Strategic Plan 2006 - Swansea University

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Aim Three – Streamlining the Governance and Administration Structure Aim Four – Management and Leadership Objectives for the Planning Period In pursuing its aim of Streamlining the Governance and Administration Structure, the University will seek to: . gain ‘University’ title. The University will address potential challenges with effective, proactive and inclusive leadership, informed by the views of staff throughout the organisation, in driving forward the University’s agenda. . respond to the Wigley Report implementation process. . review the University’s Charter and Statutes in the light of changes to the University of Wales’ structure. . prepare for the Institutional Review of 2007/08. . develop some areas of administrative collaboration immediately, and scope others, as part of the tripartite South West Wales Higher Education Partnership bid. . implement the new arrangements regarding the European Directive on consultation in the workplace, negotiating with the relevant Unions. . continue to work with other Welsh HEIs to implement the necessary changes to Statute 22, the University’s disciplinary procedures. . through Nominations Committee, and individual committees annual reviews of their performance, ensure that all committees provide added value to the University. . maintain central administration and services costs as a proportion of total income such that they continue to be lower (12.3% in 2003/04) than the 94 Group average (13.1%) and the Welsh institutions average (13.1%). . continue to review the administration, through a well-established quality management system and the KPMG Report Working Group, to ensure it is efficient, and responsive. Approach A critical path of activities prior to the Institutional Review has been drawn up, and preparations will continue in 2006/07. The IRWP will continue to meet, and has identified further areas to be considered for ‘thematic review’, which looks at processes as a whole to consider if they operate through all areas of the University coherently. A draft self-evaluative document will be drawn up, three Schools will undergo a Periodic Review, and information sessions for staff will also take place. The tripartite South West Wales Higher Education Partnership (SWWHEP) will submit a fully costed bid to the Reconfiguration and Collaboration Fund in September 2006 for a major reconfiguration of administrative functions in South West Wales HE. The co-operation within functions will take place through trilateral agreements in some areas, and bilateral agreements between the partners in others where the differences in institutional missions and systems are such that the degree and nature of collaboration and speed of implementation will vary. One aspect of the SWWHEP collaboration is degree quality arrangements. Swansea is currently overseeing Trinity College’s quality provision for undergraduate students as part of the ‘Interim Arrangements’ whilst the UoW is in transition. The University is already engaged in thorough preparations for the governance and quality implications of the changes anticipated earlier in this section. A Review Group has been established to consider the changes to the University’s Charter and Statutes that will be required following the move to a confederal University of Wales, implications of possible deregulation from certain aspects of direct control by the Privy Council, and actions in anticipation of a successful outcome to the application for University title. Swansea University will continue to work with other Welsh HEIs to implement the necessary changes to Statute 22, the University’s disciplinary procedures. Consultation will take place with the staff Unions during the implementation. Following discussion and review by a joint management and trade union working group set up to consider the impact of the Information and Consultation Regulations, the formal vehicle for management and union dialogue in the University will be the Staff Consultation Committee. The Committee’s remit will be the communication of information and consultation, taking account of the views of staff representatives before the University makes a formal decision. This approach provides a modern context for employment relations and will form a firm foundation for partnership and cooperation in the future. The University will continue to review its expenditure on administration on an ongoing basis through the year, as posts require replacement each request is reviewed by SMT. The SMT will also review the budgets of each administrative department annually, considering the demands upon them and the overall envelope of resource available. A KPMG Report Working Group, chaired by a Head of School, will work to unlock the longer-term efficiency savings identified in the KPMG report. Current Position On 1st September 2005, Sir Roger Jones OBE became the new Chair of Council. Sir Roger is the founder of Penn Pharmaceuticals, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical development companies, Chairman of the Welsh Industrial Trust, a former Governor of the BBC and Chairman of the BBC Broadcasting Council for Wales as well as past Chairman of both the Institute of Directors Wales, and the Welsh Development