UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN

STRATEGIC PLAN 2002 – 2006

University of Aberdeen Strategic Plan 2002-2006

Part 1: ENVIRONMENTAL AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS

1 THE REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT 2

2 THE POLICY ENVIRONMENT 2

3 THE TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 3

4 THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT 4

5 THE HUMAN RESOURCES ENVIRONMENT 5

6 THE FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT 6

7 THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 7

8 STRENGTHS AND NEEDS 7

PART 2: STRATEGIC VISION AND INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES, 2002-2006

INTRODUCTION

1 ACCESS, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION 8

2 LEARNING AND TEACHING 10

3 RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AND COMMERCIALISATION 12

4 EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE, ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT 15

5 DEVELOPING LINKS WITH THE COMMUNITY 18

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ENVIRONMENTAL & STRATEGIC ANALYSIS1 THE REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT1.1 The University of Aberdeen is the major institution of Higher Education in the North of Scotland.

From this distinctive position our aim is to lead the development of education and research across our region. While much activity is properly directed to the region and nation, it is always in an international context by outlook, scope and interest. One example is our powerful commitment to life sciences, health, and bio-medical research, where in a series of major investments we have built on the advantages of a large hospital campus serving a region that is unique in the UK for its size and character.

1.2 Academic activity takes place in an increasingly competitive and borderless environment. In many areas achieving international excellence depends at least in part upon acquiring an appropriate level of critical mass. We recognise that our current size inhibits opportunities to become internationally excellent in all areas. Given our breadth of coverage, we believe the way ahead lies in pursuing a policy of institutional alliance with other regional and national providers with the expressed intention of becoming a full-spectrum university, covering levels from widening access to outstanding research. We believe that this will enable us to achieve the critical mass necessary to be internationally excellent in those areas in which we pursue research and to provide a range and breadth of coverage that enables us to respond to Scottish Executive, Government and Council priorities.

1.3 In October 2001 an inter-university group on collaboration between The Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen was established consisting of senior management from each institution. With the assistance of a Strategic Change Grant from the Council, the two universities engaged the advice of consultants on preliminary due diligence, and gave consideration to five collaborative options. A joint report, approved by both institutions' governing bodies in June 2002, recommended that the two universities explore in detail the option of a merger to establish a new model institution, undertaking a thorough risk assessment of this option. There will be wide consultation with staff, students and other stakeholders.

1.4 The University has been in discussions with a number of institutions in the Further and Higher Education sectors, including those within the Aberdeen Research Consortium, in particular the Scottish Agricultural College, and the UHI Millennium Institute. With the latter negotiations are underway with a view to the University becoming its preferred partner in developments across a wide range of activity.

1.5 We shall continue to strive to make the university sustainable, accessible and inclusive - a place that frees up human potential wherever it is found. In line with our research ambitions we wish to see a much higher proportion of our students engaged in postgraduate study, with activity at all levels increasingly linked to the changing economic, social and cultural needs of the wider community. However, we also recognise the importance of equipping our graduates with generic skills to enhance their employment prospects, to enable them to adapt to changing forces in the national and international markets and to contribute their skills to the emerging Scottish knowledge-based economy.

2 THE POLICY ENVIRONMENT2.1 The Scottish Executive has continued to focus on the priorities of: modernising the sector, with

support for collaboration and partnership; promotion of excellence in leadership in institutions, in particular the improvement of Human Resource management; widening access and enhancing retention and progression; and supporting excellence in research and developing and supporting research in areas of strategic importance to Scotland. We are strongly committed to all these objectives and shall set out our plans for further strengthening our work in these areas in the second part of this Plan.

2.2 We are concerned about the implications arising from the Scottish Executive Education Department's (SEED) recent decision to revise its guidance to the Council for projected intakes to Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses. The timing of this decision and the subsequent notification of intake targets by the Council to institutions has generated enormous turbulence in institutions' recruitment and admissions processes for ITE intakes for 2002/03. This uncertainty relating to education numbers post 2002/03 threatens to undermine the financial basis upon which the merger between the University of Aberdeen and the Aberdeen campus of Northern College of Education was agreed, and the future development of teacher education and research in the North and North-East of Scotland.

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2.3 Progress towards widening access requires Higher Education to work with partners in the community and other sectors of the educational system. We continue to strive to attract to the University the students who have the potential to benefit from higher education, and we are committed to recruiting them in ways that remove barriers for groups that are currently under-represented in our student population. However, while the North of Scotland lacks large conurbations it does include major rural areas where access presents distinctive challenges. We welcome the increased emphasis on support for students once recruited, an area to which we have already given priority.

2.4 We also welcome the support for excellence in research wherever it is found. We believe that selectivity is essential to avoid wasteful dispersal of funding, while emphasising that new, strategically important research areas must be identified and cultivated, irrespective of location or type of institution. Our only concern would be if the boundaries of economic importance were so tightly drawn as to diminish the social, economic and cultural role of the humanities and social sciences.

3 THE TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT3.1 The University has a well-founded reputation for providing high quality generalist and specialist

graduates. Demand for our full-time undergraduate programmes continues to grow, with undergraduate home applications rising this year by a further 2% (excluding the increase attributed to the new Faculty of Education), building on the substantial 20% increase achieved in the previous year. The addition of Education and the full-time MBA to our portfolio of vocational programmes will increase our capacity to meet the needs of the economy and society for professionals educated in a multidisciplinary university environment.

