University of Warwick
UNIVERSITY CORPORATE PLANNING STATEMENT 2010
The University of Warwick’s over-riding ambition is to take Warwick into the top 50 world
universities – as measured by the quality of research output and the strength of student
demand – by the University’s 50th birthday in 2015.
THE PRESENT
The University of Warwick is a globally recognised centre of excellence for research and
teaching, with an acknowledged reputation for links with business and industry.
Warwick has:
 An entrepreneurial and innovative spirit.
 Cutting-edge, world-leading research.
 Challenging and rigorous courses, guided and inspired by our first-class academic staff.
 A growing, socially and environmentally responsible, and cosmopolitan campus
community.
 A culture of inclusiveness, fostered in an environment of mutual respect and dignity.
 Committed staff who are willing to ‘go the extra mile’ to do their job well.
THE FUTURE





We intend to make Warwick an undisputed world leader in research and scholarship.
We will sustain an exceptional teaching and learning experience at Warwick.
We will continue to build on our reputation as an international portal.
We will continue to enhance the University’s reputation with stakeholders in the UK.
We will continue to exploit a diverse portfolio of income generating activities to support
our goals and retain our long-term sustainability.
This document sets out the summary of progress achieved in 2009/10 against the key
priorities outlined in our 2009 Corporate Planning Statement grouped under each of the
University’s strategic goals published in our Vision 2015 strategy. The University
continues to pursue unequivocally our key goals as set out in our Vision 2015 document
first published in September 2007, focussing on the key pillars of absolute excellence and
distinctiveness. Over the course of 2009/2010, however, we have been refocusing our
strategy with a view to amplifying and investing in our key strategic priorities against the
very challenging global financial backdrop. The University will shortly be publishing an
Update to Vision 2015 outlining how we will continue to pursue the University’s ambitions
in the coming years. This will be published in February 2011 and submitted to the HEFCE
at that stage, following formal consideration by the University’s Senate in January and
Council in February.
Research and Scholarship
Our broad goal is to make Warwick an undisputed world leader in research and scholarship.
Priorities from 2009/10 and Summary of Progress

Ensuring all sustained research activities within the University reach and maintain the
highest international quality and reputational standards.
Research income for 2009/10 is up to £80M and Warwick has maintained our high success
rate with funding agencies including the UK and European Research Councils. Warwick also
submitted a record number of over 1500 funding applications in 2009/10 led by a record
number of over 667 principal investigators.

Nourishing the agreed vision for establishing a School of Life Sciences within the
wider context of an integrated Warwick Life Sciences strategy.
The School of Life Sciences became formally operational on 1 October 2010 and a new
Head of the School has been appointed from this date also. The University continues to
manage carefully transition arrangements and the vision in relation to Life Sciences is a key
area of emphasis across the University’s strategic planning.

Further enhancing mechanisms whereby research performance can be measured and
monitored and researchers are developed and supported (including a new mentoring
scheme for researchers and reviewing the University’s bid development process).
A programme of enhancing management information with a view to reflecting on and
enhancing research performance is ongoing. The University’s free online repository of journal
articles and PhD theses, Warwick Research Archive Project (WRAP), as well as the Warwick
Research Performance Online Reporting Tool (phase 2) are areas of continued
development. Plans have been established for investment in publications and citations
services to generate new management information in this area, to ensure competitive
advantage, especially in relation to enhancing the University’s position in international league
tables. An improved approach to managing research performance is being developed with
better coordination with reward, study leave, promotion and probation processes. New,
cutting edge management information (in dashboard format) continues to be developed to
inform performance and planning for research. A more focused challenge on research
income generation and financial planning is being pursued. Research students and early
career researchers continued to benefit from a wide range of Roberts-funded provision
including: skills workshops, networking opportunities; careers guidance; employer events.
Recognising the end of Roberts’ funding in 10/11, during 09/10 services to these groups
have been evaluated, and consultations undertaken with stakeholders at all levels to enable
a smooth transition to sustainable models.
Additionally, the Research Exchange, based in the Library, supports the development of members of
the Warwick research community. It brings researchers together to share experiences formally and
informally. Formal activities include programmes of events run by RSS, the Graduate School and
LDC. Informal initiatives range from day-to-day ‘research exchange’ interactions in the space
(facilitated by community profiles promoted within the area which allow researchers to share their
interests) to social activities arranged to bring early career researchers into contact with more
established colleagues.

