Learning and Teaching Board Strategy Away Day 18 February 2003

1. Learning and Teaching BoardStrategy Away Day18 February 2003

2. “The vision and things we have to do better to achieve it” Vision Tasks/Issues • 1. Effective means to support students (eg mentoring) in Schools & centrally • 2. Overassessment (8000=266 modules) • 3. Recruitment: target, income, quality • 4. Recruitment:diverse student pop (mature, access) • 5. Recruitment: satisfied customers • 6. Recruitment: communicate, integrate, decision-making, think strategically • 7. Coherence has been threatened by restructuring • 8. Schools as financial or academic units • 9. Challenge of recreating academic coherence of HW • 10. Central admin/Schools relationship (control v’s vision) • 11. Student representation: partnership, involvement in quality enhancement • 12. Strategy for portfolio of courses (not financial) • 13. Strategy/marketing/student recruitment • 14. Style of delivery • 1. Survival • 2. Strong specialist subjects • 3. traditional • 4. Growth in PG numbers • 5. 30 in league tables • 6. Strategic recruitment • 7. Student satisfaction • 8. Differentiation (Edinburgh/Napier)

3. “The vision and things we have to do better to achieve it” Vision Tasks/Issues • 1. Financial drivers; funded places • 2. Growth areas (new areas? traditional areas?) • 3. Merger? No! • 4. Part-time routes • 5. External Constraints • 6. Small institution - resource implications • 7. Spread of best practice (no LTC); Schools on own • 8. Modular structure • 9. Research v’s teaching; research in education; innovation in teaching (financial support, eg SOLD Programme) • 10. Approach to teaching & learning: infrastructure; over-teaching; students as partners • 11. How do students learn? • 12. New areas - staff changes; affects research • 13. Co-operation of ALL staff • 14. Actively support quality enhancement • 15. Engage with graduates/alumni; external examiners • 1. Focus on strengths • 2. Student-centred learning • 3. New? Revolutionary? • 4. New niches in areas of expertise • 5. High Quality of Teaching Provision

4. “The vision and things we have to do better to achieve it” Vision Tasks/Issues • 1. Distance learning • 2. FE & Schools articulation • 3. Bridging courses - access • 4. Flexible UG courses • 5. Impact in East Scotland • 6. Part-time modes of delivery • 7. More money (more students, less staff, students pay more) • 8. Increased teaching efficiency: flexible approaches (on-campus); OL materials; overseas market • 9. Joint approach or individual Schools? • 10. Teaching to be valued • 11. Integrated information system (student records, MLEs) • 12. Performance indicators (promote strengths, identify weaknesses) • 13. Employability (HW is now slipping) • 14. Raise profile; stop focusing on restructuring • 1. Flexibility & lifelong learning • 2. Academic staff fulfil contracts & support staff help them to do this ( & vice versa) • 3. Shared vision • 4. Respected & forward-looking • 5. Internationally recognised for education & training in Science, Engineering & Management (eg MBA) Tasks/Issues • 15. Context (portfolio, financial, quality, etc) • 16. Metrics for achievement • 17. Prime markets/mechanisms • 18. High potential products • 19. Can we work collectively to achieve vision? (compromise, sacrifice)

5. “The vision and things we have to do better to achieve it” Vision • 1. Survival & growth as independent University • 2. Strong specialist subjects • 3. Traditional, but also diverse & innovative • 4. Growth in PG numbers • 5. 30 in league tables • 6. Strategic recruitment • 7. Student satisfaction • 8. Differentiation (Edinburgh/Napier) • 9. Focus on strengths • 10. Student-centred learning • 11. New? Revolutionary? • 12. New niches in areas of expertise • 13. High Quality of Teaching Provision • 14. Flexibility & lifelong learning • 15. Academic staff fulfil contracts & support staff help them to do this ( & vice versa) • 16. Shared vision • 17. Respected & forward-looking • 18. Internationally recognised for teaching, learning & professional development in key areas (eg MBA) • 19. Value of teaching & learning

6. Strengths SWOT Analysis • dedicated staff • small scale • friendly environment • the Edinburgh Campus • vocational/professional courses • good courses with an international reputation

7. Weaknesses SWOT Analysis • staff morale • Infrastructure needs improvement • no clear route to exploit opportunities • differences between international, national & local reputation • senior management (control; lack of trust) • the campus location • financial situation • upheaval of transition • empowerment • no LTC

8. Opportunities SWOT Analysis • capitalise on small and friendly • FE/HE articulation: SHEFC funding; in Scotland and globally • decline in traditional age groups, but increase in number of lifelong learners • tap into unfulfilled overseas market more effectively • spreading best practice across the University • niche courses • continuing professional development (CPD)

9. Threats SWOT Analysis • financial situation • expansion of Edinburgh & Napier; institutional merger • imitators • restructuring: 8 schools doing the same things; inefficiencies • not capitalising on innovation • not responding effectively to Scottish Executive/SHEFC initiatives • demographic changes