Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan
2014/15 and 2015/16
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
Contents
1.
Strategic Overview ............................................................................................................................... 3
2.
Faculty Objectives- Vision 2021............................................................................................................ 6
3.
Research KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan ...................................................................................... 7
4.
Learning and Teaching KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan ............................................................... 13
5.
Reputational KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan .............................................................................. 18
6.
Financial and Environmental Sustainability KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan............................... 22
7.
Enabling and HR related KPIs, Commentary and Action plan ............................................................ 25
8.
Societal Challenge Theme KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan ......................................................... 28
2
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
1. Strategic Overview
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences aims to be renowned nationally and internationally for
the excellence of its research, teaching and engagement activities across the creative arts, humanities,
social sciences and related professions. It continues to make good progress in meeting its Vision 2021
objectives and is putting in place plans to address those areas where gaps in performance still exist. The
Faculty has introduced a planning cycle involving all schools embracing action planning, risk assessment,
HR planning, and the measurement of progress against KPIs. This is integrated into the University
planning cycle.
The Faculty is committed to delivering:



High quality research of significance to policy makers, practitioners and fellow researchers,
disseminated widely and published in the most impactful outlets.
Educational programmes that are highly sought after by students in competitive national and
international markets that are valued by alumni and employers alike for the high quality of the
learning experience and the knowledge and skills of graduates.
Beneficial impacts on policy makers, professionals, practitioners, and partner organizations in
the cultural, social and economic spheres.
The Faculty’s core values remain constant, remaining first and foremost committed to achieving the
highest academic standards and fostering a culture of creativity, innovation and enterprise. The Faculty
wishes to maintain its financial strength, celebrate diversity, promote equality of opportunity, and meet
the cultural and social obligations embraced by the societal challenge of social renewal. These values are
communicated through strong leadership across all organisational and disciplinary areas and the
commitment made to staff development, training, mentoring and coaching.
Raising the bar on academic quality has been a key objective in 2013/14, and in 2014/15 the Faculty will
seek to raise levels of performance further through implementation of its comprehensive HR plan. The
Faculty will continue to invest in academic staff appointments and plans to attract high performing
individuals with established track records into academic leadership roles. It will continue to devote
attention to communicating appropriate academic standards; improving the quality of PDRs, introducing
focused personal research planning for staff on T & R contacts, and setting a high benchmark for
promotion based on objective measures of performance in research, teaching, and engagement. It will
continue to deal with underperformance and firmly communicate the principle across all schools that
inclusion in research assessment exercises is a normal expectation of staff on T&R contracts.
Increasing research quality and capacity is crucial to the achievement of the Faculty’s ambitions. In
2014/15 the Faculty will further improve its academic reputation and achieve growth in research activity
through investments to strengthen subject excellence. These will include, for example, a major
investment in a Future of Cities Research Initiative with the aim of building on existing interests and
reputations in urban studies across Planning, Architecture, Geography and CURDS to develop a critical
mass of world-leading research. The Faculty has prioritised a further six areas, namely Architecture,
Econometrics, Strategic Management, Behavioural Finance, Law and Digital Humanities, and will be
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
recruiting at the Reader or Professorial level to provide research leadership and ensure that research
excellence in these pivotal areas is reinforced.
The Faculty has prepared carefully for the REF in order to achieve further improvements in research
power and publication quality across its academic fields. However, there remains the need for a
significant shift in culture to secure more research income, and the Faculty recognises the need for
continued emphasis on the quality of publications and increasing citation metrics. These will be key
areas of attention for the new Dean of Research and Innovation. The goal is to achieve a strong flow of
impactful, well-funded research projects and publications in high-ranking outlets in all subject areas.
The Faculty is in the process of reviewing the research landscape to ensure that all relevant academics
are members of an active research group or Centre and are affiliated to a cross-disciplinary Institute.
Faculty Executive Board is strongly in support of a proposal to develop a new Humanities Research
Institute (NUHRI) to develop new collaborative and interdisciplinary research initiatives, bring in
funding, and support our primary objective of raising the bar on research quality. Faculty research
funding will be deployed strategically to provide the opportunity for staff to bid for research funding.
The Faculty has performed exceptionally well in the provision of doctoral training and has won funding
for two doctoral training centres (ESRC and AHRC) in partnership with Durham and Queen’s University
Belfast. NUISR is growing in strength, impact and ambition and will continue to focus on encouraging
inter-disciplinary working to prosecute the Social Renewal societal challenge theme.
The Faculty has made significant progress in achieving the necessary culture shift across the disciplinary
areas to ensure that it achieves excellence in terms of student experience on all its taught programmes.
This is a key objective for all the schools and for the Deans of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies.
Whilst NSS student satisfaction scores have improved significantly, some areas still require attention. All
disciplinary areas must maintain a strong focus on the essential features which promote student
satisfaction and engagement at the subject level: an exciting curriculum, adequate contact hours, high
quality teaching, good quality feedback, student support and guidance, access to academics, and the
development of skills which enhance employability. The Faculty has implemented a common framework
for the structure of UG programmes some years ago and this is now well bedded in. The programme
content of several UG and PGT degrees has been reviewed in the context of more competitive market
conditions and new programmes introduced, for example English and History and English Literature with
Creative Writing. The launch of the new BA (Honours) Education in 2015 is a significant initiative in
response to challenging market conditions for the School of Education, Communication and Language
Sciences. The Business School will be undertaking a major exercise over the coming year to refresh and
rejuvenate its UG and PGT portfolios. Greater attention also needs to be given in 2014/15 to analysis of
the results of systematic module evaluations using the EvaSys system to ensure that Schools are taking
proper account of student ratings to enhance the quality of provision.
The Faculty recognises the importance of accreditations both in terms of student employability and in
relation to academic reputation and league table rankings. The Architecture accrediting body is
currently undergoing a significant consultation on the current structure of the Part 1 and 2 programmes
and the School will need to carefully consider its response. Architecture has achieved a significant
turnaround in recruitment and NSS scores and the Faculty will take all necessary steps to maintain the
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
subject’s current healthy market position. The Business School has its AACSB accreditation visit in May
2014 and success is a critical step in achievement of the University objective of a developing an
internationally recognised Business School with triple accreditation.
Success in student recruitment is essential to the Faculty’s financial health and future development. In
recent strategic planning meetings the Schools have demonstrated that they recognise there is no room
for complacency, particularly given the ‘soft’ home PGT market and the impact of higher fees on student
degree choice. Overall recruitment has been good for the last two years and some subjects have seen a
significant rise in UG applications (Geography, Architecture, and Law). Maintaining this level of
recruitment performance will require an on-going commitment to marketing and conversion activities
to ensure degree programmes remain competitive in the years ahead. The Faculty did not meet the
2013 target for entry at ABB+ and this remains particularly challenging for some subject areas.
Expanding diversity, especially across PGT programmes, is a key on-going objective for the Business
School. The Business School is also facing teaching room capacity issues that are a cause for concern and
will only be alleviated through the development of new teaching facilities on the Science Central site.
In order to assist the University realise its ambitions for growth, the Faculty is committed to new
programme development to achieve organic growth. Key initiatives for the next two years are the
launch of exciting new programmes in Media and Journalism and Film and Media, the development of
the on-line MBA, a refocused International Business Management Programme and provision of modules
as part of the Sports and Exercise Science development in Medical Sciences. The Faculty is heavily
committed to a strategic partnership with INTO University Partnerships involving the launch of a new
Centre in London that plans to deliver a number of UG and PGT programmes. The design of the
programme content is underway to ensure that full advantage is taken of this location.
If the Faculty is to fully realise its 2021 objectives, it has to achieve a significant shift in culture and
ambition to develop significant and impactful research projects and programmes. The Faculty aims for
every School to be actively engaged with a small number of prestigious international partners who will
help raise the University’s reputation for research excellence. The Faculty is working on developing
relationships with potential partners in the US and on an ambitious cross-university partnership with
Xiamen University. This will involve delivery of the reconfigured International Business Management
undergraduate degree in Xiamen and participation in a select number of research themes.
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
2. Faculty Objectives- Vision 2021

