Issue 16 Autumn 2012 - Brunel University

LATesT NeWs :: eXPRess MAGAZINe
12
New strategic Plan guides
Brunel through to 2017
Brunel’s new Strategic plan will launch this Autumn
after 18 months of planning and preparation, forming a
framework to take the University forward to 2017.
The Plan is founded on a
commitment to evolution, not
revolution, and aims to help us to
build on the successes achieved
so far. Its key tenet is that Brunel
should remain a self-determining
University which aims for quality in
all aspects of its academic provision.
It also focuses on making the
University more outward-looking
by opening up internal and interinstitutional
boundaries, building
new partnerships, and encouraging
both staff and students to reach
out into our community.
“The plan is
characterised by our
desire to consolidate
our strengths”
The Plan’s introduction outlines
its underlying ethos:
“Driven by our dedication to
excellence and quality in everything
we do, this Strategy for 2012-2017…
has been designed to confirm
Brunel’s place in the top third of UK
Higher Education Institutions, as
a University with a robust plan of
development, a strong aspiration
to greatly improve its educational
and research activities, and a clear
sense of self-determination. The
pathway that runs through the
Plan is characterised by our desire
to consolidate our strengths, to
integrate further our research
and educational activities, to
optimise our infrastructure
and accelerate our success.”
Agreed by Council in July, the
Plan has been through a
development process involving
extensive consultation, drawing
in the views and opinions of
students and staff from across
the University. It will now be used
to inform new three year plans
for all Schools and administrative
departments, as well as a series
of supporting plans concerning
key topics such as learning and
teaching, research, academic
profile, and the University’s estate.
Supporting plans for staff and
students are also being developed.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategy,
Development and External
Relations Professor Dany Nobus
commented: “Over the past five
years, Brunel has gone from
strength to strength as a broadbased,
research-intensive higher
education institution, and this is
evidenced by our greatly improved
position in the university rankings.
“Although the higher education
landscape is constantly changing
and the uncertainties in the current
marketplace of education will need
to be carefully managed, Brunel’s
2012-2017 Plan is indicative of
our confidence and it shows our
determination to build on our
recent successes. It will inspire all
staff and students to work together
on enhancing our academic profile
and our international reputation,
taking Brunel through its fiftieth
anniversary in 2016 and onwards.”
Find out more about
the Strategic plan
Professor Nobus will be visiting
Schools and departments
during the Autumn Term to
bring the University’s Strategic
Plan to its staff and students.
The University is also building
a Strategic Plan website to
launch in the Autumn. The site
will be interactive, with videos,
podcasts, images and information
available for download. Staff
will be encouraged to build
this content into their own
external facing materials.