Strategic Vision - University of Leicester

www.le.ac.ukStrategic Vision toThe University of Leicester is a leading UKuniversity committed to international excellencethrough the creation of world changing researchand high quality, inspirational teaching.

2 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015Mission The University of Leicester is a leading UK universitycommitted to international excellence through the creationof world changing research and high quality, inspirationalteaching.VisionWe will be an established top ten UK University and rankin the top 150 institutions in the world.Our growing research strength will underpin this change.We will be a top ten British research university in terms ofresearch income per head and research impact.We will build on our position as the pre-eminent Universityin the Midlands for teaching quality, student satisfactionand research impact. We will become Britain’s top universityfor student satisfaction and teaching quality.

STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015 · UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER 3David Wilson Library at night (Library images by Martine Hamilton Knight Photography)Beliefs and Values ...........................................................4Our University .................................................................6Our Research...................................................................8Our Teaching.................................................................10We will accomplish this by:• Placing our belief that teaching and research are synergisticand are at the heart of our work. Our world-changingresearch underpins our teaching, leading to an exciting,intellectual experience in the classroom. Our research takesplace in a vibrant community of academics, postgraduateand undergraduate students.• Producing research of international importance andexcellence that is highly-cited and draws increasingfunding from research councils, charities, Europe,government organisations and industry.• Recruiting and retaining the very best staff. We willincreasingly become the natural home for the mosttalented academics, administrative and support staffto work.• Developing our estate to ensure the very best,state-of-the-art facilities are available to staff and students.• Working in partnership with business and industry,including regional associations, to exploit our intellectualcapital and create a highly skilled workforce.• Growing student numbers.• Delivering consistent and significant surpluses to re-investin the academic mission of the University.• Sustaining our position as a major UK provider ofpostgraduate education and as the UK’s leading nicheprovider of distance-learning education.• Leading the UK in terms of innovation in teaching andlearning through the application of e-learning.

4 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015Beliefs and ValuesWe believe that higher education is a power for good and makes a significant economic,intellectual and cultural contribution to the world.• We are passionate about our work, our teaching and our research.• We believe that higher education is a power for good and makes asignificant economic, intellectual and cultural contribution to the world.• We believe in the synergy between teaching and research. We arecommitted to producing high quality, significant research. This informsour teaching.• We believe that academic potential is the only legitimate means ofdifferentiating between candidates when offering places.• We believe that a diverse student and staff body makes the Universitystronger.• We believe that choosing to study a higher education course requirescourage, commitment and effort. We undertake to provide first rateteaching and learning support to release potential in all our students.• We are an international university which is committed to the region.We believe we best serve our region by sharing with it the benefits of ourinternationally-significant work.• We believe that we improve and grow stronger by listening and learningfrom others.

STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015 · UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER 5We believe in the synergy between teaching and research.We are committed to producing high quality, significantresearch. This informs our teaching