To achieve and sustain research excellence, evidenced by a strong submission to REF 2014.

To deliver a high quality student experience on all programmes, evidenced by NSS scores that meet
or better the University target and excellent results in other surveys.

To embed the drive, ambition and capabilities needed to excel in both teaching and research.

To strategically strengthen and deepen international activities, projects and reputation.

To expand international student recruitment based on an international reputation for academic
excellence.

To make a distinctive contribution to the development and delivery of societal challenge themes
and to lead on the Social Renewal theme via the Institute for Social Renewal.

To work with the Development and Alumni Relations Office to establish a lifelong engagement with
our alumni.

To develop an internationally recognised Business School.

To deliver a high profile and internationally recognised Doctoral Training Programme.

To fully realise the potential of established and emerging capabilities in distinctive areas of creative
practice through the Newcastle Institute for Creative Arts Practice (NICAP).
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
3. Research KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan
3.1. (KPI 1) Research G&C Income per T&R and R FTE
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
11.4
10.4
9.7
(£000s)
2013/14
Forecast
8.6
2014/15
Target
9.7
2015/16
Target
11.6
3.2. (KPI 2) Value of New Awards per T&R and R FTE
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
12.7
11.2
8.9
(£000s)
2013/14
Forecast
10.5
2014/15
Target
12.4
2015/16
Target
13.4
3.3. (KPI 3) Proportion of staff regularly publishing at internationally significant levels of originality,
significance and rigour
Year
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
% Staff
-
65
80
2013/14
Forecast
80
2014/15
Target
80
2015/16
Target
85
3.4. (KPI 4) Submission rate for FT PGR students within four years
2010/11
(2006/07
starters)
2011/12
(2007/08
starters)
2012/13
(2008/09
starters)
2013/14
Forecast
(2009/10)
2014/15
Target
(2010/11)
2015/16
Target
(2011/12)
40
63
64
66
65
67
%
Submitted
3.5. (KPI 5) Number of Doctoral Awards per FTE
2010/11
(2006-2007
starters)
2011/12
(2007/08
starters)
2012/13
(2007/08
starters)
2013/14
Forecast
(2008/09)
2014/15
Target
(2009/10)
2015/16
Target
(2010/11)
No. completed
115
129
70
81
90
100
No. per FTE
0.17
0.19
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
3.6. (KPI 6) Number of Research Council Doctoral Student registrations
Year
no of
students
2010/11
2011/12
2013/14
ACTUAL
2012/13
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
74
3
86
5
99
4
104
7
100
5
100
5
3.7. Context and commentary on past performance
Research income and new awards
Having ‘peaked’ in 2010/11, research G&C income (in total, and per T&R and R FTE) declined in each of
the two following years.
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
The value of new awards (in total, and per T&R and R FTE) has also fallen quite steeply for each of the
past two years. The Faculty’s new award value fell by 19% between 2011/12 to 2012/13, from a total of
£4.7m to £3.8m, explained by a fall in the application success rate and by a decline in the average size of
award. The proportion of new award funding from RCUK sources did, however, increase, from 32% of
the total in 2011/12 to 41% in 2012/13, in spite of the decrease in availability of funding from the AHRC
and ESRC for the traditional bids for short and limited scope projects in the Faculty in preference for
longer, larger awards.
Large collaborative bids will continue to be supported through the Faculty’s bid preparation fund,
focusing on embedding drive, ambition and capabilities for T&R staff to apply for and win research
funding. The Faculty will also plan to better monitor and encourage a more consistent pipeline of
applications through the introduction of the personal research plan, which will identify individuals who
are best placed to submit applications and identify the support required to improve success. It is
anticipated that this will improve the ‘PI density’ in the Faculty, as most research funding is currently
attributable to a relatively small proportion of staff.
The Research Funding Development Manager has significantly strengthened research support at the
Faculty level. The Faculty also undertook a review of research support this year, resulting in an increase
in investment in support for research applications through additional professional support posts in the
Schools and Faculty. The additional resource in Schools will support academics in the costing and pricing
of applications, as well as post award support. The additional Faculty resource will support the targeted
dissemination of funding opportunities and funder intelligence and help improve the quality of
applications.
The Faculty offers an excellent environment for multidisciplinary research, including the Faculty’s two
research institutes, NUISR and NICAP as well as the Faculty’s University Research Centres and research
groups. In order better to pursue multi-disciplinary agendas, and to marshal critical mass behind largescale applications, the Faculty has recently created a new cross-School Centre for Latin American Studies
and are developing a proposal for a ‘Newcastle University Humanities Research Institute’ (NUHRI). The
Faculty also plan to establish a new Self-Organised Learning Environments (SOLEs) Institute, to build on
existing research strengths in this area and strengthen cross Faculty and University collaboration.
In view of the above, but also in anticipation of the highly competitive environment for available funding
from the research councils, the Faculty believes it is prudent to plan for a staggered increase in awards
over 2014/15 and 2015/2016.
Quality and number of staff publications
In terms of publishing at internationally significant levels of originality, significance and rigour, a strong
performance was achieved in terms of numbers included in REF 2014, with 80% of eligible staff being
submitted. The Faculty will prepare for subsequent REF returns through the strong emphasis on
improving the impact of its research through publishing in high quality journals. This will be supported
and encouraged through the new personal research development plans across all Schools in the Faculty
for research active staff, an annual internal quality assessment process for outputs and through the
annual PDR process.
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
Members of academic staff continue to be supported through the receipt of, typically, a semester’s
research leave in the final year of a four-year cycle. This periodic and substantial remission from
teaching enables staff to maintain the production of research outputs of the quality required for REF or
similar future national assessments.
Research Performance and Reputation
Research is a key driver of institutional reputation as perceived by a wide range of stakeholders, not
least prospective students and their parents. It is vital that the Faculty continues its proactive approach
to reputation building, increasingly making use of non-traditional media and succeeds in improving
influential league table rankings at the subject level.
The Faculty has many areas of strength in research but too few areas of critical mass. The Faculty has
University Executive Board approval to invest in new Chair posts in key strategic areas of strength to
build critical mass, including posts in the Digital Humanities, Strategic Management, Behavioural
Finance, Urban Research, and a Director of the Future of Cities Research Initiative.
The Faculty has planned a series of research roadshows on ‘Tricks of the Trade: Raising your Academic
Profile and Reputation’, targeted at ensuring academic staff are fully informed of the support available
to help them increase their grant income and enabling staff to maximise their research profile through
eg improved citations, publishing in high quality journals etc
The Faculty will strengthen its research organisation by identifying research leads for the Humanities,
Social Sciences, Business Studies and Creative Arts, through a new HaSS Faculty Research Executive,
chaired by the Dean of Research, and having as its main aims the facilitation of inter-disciplinary
research collaboration and co-ordination and enhancement of the Faculty’s capacity to respond to
external initiatives.
Impact Agenda
The Faculty has been provisionally awarded £738k over four years from the ESRC for an Impact
Acceleration Account, subject to approval of a submitted business plan. This will part fund, together
with HEIF funding, an Impact Officer to support the production of high quality impact case studies for
future REF exercises, as well as ensuring the effective dissemination of the impact from research.
Through the ESRC IAA the Faculty aims to:
 Enhance the capacity of Newcastle staff and PGRs to undertake social science research which
has beneficial impacts;
 Increase the range, quality and impact of knowledge exchange with external partners;
 Enhance Newcastle’s experience of and reputation in undertaking ‘excellent research with a
purpose’;
 Enhance our expertise and involvement in co-produced research;
 Enhance our contribution to social renewal;
 Contribute to wealth creation, to the development of policy and professional practice and to
civil society.
PGR numbers, submission and completion rates
The Faculty’s success in being awarded ESRC / AHRC Doctoral Training Centres / Partnerships is effective
at attracting an increased number of applications from good quality students. The success in gaining
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
AHRC funding for the Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Centre provides a catalyst for increasing
collaboration with Durham and Queen’s University, Belfast and also with a range of external partners,
particularly in the cultural sector under the umbrella of NICAP.
While the Faculty has lower PhD submission and completion rates than it would like, it is on an
improving trajectory. It is seeking to continue progress by increasing the quality of its student intake,
making Project Approval and Annual Progress Reviews more rigorous and consistent, encouraging good
supervisory practice and training students to prioritise timely submission. New training is being
introduced for PGRs in the creative practice subject areas and research training is being adapted to
meet the individual needs of Arts, Humanities and Social Science students.
N8 Research Consortium
The Faculty will continue to participate in the N8 research consortium, building upon the present raft of
projects. Research on co-production continues with the support of ESRC but on a smaller scale than
originally anticipated. This has helped consolidate relationships among social science research leaders,
an outgrowth of which has been funded research on policing and communities. In the creative arts,
Newcastle has participated an AHRC funded project (New Thinking for the North) which aimed to
identify ways in which academics and practitioners in the arts and humanities can work in partnership to
influence economic growth across the North of England. The N8 is poised to take a big step forward in
collaboration, seeking to position itself as a leading research force globally in a field of collective
strength such as food security, bringing together researchers in the natural and social sciences.
3.8. Action plan for 2014/15 and 2015/15
Research income and output quality
An action plan has been put in place to improve research performance, particularly with respect to
raising research grant income. Its elements include:





