BU Vision and ValuesFocus Groups

Professor John Vinney

Vice-Chancellor

• Reduction in government subsidies for UG higher education• Increased market for PG education• Increased market for international activities• Concentration of research funding into research-led universities• Increased competition:

– for-profit providers– FE colleges offering more degrees– US-owned online providers of degrees

• Universities stream-lining costs and maximising revenues• Funding driven by student choice leading to expansion of provision:

– 2 year degrees– vocational degrees– Part time study

2

Emerging trends

December 2010• Board seminar• Series of conversation events for staff and students.

March 2011• Further Board seminar• Further staff conversation events and discussion at the ICE Forum and Senate

meetings• Dedicated online discussion board for ULT• Half away day with ULT and President and Vice-Presidents of SUBU• UET Strategic Thinking Session to develop initial proposals

April 2011• Draft framework and initial proposals presented to Board

May 2011• Reworked draft shared with staff and students for comment• External consultant appointed to offer critical external view

June 2011• External consultation launched• Focus Groups for Board, staff and students

3

The journey so far...

BU will be an internationally recognised community: empowering students and graduates by creating and sharing knowledge through a unique fusion of

excellent education, research and engagement with the professions.

BU: Creating, Sharing, Empowering

Creating an internationally recognised community

Fusing excellent education, research and engagement with the professions

Empowering students and graduates

Academic Excellence Achievement ResponsibilityCreativityAuthenticity

1. Develop strategic international partnerships2. Build a professional and academic global

network3. Deliver world class research4. Engage international businesses5. Embed internationalisation into our

curriculum6. Develop quality partnerships7. Increase student recruitment

1. Create a powerful fusion of research and professional practice informed teaching

2. Deliver an outstanding student experience3. Deliver inspirational teaching using the latest

technology and best practice4. Offer real world and relevant learning

opportunities5. Ensure professional accreditation where

appropriate6. Collaborate with individuals and organisations

who will help deliver vision

1. Create highly sought after graduates known for their intellectual rigour, critical thinking, professionalism and resilience

2. Build professional development opportunities into all programmes

3. Generate graduates for flexible futures4. Deliver high quality graduate and professional

development5. Shape good professional practice6. Embed social responsibility

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People - Engage and support all staff in delivery of the vision; Enhance leadership; Recruit and retain high quality people;

Finance - Ensure financial sustainability; Align resources to vision and key strategic priorities; Diversify and grow income streams

Environment - Provide world class industry standard facilities; Reduce our impact on the environment; Develop outstanding support services

“I chose to study at BU because I wanted something more than the ‘traditional’ university experience.

I wanted to be sure that I was going to get a job afterwards, so I looked for the university with the most placement opportunities and the highest graduate employment rates in England.

I also wanted to be confident that I was getting good value for money and that I would have all the support and facilities that I needed, so I looked for a university that consistently scores over 80% in the National Student Survey.

Finally, I wanted to go somewhere where I would be more than just a student, so I chose a university that is famous for its sense of community, the quality of its student engagement, and that really listens to the student voice. I chose BU.”

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What will BU look like in 2020?

BU Vision 2020

BU will be an internationally recognised community: empowering students and graduates by creating and sharing knowledge through a unique fusion of excellent education, research and engagement with the professions

Calibration slide

1 2

0%

100%

1. True

2. False

I have a handset

This is the right vision for BU

1 2 3 4

46%

0%

6%

49%1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Disagree

4. Strongly Disagree

BU Vision 2020BU will be an internationally recognised community: empowering students and graduates by creating and sharing knowledge through a unique fusion of excellent education, research and engagement with the professions.

The vision is easily understandable to an external audience

1 2 3 4

20%

0%

17%

63%1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Disagree

4. Strongly Disagree

BU Vision 2020BU will be an internationally recognised community: empowering students and graduates by creating and sharing knowledge through a unique fusion of excellent education, research and engagement with the professions.

The vision is suitably concise

1 2 3 4

26%

0%

29%

46%1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Disagree

4. Strongly Disagree

BU Vision 2020BU will be an internationally recognised community: empowering students and graduates by creating and sharing knowledge through a unique fusion of excellent education, research and engagement with the professions.

I can see how I fit in to this vision

1 2 3 4

29%

0%6%

66%1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Disagree

4. Strongly Disagree

BU Vision 2020BU will be an internationally recognised community: empowering students and graduates by creating and sharing knowledge through a unique fusion of excellent education, research and engagement with the professions.

BU Values

Each group will take one of the values and discuss the following question: 

What will we need to do in order to demonstrate that we are ‘living’  this value at BU? Each group will feedback in plenary one action that will help us to demonstrate that we are ‘living’ this value at BU

The values are:• Academic Excellence• Achievement• Authenticity• Creativity• Responsibility