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UWE WLM and WAMS. Transferability in Practice?. Key aspects of transferability. Capability : ensuring the potential transferability of the model and system Consultation & collaboration : with HEIs across mission groups
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UWE WLM and WAMS Transferability in Practice?
Key aspects of transferability • Capability: ensuring the potential transferability of the model and system • Consultation & collaboration: with HEIs across mission groups • Communication: documentation, implementation in practice, reflection, dissemination • Transferability in practical terms?
Capability: Model and WAMS • A flexible, web-based, multi-user WLM system • Built on proprietary software platforms (Microsoft SQL and .NET) • Parameter driven – can adapt and reconfigure parameters in line with local contexts, objectives • Reduces need for expert ITS input or more fundamental redefinition of the model • Can add additional activities, roles etc • Can scale/weight components of the model – eg for different types of teaching, assessment
User-friendly system accessible to all staff • Can set different levels of access • Flexible currency – bundles, hours, local units • Stand-alone system – can interface with a variety of external systems eg student number planning, staffing, timetabling, not hard-wired • Generic capability to generate TRAC data – including post-92 employment contracts (confirmed by KPMG audit) • Generates workload reports eg departmental summaries
Are there limitations? • Generic, relatively high level, maps onto main activities common to all HEIs • Should work for variety of institutions, mission groups – albeit not fully tested • Generation of teaching requirements based on lectures, number of small groups, assessment, module leadership, programme leadership (but can weight components including set to zero)
Clearly will be limitations • If want to go beyond provisions of parameters, variation of weights/tariffs, capacity to add activities, requires more fundamental work • Interfacing – both inputs and outputs – will be specific to HEIs and therefore require work, human/systems interface (but is therefore adaptable to different contexts) • Any showstoppers?
Capability – summary …. • A fully operational and potentially transferable working system for academic workload management and TRAC reporting. • Web-based/downloadable guidance and documentation for the above – based on UWE in-house documentation • Web-based/downloadable accounts of issues raised by implementation in a UWE context, benefits, barriers, key considerations (technical, managerial, HR/staff relations)
Collaboration • Advisory Group meetings: HEIs and KPMG • Workshops, shared experiences • 1:1 meetings, discussions, conference presentations (BUFDG/TDG) • Participation of KPMG including TRAC audit • Webinars with potential early adopters
Communication • Dissemination of information via UWE website • Five videos published: overview and four ‘how to’s’ demonstrating WAMS • ITF Innovation & Efficiency Hub • Dissemination of information via TRAC DG, other networks & organisations • National conference
Transferability in practice: issues & opportunities • Potentially generic, transferable model and system – but not plug and play • Did not set out to produce ‘solution in a box’ (or a commercial software product) • Finite resource in Leadership Foundation project – and ends December • Transferability for real implies new project
UWE modules still to be completed: roll-over, TRAC output, reports • Not clear as yet what in practice required in resource terms to secure transfer – not trivial • Also issues about longer term expectation (of support, development) but also opportunities - collaborative benefits to partners including UWE
1. UWE Hub? • Considered building capacity in-house for set-up, ongoing support and development – hub & network? • Would benefit from ongoing collaboration, testing, experience • Not clear what the resource model would be • Not considered core business • Not pursuing
2. Proof of concept? • Collaborate with selected partner(s) HEI(s) to trial transfer, understand the issues, scale & complexity of the task, resource implications • Dependent on capacity of partner, technical compatibility, procedural and cultural compatibility – and requirements • Need to cover costs • Would demonstrate transferability in practice • Needs clarity re terms of transfer, ongoing relationship, future development - challenges • Doesn’t provide ongoing support, development
3. Alternatives • Make available via Cloud or other medium – at risk, without support or obligation from UWE • Would require considerable further work to get to this point – and a funding model • Would other HEIs really be able to pick up and run with it – no ongoing support? • Fragmented development, different models • Anticipate continuing need for input from UWE • Must avoid inflating/falling short on expectations • Possible third party – to provide capacity, expertise, ongoing development for sector?