Council Strategy Review 16 th May 2007

Council Strategy Review 16 th May 2007

Strategy Review: why do we need one? …because the Future is not what it used to be… l The HE environment is changing faster than ever o becoming much more competitive and much more of a ‘business’ o education is now a ‘personal investment decision’ l The new demands are in addition to the old ones l We need to be an organisation working together and able and open to change

The Higher Education Environment l Deferred Variable Tuition Fees – expectations, debt, 2009 review? l Political Drivers – WP, T&R funding, collaboration, engagement, economic contribution l Demographic Change post 2010 l Increasing Globalisation of HE l Future RAEs and Research Funding l Universities and the Knowledge Economy: Aston’s role in Birmingham and the West Midlands

The Demographic Challenge: no of 18 year olds

Strategy Implications l The need to understand our target markets l The need to define our offerings to those markets l The need to position ourselves clearly and differentiate what we do from what others do l The need for focus in our activities, to choose what we will and will not do l The need for excellence in all we choose to do l The need for growth for sustainability

How do we deliver a ‘winning’ Aston Experience l for… l Students l Staff l Alumni l Research sponsors l Businesses and public sector organisations l Users of our facilities? What are the implications for teaching, research, administration, infrastructure, facilities etc?

Brainstorm: Aston’s Current Position

Aston’s Current Position From your perspective as Council members what would you say are three most significant: l l Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats facing the University?

Aston’s Current Position Strengths Opportunities Weaknesses Threats

Vision An inspirational place (where you can’t wait to come back)

Mission l A centre of excellence in Learning and Teaching • with a vocational and professional focus • offering flexible delivery tailored to individual needs • intellectual challenge in a supportive environment l A centre of excellence for rigorous, relevant Research • crossing boundaries: interdisciplinary and international • from science and scholarship to exploitation • delivering accessible research outputs in support of industry, business, the public sector and the professions l A centre of excellence in Community Engagement • raising aspirations and supporting regeneration • in Birmingham and the West Midlands • leading best practice in the ‘Knowledge Economy’

Culture and Values l l l l A great place to work, study and collaborate • Welcoming, informal and relaxed • Understanding and meeting the needs of students and other stakeholders A listening and learning environment • Listening to all members of the community • Valuing all contributions Relevant • Working on real issues for the World today • Delivering accessible outputs for our research sponsors and partners • Preparing our graduates to lead in a challenging, international environment • Supporting our local community – from schools to growing businesses Adventure, inspiration and enterprise • Leading innovative, adventurous, rigorous research • Creating new approaches to learning and teaching • Catalysing enterprise in Birmingham and the West Midlands Celebrating success • From inspirational teaching and high impact outreach to world-class research Fast and Responsive • Empowering our staff to act • The place that likes to say ‘yes’ Valuing the Diversity of the Aston community

A ‘Balanced Mission’ Research relevant research: delivering accessible excellence for business, the public sector and the professions Learning professionally-oriented learning and teaching: preparing our graduates to lead in tomorrow’s world Community Engagement innovative support for local regeneration: schools outreach, widening participation support to SMEs and local business

Centre of Excellence in Learning and Teaching l In professionally/vocationally focussed disciplines l Developing innovative approaches to learning and teaching l Where teaching excellence is developed and celebrated l Excellent graduate employability and progression l Outstanding combination of quality and value to attract fee-paying students from home and abroad: the best investment l Making the Aston experience widely accessible l Providing outstanding student support l Developing tomorrow’s leaders as ethical, ‘good world citizens’ l Promoting intellectual development and life-long learning

Centre of Excellence in Relevant Research l Internationally recognised, rigorous and relevant l Known for international centres which set the research agenda in key areas l Addressing important problems, where appropriate commercialising results l Understanding the needs of business, industry, the public sector and the professions l Interdisciplinary and collaborative: across Schools, Universities, Nations l Effective and accessible dissemination of research knowledge l Productive relationships with research funders: RCs, charities, government, industry, EU etc l Making a real and measurable difference to the regional economy, not a ‘cheap consultancy’ l Innovative research into pedagogy to support excellence in teaching

