Sighthill Campus – Thursday 21 November
Voting Pad Results:
146 staff voted
58% Professional Service
42% Faculty
24% had worked here 1-2 years
12% 3-5 years
20% 5-10 years
26% 10-20 years
18% 20 years and over
Textwall:
We should have a formal way to acknowledge staff who have gone the extra mile, or
really made a difference to us - could we have some kind of nomination scheme?
------------------------------------------------------WAM is a bean counting exercise that constrains innovation and motivation
------------------------------------------------------Reputation is built on integrity. Let's say what we do, do what we say and aspire to
be what/who we'd like to be perceived as.
------------------------------------------------------This event today is a very positive and refreshing start to valuing contribution of staff
and hearing views before decisions are made. Please make the comments count
and continue to consult staff in this way. Great interaction and use of text wall!
------------------------------------------------------Lead by example well done AN so far
------------------------------------------------------It IS sometimes a great place to work, but sometimes in order to be creative &
collaborative there can be significant resistance by managers. We need to be very
persistent!
------------------------------------------------------This is most impressive attempt at engagement I've experienced here. It's been fun
so I hope my optimism isn't misplaced
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We have once again seen the us and them attitude between academics and support
staff. Let's cut it out and all work together. Academics and support staff. Let's cut it
out and all work together.
------------------------------------------------------Let’s not be scared to try new things - embrace innovation - we will make mistakes
along the way.
------------------------------------------------------There are more spaces for social interaction at Sighthill than ever before
------------------------------------------------------Working at Sighthill is like going back to the seventies with regard to equality
------------------------------------------------------Processes/ opportunities for staff development are inconsistently applied and
opaque
------------------------------------------------------Open doors social interaction lively knowledge sharing
------------------------------------------------------This opportunity today is excellent. We rely heavily on knowing what is happening to
maintain our motivation. Thank you!
------------------------------------------------------Some lovely colleagues (academic and admin) but nowhere to meet socially. Social
space = better understanding and more potential for mutual support
------------------------------------------------------An effective outward and inward facing communication strategy
------------------------------------------------------People need to feel they can challenge decisions, really influence and be given the
confidence to do things differently. This is a great start. We need to take risks and be
supported.
------------------------------------------------------Our students make this a great place to work, invest in students is investment in staff
students is investment in staff
------------------------------------------------------A staffroom would nice
------------------------------------------------------We need more creative spaces - sometimes called social spaces
------------------------------------------------------Staff very frustrated about opportunities for promotion.
------------------------------------------------------Expecting so much free labour will never make it a great place to work.
------------------------------------------------------Communication is the key.
------------------------------------------------------Mutual respect between academic and admin. Admin staff not here to be treated like
slaves
------------------------------------------------------A Uni choir, led by Gareth Malone
------------------------------------------------------Working environment for staff is important and will impact student experience - open
plan office space where the expectation is to in work quiet, almost silence, is
repressive and stifling. The most positive and successful working environments I've
known are busy with the constant murmurs of conversations and ideas...
------------------------------------------------------Research- teaching links should be key for the university but the reality is that there
is not enough time for research
------------------------------------------------------Penalise us no more, please, please, please do not charge Merchiston staff for an
imaginary car parking space.
------------------------------------------------------We need to tell people more about the research we are doing
-------------------------------------------------------
Great researchers come to ENU and see their research practically wither and die.
How much of research submitted to REF was actually carried out here? We need
investment!
------------------------------------------------------What do NUVL do with their 50% top slice?
------------------------------------------------------Give Sighthill a break. In 2020 it will be part of Edinburgh's garden district!
------------------------------------------------------How about we get a better consideration of academic staff/student ratios rather than
proliferation of professional services?
------------------------------------------------------It's very hard when you're up to your a*** in alligators to remember that the original
task was to clear the swamp. Can we deal with the alligators?
------------------------------------------------------Income has flatlined, the university needs to grow and expand to bring more income
to the university. ENU is a tiny institution compared to the likes of Edinburgh Uni!
------------------------------------------------------International PGR students in particular pay huge fees but how much of that is
invested back into research support?
