Strategic Foundations Programme concludes

The Strategic Foundations Programme (SFP) – a framework created to trigger improvement projects across the University – is being concluded to allow this work to progress onto the next stage.

SFP was formed in December 2020 as part of our response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Its aim was to refocus efforts on the priorities in our University Strategy and set us up to face long-term challenges facing the higher education sector, such as financial sustainability, that were brought into focus by the pandemic.

The framework consisted of four ‘pathways’ covering key areas of our work, such as improving student experience and supporting long-term planning.

This work is on course to achieve savings and income growth worth £20m in 2025/26, compared to 2021/22, and has therefore made a significant contribution to our work to address ongoing financial challenges.

Progress and outcomes

Progress has been made in each of the four pathways, with a great deal of work completed by colleagues to change and redesign how we operate.

With much of this original work now completed or transferred into other initiatives, and some resulting changes having been introduced, the SFP framework that acted as the catalyst for this will now be closed.

This means the board overseeing SFP will be stood down, allowing resource to be focused on implementing and embedding the projects in our day-to-day working practices.

Improvements brought about in each of the four areas include:

Portfolio Review

This critical activity is ongoing, with the launch of our new two-semester academic year and new programme design principles from September 2024.

The Portfolio Review Project is aimed at improving students’ learning experience, making our teaching portfolio distinct, relevant and sustainable and making staff workloads more manageable. This will create capacity for future growth, innovation and other strategic priorities, such as our research and global agendas.

Great progress has been made:

• Nearly 350 teaching programmes have been redesigned to fit the new semester structure.
• Establishing clear and simplified programme and module principles in teaching and assessment, to fully support and embed the refreshed Curriculum Framework. These changes reflect feedback from our students.
• It is also paving the way for digital technology to be used more effectively to enhance teaching and learning.

The Portfolio Review Project will continue using its well-developed project structure, and will now be overseen directly by UEB.

See more on our updated Portfolio Review Project information page.

Expectations and Workload

The objective of this work was to support academic excellence by creating a framework for setting and supporting academic expectations, and to develop a transparent and fair workload model aligned with them.

Outcomes include:

• The Individual Expectations Framework was piloted last year and has been approved by Senate, and an institutional Academic Careers Framework is being finalised. These set out principles for Schools and colleagues to set individual expectations for their research and teaching, which take into account career ambitions, personal circumstances, and collective strategic objectives.
• While the substance of the Framework will align with the criteria for probation, personal titles, and professorial review, work to incorporate the framework into relevant processes, including PDRs and workload planning, is ongoing.
• The development of a single academic workload model for the university was paused, and alternative approaches to take this forward are under consideration.

Strategic Alignment

This work supported long-term planning around strategic growth, aligning School and University objectives, and developing inclusive processes that better support our strategic priorities at academic School level.

Outcomes include:

• Strategic Alignment Process (SAP) pilots took place in SMPCS, and further processes have been completed for the School of Literature and Languages and the School of the Built Environment. In each case, the SAP supported colleagues in the Schools with the development of long-term plans.
• SAPs are now run as business as usual in one or two schools each year, with a SAP ongoing in the School of Arts and Communication Design.
• Work was undertaken in 2022 to review the existing financial model, but this has now been overtaken by changes in the wider financial context. It has therefore been absorbed into the University’s broader focus on financial challenges work.
• Some steps to improve the resilience and adaptability of our professional services, such as the introduction of the new Directorate structure, have been completed. Others, such as an institution-wide programme of process review and a review of professional services support for the Henley Business School, are under way and covered by the Professional Services Programme, overseen by the Professional Services Steering Group.

Ways of Working

This project focused on helping colleagues work more flexibly in order to make better use of space, with the aim of making us more financially sustainable as a University.

Outcomes include:

• A Smart Working Framework was developed by HR and implemented in November 2021. This has supported flexible working arrangements for many teams and ensured appropriate technology is available to facilitate this.
• Some space moves have taken place already, such as for Blandford Lodge, Edith Morley and London Road to create space for tenants and generate rental income. Further changes, to support the University’s financial sustainability, will be part of Estates’ ongoing strategic planning and campus development.