Vice-Chancellor’s Newsletter, October 2011
Dear Colleagues
Welcome to this October newsletter.
I hope you have had a successful start to the new academic year. I am very grateful to
colleagues right across the University who have worked so hard to ensure that new and
returning students were well looked after. I know that this has been a particularly busy
period, with many colleagues settling into new premises in Park and Francis Close Hall, and
others taking up new roles following the staff restructuring reviews. This has led to some
snagging problems, and some gaps in the induction procedures, which we need to resolve.
But my impression is that the process generally has gone well, thanks to the efforts
colleagues have made.
Professor Sir Peter Scott took up post as our new Chair of Council on 1 October. This
follows the Privy Council’s approval of our new Articles of Association, which represent a
major reform of our governance.
Dr Richard O’Doherty also starts on 3 October as our new Deputy Vice Chancellor. Richard
joins us from UWE, where he was the Assistant Vice Chancellor responsible for change
management. Richard will lead on teaching and learning across the University - the three
Deans of Faculty and the Deans of Research and Teaching and Learning will all be reporting
to him. And our new Director of HR, Lucy Pow, starts on 10 October. She joins us from
HEFCE, where she was responsible for HR and strategy.
I am very pleased to welcome Peter, Richard and Lucy to the University. We are arranging
induction programmes for all of them, so that they can meet colleagues across the three
campuses.
Roadshows
I am grateful to all those who attended the roadshows in the week of 12 September. I hope
you found the sessions worthwhile. I certainly found it very valuable to hear from colleagues
across the University about your experiences, both good and bad, and your priorities for the
future. Some colleagues followed up with emails on their particular concerns and
aspirations. I have tried to respond to all of them.
The main actions in hand to follow up the issues raised include:
a. We have published the staff perception survey results, and a timetable for
developing an action plan to tackle what are seen as the main problem areas.
b. I have discussed with the Communication Champions group how we can improve
communications, with a particular role for that group in giving feedback from their
teams on how staff feel about new announcements and developments.
c. We have agreed with the unions that we should do a “lessons learnt” study of the
various staff restructuring reviews, both what went well and what did not.
Finance and Planning and HR are drawing together an analysis of the impact so
far, to inform that study.
d. I have discussed with the University Management Group the role they can play,
both in improving communications, and in being enabled to play a more active
role in decision making and change management across the University.
e. We are developing a new University strategy - there is more detail on this below.
f.
When Lucy Pow arrives, we will put in place a culture change programme, and
work on improving the various issues colleagues raised about management
systems.
Planning and Budgeting
One priority for me during October is to press on with the business planning and budgeting
cycle.
We need to finalise very rapidly the business plans for 2011-12. Richard O’Doherty and I
will be meeting with Deans and Heads of School from each Faculty, and with the Heads of
Service Departments, to review and finalise their draft business plans. That will include
agreeing priority objectives and targets for the year.
We also need to start soon the planning round for 2012-13, so that we give ourselves the
best possible platform for the next academic year when the new fees regime starts. We will
be reviewing our admissions targets, our approach to income generation, and our priorities
for research, while also agreeing delivering targets and KPIs for the year.
In budget terms, we are finalising the accounts for 2010-11. Barring last minute surprises,
those should show that, for the second year in row, we have made a surplus. It is currently
estimated at some £4.75m, after taking exceptional items into account. Achieving that
outcome has required some difficult cuts and savings to be made, but has put us in a much
more sustainable position. The budgets for 2011-12 have been finalised and issued to
Faculties, Schools and Departments, as shown in the attached table. We will be publishing
regular updates tracking expenditure against budgets throughout the year. It will remain
essential to keep tight control of costs, and to continue to make savings. But in setting the
budget for 2012-13, we will take the opportunity to assess where our budget profile needs
adjusting to put us on a fully sustainable footing, for example in relation to investment in
maintenance and training and development.