KPIs and action plans for research funding to be agreed between Schools and Faculty as part of the
annual strategic planning process.
Securing research funding being established as a normal expectation of all staff on T&R and R
contracts, reinforced for example through promotion guidelines.
A process of Personal Research Planning (separate from PDR) is being introduced for all staff on T&R
and R contracts.
The support for research across the faculty has been reviewed, and enhancements are being made
to research support staffing at both School and Faculty levels.
Research organisation in the Faculty has been reviewed, and recommendations approved for:
o Enhancing the level of start-up support provided for new research centres
o Encouraging the establishment, where appropriate, of new research centres
o A proposal to establish a Newcastle University Humanities Research Institute (NUHRI), that
is coming forward for institutional consideration;
o Supporting collaborative research and grant applications within Creative Practice. This is
being achieved through the delivery of the NICAP Strategic Plan (2013-2015)
o All T&R and R staff to be associated with a research group
o The establishment of a Faculty Research Executive
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16










Appointment of high calibre Readers and Chairs in strategic areas of excellence and areas in need of
strengthening to improve REF performance through the recruitment of staff with high quality
publications and a significant track record of research funding.
Running a series of research roadshows on ‘Tricks of the Trade: Raising your Academic Profile and
Reputation’, to enable staff to increase their grant income and maximise their research profile.
Developing an implementation strategy for REF 2020.
Introducing an annual IQA exercise to review research outputs.
Focus on retention and recruitment of the highest quality academic staff and proactively develop
staff to be in a position to take up key research leadership roles, through development
opportunities such as Faculty Futures and Unpacking Your Chair.
Development of a Faculty Research and Innovation Strategy following on from the revised University
Research and Innovation Strategy to be approved by Council on 16th June 2014.
Support for the improved dissemination of research outputs via open access to increase and
enhance the impact of research and the outcomes of research projects.
Securing ESRC IAA Funding to support the impact agenda, in the pursuit of ‘excellence with a
purpose’ in research activities.
Establishing effective mechanisms to capture and record impact from research to ensure the Faculty
is best placed to produce excellent case studies for REF 2010 and to promote the impact of its
research as widely as possible to the academic community and beyond.
Establish a new Institute in the Faculty on Self-Organised Learning Environments (SOLEs), led by
Professor Sugata Mitra, with membership including high calibre researchers in the Schools of
Education, Communication and Language Sciences (including CfLaT and iLab: Learn) and Computing
Science. This will be a cross-Faculty and cross-University Institute, with significant external funding
and a strong national and international profile. An extensive, prestigious international conference is
being planned for 2015 at the Sage, Gateshead.
Northern Bridge DTP and North East DTC student numbers
 Promoting postgraduate study to the Faculty's high performing undergraduates to encourage the
best to apply for studentships. To facilitate this by using the funding available in the Schools and
Faculty to fund the masters year for high quality applicants.
 Providing Schools with customised advice on how to construct the best DTC/DTP nominations and
applications.
 Widening the pool of excellent researchers acting as supervisors for AHRC and ESRC funded students
PGR submission and completion rates
 Focus on submission and completion in Supervisory Updating sessions.
 Introduce a revised ‘Milestones for Successful and Timely Submission’ document and embed this in
good supervisory practice.
 Continue to encourage high entry standards.
N8 Research Consortium
 Continue to participate in the consortium, focussing particularly on the development of a
collaboration around food security.
 The next step for the New Thinking from the North project will be developing a funding bid to
research councils and partner funders encompassing research areas identified during the pilot
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
phase. This future project would consist of a core element directing three parallel subsidiary strands
of investigation: Radical North, Accessing the Past, and Imagining the Future.
3.9. Risks and Controls
Research income and award value
Risk: Failure to increase research income and to obtain new grants and contracts.
Control: action plan to address outlined above.
Quality of Research Outputs
Risk: Failure to produce sufficient outputs of appropriate quality.
Control: Introduction of personal research plan to guide staff and target resources to support staff, in
particular ECRs, PDR and an annual IQA process.
Research Impact for future REF exercises
Risk: Failure to develop sufficient and appropriate impact.
Control: Use of personal research plan and network of DoR/research subject leads to identify potential
impact case studies for future REF submissions, support from Impact Officer through ESRC IAA to help
with the development of case studies, provision of database to collate and track evidence.
Calibre of Research Staff
Risk: Failure to recruit and retain high quality staff.
Control: Rigorous selection, probation and promotion procedures; clear expectations for staff on T&R
contracts; support for staff research through personal research planning and funding for bid
preparation; invest in staff through high quality development opportunities, research leave, personal
research planning and mentoring; and provision of first class academic environment, including
comprehensive support infrastructure through research institutes, centres and groups and world class
visiting academics.
PGR numbers, submission and completion rates
Risk: Submission and completion rates fall
Control: policies outlined above.
Risk: Research Student Numbers decline
Control: Careful student number planning and the effective operation of DTC/DTP.
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
4. Learning and Teaching KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan
4.1. (KPI 7) Undergraduate satisfaction scores (NSS Q22 Overall satisfaction)
(%)
Faculty Average
2010
85.08
2011
89.01
2012
88
2014
Target
>90
2013
90.28
2015
Target
>90
4.2. (KPI 8) Postgraduate (PRES and PTES) satisfaction scores (Overall satisfaction)
PTES
2010
88
(%)
Faculty Average
PRES
2011
85
PTES
2012
91
PRES
2013
81
