Strategic Planning Alkharj University Steve Chadwick October 2010

Strategic Planning

Alkharj University

Steve ChadwickOctober 2010

Steve Chadwick: Profile

• 32 years in Education• 25 years in Universities (Hong Kong & UK)• 21 in strategic planning• University of Northumbria (‘New’ University)• Newcastle University (Russell Group)• Durham University (94 Group)• Director of Strategic Planning & Change• Member of University Executive Committee

Durham University: Location

• Located in the North East of England

• Surrounded by beautiful countryside - North Yorkshire Moors, Lake District, Holy Island and Scotland

• Excellent road and rail links. Less than 3 hours to Londonand 1 ½ hours to Edinburgh by train

• Fly into Newcastle International Airport.

• DURHAM

Durham University: Profile• 4th in the UK – The Independent Complete University Guide

League Table 2010/11 (up from 10th in 2007/8)

• 6th in the Times Good University Guide 2010/11 (up from 16th in 2000) and Sunday Times (up from 13th)

• 3rd oldest in England, after Oxford & Cambridge• A high quality, research intensive, internationally oriented,

collegiate university- broad and deep coverage • Employs over 3,000 staff , 15,000 students (including 3,500

postgraduate students and 3,000 international students from 120 different countries)

Durham University: Profile• 72% obtain Firsts or 2:1s• 98% completion rate - one of the highest completion rates of

the UK

• 84% into work or further study within 6 months

• 19% of our research was graded at 4 Star - world-leading

• 59% of our research was graded at 3 Star or above - internationally excellent

• 90% of our research was of international quality, 2 Star or above

Durham University: Strategic Priorities

• Research - international excellence in all areas and world leaders in selected areas

• Student experience – provide distinctive learning experience combing academic excellence and personal development

• Internationalisation - further internationalise staff and student communities and enhance our international reputation

• Sustainability - sustainable, well governed and socially and environmentally responsible university

4 Sessions at Al Kharj

1 What is Strategy & Process for Developing a Strategic Plan : Saturday AM

2 Assessing the Strategic Position - Where are we? : Saturday PM

3 Strategic Choices - Where do we want to be? : Sunday AM

4 Implementing Strategy - How will we get there? : Sunday PM

Adapted from Johnson & ScholesExploring Corporate Strategy

Session 1:What is Strategy?

&Development

Process

What is Strategy?

Where do we want to be? (Choices)Where do we want to be? (Choices)

External Positioning

Where we are now? (Position)Where we are now? (Position)

Internal Capability

How will we get there? (Action)How will we get there? (Action)

Development ProcessStrategic Position/Where are we?

1. Preparation2. Environmental Scan, SWOT & Key Issues3. Define Mission and Values

Strategic Choice/Where do we want to be?4. Develop a Shared Vision (& Aims/Objectives)5. Strategies to address issues & achieve vision

Strategy into Action/How to will get there?6. Write Strategy7. Develop Action Plan8. Monitoring & Review

Why do Strategic Planning?

• Process more valuable than the plan• Wide involvement builds consensus• Clarify Mission, Values, Aims, Objectives• Forces choices• Guides resource prioritisation• Provides competitive advantage• Provides base for measuring progress

Important Advice

• Involve wide range of staff & stakeholders• Prepare and analyse thoroughly• Be brave: choose, focus and prioritise• Assign responsibilities• Hold people accountable• Build implementation infrastructure:

– People, processes, resources, policies, tools and communications

Strategic Position:Where are we?

Adapted from Johnson & ScholesExploring Corporate Strategy

The Strategic Position : Where are we?

• Preparation• External environmental scanning (PESTLE)• SWOT analysis

– External opportunities & threats– Internal strengths & weaknesses

• Competitor analysis• Strategic ‘positioning’


• How do we do it?– Sources of data/management information– Horizon scanning & business intelligence– Involvement of range of staff using

workshops/work-streams/strategy events– Using professional support services (planning unit

or similar)– Stakeholder consultation (students, staff, external)


• Output from this phase:

– Assessment of the major strategic challenges facing the department/college/university and

– our capacity and capability to face them– Mission and Values

Strategic Choice:Where do we want to be?

If we don’t change direction, we might end up where we’re

headed!

Chinese Proverb

Strategic Choice : Where do we want to be?


• In light of challenges and internal strengths and weaknesses:– What kind of university do we want to work in? – Balance between Teaching, Research & Other?– Who will we compete with? – What will be the profile of our student population?– How many staff and of what kind?


