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Welcome to the Vice-Chancellor’s open meeting for staff

Welcome to the Vice-Chancellor’s open meeting for staff. February 2014. Agenda. Making the Future – Strategy 2013-18 – implementation Agenda built around strategy headings: Research – Sussex Research initiatives, academic appointments

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Welcome to the Vice-Chancellor’s open meeting for staff

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  1. Welcome to the Vice-Chancellor’s open meeting for staff February 2014

  2. Agenda • Making the Future – Strategy 2013-18 – implementation • Agenda built around strategy headings: • Research – Sussex Research initiatives, academic appointments • Teaching and Learning – scholarships, Sussex Choice, employability, investment, NSS • Campus developments – Masterplanand development • Economic and social impact – report out this month • Professional Services – SEF, SussexFood, staffing • Sustainable operating – finance position, equalities

  3. Strategy – reminder of key goals to 2018 • Research – top 20 nationally and double research income • Teaching and learning – top 20 student experience and growing student numbers to 18,000 • Our campus– £400m investment in capacity and quality • External engagement – 10 international partners • Economic and social impact – grow our impact by 50% • Professional Services – best quality services and value for money • Sustainable operating – increase turnover 50% and 10% surplus for future investment

  4. Strategy 2013-18Implementation: Next steps • Systematic implementation of the strategy is vital • Schools’ 5-year strategic plans in place • VC school visits this term – to engage staff and students • Ensure that school plans and overall University plan mesh together well • Schools generate implementation plans • Overall University implementation plan being created

  5. Research – strategic priorities • Increase research-leading staff to create a competitive, sustainable critical mass in targeted areas • 50% of units of assessment in the top 15 by 2018 • Top 20 in the next REF (Research Excellence Framework) • Double research income to £54 million • Increase research students: two for each faculty member • Three new large interdisciplinary Research Centres

  6. Research – build on REF and delivery of support to schools • Building on REF experience – e.g. developing case study materials from REF impact studies • Programme of school research and knowledge exchange reviews - half-day with every school, focussed support from centre on: • Publications strategies • Management of data • Management and delivery of projects • Impact identification

  7. Research – Sussex Research initiatives • Sussex Research initiative to foster and enhance strategic development of research at Sussex • Professor Alan Lester – Director of Interdisciplinary Research • Research Network Fund (£30k) – created 9 new networks across humanities, sciences and social sciences • Research Development Fund (£220k) – provisionally to fund 9 pilot projects (£5-50k) from 44 bids, to seek external funding • Strategic Competition (£1-3m over 3 years) – for interdisciplinary research programmes, shortlisting from 4 outline bids received • Research centres and groups – systematic approach to approval and classification – now have 9 “University Research Centres”

  8. Senior academic appointments • More academic appointments: over 200 new academic staff appointed in 2013, nearly 30 new professors • Senior academic developments • Andrea Cornwall – new Head of Global Studies • Johan Schot – new Head of SPRU • Appointing new Head of BSMS – Gordon Ferns acting • Appointing new Head of BMEc – Andy Newell acting • Pete Clifton – retiring as Head of Psychology in summer

  9. Teaching and learning – attracting and supporting the best • Competitive environment for UG and PG recruitment • Investing in scholarships schemes to attract and support the best; and outreach spend doubled this year • First Generation Scholarships – admitted 1150 (920 last year) • OFFA submission commits to £8m spend on support – on course for 2015-16 targets by background of intake • Created new Sussex Excellence Scholarships – for UG candidates with top grades • PGT and PGR Scholarships also successful in strengthening intakes

  10. Teaching and learning – Employability • Employability and career development important for our graduates and for University reputation • Range of support in place for all years - encourage all students to engage with Careers and Employability Centre • Employers and alumni events fortnight - Make It Happen! 24 Feb -7 March • One-year placements already piloted and full roll out in 2015-16 – placement prep programme now for first years • Summer internships for second-year First Gen Scholars • Start-up Sussex - entrepreneurship programme run by CEC and SInC

  11. Teaching and learning – Sussex Choice • “Sussex Choice” enhances study for students – depth and breadth and development of skills • Electives to add breadth to single honours • Coherent pathways alongside single honours – 18 options: Languages to Legal Studies, Heritage to Trading • Placement (usually a year) for students • Study abroad (also usually a year) for students • Value-added activity which enhances student experience – supported by schools and Careers and Employability Centre (CEC)

  12. Teaching and learning – NSS 2014 • NSS 2014 goes live for Sussex students this week • Supported by both University and USSU • Seen significant improvements in learning resources scores in 2012 and 2013 – reflecting investment in Library and IT connectivity • Vital to deliver sustained improvements in assessment and feedback – building on new structure of the academic year and curriculum improvements

  13. Our campus – Masterplan • Masterplan submitted to local councils end December 2013 • Designed to sustain and improve campus as we grow • Positive response from officials and councillors • Key issue is to ensure sufficient student housing • Expect to have B&H Council planning discussion and decision April or May • Sets positive framework for specific planning applications as campus develops

  14. Student residences on campus and partner developments off campus • Demand for housing = 3660 (80% of additional 4,600 students)

  15. East Slope – residential development – adding 1,400 bedspaces

  16. Our campus – other developments • East Slope – consultation and engagement with students • Attenborough Centre – internal refurbishment started last month • New £2m childcare centre to open next month – open day for staff and students Thu 27 Feb 11am-2pm • Freeman refurbishment for LPS – ready for summer 2014 • Infrastructure developments continue – e.g. major sewage complete by March

  17. Economic and social impact – Oxford Economics Report • Impact of Sussex on the regional economy is huge – through direct spending, jobs supported and students we bring to the region, plus the skilled graduates • 2010 study showed just under £500m and 5,500 jobs • New 2013 study just published shows around £600m – something we should be proud of • By 2018 impact could reach over £1 billion • Around 2.5% of the whole local economy is derived from us • Baseline against which our target 50% additional contribution will be measured

  18. Professional Services - new staff appointments • New Director of ITS – Paul Davies started January 2014 • New Lead Chaplain – Chris McDermott • New head of e-technology learning – David Walker • New Head of academic quality – Christopher Wellings

  19. Professional Services – Sussex Food • Long-term development for the University • Positive signs already – increased sales in place of deficit • Over £250k already invested by our partners in the refurbishment of Library, Dhaba, and Bridge cafes • E-learning and training programme in place for staff • Environmental and sustainability programme being implemented • 5-star ratings for all outlets for hygiene and service practice • Vending services being expanded • Sussex Food employing twice as many Sussex students as before

  20. Professional Services – Sussex Estates and Facilities • Transferred on 1 January 2014 • 23 service lines covered by contract • Full team now appointed • Service centre developed to handle calls and requests • Training centre being established for staff development • USSU engaging positively with SEF • Improvements – e.g. new cleaning system that saves 60% of water compared to old system

  21. Sustainable operating – finance overview • Vital to be financially sustainable to secure investment in academic activities, student experience, support services and campus infrastructure

  22. Sustainable operating – equalities • Detailed equality objectivesset in Jan 2012 for April 2016 Already exceeded these in key areas: • Increase female Professional Services staff at grade 10 from 29% to 33%. January 2014: reached39% • Increase female professors from 22% to 26%. January 2014: reached 28% (nationally 21%) • Increase minority ethnic UK and EU student entrants from 12% to 15%. December 2013: reached 16% • Reviewing and developing these further

  23. Open discussion Comments and questions? Please wait for microphone so all can hear – including those using the hearing induction loops

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