PTES 2014
Target
>90
4.3. (KPI 9) Student:Academic staff and Support:Academic staff ratios
Year
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
FORECAST
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
Student: Academic Staff
20.9
20.6
20.0
23
23
23
Academic Staff: Support Staff
2.59
2.62
2.62
3.06
3.0
3.0
4.4. (KPI 10) Percentage feedback returned within 20 days
2010/11
2011/12
-
-
% returned*
2012/13
Actual
85
2013/14
Forecast
88
2014/15
Target
98
2015/16
Target
98
*Excluding Faculty approved exemptions
4.5. (KPI 11) Percentage AAB+/ABB+ entrants (Fee category Home UK and Home EU)
2010/11
AAB+
62
% intake
2011/12
AAB+
60.2
2011/12
ABB+
76.9
2012/13
ABB+
77.3
2013/14
ABB+
73.8
2014/15
Target
75
2015/16
Target
76
4.6. (KPI 12) Percentage international student (UG, PGT, PGR)
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Target
2015/16
Target
% UG
12.2
10.4
13.6
13
13
% PGT
54.1
53.1
59.96
60
60
% PGR
42.4
38.3
42.27
43
43
21.83
22.75
25.12
25
25
2010/11
% All
19.81
4.7. (KPI 13) Percentage of students from low participation neighbourhoods
Year
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014 Target
2015 Target
% LPN entry
7.4
7.1
7.3
6.9
7.6
7.7
13
PRES 2015
Target
>90
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
4.8. (KPI 14) UG Dropout percentage (Stage 1, academic fail or withdrawal)
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
Target
2014/15
Target
2015/16
Target
3.3
2.9
2.4
3
3
3
% Dropout
4.9. (KPI 15) Number of incoming and outgoing student placements and exchanges
YEAR
2012/13
Actual
In
Out
141
42
200
240
2011/12
In
113
186
Non EU Student Exchange
Erasmus
Out
69
231
2013/14
ACTUAL
In
Out
83
66
207
286
2014/15
TARGET
In
Out
140
55
220
250
2015/16
TARGET
In
Out
These figures include non-EU student exchanges, study abroad, study placements, work placements and British Council assistantships
4.10.
(KPI 16) PGT students registered on creative practice related programmes
2010/11
Year
No of students
4.11.
2011/12
2012/13
Actual
2013/14
ACTUAL
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
FT
PT
249
71
294
62
273
50
323
80
325
80
330
80
Context and commentary on past performance
Student satisfaction
NSS performance continues to improve generally, but a minority of schools still need to do further work
to achieve 90% overall satisfaction.
The PTES student satisfaction score for 2013 indicates that most programmes meet or are close to the
90% overall student satisfaction target, but there is evidence of lower scores in selected areas of the
Faculty’s portfolio due to staff departures, very small programmes or areas where there has been a
large growth in student numbers.
The PRES results should be interpreted in the knowledge that the measure of overall student
satisfaction has changed and the data does not reflect a decline in performance. Most HaSS Schools
have student feedback that is above the national and Russell Group averages.
Return of coursework feedback
Because of large student numbers and extensive use of adjunct staff HaSS has struggled in some areas
to meet the target of returning all coursework within 20 days of submission. The Faculty has also
needed to support schools to record the data accurately enough to assess the level of performance.
Further work is needed to support more consistent achievement of the target.
Student recruitment
International recruitment at undergraduate level is only possible in some subject areas, but in these
subjects the numbers are substantial and the trajectory has been upward. This is particularly the case in
the Business School. Whilst the percentage intake target for 2013 entry ABB+ students wasn’t met, this
was largely a reflection of an increase in the allocation of core places in August of that year.
14
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
Substantial growth of international PGT students is being driven by continued demand from the Chinese
market, which raises challenges for a number of programmes, particularly in the Business School where
the population of Chinese students is greatest. A significant proportion of the international PGT intake
for SMLS, SAPL, SACS and ECLES is also constituted of students from China. At the same time the PGT
home market appears to be weakening.
Widening participation
Despite significant efforts by schools and MSRD widening participation targets have not been met.
HEFCE quota management has not helped, but the problem appears intractable in a small region with
low HE participation. There are also a limited number of mechanisms available to the Faculty to address
this.
Staff Student Ratios
Investment in academic staff has been key to maintaining staff student ratios at a reasonable level,
despite increasing student numbers. However, demand from student markets has meant that individual
subjects have seen short-term variability. The Faculty continues to plan to ensure it has the flexibility to
react to any such situations.
Creative practice-related programmes
The Faculty’s profile within creative practice is being raised through NICAP, which is particularly
supporting cross-disciplinary creative practice through its new MA programme aimed particularly at
international students.
4.12. Action Plan
Growth Agenda / programme and partnership developments
 The Strategic Partnership with Xiamen University will develop a range of collaborative programmes
as well as joint research projects and student and staff exchanges that should raise our profile not
only in Xiamen but in China more generally and support the delivery of growth of the Faculty’s total
international student population.
 The development of a base in London, delivered through strategic partnership with INTO University
partnerships offers an exciting prospect to launch a number of UG and PGT programmes, mainly in
business and provide beneficial study experiences for students and research experiences for staff by
virtue of engagement with financial, government, businesses and the international world located in
the capital. This will be a key strategic project for the Faculty; will assist in realising ambitions for
growth and provide an opportunity for the Business School to develop in a second UK location.
Student Satisfaction
 All schools are expected to follow up on their NSS results and those with scores below 90 will in
future be required to produce an action plan, as will those with assessment and feedback scores
below 70 on a composite basis. Many schools have engaged in productive dialogue with their
student bodies in order better to understand what needs to be done. The more systematic use of
regular module evaluation questionnaires using EvaSys (and from 2014/15 stage questionnaires as
well) needs to be used to test student opinion more frequently and take remedial action to address
student concerns.
15
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16