– What will we strengthen or grow?– What will be block or eliminate?– Where will our centres of excellence be?– Expansion, quality or both?

• Which areas are we NOT going to invest in?• What will be STOP doing?

“All decisions have an opportunity cost which means there are other

developments you need to forgo. It is very important to recognise this and weigh up the pros and cons in taking

strategic decisions.”

Professor A Long, Geography, Durham



Output from this phase:• Vision and Aims • SMART Objectives

– Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed• Key Strategies for achieving goals and

addressing key issues


• Emphasis on broad strategies to address specific, often several goals

• Consider alternative approaches or scenarios• E.g. regional focus vs national lobbying, more or less

centralisation, focus or broad spread?• Evaluation criteria: e.g. value, appropriateness,

feasibility, acceptability, cost-benefit, timing etc• These help define ‘strategic themes’ for the plan

Strategy into Action:How will we get there?

• Have our people got the capacity and capability? And are responsibilities & accountabilities clear?

• Will our processes enable us to achieve our goals?• Are our policies appropriate?• Are our physical resources appropriate for what we

want to achieve?• Have we got the right tools, including operational

plan, templates, management information?• How shall we communicate so we can maintain

engagement and commitment to the strategy?

Strategy into Action: How will we get there?

Implementing Infrastructure

PhysicalResources Physical

Resources

PoliciesPolicies

PeoplePeople

Tools Tools CommunicationCommunication

Processes ProcessesStrategic

PlanStrategic

Plan

Communication

• Need champions and agents to disseminate and communicate the strategy

• Provide opportunities for evaluation and feedback• Report on progress and milestones• Consistent information using different media


Communication

• Management commitment to:

• Setting expectations• Providing appropriate tools • Development of action plans• Engagement of staff



• A university strategy has power to the extent that the people can describe:

– The strategy in their own words– The relevance of the strategy to their own work– Their roles in making the strategy work– Their gain in making the strategy succeed


• Monitoring/Evaluating– KPIs – ‘what gets measured gets done’– Planning engagements– Management Information

• Reviewing– Part of the planning cycle

Reference Slides

NCAAA Standards

• Institutional Context– Mission and Objectives– Governance and Administration– Management of Quality Assurance and Improvement

• Quality of Teaching and Learning– Learning and Teaching

• Support for Student Learning– Student Administration and Support Services– Learning Resources

NCAAA Standards

• Supporting Infrastructure– Facilities and Equipment– Financial Planning and Management– Faculty and Staff Employment Processes

• Community Contributions – Research– Institutional Relationships with the Community

POLITICALe.g. changes of Government; new

Government policies; national initiatives; strategic agencies.

ECONOMICe.g. Government decisions on

student & research funding; new sources of research funding;

changes in disposable income of students; internal resource

allocation decisions/mechanisms.

SOCIOCULTURALe.g. changes in demographics;

lifestyle; social networking; mobility.

TECHNOLOGICALe.g. new technologies; e-learning;

student expectations.

LEGALe.g. employment law; health and

safety.

ENVIRONMENTALe.g. environmental protection;

carbon reduction initiatives; global warming.

The Strategic Position : PESTLE Analysis

The Strategic Position : PESTLE Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Should strive to maximize strengths and capitalize on

new opportunities

Needs real effort to conquer weaknesses by making most

of new opportunities

ThreatsStrengths under threat from

competitors. Should use strengths to parry any threats

Defensive strategy. Trying to minimize weaknesses and

avoid external threats

The Strategic Position : SWOT Analysis

The Strategic Position : SWOT Analysis

The Strategic Position: Competitor Analysis

Percentage of Income from Government Grant: 2002-3


Percentage of Income from Government Grant: 2002-3


Percentage of Funding from Public Source: 1997-8 to 2002-3


Percentage of Funding from Public Source: 1997-8 to 2002-3

Research Quality, Total Cat A Staff FTE, No. of UoAsTop 20 HEIs by Quality (excluding small, specialist institutions)

Cambridge

Oxford

LSE

Imperial

Manchester

Warwick

UCL

Essex

York

King's London

Queen Mary

Edinburgh

Bath

Durham

Bristol

Sheffield

Southampton

St Andrews

SOAS

Nottingham

0.0

500.0

1000.0

1500.0

2000.0

2500.0

260.0 280.0 300.0 320.0 340.0 360.0 380.0

Research Quality (4* weighted at 7.0, 3* weighted at 3.0 & 2* weighted at 1.0)

Ca

t A

Sta

ff F

TE

Area of Circles corresponds to the number of RAE 2008 Units of Assessment

The Strategic Position: Strategic Positioning

Durham University’s UK Research Position 2008

The Strategic Position: Strategic Positioning

Durham University’s UK Research Position 2008

It is very useful to have several senior staff in high

level University positions and some who are well-connected nationally & internationally.