Continuing to increase postgraduate research student numbers with a view to
doubling the number between 2007 and 2014.
The University and its constituent departments have pursued a range of activities to achieve
a steady increase of postgraduate research students at the University, acknowledging the
significant global competition that exists for the best quality research students. PGR
numbers have increased almost 40% from 1100 in 2006/07 to over 1500 in 2009/10. Also,
the University’s Doctoral Training Centres retain great importance to the University, noting
Warwick was successful in our application to EPSRC for a new Doctoral Training Centre
(MASDOC) award in Mathematics & Statistics.
2

Within the context of the constitutional review being undertaken by the University,
pursuing enhanced frameworks for fostering and supporting interdisciplinary
research.
Fostering and supporting interdisciplinary research has been embedded in the considerations
undertaken within the University’s constitutional review and has been progressed in a
number of ways such as continuing to support research collaborations through the Institute of
Advanced Study and via our international partnerships, progressing proposals within the
developing research centre governance framework, and pursuing revisions to the
methodologies of academic resourcing to encourage and sustain such research, as well as
establishing a new Strategic Investment Fund. The University has formally constituted its
Research Committee which will play a key role in fostering interdisciplinary research in the
context of the University’s research strategy.
Additionally, the Research Exchange ‘Window on Research’ programme (which started in January
2010) supports knowledge transfer between researchers, allowing early career researchers to benefit
from hearing from more experienced researchers or support colleagues. This year’s programme has
included sessions on depositing with WRAP as well as sessions on bibliometrics and increasing the
impact of published outputs, alongside sessions where practitioners have discussed their research
and cross-disciplinary themes. Likewise the Graduate School poster competition, which was held in
the Research Exchange, brought researchers from across the University together to discuss their
work.
Teaching and Learning
Our broad goal is to sustain an exceptional teaching and learning experience at Warwick.
Priorities from 2009/10 and Summary of Progress

Delivering the agreed objectives of the Kings-Warwick project with a view to
enhancing the key priorities in the University’s teaching and learning strategy.
An outcome of the King’s Warwick project was confirmation that students often struggle to
express the totality of their University experience to prospective employers, so the use of
Warwick Advantage will be extended to all undergraduate and taught postgraduates to aid
their recording of academic and extra-curricular activities as part of the HEAR. In addition,
the University will continue to offer the Strengths programme, launched through the King’s
Warwick Project, to assist students in identifying their strengths and weaknesses.
Postgraduate research students have a complementary tool, the ePortfolio. The findings of
the Project were disseminated at a Festival of Learning in September and a full report will be
provided to the HEFCE in October.

Identifying sustainable funding for our CETL activity within a combined unit.
A new vision for an Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning has been established,
sustaining and extending elements of the CETLs and encouraging new initiatives and
strands arising from other initiatives such as the King’s-Warwick Project.

Building on the increased coherence of the University’s careers and skills support
activities, as well as the closer co-ordination of teaching and learning and student
experience issues under the leadership of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student
Experience).
All aspects of the University’s services to students on careers and skills have been
consolidated into a new Centre, providing an integrated service focussed on the long-term
employability of our students, personal choice in career planning, increased reach into the
student body, and services based on demonstrable need with rigorous evaluation of impact.
3

Protecting and enhancing the distinctive excellence of Warwick’s Teaching and
Learning through a period of resource constraint.
Progress has been pursued in a variety of ways and is a key strand of the University’s
strategic vision. Highlighted above, the King’s Warwick Project and other initiatives have
informed the University’s approach and will inform the work undertaken by the University
within the context of its new Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning (IATL) as well as
through its formal governance structures.

Progressing our objectives outlined in our Widening Participation Strategic
Assessment, focusing on attracting, converting, admitting, developing and supporting
Warwick students, promoting the benefits from the stimulation that a diverse cohort
brings and Warwick’s commitment to enhancing its reputation with local, regional,
national and international stakeholders.
Warwick’s continuing commitment to widening participation is evidenced by a range of
activity that has been pursued over the last year, including but not exclusive to: the
University’s ongoing commitment to schemes such as our GOAL programme and Pathways
to Law; being a member in the Realising Opportunities Scheme, whereby twelve leading
universities agree to give additional consideration to applicants who have taken part in the
other universities’ widening participation schemes and activities in order to raise aspirations
of nationally selected ‘most able, least likely’ Year 12 and 13 pupils; initiation of an online
project to develop and publish information about UG study at Warwick which is more
accessible to those with limited experience or knowledge of HE; hosting an awards evening
to recognise the achievements of looked after children in Warwickshire together with the
Virtual School for Children in Care in Warwickshire; initiation of a new strand of the national
Aimhigher-funded Student Ambassador Scheme (SAS) with Warwick students working on
site with young offenders in Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre (Rugby); and, most recently,
hosting the southern launch event for the Realising Opportunities programme. Additionally,
IGGY continues to proactively target its activities to a very diverse cohort, with a
comprehensive system of national and international bursaries and scholarships. IGGY has
also linked with Warwick in Africa to facilitate provision for children from extremely deprived
backgrounds in South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania and Botswana.
International Profile
Our broad goal is to make the University into an International Portal.
Priorities from 2009/10 and Summary of Progress