All Schools have an Action Plan, reviewed at Graduate School Committee, designed to improve their
PTES and PRES results.
Return of coursework feedback
 The Faculty will continue to monitor the return of work at the end of each semester in order to
stress the importance of meeting the target and keeping up the pressure on schools to do so.
Student Recruitment
 The Faculty is continuing to work with the International Office, INTO Newcastle University and with
its schools to maintain aggregate international recruitment and to grow it in areas where numbers
are manageable. However, in the Business School some programmes are dominated by students of
one nationality and this poses threats to the School’s accreditation strategy and the student
experience. Significant growth will come through the Growth Strategy and the development of
Newcastle provision on other campuses.

The Faculty has reviewed home PGT fees and removed premium fees from the vast majority of its
programmes. Excellence Scholarships have been introduced and extended to Newcastle home
alumni intending to undertake a PGT programme, in addition to a series of events to encourage
current UG students to stay at the University for postgraduate study.
Programme review and revitalisation
 The Faculty has begun a process of curriculum review and programme redesign that has already
resulted in the launch of a number of new programmes and some significant programme revisions.
Significantly a number of these have been at undergraduate level, recognising that the ending of
numbers controls creates new opportunities for growth. The Faculty sees the undergraduate market
as inherently volatile and extremely competitive, which makes a necessity of continual innovation in
and renewal of programmes.
Creative practice-related programmes
 The Faculty is increasing support for practice-based postgraduate taught and research programmes
through NICAP, which is providing increased profile nationally and internationally, enhanced
support for cross-disciplinary projects, and increased opportunities for projects based within the
regional cultural sector.
4.13.
Risks and Controls
Growth Agenda / programme and partner development
Risk: Growth targets not achieved for a wide variety of reasons: delay in launch of new programmes;
partnership agreements fall through; lack of sufficiently strong demand.
Controls: Careful management of the programme approval process with additional support from the
Faculty Office; careful liaison with UEB and partners, but final decisions are to be taken elsewhere;
monitoring the market to ensure the offer remains attractive.
16
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
Student Satisfaction
Risk: No improvement or decline in student satisfaction.
Control: The introduction of stage questionnaires in 2014/15 will help the Faculty to identify areas with
problems so intervention can take place at an earlier point. Faculty inputs into the revision and
improvement of the Business School’s programmes with the weakest NSS scores are designed to bring
about a fundamental improvement in the programmes on offer, which should feed into NSS scores in
due course.
Student Recruitment
Risk: Failure to meet targets / over-recruit from some international populations and reduce diversity.
Control 1: The Faculty monitors international recruitment and works closely with the International
Office and INTO Newcastle University to ensure good and productive working relationships that support
international recruitment.
Control 2: Student Number Planning seeks to manage student recruitment.
Widening Participation:
Risk: Don’t achieve the numbers included in the OFFA agreement.
Control: On widening participation much depends on how the University centrally decides to balance
the competing claims of widening participation and quality, since formal quota constraints will be
removed for 2015 entry. Schools will continue to work with MSRD on the PARTNERS programme and
other WP initiatives.
The new HEFCE pilot seeking through enhanced financial support to encourage widening participation at
PGT level will provide the Faculty with insights into how this aspect of PGT will be encouraged.
Programme review and revitalisation
Risk: New and revitalised programmes fail to be attractive to applicants
Control: Enhancement of marketing support for new programmes in conjunction with MSRD;
maintaining a broad portfolio of existing and developing programmes so as to make setbacks more
manageable; continue to keep the attractiveness of the programme portfolio under review.
Staff Student Ratios:
Risk: Investment in staff does not adequately map to the student population, leading to a fall in student
satisfaction.
Control: Student demand and recruitment data is considered as part of the annual staffing round.
Creative practice-related programmes
Risk: Lack of growth in numbers involved in creative practice-related programmes.
Control: NICAP will be working closely with the most relevant Schools to promote programmes,
especially in growth areas such as film practice.
17
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
5. Reputational KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan
5.1. (KPI 17) Proportion of subjects offered in top quartile Times Good University Guide
Proportion of subjects
(x of 20)
2011
2012
2013
2014 Actual
2015 Target
2016 Target
7 of 19
7 of 20
12 of 20
15 of 20
15 of 20
15 of 20
5.2. (KPI 18) Proportion of subjects in the top 200 QS rankings
2011
2012
2013
2014
ACTUAL
2015
TARGET
2016
TARGET
7 of 10
6 of 12
8 of 12
7 of 12
8 of 12
8 of 12
Year
Proportion in top 200 (x of 12)
5.3. (KPI 19) Percentage growth in UG and PGT international student applications
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
Actual
2014/15
Target
2015/16
Target
No. of applications
14,990
17,831
18,400
20,025
20,600
21,200
% growth
47
16
5.9
8.8
3
3
5.4. (KPI 20) Number of KTP and collaborative PhD awards per year
Year
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
Actual
2014/15
Target
2015/16
Target
No. of awards
5
6
8
8
10
11
5.5. (KPI 21) Number of international multi-strand partnerships
YEAR
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
No. of partnerships
-
-
-
-
2014/15
Target
5
2015/16
Target
5
5.6. (KPI 22) Business School internationally recognised accreditations (AMBA 1995, EQUIS 2010,
AACSB tbc)
Year
No. of
accreditations
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
Target
2014/15
Target
2015/16
Target
2
2
2
3
3
3
5.7. Context and commentary on past performance
Subject rankings and QS rankings
Alongside the rise in NSS scores the Faculty has seen an improvement in the achievement of top quartile
positions in the league tables. This also reflects DLHE success and quality on entry.
18
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
In relation to QS rankings, seven of the possible 12 Faculty subjects were in the top 200 with Geography
attaining an impressive ranking of 31. A further four subjects have improved their rankings and now
feature in the top 200, namely English Language and Literature, Modern Languages, Economics and
Econometrics and Sociology. The Faculty recognises that in order to improve the academic reputation of
our subject areas it must continually recruit staff of high academic quality, publish in high impact
outlets, and engage in supportive performance management of those staff who do not meet
appropriate standards, or aspire and have plans in place to do so. Both of these activities are the focus
of the Faculty’s HR plan. In relation to specific faculty objectives for 2014/15 the Faculty will be
prudently investing in areas of research excellence and are engaged in a number of capital projects,
particularly the Armstrong building, which will significantly raise the quality of facilities and the working
environment for staff and students.
Internationalisation
The Faculty enjoys a buoyant cohort of international students in Newcastle and has achieved a sustained
growth in applications to a range of programmes, most notably in Media and Cultural Studies and the
Business School. Outside the UK the Faculty is maintaining a focus on development of significant
partnerships in the US with highly ranked universities in the North and East of the US, which is essential
if the Faculty is to become a global player in research and education. These partnerships build upon
existing links that stem from the activities of research groups, centres and schools. In addition to these
US activities, the Faculty is engaged in the development of the Xiamen Strategic Partnership. A Strategic
Partnership Board is in place and planning is underway for a joint institute entitled the Xiamen
Newcastle University College to facilitate research, research training, teaching and engagement
activities across a number of thematic areas.
5.8. Action Plan
Subject rankings
 The main things schools and the Faculty can do to improve league table performance is to continue
increase NSS scores and maintain intake quality. SSRs and resourcing also contribute to these
results, but to a lesser extent.
Reputation development through Engagement
 The HaSS Enterprise Team will continue to raise the profiles of the academic community and the
professional services, develop effective mechanisms and channels for new business, societal impact
and University benefits. They will provide a comprehensive mix of skills and experience for
business-facing activity. Engagement plays a major role in both Faculty Institutes and in the
Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership, all of whom work closely through a range of projects
with key external partners.
Internationalisation
 An internationalisation strategy has been put in place involving the development of a small number
of prestigious international partnerships with whom we will engage in impactful research projects
and programmes, deliver student and staff exchanges and, in the case of the Xiamen partnership,
boost student recruitment through the delivery of two undergraduate programmes in- country
leading to dual awards. Key elements of this strategy involve the submission to the Ministry of
19
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16