Agency. In support of the ambitious Strategic Directions agenda the Finance Department introduced a new business planning process in 2003/04 to facilitate planning, budgeting and resource allocation. It was viewed that this approach would incentivise academic areas by allowing them to bid for additional resources against increasing income, improve performance monitoring against financial and non-financial targets at strategic and School levels, and influence through a bottom-up planning process the University’s overall strategic targets and financial forecasts. The process has been refined, embedded and improved each year. Last year, in preparation for the 2005/06 budget cycle, between March and June 2005 every academic department produced a business plan. The outputs of these plans were presented to the SMT and underwent a test and challenge process. The results informed the setting of the University’s strategic output targets and resource allocation decisions. The aggregated figures are used to underpin the annual rolling five-year financial plan (for approval by the Governing Body) and for preparing financial forecasts for submission to the HEFCW. The process has taken place earlier this year with plans completed, and reviewed by SMT, in April 2006. A significant amount of work has taken place to ensure that the changes that have been made to the University’s academic structure are reflected in the resourcing data Professor Richard B. Davies Vice-Chancellor Professor Rhys Williams Pro-Vice-Chancellor used in the plans, ensuring equity and accountability. Encouragingly, the process has already, through incentivisiation, encouraged departments to review their accommodation needs and shed space. This has freed up a scarce resource at minimal (basic refurbishment) cost to the University. Academic year 2005/06 saw the creation of a new support unit, the Department of Research and Innovation, which will strengthen and oversee the University’s knowledge transfer activities with business and industry. The Department incorporates all the activities and staff of the previous Research and Innovation Professor Peter Townsend Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor John Baylis Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Weatherill Pro-Vice-Chancellor Phillip Gough Director of Finance Office. This new, larger structure is made possible by external funding and will ensure the effective delivery of large, prestigious projects. The University’s success in obtaining significant external funds for these projects has made the bolstering of capacity in this area necessary to ensure that current standards of project management are maintained. 12 13
Aim Four – Management and Leadership Aim Five – The Academic Structure Several areas of the University are experiencing accelerated growth. Objectives for the Planning Period In pursuing its Management and Leadership aim, the University will seek to: . continue to develop a University culture that is dynamic and responsive to external change and opportunity, supporting the Strategic Directions agenda. . communicate effectively the requirements of the RAE and raise the University’s aspirations. . ensure Schools are empowered and incentivised through the Business Planning process. . through the Management Board, engage Heads of Schools with the University’s policy-making processes. . recruit further distinguished scholars who will exemplify academic leadership. . reward excellence in teaching and research through revised transparent remuneration and promotion procedures. . embed risk management within all the management processes of the institution. . manage its internal allocation of space as equitably and efficiently as possible. embedded throughout the organisation in all processes. The Policy gives a context by outlining the level and type of risk that is viewed as acceptable. Risk management is, by definition, fundamental to establishing and achieving objectives and can therefore be used to complement the business planning and resource allocation process. This will be achieved in a ‘bottom-up’ way: risks being identified, evaluated and, as far as possible, managed by Schools as part of their business planning process. Where there is identification of significant risks that cannot be managed at school level, the University will put contingency plans in place, and initiate appropriate Management Board and Finance Committee intervention. As a consequence of academic restructuring, the University will increase its potential to achieve excellence in research and teaching throughout the institution. Professor Kevin Williams School of Arts Mrs Anne Hopkins School of Health Science Professor Noel Thompson School of Humanities Professor Mike Charlton School of Physical Sciences Professor Iwan Davies School of Law Approach Following the introduction of the Strategic Directions initiatives, the SMT and the Management Board intend to provide further strategic leadership through targeted investment in new posts, further preparation for the RAE, and the development of additional large external investments in research capacity to build on Swansea’s strengths and further accelerate the development of the University. The Business Planning process is a tool that enables evaluation of investments made and identification