3.2 However, although we perform well and appear to satisfy the needs of a significant number of off-campus students, we believe we can improve their access to the full range of opportunities available to on-campus, full-time students. Whilst our performance against the performance indicator benchmark for participation of part-time and mature students is good, we have struggled to meet our target of increasing the part-time undergraduate population by at least 5%. Following identification of a weakness in the accessibility of our on-campus courses to part-time students, KEY Learning (the unit charged with promoting wider access) will work with academic departments and our Learning Technology Unit to develop additional provision, including the conversion of existing courses for web-based delivery. We are heartened by the continued improvement in our overall performance against the national benchmarks for participation levels, although we still fell short in 1999-2000 of our benchmark for social classes IIIM-V. We shall continue to pursue our policies and strategies to improve our performance in this area in collaboration with our partners to target low participation schools and to offer alternative routes into our degree programmes through articulation agreements with local FE Colleges. Increasing the number of students from social classes IIIM-V remains a challenge across the sector and we would encourage the Council to consider widening its policy for distribution of additional funded places from only part-time numbers to include full-time numbers from social classes IIIM-V. Our Annual Fund, generated from donations made by Alumni, has raised to date almost £1M. We will continue to dedicate this to improving and enhancing student recruitment and retention, and alleviating student hardship.

3.3 As a consequence of the challenges facing schools following the introduction of Higher Still, the University has participated in a series of discussions with Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Councils to determine whether, and to what extent, the University can provide practical assistance in this area. Specific issues relating to size, scale and range are particular challenges to those schools where only a small number of students progress to higher level study and therefore only progress low numbers to Further and Higher Education. To develop further relationships with local schools and maximise the benefits from this, the University will establish the S6 Enhancement Unit which will have responsibility for liaising with schools, education departments and academic departments to develop a support programme.

3.4 We are committed to the continuous enhancement of quality through the promotion of a culture of critical reflection on learning and teaching, informed by best practice, in which soundly based innovation is embedded in everyday academic practice and teaching continues to be informed by scholarship and research. We have reviewed and revised our policies and practices in a number of areas in the light of the guidance contained in the QAA Code of Practice and plan to complete this process in the coming year. We have also made a number of structural changes to improve our capacity to manage the continuous improvement of learning and teaching. These include a revision of the remit and composition of the University Committee for Teaching

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and Learning to strengthen its links with the academic community, and the establishment of a Quality Enhancement Strategy Team to develop policy and monitor our performance in this critical area. However, this commitment to the continuous improvement of teaching and learning has only been achieved through the substantial investment of academic staff time. Three key elements will therefore underpin all new procedures: a clear focus on quality enhancement, an imperative to reduce the administrative burden on academic staff while retaining the robustness of our procedures; and the need to ensure that consideration is given to the resource implications (not just in terms of staff time) of implementing new procedures.

3.5 We welcome SHEFC's acknowledgement that institutions have robust internal quality assurance procedures, the efficacy of which will be audited through Institutional Audit, and its decision not to continue with Subject Review. We support particularly the emphasis given to the importance of student input in the new quality process, through representation and feedback and a clear focus on quality enhancement in the new quality processes.

3.6 We are committed to achieving the optimum balance between traditional and technology-enabled resources that will maintain the University's reputation in research and full-spectrum learning. Consequently, in addition to enhancing our new student portals we shall examine options for the future provision of student computing and network connectivity and develop options for the introduction of a managed learning environment.

3.7 As we indicated last year we have concerns about student retention. In response this has led to changes which include: the revision of our general progress regulations; improvements to our advising system and mechanisms for monitoring student progress, enabling earlier intervention where a student's performance gives cause for concern; and the provision of additional learning support. A Retention and Progression Team will be established to develop strategy and policy relating to ensuring improved retention and progression rates. Other measures will be developed in partnership with the Scottish HE sector as a whole.

3.8 We are committed to developing the competencies of our staff both as teachers and researchers. We will revise our probation system to enable all members of staff in their first three years to develop their professional competence as teachers as well as to demonstrate their research potential. We will conclude our review of our promotions and discretionary award systems, and seek to implement robust mechanisms for identifying and rewarding excellence in teaching as well as research.

3.9 Our First Destination Returns for 2000-01 shows our excellent record in the employability of our graduates. Nonetheless, we have recently reviewed and revised our provision of Careers Education, Information and Guidance in the light of the relevant section of the QAA Code of Practice, with a view to raising still further service standards. The drafting of programme specifications by departments, as part of our current re-validation of all degree programmes, has also focussed attention on transferable skills. These include the development of C&IT skills, a number of which are now incorporated into the learning outcomes of all our programmes.

3.10 Globalisation and borderless education remains a significant challenge to all universities. At a local level, our biggest challenge lies in maximising opportunities to use e-learning technologies to widen participation, both on and off-campus. However, our wish to deliver a pedagogical experience using the latest IT developments is constrained, as ever, by the significant capital investment required in both the physical and intellectual support infrastructure of communication and information technology.