Education in China for a non-legal person status joint institute in 2014. This will provide the legal
framework for joint collaboration in a number of research themes, and for programme delivery. A
key element of the strategic relationship with Xiamen, the Confucius Institute, is already developing
our profile in Chinese Studies within the UK and the University’s profile more generally within China,
bringing leading Chinese scholars to Newcastle.
Work is well underway for development of partnerships with Cornell University, Boston University,
Indiana University and Carnegie Mellon University that will enable schools across the faculty to be
well positioned to take full-advantage of cross-national initiatives in research and education. The
Faculty is also working closely with the Loyola Center to grow Study Abroad business and potentially
wider partnerships in North America. The Faculty is encouraging each school to focus on building
relationships with a small number of international partners which involve active research and
teaching projects.
Actions that have been put in place to support the continued delivery of growth in international
applications include;
o Broadening and diversifying the nationality mix of applications, and therefore registrations, by
targeting key markets.
o Improving student quality by working with agents on specific enrolment criteria and making onthe-spot offers to high-quality students.
o Developing and maintain relationships with student recruitment agents globally by visiting when
in-country, and via webinars, as well as supplying up-to-date information throughout the year.
o Supporting schools with the existing use of alumni in recruitment.
o Targeted marketing campaigns both online and in-country.
o Reviewing market intelligence to ensure existing target markets are in line with current higher
education trends for student mobility and new markets are identified using various resources
(International Office, British Council country profiles, education agents, historical data for the
School and HESA).
o Further development of effective working relationships and join-up activity with the
International Office, HASS Marketing and Recruitment Team and INTO, wherever appropriate.
o Increasing conversion for key markets through offer-holder and pre-departure events.
Accreditation
Achieving triple accreditation and sustaining the wide range of professional accreditations across
teaching programmes is essential to the Business School in achieving its principal strategic aim of
becoming internationally recognised. The School successfully attained EQUIS re-accreditation in 2012.
Strengthening the MBA and Executive Education was highlighted by the EQUIS panel as an area of
concern. This remains a key objective for the School and a professorial appointment has been made to
provide leadership. The AACSB accreditation visit is planned for 2014; the School has submitted the
required Self Evaluation Report and detailed planning is underway to demonstrate that the school
meets the accreditation standards.
5.9. Risks and Controls
Subject rankings
Risk: The Faculty doesn’t maintain current rankings
Control:The main controls for league tables are achieved through the control of the factors which
contribute to them, including the NSS, as explained above. Changes to the NSS, research ratings, DLHE
20
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
success, SSRs and entry grades can all have a negative effect and a clear risk lies in the tension between
quality and growth once the quota cap is removed.
QS rankings
Risk: Deterioration in subject positions.
Control: Develop understanding of how best to influence these rankings through more in depth analysis
of the background data in particular those data sets that impact upon research reputation.
Reputation development through Engagement
Risk: Loss of reputation
Control: Ensure that Institutes and Schools effectively publicise projects involving influential external
partners
Internationalisation
Risk: failure to develop significant new international partnerships
Control: Build on current strong relationships, eg Xiamen, and focus on areas of research strength to
underpin major faculty-wide collaborations rather than fragmented approaches.
21
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
6. Financial and Environmental Sustainability KPIs, Commentary and Action
Plan
6.1. (KPI 22) Research Contribution as a percentage of income
YEAR
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
FORECAST
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
Percentage
contribution
42.4
32.2
28.6
24.6
25.0
25.0
6.2. (KPI 23) Staff costs as a percentage of turnover
YEAR
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
FORECAST
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
Percentage
39.7
40.2
39.8
36.8
40.0
40
6.3. (KPI 25) Net surplus as a % of turnover
YEAR
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
FORECAST
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
Percentage
5.0
5.9
6.1
10.7
>5.0
>5.0
6.4. Context and commentary on past performance
Financially, HaSS remains in a very strong position. Income has grown by 21% over the last 4 years to
£105m. This growth in income, combined with strong cost control has allowed the Faculty to continually
exceed its targeted NET surplus position whilst maintaining significant investment in new staff.
Research contribution continues to drop from a high of 42% in 2010/11 to 25% in 2013/14. This is
partially a reflection of improved efficiencies at the University level, but may also reflect a change taking
place in the nature of research across the Faculty (eg a change in relative proportion of directly incurred
to directly allocated costs).
6.5. Action Plan
 HaSS will focus on income generation as a basis for sustaining the Faculty’s ability to invest in staff
and facilities. This will be achieved through
o Consolidation of the Faculty’s existing student offer.
o The launch of new programmes in Media and Cultural Studies, the Business School and
Education.
o Increasing the number and value of externally funded research projects.
o Leading on a number of University initiatives including programme development for the London
and Xiamen campuses and the launch of an online MBA.
 Continued investment in new staff. Recruitment will continue to be controlled through the annual
staffing round and will consider the strategic/academic case as well as affordability at a
school/subject level. The Faculty will continue to be guided by the 40% staff to turnover ratio.
22
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16