of areas for prioritisation as resources allow. Business planning needs to be viewed holistically; any financial management system must be supported by sound communication and information gathering processes. The link between financial planning and service planning will be formalised further and enhanced at all levels within the University as the Business Planning process develops. In addition, the links between the key areas of administration that input into the plans – Finance, Student Statistics, Research and Innovation, the International Office, Admissions, Estates – will be examined and refined. This integration should result in co-ordination and a better use of officer and senior management time. Several areas of the University are experiencing accelerated growth. In each of these areas (School of Medicine, the Institute of Life Sciences and the Institute of Telecommunications) structures are being put in place to manage this growth, ensure budgetary control, and realise the benefits anticipated in their Business Plans. Although the University has a Risk Management Policy, the implementation of which is overseen by a Risk Management Committee, it is intended that risk management will be The University’s Human Resources (HR) Strategy will support Aim Four by developing an effective and appropriate management and leadership culture where strategic aims are linked to the effective performance of Schools and individual members of staff. Members of staff will be encouraged to maximise their contribution to the delivery of the objectives of the University and of individual Schools and administrative departments. In return, the University will encourage and recognise the contribution of members of staff to those objectives. Professor Nigel Weatherill School of Engineering Professor Julian Hopkin School of Medicine Current Position In April 2005, the Privy Council gave the University permission to award its own taught and research degrees. This decision followed a thorough review by the QAA which included an analysis of the University's Postgraduate Research Faculty and the way in which the University manages the supervision of its research students. In the light of recent developments within the UoW, this award means that Swansea will be able to operate without having to appoint external assessors to oversee its quality systems. Swansea University is continuing to award UoW degrees but is now able to take full responsibility for the quality and standards of these degrees. The School structure has been fully embedded in the University’s processes in the 2005/06 academic year. Each of the ten Schools has now had its component areas co-located on campus. This has improved the use of space on campus as it has provided an opportunity to review the efficiency of usage, and to move staff to facilitate Professor Mike Barnsley School of the Environment and Society interdisciplinary research. School administrative support staff are being brought together, unlocking the envisaged efficiency savings and improving the quality of service offered. The grouping of cognate disciplines within larger units is allowing Schools to reduce duplication in teaching, and improve student choice. In the School of Arts for example, a review of the BA programme is underway, which will result in a re-structuring of undergraduate provision. The review has identified a significant number of modules presently delivered to five students or fewer. The aim will be to remove a large proportion of these modules and discontinue BA schemes which are failing to attract sufficient students. The University’s breadth of postgraduate provision has increased significantly over the last two years, and existing programmes have been thoroughly reviewed. The University has sought to increase international student numbers, as prioritised in Reaching Higher, Professor Andrew Henley School of Business and Economics John Baylis School of Human Sciences (Acting) in difficult market conditions. A review has been conducted, and recommendations made to Management Board regarding how the International Office’s web presence, printed promotional material, use of alumni at overseas fairs, and relationship marketing with prospective students can be improved. These recommendations are in the process of being implemented. An International Student Recruitment sub-group of Management Board was created in May 2006 to oversee the University’s International Recruitment Strategy. Swansea University has made a number of bids to the Reconfiguration & Collaboration Fund regarding academic areas, in collaboration with other Welsh HEIs. These include collaboration with Cardiff University to reorganise Chemistry provision, with Swansea retaining specialist areas that are cognate with other research interests on the Singleton campus. 14 15
Page 1 and 2: swansea university strategic plan 2
Page 3 and 4: Strategic Directions Introduction V
Page 5 and 6: Aim One - Research Excellence Aim T
Page 7: Aim Two - The Student Experience Ai
Page 11 and 12: Aim Six - Consultancy/Knowledge Exp
Page 13 and 14: Aim Seven - Quality of Life Aim Eig
Page 15 and 16: Cross-cutting Themes academic staff
Page 17 and 18: Cross-cutting Themes Key Assumption

Strategic Plan 2006 - Swansea University

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