6 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015Our UniversityThe University’s intentions over the next five years are ambitious; we are seeking to havean established place amongst the top ten universities in the UK and amongst the top150 institutions in the world. Our performance during the period of the last strategicplan (2004/05 to 2007/08) justifies this optimism.Over the next five years, national decisions will be taken onvariable fees (whether to lift the cap), employer engagementwill be embedded as a method of co-funding and theResearch Excellence Framework will have replaced the RAE.Student expectations in relation to teaching quality andsupport services and systems will continue to rise, and therewill be growing pressure towards collaboration andpartnership in regional, national and international contexts.Advances in technology will provide new opportunities andchallenges, as will the anticipated demographic down-turn inthe eighteen-year-old population.Our local environment is also changing. Significantinvestments by the city of Leicester in retail and commercialoutlets and the potential for links with mainland Europearising from the creation of St Pancras International Stationas the Eurostar hub will provide new opportunities for us tocontribute to the city, county and nation and for us in turnto benefit from Leicester’s higher profile.There is no doubt, however, that the next phase of ourdevelopment will require powerful leadership, significantdetermination and hard work, alongside a level of investmentin the staff and fabric of the University which will enable usto ‘raise our game’. The introduction of four Colleges in2009/10 will deliver this environment.Our primary ambitions are deliberately stated at this stagein our development by reference to external institutionalrankings. Seeing our performance reflected in externalratings, notwithstanding the obvious caveats about themethodologies and purposes associated with these, sends apowerful message to us all that our ambitions are bothjustifiable and achievable.Our on-going performance and position will be secured by:• progressive funded growth in student numbers• a commensurable increase in staff numbers• the continuing improvement of the campus in line withthe rolling development plan• an increasingly robust financial position, supported by thedevelopment of new income streams allowing for there-investment of surpluses to support research and teaching.All new developments must be of the highest quality we canafford and deliver. Student and staff satisfaction must takepriority. Sustainability (both environmental and in the senseof choosing long-term benefits over short-term gains) mustcharacterise our decision-making.The achievement of our overall vision for the University willbe delivered through:• strong leadership at University, College and Departmentallevel• powerful planning and decision-making capacity• high quality, well-motivated staff• open and honest collaboration with the student body.The achievement of our overall vision for the University willbe supported by:• detailed strategies for research, teaching and the estate• the strategically-driven allocation of resources informed byreliable management information• effective and facilitative corporate services and processes.

STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015 · UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER 7“I firmly believe that Leicester is an outstanding University that has huge potential to improveits already excellent position even further, as demonstrated in this Strategic Vision. It isimperative that we set ourselves far-reaching goals in order to continue moving forward andensure we remain highly regarded around the world. It is essential that everyone associatedwith the University has real vision and aims to achieve the very best in everything they do inorder to realise these ambitions.”PROFESSOR ROBERT BURGESS, VICE-CHANCELLORThe achievement of our overall vision for the University willbe monitored annually through the Indicators of CorporatePerformance and Risk Management approved by theUniversity’s Council, including:• our rankings in recognised league tables• our financial performance• developments in the University estate• volume measures relating to staff and student numbers.Architect’s impression of the central campus (Shepheard Epstein Hunter, September 2008)The University has two core functions, to undertakeresearch and to teach, and all other activities complementthese. The remainder of this vision statement is thereforeconfined to the ways in which the University’s overall aimswill be realised through achievements in research andteaching.

8 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015Our ResearchThe University’s vision for research is to be one of the UK’s top ten institutions interms of research income per head. We are already in the top twenty by this measure,but acceleration into a more select group of universities will require a moredetermined strategy.The University must therefore:• achieve an outcome in RAE 2008 (published December2008), which confirms the validity of its aspirations (anational ranking between 20th and 30th is sought)• emphasise the requirement for all staff to seek the level offunding for research appropriate to their discipline, and todeliver maximum benefit through the dissemination oftheir findings• secure year-on-year increases in research grant and contractapplications, awards and income• significantly improve the ratio between research fundingapplications and approved awards through focusing onsubmission quality and applicability• utilise the College structure to develop detailed researchplans• isolate and promote research themes in whichunchallengeable excellence can be demonstrated• encourage and support applications for large awards forinterdisciplinary, collaborative and translational research,creating research centres and collaborative groups whenrequired• seek partnerships with other universities and agencies toenhance mutual capacity• strongly promote the commercialisation of research andknowledge transfer, including business partnerships,technology licences, spin-out companies and consultancies• direct funding to reward success, including thecontinuation of schemes such as New Blood lectureshipsand the strategic use of research infrastructure funding• increase research student numbers across the Universitywith an emphasis on securing external funding for these• continuously scrutinise the operation of internal fundingand incentive measures in order to ensure that they areworking to deliver the intended vision.The achievement of our vision for research will be deliveredthrough:• the appointment of academic staff of the highest quality• the active championship of the research ethos throughoutthe University• the application of detailed knowledge of government andfunding priorities, including regional awareness.The achievement of our vision for research will besupported by:• investment in the research infrastructure• responsive recruitment and promotion procedures.• staff mentorship and development• ensure that all appointments, promotions, mentoring,appraisal, development and personal reward systems foracademic staff support the delivery of the vision

STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015 · UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER 9“Leicester’s success is intimately related to its achievements in research. Looking to 2015, ourresearchers will be improving our understanding of the world we live in, as well as providingthe advances and solutions that will change people’s lives.”PROFESSOR IAN POSTLETHWAITEThe achievement of our vision forresearch will be monitored throughthe regular scrutiny of evidencerelating to:• research grant and contractapplications, awards and income• income and activity levels forenterprise and business development• institutional and subject-basedperformance measured against peerinstitutions• research student recruitment anddoctoral degrees awarded.“The University of Leicester hasbeen a great place to establish aresearch laboratory. The NewBlood lectureship has allowedme to focus on my research andto attract funding for researchassistance and equipment. I havea great team of post graduatestudents and am pursing myinterests in both environmentaland medical microbiology.”MARTHA CLOKIE,NEW BLOOD LECTURER

10 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015Our TeachingThe University’s vision for teaching is to become Britain’s top university for studentsatisfaction and teaching quality. By one measure (the National Student Survey), weare almost at this position, but we cannot rely on one measure alone to achieve anunassailable position.We must therefore:• ensure that our teaching is informed by research in orderto ensure that all students are offered the benefit of aneducation at the forefront of knowledge in their discipline• continue our broad-based admissions policies, selecting onmerit alone, but always with a view to the potential forachievement• support local, regional and national initiatives designed toimprove access to higher education and engage in outreachactivities in order to raise aspiration• provide targeted financial assistance and study support tominimise barriers entry to progression• recruit effectively and responsibly overseas• prioritise as investments in the teaching and learninginfrastructure those developments which will deliver theclearest benefits to students• maintain a strong and collaborative relationship withstudent representatives in order to ensure that there is aclear understanding of needs and priorities• be pro-active in the delivery of employment-related skills• expand distance-learning provision through both theincremental development of existing programmes wherethe market allows, and the introduction of at least onesubstantial new programme each year for three years from2009• respond to identified national needs, particularly thoughthe provision of employer-led programmes, utilisingdistance-learning as the primary means of delivery, andthrough the expansion of full-time undergraduate numberswhere we are in a position to respond to concerns aboutnational under-provision (for example, in the sciencedisciplines)• expand funded student numbers, aiming at a populationof 25,000 by 2015, continuing an equal balance betweenundergraduates and postgraduates.The achievement of our vision for teaching will be deliveredthrough:• active programme development and recruiting activities,informed by high quality market intelligence• paying constant attention to feedback on the various andchanging needs of students• excellent teaching in a fit-for-purpose environment• responsive, pro-active and effective quality assurancemechanisms• sophisticated e- and blended-learning delivery.The achievement of our vision for teaching will besupported by:• high quality library and IT systems• excellent pastoral care, including careers advice• systematic staff development• good quality domestic and social provision for students• the continuing development and improvement of theUniversity’s estate.

STRATEGIC VISION TO 2015 · UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER 11“It’s fantastic to be a student in the top genetics department in Britain – taught by peoplewho are actually doing the research that we are learning about. The academics clearly lovetheir work and want you to feel as passionate about it as they do.”DANIELLE STEVENSONBSc MEDICAL GENETICSThe achievement of our vision forteaching will be monitored throughthe regular scrutiny of evidencerelating to:• student recruitment• student satisfaction• student performance• institutional and subject-basedperformance measured against peerinstitutions• national performance indicatorsrelating to widening participation.“Research-led teaching is veryimportant to what we do here atLeicester. My research has feddirectly into the modules that Iteach at the Department ofCriminology. Our studentsbenefit as they don’t have to relysolely on secondary material fortheir knowledge.”NEIL CHAKRABORTI,LECTURER

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