Increase the level of investment in estate and infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing the
Faculty’s ability to deliver its strategic aims including:
o Completion of the redevelopment of the Armstrong Building.
o Creation of enhanced workshop and studio facilities for APL through the development of a
new building on the Building Science yard.
o Refurbishment of Culture Lab to enhance facilities for the delivery of Film, Media and
Journalism programmes.
o Scenario planning for the redevelopment of the Claremont Tower / Bridge / Daysh complex
to provide enhanced office accommodation for GPS and SAPL and to optimise the use of
space to create high quality teaching rooms, studios and teaching laboratories.
o Refurbish space in Windsor Terrace following the relocation of ICCHS to the Armstrong
building in 2015 to provide additional space for both staff accommodation and student
facilities for the Law School.
o Investigate the options for an extension to the Percy building to provide additional staff
office accommodation and improved student common room and computing facilities for
SELs.
o Investigate the opportunities to improve student common room facilities in the Old Library
building for SML.
o The enhancement of student facilities, including common rooms in all schools and
maximisation of space utilisation to accommodate increased academic staff numbers.
Support the University with the development of a new teaching centre on Science Central for use
primarily by the Business School. The inclusion of staff offices for the Business School would go a
long way towards alleviating the accommodation pressures the School will face as staff numbers
increase.
Review the financial viability of all academic units and address areas of concern.
6.6. Risks and Controls
Risk: Failure to control costs, impacting on the ability to fund strategic priorities.
Control: Robust budget process including strategic planning meetings with each school and an annual
staffing round.
Risk: Failure to meet student recruitment targets, leading to loss of income.
Control: Robust student planning process and focus on new product development, student feedback,
league tables and conversion activities.
Risk: Failure to diversify income streams leaving the faculty at risk of external environment.
Control: Investment in new programmes aimed at new markets (including Film and distance and
blended learning) and significant contributions to University projects (London, Xiamen)
Risk: Failure to maintain competitive advantage through inadequate investment in estate and facilities.
Control: Use of the Faculty’s capital capacity fund to invest in new estates projects and the continuation
of the HASS Infrastructure Fund aimed at improving teaching and research capacity.
23
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
24
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
7. Enabling and HR related KPIs, Commentary and Action plan
7.1. (KPI 26) Percentage PDR completions
% complete
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
-
49.2
77.6
2013/14
Forecast
90
2014/15
Target
95
2015/16
Target
95
7.2. (KPI 27) Overall staff satisfaction (% agree that the University is a good place to work)
% satisfied
2007
87
2010
90
2013
90
2016 Target
>90
7.3. Context and commentary on past performance
Recruitment and Selection
The Faculty continues to operate an annual staffing round to ensure investment in staff is made in areas
of growth and strategic importance. This has been supplemented with the HR Faculty plan setting out
the overall staffing investment for the Faculty. There has been a 6.4% growth in staff numbers from
2012/13 to 2013/14.
Performance Management
The Faculty has achieved a good increase in PDR completion rates. The importance of PDR has been
reinforced at Faculty Executive Board as a key mechanism to communicate the overall vision of the
University, Faculty and School and to providing guidance to individuals regarding their role in the
organisation and how they can expect their career to develop. The Faculty will seek to maintain this
momentum during 2014/15 to ensure that this improvement continues and that PDRs are of a high
quality.
All Schools have worked with the Faculty on staff profiling in relation to the career pathways scheme
and have held meeting with targeted staff on Teaching and Research contracts who are deemed not to
have a research profile. This has resulted in some transfers onto Teaching and Scholarship contracts and
some targeted research mentoring and performance management.
The Faculty aims to maintain staff satisfaction rates and each School has an action plan following the
2013 survey to respond to specific issues raised. The Faculty is participating in the University stress
Working Group, recognising that stress factors were a problem for certain schools. The Faculty will
maintain a strong emphasis on regular and clear communication with schools through multiple
mechanisms to ensure that individuals at all levels are the recipients of relevant information and to
maintain upward communication flows. Research roadshows are being introduced and the Faculty
senior team will continue to meet twice yearly with each school executive/management team as part of
the planning cycle.
25
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
7.4. Action plan
Growth Agenda/Recruitment and Selection
 The current HR Plan highlights investment in 13 Chair level appointments of which seven are new
posts supporting areas of strategic priority with a further 26 posts to support the growth in student
numbers and new areas of development.
 The Faculty is committed to recruiting the best to reinforce the achievement of highest academic
standards. This will be achieved through active searches and rigorous selection of senior
appointments and by the application of objective measures for evaluating candidates, including
quality of publications and citation metrics.
Performance Management
 Further work is required to ensure that PDR completion rates continue to improve and this will be
done via Faculty monitoring, reminders at Faculty Executive Board and HR updates. The quality of
PDRs will be assessed by sampling completed forms.
 The Faculty will monitor current performance management cases including probation cases,
providing one to one support for managers to ensure a successful conclusion. The PVC will meet
annually with Heads of School to discuss academic staff performance and to ensure that progress is
being made against individual cases.
Faculty Reviews
 The Faculty is conducting two major reviews of areas operating with financial deficits: the School of
Education Communication and Language Sciences, and the International Centre for Cultural and
Heritage Studies. The reviews will consider future sustainability and levels of staffing to suit the
future business needs.
Workload Management
 The Faculty has long established principles of Workload Management to ensure the fair and
equitable distribution of work and to facilitate the effective operation of each School. These
principles place overall responsibility for workload management with the Heads of School but seek
to reinforce equity by providing indicative tariffs for teaching, research and leadership and
governance to guide schools in developing and refining their local workload models. The Faculty has
recently reviewed these tariffs and is taking a detailed paper with suggested amendments to
principles and indictive tariffs to Faculty Executive Board for approval.
7.5. Risks and controls
Risk: Fail to make senior strategic appointment in key areas of growth.
Control: To ensure targeted recruitment takes place for senior appointments and a range of recruitment
methods are used to ensure the highest quality appointments.
Risk: The reviews of Education and ICCHS do not provide sufficient improvement in the Schools’
financial positions.
Control: Faculty PVC has initiated a recovery planning process with Education involving the designation
of a school recovery management group and determination of actions supported by members of the
26
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
Faculty senior team. The Review of ICCHS will involve dialogue and discussion with all members of
academic staff and lead to a report with recommendations to Faculty Executive Board.
Risk: Insufficient attention to performance management.
Control: Regular reinforcement by the Faculty senior team of importance of PDR completion with Heads
