handbook-executive-leadership-of-research-development-pdf-v10

Compile a vision statement that excites and inspiresCreating a distinctive vision for research in universities with low or declining levels ofactivity requires a carefully judged balance of an imaginative and inspiring scenariofor the future with a firm sense of what is genuinely achievable with the right policysettings and supports in place. Given the importance attached to consultationprocesses up and down, we should emphasise that this is typically prepared as adraft, sometimes in the form of a ‘green paper’, but firmly stamped with the personalvision and voice of the executive leader.“The game changer was theResearch Quality Framework, whichforced the university to look at thereality. This is in contrast to the riskof living on past glory and avoidingthe conversation. The RQF wasa wake-up call and basically theargument was that you cannotchange things until you recognisethat you have to.”The distinctiveness of the vision should be astriking feature. It should provide a strongsense that the efforts to change the orientationof the university will have a lasting legacy.The vision statement needs to be clear andattractive with specific and tangible objectivesthat can inspire and motivate, both internallyand externally. It should link to the past but bedecisively new in some key respects. It shouldbe supported by an account that is frank aboutthe past, balanced about the present, andcompelling but honest about the future prospects. It needs to set out the benefits ofsuccess but also the consequences of failure.The vision statement should also be succinct and sufficiently precise to lead toconclusions about things that the institution will not do or will cease doing, as wellas about new things to take on. At the same time it is important for the credibilityof the vision, and that of the executive leader, to acknowledge the challenges andconstraints that face the university and therefore to make it clear that the vision allowsfor flexibility on the ground.Without a widely shared vision initial enthusiasm is likely to fade. On the otherhand, too much vision and not enough action can lead to frustration, cynicism anda retreat to the status quo. It is useful then to outline the broad phases, perhapswith an initial 3-5 year horizon as the main focus, through which the university’sresearch development will progress until it reaches the level of research intensity it isaiming for.Focus 1 — Setting an agenda for change31