Watch all-staff talk on University Strategy progress

At the first all-staff talk of the new academic year, Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Van de Noort provided an update on our progress against the University Strategy.

The Strategy was published in 2020 and runs to 2026, so we are at the midway point. It outlines our four principles of Community, Excellence, Sustainability and Engaged University, including why these are important and how we plan to make progress with them.

Robert emphasised the University’s ongoing commitment to the Strategy and how we have continued to deliver it despite encountering a global pandemic and challenging financial circumstances in the last three years.

Progress with the Strategy will continue to be a theme in our communications this autumn term.

‘We all play a role’

A poll run at the start of the session revealed that most colleagues have at least some understanding of how their role supports the Strategy, and Robert reiterated that every single colleague in every role plays an important part in delivering our objectives.

Robert provided a brief reminder of the approach the University is taking to overcome these financial challenges, as well as environmental work that is supporting the Sustainability principle.

The Vice-Chancellor was joined by three colleagues with whom he discussed projects they have led that support areas of the other three strategic principles. Speaking at the session were:

• Professor Allán Laville, Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, who provided an update on our D&I targets from the most recent Annual Report and projects on race equality, decolonising the curriculum and disability and neurodiversity.
• Professor Elizabeth McCrum, Prov-Vice-Chancellor (Education & Student Experience), who spoke about the University’s recent positive NSS results, progress with the Portfolio Review, and other ways we are maintaining a positive student experience in 2023/24 and beyond.
• Molli Cleaver, Community Engagement Manager, who discussed a range of projects aimed at strengthening the University’s links with the community, including partnerships and steering groups recently set up to govern this, the successful Community Festival, and the forthcoming Community Forum. Colleagues can stay up to date with community action and opportunities via the Community Newsletter.