------------------------------------------------------From research follow innovation which can grow to new product, new technology
new processe....
------------------------------------------------------We have a strong pedagogical research and scholarship culture. We could support
this better. Teaching and research are mutual here
------------------------------------------------------Great points from Phyllis on research - the answer to how we might make it possible
might lie in how we structure the curriculum more broadly
------------------------------------------------------Continued investment in undergraduate programmes
------------------------------------------------------Value research on education and the contribution it can make to the quality of
provision
------------------------------------------------------Should not just send students on industry placements and international visits. But
academic staff within industry
------------------------------------------------------For effective academics make clear distinctions between academic functions and
administrative functions academic functions and administrative functions
------------------------------------------------------More focus on home students and not just international students.
------------------------------------------------------Some work on cultural attitudes and values needed: ALL students are important - not
some more than others
------------------------------------------------------ENU should work with industry. Applied knowledge.
------------------------------------------------------Recently new programmes have been thrown together far too quickly - we need time
to develop sustainable programmes that will recruit high calibre students.
------------------------------------------------------Nice to hear Iain talk about benefits of social science degree.
------------------------------------------------------We need a culture of critical thinking, and researching. Also linking to alumni to build
a community and links to industry.
------------------------------------------------------We should only commit to taking on work that we can deliver well. How do we define
and measure our Quality of teaching? Is it only Student experience?
------------------------------------------------------PhD studentships fully-funded (limited number of course). PG students could
contribute to teaching quality
------------------------------------------------------How do you plan to increase commercial engagement with no dedicated commercial
staff?
------------------------------------------------------Make it easier for professional staff to engage internal academic learning
opportunities
------------------------------------------------------I attended Napier as a masters student and valued lectures where there were
professorial/senior management speakers - however this does not appear to be
consistent across programmes and if not why not
------------------------------------------------------How many people know there's a film society trying to grow on this campus and that
posters for it are regularly removed? It's educational and social
------------------------------------------------------Admin is here too - what about a strong support network for students, not just
academics who influence students and this university. Academic views on admin
needs to change network for students, not just academics who influence students
and this university. Academic views on admin needs to change
------------------------------------------------------Sighthill too corporate
------------------------------------------------------Businesses like working with us because we listen and collaborate - we should build
on that strength collaborate - we should build on that strength
------------------------------------------------------We need to properly resource and support our academics if they are going to be able
to better engage with industry and business.
------------------------------------------------------Strategy to strengthen early career researchers ?
------------------------------------------------------Happy staff = happier students, perhaps more investment is needed for staff whether
that is within allowing time for sports or a separate till in the canteen!??
------------------------------------------------------Feel as though there is a very high focus on international students and not enough
on the experience for our own students
------------------------------------------------------More flexible open options to learn
------------------------------------------------------Sighthill looks like a bank not a good image. Let’s get posters up social spaces and
green areas
------------------------------------------------------The students and staff have been giving their views for a number of years but there
seems to be more focus sometimes on collecting those views rather than acting on
them and fixing the problems that come up year after year
------------------------------------------------------Happy staff, both academic and professional, will lead to the University being a great
place to work and ultimately lead to an improved student experience!
------------------------------------------------------Students acquire experience with industry.
------------------------------------------------------Students will be future academics and researchers
------------------------------------------------------We need to have much livelier campuses, open longer, with much more going on Create a real university community
------------------------------------------------------Heating that works
------------------------------------------------------Let’s engage with students as co-creators of learning not passive consumers
------------------------------------------------------Wider consultation with students over new initiatives - international, placement etc
what would be valuable for them?
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Sports and societies
------------------------------------------------------Sport and societies are an excellent way to attract students and build the reputation
of the university while building the social experience. Giving students transferrable
skills leadership team working etc
------------------------------------------------------If students are not thinking as we would like we need to change how we teach
change how we teach
------------------------------------------------------Different types of students expect different things - we need to consider them all
------------------------------------------------------Wednesdays free for sport to encourage more social interaction
------------------------------------------------------We need to get students to 'think' rather than just learn. At present they mainly
regurgitate rather than digest and apply
------------------------------------------------------NSA not v helpful re new societies & some students v sceptical of their commitment
to improving student experience rather than their own reputation
------------------------------------------------------Hurrah for Prof Huxham!
