Approved
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
PROJECT COORDINATION GROUP
23 October 2014
(2pm – 4pm)
MINUTES
Chair
Bryn Morris (OBM)
Present
Marc Albano (MA), Emma Hardy (EH), Bernarde Hyde (BH), James Lewis (JL),
Peter Luther (PL), Zoe Manning (ZM), Bettina Mills (BM), Aletta Norval (AN),
Paul Smart (PS), Richard Stock (RS), Sonia Virdee (SV)
Secretary
Clare Hornsby (CH)
In attendance
Nicola East (NE), Simon Neale (SN)
1
Apologies
Noted
2
Richard Murphy (RM)
Starring of agenda items
Noted
3
Agenda item 13 was starred for discussion.
347/14
Matters arising from the minutes (PCG/14/82)
Noted
5
346/14
Minutes of the last meeting (PCG/14/81)
Approved
4
345/14
348/14
An update on the 2013-14 programme of SUMS activity
a) SUMS report and management response to the review of the shape and
structure of the academic year (PCG/14/83)
Noted
SUMS had undertaken a high level analysis of sector practice, and
engaged with internal stakeholders, in order to help the University
determine whether there was value in reviewing the shape and structure
of the academic year. The SUMS report was well received and SUMS
were thanked for their work on this matter.
349/14
As recognised by SUMS, the University’s Curriculum Review programme
was expected to improve the student learning experience and to change
the frequency and method by which some students were assessed,
thereby organically reshaping the academic year. The breadth and depth
of such change would be determined by the curriculum revisions
introduced by departments, within the framework of the University’s
Education Strategy.
350/14
Agreed
Any future initiatives to change the shape and structure of the academic
year would require wider consultation with academic colleagues.
351/14
If a strategic driver for institutional change emerged from the University’s
Curriculum Review programme, the SUMS report and a revised
management response should be submitted to USG.
352/14
b) SUMS review of management information
Noted
Work to scope the SUMS review of Management Information was
underway.
353/14
Agreed
A paper should be submitted to the December 2014 meeting of PCG for
information and endorsement.
354/14
Action: MA
6
Proposed programme of SUMS activity for 2014-15
Noted
Agreed
Heads of Professional Services and Departments (via the Faculty
Managers), had been invited to identify processes and work streams
which could benefit from a SUMS review or consultancy during the 201415 academic year.
355/14
There was an institutional need to ensure that processes could withstand
an increased volume of throughput as a result of the real, and
anticipated, growth in student numbers.
356/14
Heads of Professional Services and Departments should be contacted
again in order to develop a programme of SUMS activity for 2014-15.
The proposed programme should be submitted to the December 2014
meeting of PCG for consideration.
357/14
Action: BM
7
8
Proposed programme of lean activity for 2014-15 (PCG/14/84)
Noted
358/14
Project mandates for consideration
a) Implementation of an online Personal Tutoring system (PCG/14/85)
Noted
The project aimed to personalise the student experience, deliver
improved student outcomes, and support student retention and
development, through the implementation of an online personal tutoring
system. It was anticipated that the system would hold a range of student
data, including student attendance information, in order to facilitate
meaningful interactions between personal tutors and tutees.
359/14
Agreed
The need for such a system had been recognised by the Student
Experience Committee, and staff within EBS who had already
undertaken some initial exploration of existing software solutions.
360/14
There were clear links between this project, the CRM for the Student
Services Centre project, the HEAR project, and the Attendance
Monitoring project.
361/14
The system could be enhanced, either from the outset or on a phased
basis, to further support students and personal tutors. Concept
development ideas included:
362/14

giving students access their own information and data, in order
that they may become an active participant in their learning

enabling the recording and monitoring of actions agreed during
personal tutoring sessions