Continuing to develop activities in conjunction with Warwick’s core international
academic partners and foster those activities already initiated.
We have deepened existing core partnerships, for example:
 Monash: Launch of a successful joint fund and development of ‘collaboration
infrastructure’ with HD video links between campuses; held two conferences between
senior administrators at both institutions to share experience and good practice.
 Boston: Launch of a joint fund, broadening of collaboration into arts and social sciences,
(Atlantic World and African studies) and medicine, and development of a series of
podcasts.
 Nanyang Technological University: Progressing joint appointments of researchers in
neuroscience and Memorandum of Understanding signed to develop collaborative PhDs
in neuroscience.
 Vanderbilt: Joint research workshops and joint postgraduate vacation school in English
and History.
We have begun to develop strategic partnerships in other areas of the world:
 China a range of partnerships with top Chinese universities Mathematics/Fudan;
PAIS/Peking; English/Tsinghua; WBS/Peking;
 Japan (Waseda University) and South Korea (Yonsei University)
4
A range of discussions and contacts are being fostered between Warwick and the above
institutions. For instance, IGGY has been a positive conduit for fostering activities - a team
from Monash South Africa ran a course in Entrepreneurship and Marketing at the IGGY U in
Botswana, and an IGGY U will be run in partnership with Monash Australia in 2011.

Investigating and exploiting further digital content and platforms.
A pilot project was undertaken to expand the University’s online presence -the ‘Lifetime
Academy’ - a website with interactive features created to provide meaningful and valuable
engagement with Warwick’s alumni and is envisaged as an essential ‘port of call’ providing
information, knowledge and opportunities. The University has also trialled its first
official iPhone app. The first of these, a significant medical based app, will soon be complete.
This supports the continuing strategy of innovation and excellence in the digital spaces
where Warwick’s audiences operate.

Broadening the University’s reach through Warwick in Africa and the International
Gateway for Gifted Youth. IGGY will increase its focus on developing an innovative
platform to support an accessible and dynamic online environment, launch a second
IGGY Junior Commission around the theme of environment and sustainability and will
continue to develop the IGGY U programme.
2009/10 saw IGGY continue to expand its provision: the first residential programme in Africa
was run in August 2010 (IGGY U Botswana ’10), in partnership with the Botswana
Government; a second IGGY U programme was held at Warwick; and a Young Person’s
Short Story Competition was introduced in partnership with Litro magazine, with a prize of
£2,500 and publication. The University will continue to develop IGGY’s online provision with a
view to increasing its international reach and membership base.

Disseminating the findings of the latest Warwick Commission, International Financial
Reform: Beyond Architecture, Towards Building Consensus.
The Global Launch of the Commission’s report was held at the end of November 2009 in
New Delhi, receiving significant international coverage, and since, a number of other events
and activities have been held to facilitate discussion in relation to the Commission’s findings.
The University also has a special podcast series available in this regard.
Stakeholders in the UK
Our broad goal is to enhance the University’s reputation with stakeholders in the UK.
Priorities from 2009/10 and Summary of Progress