Meanwhile, we are pressing ahead with the work to develop a new strategic plan. So far, we
have had initial discussions in the project group, the Finance and General Purposes
Committee, the University Management Group, and the three campus focus groups. Many
thanks to all those who have participated. Other colleagues are pursuing individual strands
- notably, our National Teaching Fellows discussing what ambitions we should set ourselves
for raising the quality of teaching and learning. The next step will be to pull that material
together and invite views across the University.
Support for Business and Economic Development
With Greg Smith, Principal of Gloucestershire College, I have been invited to join the board
of the Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership. The LEP was established this year, as
the main agency in the county for economic development, following the decision to abolish
RDAs. The chair is Diane Savoury from Supergroup, and the Chief Executive is David
Owen. Most of the board members are business people, and the LEP’s role is to develop
and deliver a programme for growth in Gloucestershire.
I was keen to join because I do believe the University should play a major role in supporting
business and economic development. You may like to see the article I wrote for the local
papers, which is below. I attended the LEP’s Board meeting on 24 September where we
identified several areas where the University could play a role - including providing
incubation units for new start ups, supporting the LEP’s 9 sector groups, and working with
Gloucestershire employers to enable our graduates to get good jobs in the area.
We will be hosting at Oxstalls an event to mark the first 6 months of the LEP’s work. That is
being held on16 November, and will give us a good opportunity to present to an external
audience the range of work we do to support business.
Objectives
This is the time of year when we need to ensure that Staff Development Reviews are
completed, and that all colleagues have agreed objectives. One issue that came up at the
roadshows was the patchiness of SDRs and whether people found them valuable or not.
The first step in sorting that out is to ensure that everyone does have agreed objectives for
this year. I thought you might be interested to see the objectives I have agreed with Malcolm
Herbert and Peter Scott - again, please see below. As well as my objectives, I have
included my job description, and a somewhat aspirational statement of what I think makes a
good VC - you may or may not agree with it! I am agreeing their objectives with all members
of Executive Group in a similar tabular format of objectives, actions and measurement.
I certainly feel I am having a rich variety of new experiences as I work my way into the role.
My engagements during September included a celebration of the Cheltenham painted
horses at the racecourse, being presented with signed cricket bats from the England and
Wales Cricket Board, attending a Bishop’s Breakfast in Lydney, a strategy day at
Gloucestershire College, a reception for the Cheltenham Festivals, the MA Fine Art show at
Pittville, a visit to one of our private provider partners, the London School of Commerce in
Southwark, and a visit to David Green, VC at the University of Worcester - all of which is
helping me to appreciate the huge variety of ways in which the University works with
partners in Gloucestershire and beyond.
In terms of further development - I really liked the suggestion made at one of the roadshows
that we should have a “back to the floor” programme. So I am planning to invite myself to
shadow some teaching colleagues, to get a better understanding of what it is like to teach!
As ever, all comments, suggestions and feedback welcome.
Best wishes
Stephen
UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE SUPPORTS BUSINESS AND GROWTH
How we rebuild Britain’s economy is critical for all of us. There are many views on the
causes of the recession, and how best to restore growth. But one thing is clear. We won’t
achieve growth unless there is a good supply of graduates with the right skills, knowledge
and capabilities to meet business needs. At the University of Gloucestershire we are
committed to playing our full part in achieving that.
These days we look to universities to play many roles, supporting individuals and society.
But universities are increasingly recognised as being essential for economic growth. That is
because advanced economies like ours are dependent on creating wealth through
knowledge. We cannot compete through low-skill jobs paying low wages. We depend on
the innovation and enterprise of people who create new knowledge and understanding
through research, and who apply skill and insight to create new and improved products,
services and ways of doing things.
That is our core business at the University of Gloucestershire. We help our students to
develop their talents and capabilities so they have the knowledge, insight and confidence to
succeed in a modern, high-skill economy. We contribute hugely to the economy of
Gloucestershire and beyond by supplying many of the skilled graduates that local employers
need. We graduate about 3,000 students a year. A recent survey suggests that two-thirds
of them would like to stay and work in Gloucestershire after experiencing life in the county.