4 THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT4.1 The North of Scotland needs and will support a major internationally competitive research

institution. Building on our increase in research income, proportionately the highest in Scotland last year, we will develop further and enhance our excellent research capacity. Aberdeen has a unique concentration of institutions carrying out research, and through the Aberdeen Research Consortium (ARC) we seek to encourage new interactions, such as the Fish Health and Gene Discovery, Northern Studies Centre, and ACERO (Aberdeen Centre for Energy Regulation and Obesity), that facilitate multidisciplinary and applied research and seek to maximise added value from both facilities and expertise. The University will pursue a policy of increasing concentration of resources on those selected areas that are capable of sustaining a necessary level of critical mass and achieving levels of high quality research. Concurrently, we will withdraw core research support from areas of under-performance. We will maintain our

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strategy of recruitment of the best possible staff, developing them to their full potential, and seeking to give them a supportive research environment and access to high quality resources.

4.2 The results of the Research Assessment Exercise have confirmed our own assessment of our research strengths and weaknesses. The grade 5 and better units of assessment point to our excellence in areas of Medical Sciences, Life Sciences, Pure Mathematics, Languages, Divinity, Law and other Social Sciences. We intend to develop further and enhance our performance primarily in those areas which are of strategic importance to the University: areas of Medical, Life and Cognitive Sciences, Engineering, English, History, Law, and the broad area of Business Management. It is notable that four grade 5s were awarded in the area of life sciences Units of Assessment and this concentration will be an area of exploitation of the post-genomic revolution; growth in the life and biomedical sciences is one of our core strategies. We expect that the forthcoming review of science in Scotland will confirm our investment in life science research relevant to the 21st century.

4.3 Whilst it is too early to predict the shape and substance of a future RAE, we are committed to improving the proportion of staff submitted in those areas in which we are research active. We recognise that this strategy will lead to a considerable level of transformational change and we are currently developing funding plans to manage this.

4.4 The University has committed itself to improving its research infrastructure. New buildings grouped around the Institute of Medical Sciences (Wellcome and SRIF funded) will improve our research capability in molecular medicine, animal sciences, body imaging and applied health sciences. Elsewhere in the University, JIF or RDG funded centres have advanced marine sciences, materials science etc. However, securing capital funding for research in the Arts and Social Sciences is vital if we are to achieve our goals in these areas. In particular, proposals under consideration include a Humanities Research Centre and a Graduate School for Social Sciences. All of these investments are a prerequisite for remaining internationally competitive.

4.5 The University is committed to Research and Knowledge Transfer and we welcome the recent SHEFC/SE report. Scotland’s Universities must work with private and public sector agencies to develop a strong knowledge-based economy as an engine of growth. We shall continue to develop policies to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship; we have already gone some way towards providing considerable internal support for commercial activities. However, we must acknowledge in our promotions and reward procedures that we consider commercial activities are a core part of our mission. This will be considered in the HR part of the document.

4.6 We have three particular challenges to improving our research profile; the numbers of research postgraduate students, the staff development of contract researchers, and introducing a process for setting targets for research and commercialisation at a School/Departmental/Theme level. We have bolstered our PGR numbers through University-funded studentships and we shall continue with this strategy at the same time as improving the numbers of externally funded studentships, and removing bottlenecks to increase the number of research students. The University has already made significant improvements in the career development of contract research staff, through the implementation of the Structured Management Framework. We will continue to encourage participation in this scheme and monitor its effectiveness. In addition, we have already introduced a policy entitling research staff to a minimum of three days personal development time per annum. We will consider the possibility of the greater Aberdeen employment environment to provide the career development required of the best contract researchers. Target-setting has been extensively discussed by Senior Management, the Faculties and Faculty Research Committees and processes, including targets and monitoring will be introduced over the course of the next twelve months.

5 THE HUMAN RESOURCES ENVIRONMENT5.1 We are acutely aware that the Scottish Executive has drawn special attention to the need for

the highest calibre of management and leadership in Universities in Scotland as well as a strong commitment to improving the quality of the human resource management and the active promotion of equal opportunities. We acknowledge the need for continued and significant investment in these areas over the course of the planning period in order to meet the requirements of the 'Modernising Agenda' for Human Resources.

5.2 The achievement of our overall vision and strategic goals depends on the commitment, quality and expertise of our staff. Our international reputation in research and teaching and learning is linked directly to our ability to recruit and retain staff of the highest calibre. In common with the

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rest of the sector, our success in staff recruitment and retention is moderated by uncompetitive salary levels. The motivation, career development and mechanisms for staff reward are areas of concern which we intend to address over the period of this Plan.

5.3 An integral part of our strategy will be to continue to embed good practice and equal opportunities within all of our staffing policies and procedures. We have been successful both in implementing a programme of management development for senior managers, focussing on leadership and management skills, and in raising the profile of equal opportunities at the University over the course of the last eighteen months. Our plans for revising the promotion processes for Academic and Academic-Related Staff to allow for greater transparency and explicit commitment to equal opportunities have taken longer than we had anticipated and policy development in this area will be a priority for next session. We believe that the development of a more diverse workforce will support the widening access and participation strategies in the Teaching and Learning environment.

5.4 A major priority over the course of the current planning period will be the identification of appropriate mechanisms for ensuring our pay systems deliver equal pay for work of equal value in keeping with statutory requirements. We intend to implement the new national pay structures and recognise the importance of investing in an effective mechanism of job evaluation to complement these arrangements.

5.5 A further priority for us will be the development of a strategy for benchmarking human resources activities. This process will commence with our active participation in the SHEFC funded seminar on this subject and will develop thereafter through the identification of benchmarking criteria, the collation of relevant data and the on-going monitoring throughout the planning period of such criteria.

