applied global ethics.

This paper argues that chaplaincy work in Higher Education is essentially pioneering. The pressure from churches is to see mission in terms of building up the church or sustaining the faithful. The role of chaplaincy, however, is to move ‘beyond the camp’, and to build up significant and purposeful relationships with staff and students at points of common reflection, in the curriculum, in public fora, in administration and management, between different groups in the university and the churches.

This is a ministry about enabling reflection, such that groups and individuals can hear theirs and others’ stories, and see the possibilities for meaning, value and practice. I suggest several ways in which this pioneering work can be achieved and reflect on how they affect the integrity of the chaplain.

”The truth of the Gospel within Postmodern Pluralism.”

NN: ”Higher education in Europe and chaplaincy”