------------------------------------------------------Agreed sport is a big part of the student experience. Makes a student feel a part of
something
------------------------------------------------------Our students can be our best advocates we need to let them tell their stories to give
the ENU experience relevance in a busy market
------------------------------------------------------We need to invest in the value of student sport
-------------------------------------------------------
What about connecting with the current apprenticeship scheme in the UK which
appears to be attracting more young people and seems to be increasingly valued by
industry?
------------------------------------------------------The opening of the union at bainfield residencies will hopefully become a social hub
------------------------------------------------------Can we invest in more social space for our students to help create more of a family
atmosphere
------------------------------------------------------Students are our future and must be central to ALL we do
------------------------------------------------------Work experience is so important and makes the difference in gaining employment could we make a placement an integral part of every course? This is what we could
be known for, part of our vision and makes us stand out from the crowd
------------------------------------------------------Hear! Hear Sandra, more short-term mobility opportunities embedded into
undergraduate programmes please. Opportunities embedded into undergraduate
programmes please.
------------------------------------------------------How do we create more of a "family/ community" feel for the students?
------------------------------------------------------Our mission statement should be short enough so all staff know it by heart.
------------------------------------------------------Having a full exec team this year is a great thing. We are working towards finding out
and achieving the full student experience. It is just getting students to actually share
their views on this that’s the problem
------------------------------------------------------We should give NSA more money (not by a student)
------------------------------------------------------Formally 'Buddying' all international students with a RUK student or group of
students
------------------------------------------------------Expansive approach and philosophy not a single dimension or approach or approach
------------------------------------------------------There is a fracture between R and T i.e. professors and researchers do not come in
contact with our undergraduate students. This could be inspirational - how can this
change?
------------------------------------------------------I would need more information about how academics would be supported to achieve
this strategy
------------------------------------------------------We should offer every student the opportunity of an international experience and a
work placement
------------------------------------------------------Perhaps in some areas we need to get back to basics rather than trying to address
everything :)
------------------------------------------------------Investment in staff vital
------------------------------------------------------Sounds great but will we have enough academic staff to do this? Or will we still be
expected to work masses of unpaid hours?
------------------------------------------------------Already some great teaching and real innovation but need much more consistency
------------------------------------------------------Students, students, students
------------------------------------------------------How will we measure our student experience, what are the key themes?
------------------------------------------------------Best on employability. Link between academy an industry.
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Give people responsibility for their areas - less layers of decision making.
------------------------------------------------------Step change in innovative pedagogy
------------------------------------------------------Prioritisation key to help deliver distinction
------------------------------------------------------Sounds great but how do we achieve it? Making decisions and putting them into
action is the important bit!
------------------------------------------------------I think it's already a great place to work - would be good if some other colleagues
realised that
------------------------------------------------------We have a perception about where we want to go, what our vision should be but will
we check that this is in line with what our students want. What do they want and
expect from us? vision should be but will we check that this is in line with what our
students want. What do they want and expect from us?
------------------------------------------------------Aspirational - just need to keep checking we are on track - so easy to get distracted
track - so easy to get distracted
------------------------------------------------------Vision needs to be bold. "leading university" is wishy washy - we want to be the best
------------------------------------------------------How will you make management more visible?
------------------------------------------------------Could we have more of these meetings to help develop a shared staff vision?
------------------------------------------------------Professional works for me - in our values, approach and programmes and
programmes
------------------------------------------------------Academic agenda has to be at the core of our strategy
------------------------------------------------------A transformational leader!
------------------------------------------------------Could be any other university, we need a vision that makes us stand out from the
rest!
------------------------------------------------------Could we I'm for top 100 under 50yrs?
------------------------------------------------------Vision should focus on something that differentiates us problem solver....
Transformational
------------------------------------------------------Great start - inspirational!
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