5.6 Negotiations with campus Trades Unions on the re-introduction of schemes of career development and staff appraisal concluded successfully this year and will commence before the end of the current session. This is a crucial area for identifying training and development needs and for informing the content of future training programmes. We remain committed to appraising all our staff on an annual basis, and through our continued commitment to the principles of Investors in People we shall support and develop staff and offer every reasonable opportunity to ensure they achieve their full potential.

6 THE FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT6.1 It is the condition of any publicly funded institution that ambition will always challenge the level

of available resource. Fulfilment of our aspirations can be realised only through securing substantial funding from sources other than the taxpayer. Therefore, our major fund-raising activities will continue and be enhanced further. The first phase of our Sixth Century Fundraising campaign will be closed in October 2002, with the announcement that we have exceeded our campaign target total of £40M. A second phase of the campaign will be launched with a target of £80M, double the total of the first phase.

6.2 We welcome the higher level of funding for 2002/03 but note with concern the increasing range of priorities, activities and objectives that this must satisfy. The competing needs of the institution in relation to financing appropriate IC&T, research and teaching infrastructures simply to maintain the status quo continues to intensify. Concurrently competition for resource to fund staff restructuring and strategic developments is ever rising.

6.3 Although we warmly welcome capital infrastructure initiatives such as JIF and SRIF, securing adequate financing for key developments in our ambitious capital programme remains crucial. In particular, we seek to develop proposals for a Humanities Research Centre and the Social Sciences Graduate School, if and when resources become available.

6.4 We aim to generate an annual surplus equivalent to 3% of turnover. We also intend to build up cash reserves to around £10m, providing one month’s cover in terms of operating and staff expenditure and strengthening the Balance Sheet in terms of net Current Assets/Liabilities. The development of any new activity, both capital and revenue, is contingent on the approval of a fully worked-up business case, which as a minimum ensures that the activity is self-financing in recurrent terms.

6.5 We believe that it is no longer tenable for institutions to undertake research at price levels that do not take account of the full costs of research. Following the findings of the Transparency Review it is important that all sponsors including the Government recognise this.

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6.6 This funding position drives us, properly, towards higher levels of selectivity in our internal allocation of resource. It becomes more important than ever to develop revenue-generating activity as well as to pursue a pro-active programme to gain private sector funding. Consultancy, continuing professional development, full-cost fee-paying international students, and research contracts are all of prime importance, along with the range of commercialisation and "third stream" opportunities. All these take their place in our reformed systems of internal allocation and incentives that, together with improved internal accountability, shape our financial plans.

7 THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT7.1 In accordance with our Estates Strategy and in light of the merger with the Aberdeen Campus

of the Northern College, we have undertaken an assessment of our space requirements in the Old Aberdeen. This indicated that our main focus lies in consolidating and improving our infrastructure, since, with some new build, our overall space requirements can be adequately accommodated, although considerable refurbishment will be required to maximise fitness for purpose. In particular, the relocation of the Faculty of Education to the MacRobert Building will necessitate the subsequent relocation of those departments currently occupying it. They will be relocated in other existing refurbished accommodation. However, one of our priorities is to improve research facilities for Life Sciences and a business plan for a new building is being developed currently to establish how this may best be achieved.

7.2 We recognise that additional funding is required to address the issue of functional, economic and environmental obsolescence arising from the age and condition of the built estate. Sector Building Condition Performance Indicators have highlighted that whilst the condition of our estate is comparable with others of a similar nature, recurrent investment is required to ensure our built estate can match the level of considered good practice. Consequently, whenever cash reserves are buoyant, we will seek to invest an additional £1m on an annual basis, over and above the annual expenditure on capital infrastructure works.

7.3 We are now at an advanced stage of development of our four-phased Pathfinder Project, a strategy for involving the private sector in the redevelopment and management of our student residences, catering facilities and operations, developed with the help of a Pathfinder Grant from the Council. The main aims of the project are to rationalise student residences to meet market requirements, and to address needs for the provision of catering facilities. In Phase 1 we have completed the sale of satellite halls, and are currently developing strategies for the restructuring of the remainder of our residences located outwith the core Old Aberdeen campus. Next year we shall complete our campus-wide review of catering facilities, and during the planning period we shall implement both our catering strategy and our strategy for redevelopment and management of the residences within the core area of King's College.

7.4 We are now in the second year of the three-year Higher Education Partnership Programme, facilitated by funding from SHEFC. The HEP programme seeks to develop standards by which Higher Education Institutions can evaluate and manage their business in a sustainable manner. We have now established task groups, to review our activities and determine their levels of sustainability, in the following areas: transport, energy, life-cycle costing of buildings, and procurement.

8 STRENGTHS AND NEEDS8.1 At its simplest the University’s forward strategy is built on its growing strength in terms of the

quality of its staff and on the need to generate the resources to support and develop the work of its staff. We have undoubtedly achieved much in recent years in terms of raising our sights and implementing our renewed ambition through staffing policies.

8.2 One of the most urgent needs remains capital for infrastructure, set in the context of our effective and efficient use of resource. We are addressing issues of human resource development and management, including finding solutions to problems of staff restructuring, and ensuring that the skills of our staff are best matched to achieving our overall objectives. All our strategies and policies will be directed by the twin needs continuously to improve the quality of our provision and to generate the resource to fund this.