So the University acts as a talent magnet, attracting young people to Gloucestershire who
then want to stay and contribute to our local economy.
We are very aware that employers’ expectations of graduates are constantly rising. And
they don’t always believe that their needs are being well met. At the University we are
committed to helping our students become better prepared for the labour market, increasing
their employability by giving them the skills, attributes and capabilities that employers value.
Students have many reasons for going to university - for the love of learning, to develop their
talents, and to share in the life of the student community. But for the vast majority, university
is also about getting the qualifications and skills they need for a good job. The new student
fees coming in next year will make students, quite rightly, more demanding in their
expectations that university will prepare them well for their future careers.
So at the University of Gloucestershire we are paying a lot more attention to making our
students employable. This means rethinking our curriculum to develop essential skills. For
example, our Media department has been kitemarked by employers in the media industry for
excellence in developing the industry-relevant skills they want. We are helping students get
work experience through placements, sandwich courses and internships, and helping them
gain wider personal capabilities and confidence through volunteering and student societies.
We are leading the sector in developing Higher Education Achievement Reports for
students, which present their achievements and skills in a compelling way. We have
introduced the new ‘Employable Gloucestershire Graduate Scheme’ which encourages
students to reflect upon the skills and attributes they have developed through their extracurricular activities such as volunteering and placements, and which verifies their individual
achievements. We have launched our Business Enterprise Awards, and as part of that we
announced our annual BUG Awards for student enterprise.
So we are working hard to ensure that our students are well prepared for working life. This
does not mean taking a narrow, instrumentalist view of the purpose of higher education. On
the contrary. What good employers mean by ‘employability’ goes much wider. It is about
graduates who are able to think for themselves, take the initiative, come up with innovative
solutions to problems, and work with others in teams. It means a willingness to learn and
the confidence to give it a go. Those are the sort of attributes we seek to develop in our
students - and that breadth of personal development and understanding of the world has
always been a core purpose of a university education.
We contribute to the Gloucestershire economy in many other ways as well. Our NEXUS
team develops bespoke training for employers, delivered in the work place. Our careers
team offers a recruitment service for local employers, with 585 of our graduates of 2010
finding employment in Gloucestershire. We run an incubation unit which helps new media
companies to start up. We will be actively supporting the work of the Local Enterprise
Partnership. And we are a major Gloucestershire business in our own right, with a turnover
of £70m, employing 1,000 staff, and bringing to the area the spending power of 10,000
students.
But we are committed to doing more. Since becoming Vice- Chancellor in August, I have
talked to many of the organisations and individuals that support economic development in
Gloucestershire. To put it politely, they have made clear to me that the University’s
contribution to the economy is not well understood, and they feel that we could and should
do more. I agree. One of our strategic priorities for the future will be to strengthen the
contribution we make to growth, enterprise and economic development.
We will do that best if we do it in partnership. We need businesses and employers to work
with us, helping us to design and deliver better courses, offering our students work
experience and placements, and helping us to promote and celebrate a spirit of enterprise. I
believe there is a fund of goodwill from businesses and employers wanting to help us - so
long as we show that we are enthusiastically committed to meeting them half way, so that
the way we educate our students really does give them the best possible grounding to be
successful in their careers. That way, everyone gains.
OBJECTIVE
ACTIONS
MEASUREMENT
1.
Ensure financial viability and
robust budget control
Financial targets met, as set
by F&GP
Develop new University
strategy and operating plan
Strategy agreed by Council
by February 2012
2.
3.
Secure and improve the
sustainability of the
University
Secure and improve
University’s ability to
recruit students by
improving their HE
experience
Secure improved morale
and confidence of staff in
University leadership
Raise HEFCE confidence in
leadership of University
Improved reputation of
University
Strengthen financial viability
through growth and
diversification of income
streams
Revise student charter,
incorporating stronger
commitments on quality and
employability
Programme of action agreed
across Faculties and
Departments to improve
student experience
Successful management of
the Autumn 2012 admissions
round
Draw up organisational
development programme,
covering leadership and
culture change
Improve internal
communications amongst
staff
4.