Centre of Excellence in Community Engagement l Driving regeneration for Birmingham and the W Midlands through partnerships and knowledge transfer l Attractive for local students – active in WP, strong collaboration with MBC and other partners, raising aspirations in local schools l Research, training, advice and support to local business and industry to drive economic growth l Spin-out and exploitation of Aston’s research IP - collaborating with the Science Park l Using our conference facilities to promote the university and the region l Working in productive partnerships with public services l Active participants in the Birmingham Masterplan and the regional agenda l Engaging closely with the Science Park and policy bodies eg AWM, CBI, BCCI, RSP, WMHEA, City Council l Recognised internationally as an exemplar of best practice in community engagement

Five Strategic Objectives ‘Underpinning’ Objectives 1. To strengthen our Culture and Values 2. To achieve Financial Stability through growth ‘Balanced Mission’ Objectives 3. To become a recognised leader in innovative Learning and Teaching 4. To grow our capacity and reputation for world-class, Rigorous and Relevant Research 5. To define and deliver best practice in Community Engagement and Knowledge Transfer

‘Underpinning’ Strategic Objectives 1 and 2 1 • 21 st Century environment Developing our • Improved communications Culture and Values • A culture of developing our people - support for new researchers - recognition through promotions and awards • Fast, effective processes, reduced bureaucracy • Promoting diversity through fair, open and sensitive policies 2 • Grow Turnover to £ 120 M pa Financial Stability • Achieve 3% annual surplus through Growth • Development funding of £ 1 M (or appropriate target) pa

‘Balanced Mission’ Strategic Objectives 3, 4 and 5 3 Learning & Teaching Focus Excellence Differentiation Growth Infrastructure 4 Relevant Research 5 Community Engagement

3 Achieve Leadership in Learning and Teaching Focus Excellence Retain current School structure Rationalise courses: UG and PG Improve, intensify and focus overseas marketing New Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching Staff promotion on the basis on L&T innovation Higher profile for Teaching awards Student satisfaction, Guardian and Times rankings Differentiation Innovative approaches to flexible learning Excellent ‘student experience’ - effective Guild - outstanding student support - high quality student accommodation Employability: the best investment - outstanding Careers Service - develop placements, including overseas Growth Distance learning, flexible learning Employer-led Foundation Degrees, development of Foundation Degree Centre Overseas student numbers Grow ‘humanities’ in line with Aston 21 st C focus Executive Education and CPD Funding bids for innovation in learning and teaching Learning and teaching pedagogy Infrastructure Library development Student access to PCs Learner and teacher driven IT systems High class learning and teaching environment Accommodation Web-based services

4 Grow our reputation for world-class Research Focus Identify areas for world-leading research centres and focus fund-raising Excellence Financial support and mentoring for all academic staff Internal funds for new and interdisciplinary collaborations Develop School and Interdisciplinary research strategies Selective recruitment to import and strengthen key areas Differentiation Strengthen links to business and industry World-class centres in key areas: Photonics, Neuroimaging, Forensic Linguistics, Strategy… Promote our strengths more effectively Growth Research income ‘pipeline’ to £ 20 M pa within 4 years IPR-based income £ 0. 5 Mpa (much greater potential? ) Grow integrated BPU/RSU support Seedcorn funding for large collaborative applications Infrastructure Strengthened RSU and finance team support Funding for new research buildings

5 Deliver best practice in Community Engagement Focus Identify key areas where we can make an impact: INDEX… Excellence Publicise our work more effectively Seek Research Council funding for impact studies Recognised in staff promotion criteria Differentiation Innovative initiatives meeting local needs Cooperative and flexible approach Growth Major bids to HEFCE strategic fund, HEIF and AWM for strategic approach Income target: £XM pa Infrastructure BDU centrally located with professional facilities and good visitor parking: an easily accessible ‘doorway’ Excellent Web site and promotional literature