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STRATEGIC VISION AND INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES, 2002 – 2006

The University of Aberdeen aims to create, develop, apply, and transmit, through the work of all its members, knowledge, skills and understanding at the highest levels of excellence.

INTRODUCTION

We shall build on our success in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise. We will in addition renew our commitment to the social and economic improvement of our communities, to the promotion of sustainable approaches to the environment, and to developing the European and international dimensions of our activities. To do this effectively we will maintain the traditional independence of the University, working in a spirit of enquiry and ensuring that we disseminate our knowledge and contribute broadly to public understanding of our areas of expertise. We believe that we can and should contribute to the creation of a progressive liberal society that values its own cultural legacies and is characterised by social inclusiveness and openness. As part of this strategy we shall build particularly on the life sciences and on the understanding of society and culture. We shall seek to meet the needs of the economy through our research output and commercialisation activities, by ensuring equality of opportunity, and by educating individuals who will be internationally competitive, both in their areas of speciality and in their skills and employability.

STRATEGIC AIM 1

ACCESS, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTIONThe University will seek to increase opportunity by widening successful participation in Higher Education at both undergraduate and postgraduate level through the development, promotion and delivery of high quality courses and programmes which are flexible and accessible, underpinned by effective welfare, advisory and student support services, and responsive to the diverse and changing needs of our students, the economy, the professions and society.

INTRODUCTION1.1 The University’s wider access strategy is informed by its commitment to social justice and more

specifically by the Funding Councils’ performance indicators which identify our under-represented groups as young, full-time entrants from social classes IIIM, IV and V and from low participation neighbourhoods. Building on the integrated approach taken last year with the creation of KEY Learning Opportunities, the University's strategy for widening participation and approving access will be underpinned by structuring KEY's activities into three core areas: flexible learning; access and schools partnership; and Academic Learning Support Unit. A new Academic Learning Support Unit will be created to offer advice and support to Departments in addressing progression and retention issues, disseminating evidence of good practice, developing generic learning support materials and delivering commissioned workshops.

1.2 Our focussed and professional approach to student recruitment is continuing to deliver rewards, with applications for home undergraduates studying at the University of Aberdeen up by a further 2% over last year’s increase of 20%. We are continuing to develop popular new degree programmes, launched in response to market demand, and shall withdraw programmes which are unattractive to applicants. Over the next twelve months, particular emphasis will be given to developing our e-recruitment strategy, embracing new technology and including virtual open days and chat rooms.

1.3 In 2000/2001 we reviewed and streamlined our postgraduate application process to ensure that applications are dealt with efficiently. We continue to monitor the popularity of postgraduate programmes, tailoring our provision where necessary, and have created innovative new programmes to meet the demands of the workplace, including the MSc Hydrocarbon Enterprise, MSc Electronic-Commerce Technology and the full-time MBA. We achieved a 20% increase in taught postgraduate numbers in 2001/02 and we anticipate a further increase in 2002/03.

1.4 Overseas student recruitment is a key priority for the institution and the University has seen a further 24% increase in undergraduate applications from overseas students, encouraged through promotion of new programmes, offers of attractive fees packages and incentive schemes for departments. Recent indicators have highlighted a fall in the projected number of students from the Prime Minister’s Initiative as a consequence of the uncertain global economic position. Currently we are reviewing critically our international student recruitment policy in light of the difficulties being experienced in many of our target markets. A cost benefit exercise has

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been undertaken to analyse the return on investment per international student by country of domicile. This will enable us to allocate resources to those countries so as to maximise the return on investment in these difficult market conditions.

1.5 Whilst the HEFCE performance indicators usefully inform our development in the area of widening participation and retention, we consider it to be inappropriate to use them as targets given the time-lag. In recognition of the importance of continuing to address participation and retention issues, we shall purchase and implement software (ASP) designed specifically to facilitate monitoring and tracking of students. We will use this to set and monitor targets to extend participation from all sectors of our communities, including those from ethnic minorities and those with disabilities and to ensure that our processes and procedures promote access and retention.

OBJECTIVESWe shall:

– Exploit and maximise opportunities for increasing exit and entry points within and across programmes.

– Ensure that there is shared University-wide ownership of recruitment, retention and access targets through Faculty/School and Departmental planning.

– Continue to increase applications in order to recruit students of the highest calibre who can demonstrate their potential to benefit from higher education, either by traditional high entry qualifications, or in other ways.

– Attain and exceed the University’s benchmarks across all areas published in the national performance indicators.

– Ensure that all students have access to an integrated support service enabling them and their families to seek advice and support prior to joining the University and throughout their studies.

– Seek to involve further the Students' Association in Student Support.– Act to remove barriers to access wherever we find them.– Work in partnership with other organisations such as Careers Scotland, Learn Direct Scotland,

and Schools and Further Education sectors to promote opportunities for study in Higher Education.

– Establish and monitor targets for student retention.– Increase the population of part-time students by 5%.– Progress towards the target of reducing the number of registered students leaving the

University without a qualification to our benchmark.

REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2001-02During 2001-02 we have:

– Increased our postgraduate overseas student population by 15% and increased our undergraduate overseas population by 20%.

– Made progress towards achieving our benchmarks for increasing young full-time first degree entrants from social classes IIIM, IV and V (20%, benchmark 24%), increasing young full-time first degree entrants from low participation neighbourhoods (13%, benchmark 12%), participation of mature part-time (10%, benchmark 10%), young part-time (31%, benchmark 19%) and mature full-time first degree entrants from low participation neighbourhoods (18%, benchmark 14%).

