2006 Annual Report - University of Salford

Nurturing experiences – creating opportunities
Annual Report &
Financial Statements
Nurturing experiences – creating opportunities
The University of Salford is committed to providing a top
quality learning and working experience for everyone,
regardless of background. We focus on attracting and
retaining all students who are able to benefit from our
excellent learning opportunities.
The last year has provided many opportunities for further
improving the staff and student experience and opening up
new opportunities for learning.
Salford Young People’s University
It was another good year for Salford Young People’s University
(SYPU), our unique residential summer school giving
youngsters who wouldn’t normally consider higher education
a taste of university life. This summer an unprecedented 331
young people aged 11 to 15 took part in three programmes.
For the first time, all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester
attended the Year 8 programme (ages 11-12), making this the
first regional summer school programme funded by Aimhigher
Greater Manchester. The participants enjoyed courses in
sports, art, performing art and technology and were
supervised by our team of 32 student group leaders.
The Year 8 graduation ceremony was again very popular with
over 800 people attending. Paul George, a Salford graduate
from Leisure Management, spoke at the graduation about his
life as a world championship body builder and how university
had helped him realise his dreams of owning and running
a gym.
Feedback from the young people’s parents revealed that 83%
of them had not attended university and that 99% strongly
agreed or agreed that they now felt more confident about
their child going on into higher education.
SYPU is planning to involve undergraduates in a research
programme to track and measure the impact of SYPU over the
past seven years. This work will provide a basis for further
development and provide essential data to bid for additional
funding. It will also offer further opportunities for our
undergraduates to gain invaluable work experience and
increase their employability.
Student experience
To reinforce our commitment to providing our students with
the best possible experience during their time at Salford, we
have formed a dedicated Student Experience Group. The
Group has been looking at initiatives designed to further
improve students’ overall time with us – during both their
study and their leisure time.
A total of 21 Student Liaison Representatives (SLRs) were
appointed for the 2006-07 academic year. A joint initiative
between the University and the Students’ Union, the positions
are funded by our Academic Development Fund and involve
the SLRs being paid for their time. Each SLR acts as a conduit
between their particular School and the wider University and
provides valuable feedback on general issues, ensuring that
the voice of the students is considered at the strategic
planning stage.
The University is also implementing Salford’s first ever Student
Experience Survey from October 2006 to provide staff with
valuable information about the student experience. The
Student Experience Survey will comprise two stages –
qualitative (eg focus groups/in-depth interviews) and
quantitative (where students rate services, etc online). The
Survey is intended to help the University develop an
understanding of our students’ expectations and perceptions.
This, in turn, will enable us to set goals for service
improvement which could be used to monitor progress.
With other initiatives underway, including a Vice-Chancellor’s
newsletter to students, an improved student intranet channel
and a new-look induction pack, the Student Experience Group
continues its work to enhance our students’ time at Salford.
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