allowing students to engage with their personal tutor online
That the project be mandated with a 3-2 rating for strategic contribution
and time criticality respectively.
363/14
The full project proposal should clearly set out the ways in which the
project would support and demonstrate the University’s commitment to
student retention and improving the student experience. Links between
this and other strategically important projects should also be
strengthened.
364/14
Action: Katie Rakow (KR)/ Alex O’Neill (AO)
The project team should review the scope of the project in light of PCG’s
recommendations.
365/14
Action: KR/ AO
A system map that sets out links and dependencies between the
proposed and existing systems should be developed.
366/14
Action: RS
b) My Mobile Essex
Noted
The project sought to create a smartphone app that would give students
a single mechanism by which to access information relating to their
educational and living experience at Essex. Similar apps had been
developed by other top 30 institutions and were considered a ‘brilliant
basic’. There was however a need to ensure that the system and content
were well maintained following implementation.
367/14
SUMS had been commissioned by an alternative institution to explore the
opportunities and benefits associated with the implementation of similar
smartphone apps. A high level summary of their findings would be
shared with the project team.
368/14
Agreed
In light of the links between this project and the redevelopment of the
myEssex student portal, it was suggested that there could be value in
limiting the functionality of the app in the first instance, with a view to
introducing additional functionality and enhancements on a phased basis,
to coincide with the development of myEssex.
369/14
That the project be mandated with a 2-2 rating for strategic contribution
and time criticality respectively.
370/14
The full project proposal should clearly set out how the project links to,
and supports, the University’s Communication and Advancement
supporting strategy.
371/14
Action: Tessa Rogowski (TR)
9
Project proposals for consideration
a) Direct admissions (PCG/14/87)
Noted
Agreed
The project was recognised as an opportunity to increase the University’s
market share of overseas undergraduate students who had traditionally
found it difficult to engage with the UCAS application process.
Approximately £100,000 was required to deliver the project, however this
had not been accounted for in the 2014-15 budgets.
372/14
There was an expectation that following the implementation of the
system, students would be guided through the online application process
at recruitment events with the support of University staff, thereby
reducing the number of referrals made to local agents. Although difficult
to quantify, it was suggested that the savings realised through a
reduction in commission payments made to overseas agents could be
used to fund the project.
373/14
In order for the University to realise the anticipated benefits associated
with the project, it would be necessary for the system to be operational
for the 2016-17 undergraduate recruitment cycle, and well in advance of
the launch of the proposed UCAS system.
374/14
That the project be approved for implementation. The required financial
resources should be drawn from the Agents’ budget.
375/14
b) Research Management and Administration Systems (RMAS) (PCG/14/88)
Noted
The full project proposal was very thorough and clearly set out the
strategic and operational drivers for the project, together with the
anticipated institutional benefits. It was confirmed that the RMAS system
could link with the Agresso and iHR systems, and that the modules could
support financial accounting for research, capital and revenue projects
which were delivered across multiple financial years.
376/14
Agreed
The financial schedule should be clarified as it was not clear how the
required Project Management resource would be funded.
377/14
Action: OBM
That the project be approved for implementation.
10
Planet FM to craft teams project closure report (PCG/14/89)
Approved
11
379/14
An update on the Strategic Projects Portfolio (PCG/14/90)
Noted
Agreed
12
378/14
Many of the University’s strategically important projects were progressing
well however revised project and reporting milestones had been
proposed for the Agresso Upgrade, Flexible Study and iHR phase two,
projects.
380/14
The overall status of the MIS to CMIS project continued to be reported as
red however a project update would be available for consideration at the
December meeting of PCG.
381/14
That the revised project and reporting milestones be approved.
382/14
Forthcoming projects
a) A verbal update from the Chair of the Systems and Academic Projects Board
Noted
The Systems and Academic Projects Board (SAPB) had expressed
concerns regarding the limited availability of project management
resource, and suggested that this could be a barrier to good project ideas
coming forward. Members of the Board had been asked to liaise with
section and departmental colleagues, in order to collate project ideas that
would be discussed at the Board’s November meeting.
383/14
The Deputy Director of Strategic Planning and Change would provide a
list of new project ideas, alongside an update on potential and
forthcoming projects that were detailed in the 2014-15 section plans, for
consideration at the December meeting of PCG. The paper would also
include an analysis of any known and anticipated resource implications.
384/14
b) Group discussion
Noted
13
No other forthcoming projects were identified for discussion.
385/14
Any other business
Noted
Revised project approval and reporting templates, which included
updated guidance for paper authors, had been published online in
September 2014, following a review of the capital projects approval
process. Although the revised templates had also been shared directly
with known paper authors in advance of the September and October
meetings of SAPB and PCG, the changes had not been communicated
to the wider University community, and this had resulted in some
confusion.
386/14
Agreed
Changes to the project approval and reporting templates should be
communicated to staff across the University as part of the wider
communication on changes to the capital projects approval and
monitoring processes.
387/14
Action: BM
14
Date of the next meeting
Noted
4 December 2014, 2pm to 4pm in 5S.4.4.
388/14
The Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) review of the University was
scheduled for the week commencing 1 December 2014. The extent to
which staff from across the University would be involved in the review
would be determined at the beginning of November, following which, the
date of the December meeting of PCG would be confirmed.
389/14
Clare Hornsby
Project Governance Officer
Strategic Planning and Change Section
October 2014