– Concluded an articulation agreement with Banff & Buchan College, enabling their students to qualify for direct entry into specified ranges of University programmes.

– Embedded our Widening Access Strategy in the processes and policies for the development of academic provision.

– Restructured our Bursaries Scheme to provide additional targeted support for under-represented groups for whom study might represent a financial burden.

– Achieved UK/EU admissions targets and exceeded our overseas undergraduate admissions targets.

– Revised medical admissions policy to address widening access issues.– Rationalised the management of postgraduate recruitment and admissions activity.

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ACTIONSIn 2002-3 we shall:

– Analyse comparative participation datasets and establish baseline positions, to be used to set targets for 2003/04.

– Establish a Retention and Progression Team.– Complete and implement the findings of the FEHE Transition Project.– Work in partnership with ECS and SET to expand overseas markets.– Develop a new Schools/FE approach to implement our widening access strategy, in particular,

supporting flexible admissions policies when social and economic factors mean that the examination results of different groups of candidates need careful interpretation.

– Establish the S6 Enhancement Unit to provide support to schools in providing a full range of Advanced Highers. In the first year, the Unit will identify and quantify need and develop a programme of support. A pilot discipline will be chosen, in consultation with school partners, and a pilot programme will be developed.

– Create a new Academic Learning Support Unit, dedicated to the issues related to retention and progression.

– Explore the potential for development of new courses following the creation of the Faculty of Education.

– Publish our admissions policies on the web.– Develop an e-recruitment strategy.– Progress towards attaining the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) for

Student Recruitment and Admissions Services.– Implement Faculty strategies for increasing student numbers from less well-represented

groups. – Increase our overseas student numbers by 15% over the current population.– Continue building relations with school partners, through our recruitment service, University for

Children & Communities and UALSO initiatives and through offering support to education authorities in developing Advanced Higher provision.

– Formalise regular meetings (in addition to the existing Student Support Forum) with the Students' Association sabbatical officers and officers from Student Support Services, to collaborate on information exchange and on matters of mutual interest.

STRATEGIC AIM 2

LEARNING AND TEACHING The University will seek to enhance the quality of learning and teaching through the development and implementation of policies which ensure that its courses and programmes are enriched by scholarship and research, underpinned by effective learning support services, informed by best academic practice, and subject to effective internal peer review which takes account of student feedback and the outcomes of external audit.

INTRODUCTION2.1 As intimated previously in the first part of the Plan, under the Teaching and Learning

Environment we promote continuously the enhancement of the quality of learning and teaching by means of a range of initiatives. Our programmes for promoting independent learning and for developing student C&IT skills foster employability and lifelong learning.

2.2 Following the Knowledge Economy Initiative grant allocations to develop C&IT pervasiveness, we have established a Knowledge Economy Initiative Task Force under the stewardship of the Vice-Principal for Teaching & Learning. Our core objectives are to achieve awareness by all academic staff of the benefits of using learning technologies; to implement a programme to provide academic staff with the necessary skills to apply C&IT in their teaching; and to increase the number of courses that make appropriate use of learning technologies by 15% each year over a three year period. Over the next three years we shall redirect expertise away from product development and teaching methodology to the provision of a common learning environment. Exploratory discussions are already under way with other local, HE and FE institutions, which should lead to a broadening of the constituency for such a managed learning environment, with all the opportunities that it affords for resource sharing and course collaboration.

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2.3 Following the restructuring of the Student Support Services, liaison between the various offices within Student Support Services has been enhanced and the Student Support Forum, involving Student Support staff, Students' Association (including Joblink and the Money Adviser), the Registry, Faculties and the University Medical Practice has added great value. We remain committed to establishing a one-stop shop Student Advice Centre and are currently reviewing possible locations.

2.4 The continuous development and promotion of the European dimension throughout our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes is also fundamental. We shall continue to encourage the mobility of students and staff, particularly through the SOCRATES programme, including participation in and co-ordination of Thematic Networks and Grundvig Projects.

OBJECTIVESWe shall:

– Promote the continuous enhancement of quality through the development of a culture of critical reflection on learning and teaching, informed by best practice, in which soundly based innovation is embedded in everyday academic practice.

– Ensure that excellence in teaching is promoted, recognised and rewarded.– Continue to develop the European dimension throughout out activities.– Improve our graduate employability and ensure that it meets with the employability performance

indicators produced by the Funding Councils.– Develop aggressively continuing professional development and lifelong learning opportunities

for business, the public sector and the community.– Encourage academic staff to engage with the national developments for quality enhancement.– Commence the implementation of our plan for the provision of career education, information

and guidance.– Encourage and enable learners, particularly those from under-represented groups, those with

disabilities and those who can only study on a part-time basis, to participate successfully in higher education and achieve their full academic potential.

– Equip our students with the knowledge and understanding, attitudes and skills required for lifelong learning and employment, including independent study skills and an appropriate level of C&IT competence.

– Ensure a smooth transition from schools and colleges and, following graduation, into postgraduate study and/or employment.

– Assist the University, in partnership with other providers, to lead the development of education across its region.

– Enable use of the web as the key medium through which to offer staff and students seamless access to the full range of available information systems.

– Implement fully our programme for ensuring staff and student C&IT competence.

REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2001-02During 2001-02 we have:

– Reviewed the role of the University Committee on Teaching & Learning and its links with Faculty Teaching & Learning Committees and central support services and revised the remit and composition of the Committee.

– Published in hard copy and on the web the second edition of our Academic Quality Handbook which takes account of developing University and national policies and strategies.

– Developed a framework to co-ordinate the contributions to educational staff development of the Educational Development Unit, the Learning Technology Unit, the IT Training Unit and the new Faculty of Education through a newly established Educational Development Committee.

– Established a Quality Enhancement Strategy Team to develop a comprehensive institutional strategy for the continuous enhancement of the quality of learning and teaching.

– Continued our schedule of programme re-validation, as a mechanism to ensure that existing programmes take account of relevant Subject Benchmark statements and other external reference points, where appropriate.

– Revised our policies, practices and procedures relating to students with disabilities in light of the QAA's Code of Practice, the Skill Audit Report and the Teachability Project, and established Faculty Disability Committees to take forward the recommendations.

– Implemented Phase 1 of the Teachability Project.– Revised the remit and composition of our Sub-Committee on Disabilities, and re-titled it the

Committee on Disabilities, reporting to both the Senate and the University Court.

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– Revised our Advisers of Studies' system, our procedures for monitoring student progress and our progress regulations, as part of our strategy to improve student support and retention.

– Approved an Institutional Policy on the provision of career education, information and guidance.– Introduced the core and extension elements of the Aberdeen University Programme for Higher

Education Teachers (AUPHET), our programme to develop the teaching skills of new staff.

ACTIONSIn 2002-03 we shall:

– Develop options for the introduction of a managed learning environment that will provide a best fit with the academic plan and increase the value of our technology-enabled teaching and learning.

– Implement Phases 2 and 3 of our Teachability Project to meet the requirements of recent disabilities legislation.

– Continue implementation of an improved Access Plan in response to last year's audit of the physical accessability of the campus.

– Complete our development of a three-year Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Social Sciences for students with lower entry qualifications than are specified for the MA, with provision for those who reach the required standard to transfer to an MA honours programme if they so wish.

– Implement the recommendations arising from our review of the Adviser of Studies system in particular, those relating to reducing Adviser loads and the monitoring of student progress.

– Implement a four-year rolling replacement plan for computing equipment installed in the computing classrooms, libraries and clusters.

– Develop our new student portals facility to integrate administrative and learning functions, providing students with the increased opportunity to manage their own learning experience.

– Monitor the effect of our revised arrangements for supporting students in regard to their progress and retention.

– Finalise partnership agreements between the Careers & Appointments Service and at least three academic departments in regard to the delivery of career education, information and guidance.

– Continue to encourage students to access their computerised student record via student portals, with a view to achieving 100% participation by the end of the academic year.

– Develop revised Internal Teaching Review procedures by September 2003 in light of the arrangements for the external assurance of quality and standards post 2002.

– Develop further AUPHET programme.

STRATEGIC AIM 3

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AND COMMERCIALISATIONThe University will continue to develop excellence in research, investing in internationally successful staff and promoting a research culture where excellence is supported. The University will fully exploit its research, both for income generation and to contribute to the knowledge economy to both the local and national advantage

INTRODUCTION3.1 While we wish to maintain our position as a broad spectrum University in terms of research as

well as teaching, we know that it is impossible to reach the highest levels of research excellence in all areas. We are committed to achieving our goal to be excellent in those areas in which we pursue research, and we intend to achieve this goal through selective allocation of resources.

3.2 We are pleased with the improvements that we have achieved in our RAE performance. Following from the results we have instigated a thorough review of all the Units of Assessment submitted with a view to identifying those areas capable of achieving grade 5 or better in the next Assessment and increasing the proportion of staff submitted. One of the challenges that we have identified is the relatively small size of some of our grade 5 or potential grade 5 units. Following a review of our existing structures we have decided to introduce schools in three Faculties, to consolidate small units and remove their disproportionate administrative burden, which often falls upon young academics. This will release academic time for research and enable us to produce large academically coherent groups within which we can develop individual discipline excellence. This will give us the flexibility of deciding later upon appropriate Units of Assessment in the next RAE.

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3.3 Internal allocation of funding for research will be determined by research excellence, building upon current strengths. The formula based block of research funding will be distributed selectively and Deans will provide the evidence that the allocations reflect strategies for research excellence. Sustainability of research quality is a key factor in our decision making. We would expect that large units that have already attained a significant proportion of international excellence will continue to grow and be supported by internal funds. We will employ the principle that sustainability rests upon survivability, size, flexibility and diversity.

3.4 We have seen a significant increase in our external funding in 2000-2001 (from £39M in 1999/00 to 48M in 2000/01) However, we wish to increase further our proportion of Research Council Funding as well as increase our external income and the proportion of overhead and direct cost recovery. To achieve these aims we are in the process of reviewing the organisational structures and procedures for supporting applications, pricing, and monitoring of external income generation. We will be implementing a revised costing policy, incorporating information produced during the Transparency Review Exercise.

3.5 The University has taken extensive steps to prepare for the commencement of EU Framework VI. We have held several internal workshops resulting in a high number of expressions of interest, which are being prepared in line with the EU Call. We aim to increase our research funding from the EU and will be a very active participant in EU Framework VI. We will maintain our dedicated support function in this area.