Strengthen partnerships
with, and reputation
Effective operation of
framework for objective
setting, appraisal, staff
development, performance
management, and workload
allocation
Develop partnership
agreements with partner FE
Operating plans for Faculties
and Departments agreed by
Summer 2012, incorporating
new strategy
HEFCE confidence in the
University restored
Position in published league
tables
Measurable increase in size
and diversity of income
New charter published for
Autumn 2012 admissions
Year on year rise in national
student satisfaction survey
results
Achievement of intake
targets
OD plan agreed by Council
by April 2012
Rise in staff satisfaction
survey results in 2013
Attendance at, and feedback
on, communication events
Rise in staff satisfaction
survey results in 2013
HR monitoring shows
framework operating
Rise in staff satisfaction
survey results in 2013
Number and scale of
partnership agreements
amongst, main
stakeholders
colleges
reached
Extend programme of riskmanaged international
partnerships
Increased volume of student
progression from colleges to
University
Number and scale of
international partnership
agreements reached
Achieve targets for
international student
recruitment
Develop business support
programme, contributing to
economic growth
Sustain strong partnerships
with Gloucestershire schools
Sustain our UKBA status as
highly trusted sponsor
New business support
programme agreed by
Council by March 2012
Increase in satisfaction by
economic partners in
University’s contribution
Volume of student
progression from
Gloucestershire schools to
University
Partnerships for delivering
school-based teacher
training remain in place
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsible to:
University Council through the Chair of Council
Responsible for:
University Executive
1.
Primary Functions:
1.1.
To make proposals to University Council on the educational character and mission
of the University and for implementing resolutions passed or proposals made by the
University Council in the exercise of its responsibilities.
To build on, and develop further, a shared understanding of the vision, mission and
strategic aims of the University.
The leadership, organisation, direction, and management of the University.
To create a culture of functional team working across the institution.
The leadership of the academic portfolio.
To ensure the overall quality and standards across all of the University’s activities.
To ensure that financial and business systems are in place to achieve agreed
financial objectives and the financial success of the institution.
The maintenance of student discipline, the suspension or expulsion of students on
disciplinary grounds, and the implementation of decisions to expel students on
academic grounds.
To develop the University as the prime provider of higher education in the County,
building and sustaining links with all of the University’s stakeholders, and
representing the University as its key ambassador.
To undertake any other duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grade of
the post, properly directed by University Council. These variations will not change
the general character of the post or the level of responsibility entailed.
1.2.
1.3.
1.4.
1.5.
1.6.
1.7.
1.8.
1.9.
1.10.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD VC
1. Champion and uphold the values and purposes of the university - the fundamental
importance of knowledge, its creation, transmission and application; high quality and
standards in teaching and learning; excellent service to students and the community
2. Be there for people - visible, approachable, engaged. You cannot run a university from
behind a desk
3. Be clear about strategic direction, priorities and values, and consistent in applying them.
Ensure everyone shares an understanding of what the university stands for, and what it
is trying to achieve
4. Champion and promote the right culture - integrity, ambition, openness, inclusiveness,
commitment to excellence. Be tough in demanding adherence to that culture
5. Project confidence, enthusiasm and optimism: be realistic about challenges, but focus on
overcoming them
6. Respect the expertise and professionalism of staff, empower and trust them to do the
right thing, support their development, and include them in decision making.
7. Keep communicating: be frank, honest and inclusive
8. Be decisive: in challenging and turbulent times, people want purposeful momentum
9. Manage the university’s affairs successfully - avoid crises, achieve targets, balance
budgets, minimise bureaucracy, ensure probity, get the business done in a businesslike
way
10. Champion the university in the wider world - be out there fighting its corner, building
productive partnerships, advertising its achievements, enhancing its reputation