Author: Shaun Williams, Executive Director of Engagement and Advancement
The Vice-Chancellor started this week’s UEB by expressing his sincere thanks to all those who had been involved in making last weekend’s Open Day such a success. He said his first experience of a Southampton Open Day as our new Vice-Chancellor had been extremely positive, and he had been very struck by the very well organised operation, and above all by the evident commitment and contribution of all members of staff and students on the day, which had clearly had a positive impact on prospective students and their families.
Today’s UEB was the monthly meeting devoted to the Ten-Year Plan. On the main agenda:
- Firstly, a regular update on the Ten Year Plan Portfolio Budget, and on the Portfolio Roadmap. An increasing number of projects are proceeding down the pipeline from initial concept paper to business case to initiation. More information on the 10-Year Plan portfolio, and our University strategy, can be found on the new Strategy Sharepoint: https://sotonac.sharepoint.com/teams/UniversityStrategy.
- Next, a wide-ranging discussion around a progress report on the Faculty Operating Services (FOS) Optimising Support for Faculties project, set up to review support within each Faculty following the restructure from eight to five faculties last year. UEB agreed four key principles that underpinned the project:
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- There needs to be a clarity and consistency of service provision, whilst recognising individual business needs and complexities.
- The need for standard job descriptions and job titles across the Faculty Operating Services.
- The need for harmonised processes that are agreed and documented.
- The creation of enhanced opportunities for staff development, sharing best practice, and ensuring proper success ion planning.
- It was recognised that much of the often inconsistent current structures and practices stem from historical legacies, and UEB supported an evolutionary move ahead towards a fairer and more consistent approach.
- Next, a discussion around elements of our future Estates strategy. We have been progressing low key, but essential enabling works across our campuses, whilst a comprehensive estates strategy with a 30-year forward look is developed. Core to that strategy, which will determine our short and longer-term investments in our campuses, will be factors including assessing our likely future needs for teaching and laboratory space across all faculties, how we might use areas of our Highfield campus in a different way, with new, demolished or re-purposed buildings, and opportunities for funding new areas of research and activity, particularly in Medicine, through our university fundraising. The Vice-Chancellor made clear these major investment decisions will be a priority over his early period in office. Fuller details are expected in the New Year.
- Finally, a brief update on the Student Experience programme. Through listening to our staff and students we know are struggling to deliver a consistent, student focused experience, in particular around organisation and management (such as timetabling and communication); learning resources (such as providing resources when students need it); learning community (helping students feel supported in a community and feel a sense of pride); and student voice (ensuring students feel heard, and acting on feedback). We also know our learning and sports facilities are falling behind competitors, which is affecting not only our appeal to prospective students, but our current student experience. We will address these issues through the following primary themes: Building communities and supporting success (with a focus on library and sport experiences), Addressing inconsistency, and Listening to our present and prospective students.
Shaun Williams, Executive Director of Engagement and Advancement