These bring a level of information and business

intelligence which you would otherwise lack.


SUSTAINABILITY

Item No. IssueNew or

UpdatedSource

Reason for Inclusion

Owner(s)Further Information (Website / File)

Update

Government and Other Agencies

26

April 2010 - Funding for additional new entrants and efficiency activities through the University Modernisation FundHEFCE is inviting proposals from English HEIs, and further education colleges (FECs) with over 100 directly funded full-time equivalent (FTE) students, for support from the new University Modernisation Fund to support new entrants and efficiency activities in 2010-11. £250 million in 2010-11 has been allocated for this purpose.

X HEFCE

For application

DEADLINE:

noon on MONDAY 26th APRIL

Registrar / Steve Chadwick

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/circlets/2010/cl08_10/

27

March 2010 - Second call for evidence in the Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student FinanceThe Call for Proposals will be open until the 14th May, and all of those with an interest in higher education are encouraged to submit suggestions for recommendations that will ensure our universities and colleges are internationally competitive, financially sustainable, with fair access for all. Once the call for proposals closes the Review will hold further public hearings, details of which will be made available soon.

XHE Review website

For comment

DEADLINE

14th MAY 2010

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=412174&SubjectId=2

http://hereview.independent.gov.uk/hereview/call-for-proposals/

28

March 2010 - Report published 'Independent Review Group review of the effectiveness and efficiency of HEFCE: Final Report'This report sets out the findings of an independent effectiveness and efficiency review of the Higher Education Funding Council for England for the period 2004-09.

X HEFCE For informationSteve Chadwick

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2010/10_07/

29

March 2010 - Recurrent Grants announcedThis document summarises HEFCE's provisional allocations of recurrent funding to institutions for academic year 2010-11. Final allocations will be announced in July 2010.

X HEFCE For informationRegistrar / Steve Chadwick













“To make the University of Manchester, already an

internationally distinguished centre of research, innovation, learning and scholarly enquiry, one of the leading

universities in the world by 2015”

University of Manchester’s Mission

Academic excellence: knowledge, academic freedom, critical independence, creativity, innovation, world-class performance

Community: public service and citizenship, collegiality, teamwork and mutual respect

Integrity: openness, transparency and honesty

Inclusiveness: diversity, equal opportunities and access

Professionalism: provision of effective and efficient customer-focused services in all aspects of our work (internally and externally)

Our values of professionalism, inclusiveness, integrity and community surround and support the core value of academic excellence, which is at the heart of everything we do at the University.

University of Leeds’ Values

Developing a Shared Vision - Example

• By 2015, the University of Alkharj will:– Be widely recognised in the region as an excellent

teaching university– Have developed a small number of outstanding

centres of excellence– Be the University of choice for students wanting

undergraduate qualifications– Have established key strategic partnerships with

universities in the region, Europe and the US


• To demonstrate international research excellence across our entire academic base, and take a leading part in developing the academic agenda in each of our disciplines.

• To provide an academic education that is research-led and transformative, a curriculum underpinned by excellence in teaching facilities, and a culture of reflective practice.

Lewin’s Force Field Analysis

Implementation Tool

Mission

Vision

Future Plans

Driving Forces Restraining Forces


How can we increase drivers & reduce restraints to bring about change?

Provide excellent education in a wide spectrum

of academic disciplines

What are the restraining forces?

Restraining Forces

Low completion rates

Difficulties in attracting staff

High graduate unemployment

Inequalities in services to women

Uneven quality across subjects


Key Objectives

Provide excellent education in a wide spectrum of academic disciplines, by ensuring that:

1. Faculty are selected and supported to provide excellence in all four roles: teaching, research, community and university services.

2. Students learn and experience positive impacts.

3. Teaching, learning & assessment practices focus on learner success.


Removing Barriers to Implementation

Barrier Solution Yr 1 Yrs 2-3 Yr 4+

Implementation Infrastructure

What do we need to have in place to make things happen?

Documents

Strategic Planning Alkharj University Steve Chadwick October 2010