of School. An emphasis will be placed on the quality of PDRs; implementation of the career pathway
scheme and Head of School review of staff on T and R contracts who have not achieved a good research
profile. Ongoing HR support for implementation of capability and other relevant University procedures.
27
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
8. Societal Challenge Theme KPIs, Commentary and Action Plan
8.1. (KPI 28) Externally funded research projects across institution relevant to Social Renewal
No of Awards
2011/12
28
2012/13
40
2013/14
Forecast
39
2014/15
Target
40
2015/16
Target
40
Value of awards (£000s)
1,227
2,988
3,759
1,500
2,000
8.2. (KPI 18) Percentage of taught modules related to Social Renewal
% Approved
modules
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
-
-
25.2 (412 of
1637)
2014/15
Target
26.3 (438 of
1665)
2015/16
Target
30
8.3. Social renewal related case studies
Year
No case studies
2012/13
ACTUAL
2013/14
TARGET
2013/14
FORECAST
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
10
10
30
35
40
8.4. Events run or supported by NISR
Year
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
FORECAST
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
No of social renewal26
48
45
40
40
related events
This includes events funded by NISR, public lectures or events which promote or extend the societal challenge theme.There
may be less funded events next year as we are focusing on larger multi theme applications.
8.5. Media coverage achieved relevant to Social Renewal
Year
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
FORECAST
2014/15
TARGET
2015/16
TARGET
No of media
16
118
80
60
65
reports
Some media reports appear in a number of different newspapers/news channels and are therefore counted multiply times.
8.6. Context and commentary on past performance
Following a successful launch year the Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal continues to make
significant progress.
As the figures suggested, the Institute’s success is reflected in an encouraging volume of activity. The
2012/13 launch year effect, supported by an additional launch year budget for events and media, was
expected to be followed by a fall in the numbers of events and media coverage in 2013/14, yet in fact
these have held up well. The number of events has increased slightly compared to the launch year, and
media coverage has remained at broadly similar levels while increasing in range. The value of externally
funded research projects badged as relating to the theme has risen, and a large number of case studies
are now available on the NISR website. More teaching modules are recorded as relevant to social
renewal, though these figures may not be reliable. The growing awareness of Social Renewal in the
HASS Faculty has been reflected in the interest expressed by staff during the Director’s visits to each of
the schools in the Faculty (and to the Institute of Health and Society).
28
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
There have been a number of key outputs during the year including: the Annual Review publication, the
Book of Stories, high profile public lectures and several ‘demonstrator projects’. NISR’s work has fed
into the REF impact case studies and is now informing the development of the REF Impact Strategy for
2020.
Highlights during 2013-14 have included the multi-media exhibition on Newcastle – Past, Present and
Future, tracing the development of Newcastle upon Tyne into the future under the People, Place and
Community theme (with SAPL and Newcastle City Council). NIRS are very pleased to have supported
the Inspirational Women of the North East project, highlighting women’s achievements and
contributions to public life in NE England, and similarly to have worked with the West End Refugee
Service to tell the stories of asylum seekers and refugees as they have made homes for themselves in
the North East. Other highlights have included the award of a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Newcastle
University’s work on rural economies and societies and the award of the Bertebos prize to Professor
Philip Lowe; the award to Professor Sugata Mitra of the $1m TED prize to pursue his work on the ‘School
in the Cloud’; the award of the Ramon Magsaysay prize to Shakti Samuha, NISR partners in Nepal;
Professor Sandel’s inspirational lecture on the moral limits of markets and the award of an Honorary
Degree to Sir Michael Marmot for his work on health and inequality. Most encouraging, though, has
been the enthusiasm of colleagues to work together to address the challenge of Social Renewal, and to
realise the University’s vision of excellence with a purpose.
The Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal is building on these achievements as it progresses through
2014. Our Theme Champions and Ambassador are playing vital roles in animating and leading work on
the priority themes, working with partners, adding insight and embedding the work of NISR within
Schools and Research Centres across the University.
8.7. Action Plan
Examples of the work being taken forward by Theme Leaders include a major conference on Public
Health and Welfare Reform which brings academics and practitioners together to share knowledge;
discussions on promoting Newcastle as ‘a reading city’; a workshop to discuss how notions of citizenship
may be changing into the 21st Century; further work with visual artists and rural communities; work on
the rights of children and young people in custody; enhancing life for Seniors; and the potential of
community-based curricula which promote enquiry-based learning. ‘Dr Maths’, Steve Humble, is also
planning an attempt on the Guinness Book of Records for the largest maths teaching activity ever to be
held outside: this will be on the Quayside with the participation of local communities, schools and
teachers.
An exciting programme of work on Digital Civics – how digital technologies might enable greater civic
engagement in health, education, planning and social care – will proceed following a major award to
Patrick Olivier and Pete Wright of £5.8m from EPSRC. John Goddard and colleagues will continue their
international study of eight universities in four countries which pursue civic university visions. The
question of how universities can address the big societal challenges of the 21st Century is also the
subject of the 2014 Lord Patten annual lecture which will be delivered by Professor John Brewer, author
of ‘The Public Value of the Social Sciences’.
In addition NISR aims to:
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Embed learning from NISR work into University structures and practices.
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Strategic Plan 2014/15 and 2015/16
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Explore opportunities to collaborate with the other Societal Challenge Themes
Consider how to raise awareness of Social Renewal in SAgE and FMS.
Bring our demonstrator projects to fruition.
Establish the NISR Advisory Board.
Review the balance of NISR activity between being focussed and selective versus covering a
broader spectrum of activity and being more inclusive.
Disseminate our pioneer work as a Civic University, nationally and internationally
8.8. Risks and controls associated with Action Plan
Risk: Maintaining interest in Social Renewal as the SCTs mature.
Controls: Continue to work proactively with staff and students in all faculties.
Risk: Theme Champions not, in practice, allocated sufficient time in workload allocation model to fully
develop Societal Challenge Theme.
Controls: Discuss the issue with Heads of School and Faculty Executive Board.
Risk: Modules not recorded as Social Renewal modules on the Module Outline Form.
Controls: Theme Champions and faculty and school staff encouraged to raise awareness of the need to
record modules according to their SCT.
Risk: Completion of demonstrator projects.
Controls: Actively support the work of colleagues and engage with them in implementing and reporting
demonstrator projects via the NISR website and Book of Stories. Also assist in developing future REF
impact case studies.
Risk: Insufficient staff to support Social Renewal SCT activity.
Control: Retain and expand enthusiastic and skilled team.
Risk: Too diffuse a spread of activities.
Control: Ensure the appropriate balance of projects.
Risk: Failing media coverage.
Control: Develop a media strategy and work closely with PR staff and media consultants. Identify and
retain strong media performers.
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