Chapter 3 – Policy Implications for Gaelic - University of Edinburgh

Appendix A2
Efficiencies and Resource Management
9 A risk in the University Risk Register is “the maintenance of financial
sustainability and ensuring effective delivery of key strategic and operational
plans is a key risk”. We will therefore review the monitoring framework around
the new Strategic Plan targets and key performance indicators to ensure that there
is a robust monitoring process for ensuring that University objectives are being
achieved, or there are early warnings if they are not.
10 Given the significant amount of non-salary expenditure, we will review the
arrangements to ensure that the University is achieving maximum benefit from
the procurement function.
11 The new Staff Performance Development Review system is highlighted in the
Risk Register as a key process to ensure that academic staff resources are
managed to ensure University teaching and research goals are met. We will
review this process to ensure that the arrangements are being effectively
managed.
Financial Control
12 Financial control complements the University’s efforts on efficiency savings and
resource management, ensuring income is optimised and expenditure is
controlled. The review of Student fees from the Rest of UK students will assess
the University’s arrangements to address the new risks arising following the
introduction of the new student fees regime in the UK.
13 The review of Restricted Funds will assess the relevant University policies and
procedures are being adhered to in practice and check that the funds are being
applied for their intended purpose.
14 Our location based audits, of which there is an increased number planned for
2012-13, will focus on local financial control arrangements. In addition we will
be specifically reviewing the local financial control arrangements in selected
Support Group areas.
Student Experience
15 “Enhancing our student experience” is one of the University’s strategic themes 5 ,
with associated targets of increasing the level of satisfaction expressed in the
overall satisfaction question from the National Student Survey (NSS) and of
ensuring that all our teaching programmes incorporate comprehensive
development of the skills and attributes that a graduate needs.
16 The NSS has indicated that our students consider they do not always get feedback
on their work in a timely manner or in sufficient detail to help clarify their
understanding of their work. The Personal Tutor support systems project is
critical for the student teaching experience and features prominently in the draft
new Risk Register. We will assess the management arrangements for this key
project.
5 See University of Edinburgh Strategic Plan 2008 – 2012 at http://www.ed.ac.uk/schoolsdepartments/governance-strategic-planning/strategic-planning/strategic-plan-2008-12
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