Continuing to support local and community engagement of its staff and students
through activities such as those organised by Warwick Volunteers.
The University has built many fruitful relationships with local and community organisations. In
2009/10, it continued to hold regular liaison meetings with its three local authorities, to
discuss matters of mutual interest, and played a prominent role in several local strategic
partnerships, including the Coventry Partnership and its theme groups, the Warwickshire
Together Partnership, the Kenilworth Town Centre Partnership and the Coventry, Solihull
and Warwickshire Partnership (CSWP) for economic development issues. Over the last 18
months the University has become actively involved in the “Westwood Community Cohesion
Project”, a project initiated by the nearest secondary school to campus (and one of our Trust
schools), Westwood, to improve community cohesion in the nearby Canley and Tile Hill
communities. Several parts of the University – including the Arts Centre, the Widening
Participation team, the Chaplaincy, WMS and Warwick Volunteers - have been involved in
events aimed at raising the aspirations of pupils of Westwood and its feeder primary schools,
and at encouraging young people and their parents to be more welcoming and respectful of
different faith and ethnic groups.
During the 2009/10 academic year, in excess of 2,200 staff and students of the University
joined Warwick Volunteers. A diverse range of local volunteering projects were delivered,
5
ranging from painting murals in local community centres to providing structured programmes
of classroom support in local schools. Key strategic developments included:
 participation in the national vinspired students research project. The ‘key community
partners’ project developed a new method of collaborative working with community
organisations, which has expanded the skills development opportunities offered to
participating volunteers as well as enhancing the outcomes for the community
organisations.
 working with the Students’ Union to develop the ‘community reps’ scheme in Leamington
Spa, to improve relationships between students and the wider community.
 restructuring the Warwick Volunteers staff team, with a shift in focus to supporting
student-led volunteering activity. This has increased capacity, and offers more complex
and challenging volunteering opportunities to enable students to develop a broader and
better-developed skill set.

Supporting the enhancement of campus life through the redevelopment of the
Students’ Union.
The redeveloped and expanded Students’ Union has significantly improved the student
experience. The addition of new outlets and new social spaces has been received well by
the student body and by staff and the accessibility and outward-facing nature of the
redevelopments has helped to reinvigorate the Piazza, one of the focal physical spaces of
the campus.

Identifying sustainable funding for key strategic activities funded by ‘soft’ money.
A number of strands of ‘soft’ money primarily funded by the HEFCE or RCUK have either been
significantly reduced are coming to an end. The impact of this is most significantly on teaching
development activities and student development provision. The creation of the IATL has sought to
sustain the best elements from the two successful Centres of Excellence for Teaching and Learning
(CETLs) and identify new areas to support the University’s learning and teaching goals. Whilst the
IATL will be tasked with identifying sustainable and income generating activities, sustainable funding
has only been achieved to date through redirection of core HEFCE Funding. Further investment from
core funds has been required to sustain careers and student development activities. Similarly,
reductions in HEA funding have led to some reduction in activity. While the Postgraduate Certificate in
Transferable Skills (Science) has been funded by Roberts funding, discussion relating to the
sustainability of activity post-Roberts funding for postgraduate research are continuing.

Delivering the outputs and outcomes from the Birmingham Science City collaboration
between Warwick and Birmingham.
Warwick, working in partnership with the University of Birmingham, is delivering against or
exceeding our targets for outputs and outcomes on the Science City and SCIRA projects,
including business assists, academic publications, levered external funding and workshops.
Highlights include the commissioning of the Warwick Clinical Trials building; development of
internationally leading facilities for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and delivery of state-of-the
art analytical equipment support research in Chemistry, Physics, Life Science, Medicine and
Engineering. Warwick has appointed a number of Science City Research Fellows who are
undertaking important research in advanced materials, energy efficiency and translational
medicine.

Delivering the revised business engagement strategy for the University.
Warwick has established a dedicated Business Engagement Unit, supported by an Academic
Advisory Group, that is developing a range of new business focused initiatives, including
strategic engagement with key industrial partners. We have achieved record levels of
industrial research income in 2009/10. The University’s Business Engagement Strategy is
under final development and scrutiny in response to the changing economic situation and
national and regional business support infrastructure.

Delivering the outcomes of the HEFCE SDF funded Science City Interdisciplinary
Alliance (SCIRA).
The second annual report in relation to this has been delivered to the HEFCE.
6
Income Generation
Our broad goal is to make the University a more effective generator of income.
Priorities from 2009/10 and Summary of Progress

Within the context of national and international financial constraint, seeking to
continue to deliver strong financial performance to sustain a programme of investment
in people, technology, research, teaching and social facilities which supports the
University’s diverse community in pursuing the University’s collective ambitions.
The University has continued to undertake a significant process of efficiency-savings across
the University coupled with pursuing opportunities for growth in income generation wherever
possible in order to continue to invest in activities which support the University’s strategic
ambitions. For example, the University has continued to explore the potential benefits of
shared services in the area of eProcurement. The University is closely monitoring the
external funding environment, including awaiting the outcomes of the Review of Student
Funding and the Comprehensive Spending Review. While the University has been prudent
in its forecasts, it has endeavoured to continue to make targeted strategic investments and
has for 2010/11 established a University Strategic Investment Fund.
Supporting our Strategic Goals
Developing the campus environment and facilities are identified as essential enablers to
achieving the broader strategic objectives.
Priorities from 2009/10 and Summary of Progress
Campus Development

