STATEMENT OF STRATEGIC BENEFIT
COLLABORATION DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA
STATEMENT OF STRATEGIC BENEFIT
(TO BE COMPLETED BY SCHOOLS)
Notes for Schools/ Faculties/ Departments:
Strategic UoK collaborative partnerships should operate at faculty and / or institutional levels,
or work towards producing such partnerships, allowing for multilayered and deep institutional
collaborations.
Where collaborations are exclusively departmental / school focused, there should be strongly
compelling
reasons for the development of such partnerships, which should be owned by
the relevant School or Department, not simply by individuals.
Collaborative partnerships should allow for; delivery of the Higher Education experience for a
wider diversity of students; student mobility and; reinforcements of the of the UoK European
and International recruitment strategies/ or reinforcement of UoK’s position as a higher
education institution in the local region.
Collaborative partnerships should aim to be medium to long term, unless particular
circumstances call for the formation of short term, operational inter-institutional connections.
They should involve partners of appropriate standing, whose suitability should be carefully
assessed, at an early stage of collaboration development, through strategic benefit analysis, risk
analysis, and due diligence procedures.
Collaborative partnerships should enhance the reputation and ‘brand impact’ of UoK, as;
serving as an intellectual and cultural focus for the region; supporting national and regional
economic success, and; extending close ties within Europe and the wider international arena.
Collaborative partnerships should be supported by appropriate resources, networks and
stakeholders and should not be formed where these phenomena are not in place and operable.
In particular it should be noted that the University retains responsibility for ensuring that
students admitted to a collaborative programme can complete it in the event that a partner
withdraws from an arrangement. Therefore when proposing a collaboration, consideration
should be given to whether appropriate mechanisms to protect students can be put in place.
Collaborative partnerships: prompts for schools / faculties to support their
initial articulation of the strategic benefits of a new / proposed collaborative
activity.
1. What is the nature of the proposed collaboration? Does it involve, or potentially involve;
validating an institution/organisation/academic centre; franchising a programme; working
with a partner to develop a joint or dual award; admitting students on a Kent programme
with advance standing via APL; or a different type of collaborative partnership?
2. Will the collaboration involve partnership at UG/PG level and is there an opportunity for
research links? How long is the intended partnership ie is it a long term strategic
collaboration, or a short term, tactical or operational partnership?
3. What are the strategic benefits for Kent if they enter into this collaboration ie would the
collaboration promote UoK’s position in the local region; assist the widening participation
agenda; reaffirm its title at the UK’s European University, or; help achieve the University’s
Internationalisation Strategy?
4. How appropriate is the proposed collaborative partner? How does that partner enhance
the reputation and / or ‘brand impact’ of UoK?
5. What other (UK or international) partners does the proposed collaborative partner have?
6. Does the proposed collaboration have University as well as School and/ or faculty benefits
and implications?
7. If the collaboration involved an overseas partner how does this initiative contribute to our
efforts to become a more internationalised institution and international recruitment market
priorities?
8. What support does Kent have from key stakeholders in this project?
9. Does Kent have mainstream provision in the area of proposed collaborative provision?
10. Does Kent have the right networks and resources to enable this project to be successful?
11. How will a Business Plan for the proposed collaboration be developed, where for example
a new programme is a likely outcome?