Le ar n Next Steps Performance Management: roles & responsibilities, personal objectives, staff review Aston Strategy: Underpinning and Mission-based Strategic Objectives KPIs Mission: Learning Research Engagement Pl an School and Departmental Development and Growth plans el D er iv Im e nt budgets, targets, local objectives, owners and milestones p lem Operating Plans:

TODAY Le ar n Next Steps Performance Management: roles & responsibilities, personal objectives, staff review Aston Strategy: Underpinning and Mission-based Strategic Objectives KPIs Mission: Learning Research Engagement Pl an School and Departmental Development and Growth plans el D er iv Im e nt budgets, targets, local objectives, owners and milestones p lem Operating Plans:

Breakout Sessions: Major issues for discussion today

Major issues for discussion today Now l Reviewing our ‘underpinning’ strategic objectives, 1 and 2 l Advice on objective 5: how can we improve our engagement with industry, commerce, public services and the region? l How can we promote/market ourselves more effectively? l Advice on tackling our historic under-investment in Estates and its impact on student and staff recruitment l The role of Council in strategy and performance monitoring through KPIs, what type of (or specific) KPIs would you like to see and how often? Final Session l Current and future challenges and priority areas for investing the ‘Residences pot’

Group 1: Achieving Financial Stability and Growth l What are stretching but realistic growth targets to 2012? 2017? What turnover and surplus targets should we set? l What mix of activities is necessary to achieve this given the constraints on home undergraduate recruitment? l What actions are needed short term (next 1 -2 years) and medium term (2 -5 years) to achieve growth and surplus targets given that mix? l What financial KPIs are appropriate?

Strategic Objectives 2: Measures and KPIs 2 Financial Stability through Growth

Group 2: Developing our Culture and Values l How do we continue to build an inspirational place where you can’t wait to come back? l What should the Aston experience be for: • students; staff; alumni; research sponsors; users of our facilities l What are the priorities for teaching, research, administration, infrastructure, facilities etc?

Strategic Objectives 1: Measures and KPIs 1 Developing our Culture and Values

Group 3: Improving engagement and being the heart of local regeneration l How can we have a greater impact in the region? l What are the influential bodies locally and how can we have more influence on them? l What major assets/resources do we have that we could use to increase our local impact? l How can we leverage our assets, such as our links with the Aston Science Park, more effectively? l What new assets/resources do we need to develop to improve our impact?

Objective 5 (Engagement) Measures and KPIs Focus Excellence Differentiation Growth Infrastructure

Group 4: Marketing Aston more effectively to our target markets l Where should the University position itself with regard to: • student recruitment; staff recruitment; alumni and donors; research sponsors; users of the facilities; local/regional businesses and public services? l What are the key differentiators of Aston locally, nationally and internationally? l What actions should we take to raise the profile of the University significantly, locally and amongst businesses?

Group 5: Developing and Sustaining the Physical Estate l Given the current backlog in maintenance requirements, how can the University sustain and improve its physical estate? l What are the top estate priorities for improvement and investment? l Are there any relatively low cost improvements that can be used to signal investment? l Are there any further partnership alternatives open to help improve the estate?

Group 6: The Role of Council and KPIs l What should be the role of Council in developing and monitoring the implementation of the University strategy? l What is the role of the joint Council/Senate Strategic Planning Committee? l What committee structure would be most useful in helping the University to achieve its objectives? l What key performance indicators (KPIs) should be set and how regularly should they be assessed?

Final Session: Key Challenges and Priorities

Key Challenges and Priorities l What are three most significant challenges facing Aston over the next 5 years? 10 years? l Assuming a surplus of around £ 20 m, what should the priorities be for investment of the Residences surplus?

Our Common Purpose l Creating, cultivating and transferring knowledge through high quality teaching and research l Responding quickly and flexibly to the needs of society with knowledge that is relevant and accessible l Enabling people to achieve their intellectual potential and fostering ethical, responsible citizenship l Working effectively together in a welcoming, nurturing and inspiring community l Developing effective organisations, communities and economies in our region and extending this influence nationally and internationally