Continuing capital development focussed on supporting key areas of academic
infrastructure through a Chemistry and Physics redevelopment, plans for which have
been designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent environmental status.
The building of the new Materials and Analytical Sciences Building has commenced with a
projected completion date of the end of the summer 2011 and an expectation that it will have
BREEAM Excellent environmental status.

Supporting the completion of the Students’ Union redevelopment.
As stated above, the redeveloped and expanded Students’ Union has made a significant
positive impact for both staff and students at the heart of the University’s central campus.

Pursuing the building of further student residences on campus.
Within the context of the University’s development of its long-term strategy for on-campus
accommodation, the business and architectural plans were approved for one set of
residences and building work is well underway, with completion expected in the summer
2011, and the design stage is being undertaken for another set.

Establishing plans for ensuring the University’s estate is well-maintained and fit for
purpose in the medium and long terms.
The University kept the maintenance of the its estate at the forefront of considerations during
its financial planning in 2010, and the Building Committee approved a Major Maintenance
Plan to support the sustainability of the University’s infrastructure. This is evidenced in the
HESA returns for the period 2008-10 with the ratio of maintenance expenditure and Capex to
Insured Replacement Value being maintained at 5% per annum. This figure is above the
level of expenditure recommended in the JM Consulting report ‘Future needs for capital
funding in HE’ (HEFCE; Sep2006). Additionally, the Building Committee set a target of 85%
of the University’s buildings being in ‘good’ condition.
7
Environmental Sustainability

As above, a second IGGY Junior Commission around the theme of environment and
sustainability will be established.
The second IGGY Junior Commission was launched in Johannesburg and is currently
recruiting and identifying Commissioners. The topic for the Commission was driven by a
group of IGGY members from South Africa and the diversity of IGGY’s membership base will
be reflected as the Commission explores issues around the environment and sustainability.
Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Initiatives: Significant steps towards reducing
the University’s CO2 emissions and energy consumption have been taken within the context
of the newly proposed Energy Charging Scheme and University Energy Conservation
Programme, including enhanced internal identification and allocation of energy use and a
range of proposed energy saving measures. Both staff and students are being engaged with
the Programme.
The University has been ranked joint third in this year’s Universities That Count (UTC) for its
environment and social responsibility. The University was commended for its strategic
approach and measurement of impact around waste and recycling, climate change, health,
safety and wellbeing, staff development and equality and diversity.
Governance

The University will complete its constitutional review and consider its implications
with a view to protecting its distinctive identity while ensuring the University’s
governance and decision-making structures and monitoring and review mechanisms
will appropriately facilitate the University’s long-term ambitions and future success.
The University has completed a constitutional review of its governance and decision-making
structures and a number of key recommendations have been agreed by the University’s
Senate and Council and are being pursued. The implementation plan will be reflected on in
the light of the University’s refocused strategy.
People

We will continue to support and develop our staff, engaging the University community
in the development of new and continuing initiatives, including enhancing our
leadership and management support and training and pursuing the agreed actions set
out in our Pulse staff survey action plans (including our policy on the Management of
Stress and Work-Related Stressors) and Single Equality Action Plan.
The University has refocused its learning and development plan in line with strategic
priorities and institutional outcomes from the annual review process and has seen an
increased embedding of annual review this year since its introduction as a common scheme
in January 2009. Greater emphasis has been given over the year to specific management
skills training. A new Head of Department Induction programme has been developed and
implemented to complement other management and leadership activities, which has been
well received. Further to the approval of the University’s Policy on the Management of Stress
and Work-related Stressors by the Council in July 2009, staff perceptions of stress and workrelated stressors are now available from the PULSE staff survey. Focus on PULSE
outcomes has continued and the University has reviewed its variable reward processes for
senior staff and staff at tops of scales. The Department of Chemistry has achieved an Athena
Swan Silver award with regard to its equality and diversity work in relation to women in SET
subjects to accompany the same award achieved previously by the Physics Department. The
University as a whole has also achieved an Athena Swan Bronze award.
As at 18 November 2010
8