3.6 The Committee for Research and Commercialisation will implement a formal reporting mechanism to integrate the management and monitoring of our research and commercialisation activities within our core planning and review systems. This University Committee will review the research allocations in each Faculty and the alignment between institutional strategy and research support to Schools and Units.

3.7 Our immediate aim is to co-locate physically on the King's College Campus Research and Innovation Services (RIS), which is concerned to further research grant and contract awards and commercialisation activities with Research Financial Services, a component of the Finance section that is concerned with the pricing of contracts and reporting spending on grants and contracts. Co-location will greatly improve our ability to respond quickly to opportunities, to provide a high quality service to aid applications for external funding and to professionalise our commercial activities, as has been demonstrated by co-location on the Foresterhill Site.

3.8 Following our review of organisational structures and procedures for supporting applications, pricing, and monitoring of external income generation, we have regrouped R & I into two key areas of activity: 1) Research Development and 2) Commercialisation. We have strengthened the staff complement to support and manage planned growth in research activity proactively, and to exploit fully new commercialisation opportunities.

3.9 A key component of our plans for commercialisation is the marketing of our patent portfolio and commercialisation opportunities. In addition, the newly formed Commercialisation section of R & I will manage and promote the University consultancy business, technical services and centres. Through the development of new web based tools and promotional material, many commercialisation opportunities will be highlighted with particular emphasis being placed on our patent portfolio. The section will also provide ongoing management information support for researchers and Senior Management.

3.10 We plan to build on our growth in the identification and protection of intellectual property. In 2000/01, we had 18 new disclosures, resulting in 14 new patent filings. For this year (2001/02), we have identified 23 new disclosures and filed 17 new patent applications to date. In addition to the patents supported by the University, we have a portfolio of 36 patents supported by our licencees. Eight new licensing arrangements were negotiated during 2000/01, with 10 new licensing agreements finalised for 2001/02.

3.11 We have found the Knowledge Transfer Grant (KTG) to be extremely useful in the exploitation of research, and we have seen substantial growth in commercialisation activities. Sponsorship from Scottish Enterprise Grampian has enabled us to dedicate a full-time manager to this area. Recent successes have included a University Challenge Fund £3M managed seed capital fund, in partnership with the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews; a £1.2M royalty staged payment deal with a leading edge pharmaceutical company; and funding of £779K for five projects through the recent Scottish Enterprise Proof of Concept Fund. Many of the projects (and awards from the RSE fellowship scheme) that have been successful in these competitions started life through initial funding with the precursor of the KTG. Funding from the SHEFC Knowledge Transfer Grant has enabled an appointment to strengthen our legal services

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capability. We will allocate the Knowledge Transfer Grant with respect to Scottish priorities and institutional strategies. However, we intend to maximise our opportunities for commercialisation by allocating grants across all areas of the University, irrespective of RAE performance and SHEFC research grant income, in recognition of the role of the individual academic who may, with external funding, have ideas that could lead to commercial opportunities. We expect to see continued growth in applications to the KTG wherever and whenever members of the academic community come forward with suitable proposals.

3.12 The KTG has also been used to strengthen the transfer of our facilities and research to the North East of Scotland through the University of Aberdeen Natural History Centre. The Centre, working with schoolteachers, hosts around 5,000 school children every year, and also organises a number of short courses for the local community on topics in Natural History throughout the year and leads in Scotfest. It provides opportunities for the involvement of student teachers in the new Faculty of Education and in our out-reach programmes.

3.13 Our review of CPD activity, following the merger with the Northern College of Education, is highlighting a number of organisational issues that will be addressed over the shorter term. In particular, we will focus on integrating CPD activities, especially with our knowledge transfer activities, with a view to improving efficiencies, ensuring consistently high quality provision and maximising the increased potential resulting from the additional expertise of the merged institution.

3.14 We have found The North of Scotland TCS-LINK Centre to be an effective means of gaining both TCS and LINK Grant Awards. Both these Government Knowledge Transfer Grant Awards counted towards the RAE results, and in the past year, three patents have been applied for, as a result of LINK funded research. The Centre, which is co-sponsored by Scottish Enterprise Grampian, has also proved beneficial in developing links with Industry. Recently, TCS has been expanded, both geographically, into the Highlands and Islands and also into new Industrial Sectors.

OBJECTIVESWe shall:

– Increase year on year the quality and volume of research.– Provide a high quality, supportive research infrastructure within which we can recruit, develop

and retain researchers of the highest quality.– Direct our resources to existing areas of strength, rising stars and new topics where we expect

to add value from participating in high quality research and the developing areas of the commercial sector. We recognise our need to raise even more external income to fund research excellence.

– Manage our research more effectively through better planning of staff time and greater differentiation of principal staff activities.

– Adopt a more targeted approach to applications for research funding from sources such as the AHRB, the EU, Research Councils and Funding Council initiatives in order to improve our chances of securing funding for projects of strategic importance.

– Promote the application and, where appropriate, commercialisation of our research, using new or existing links with industry and commercial partners.

– Maximise income through the licensing or sale of Intellectual Property Rights and secure industry funds to support University patents.

– Increase consultancy income in line with targets set by Faculty planning.– Promote the University’s capabilities in respect of consultancy opportunities, associated training

and the delivery of technical services.– Disseminate current developments in research to a wider public to foster awareness and

understanding of issues and to facilitate debate in policy-setting fora. – Increase income from Continuing Professional Development activity by 10% annually.– Promote the development of a research culture in the new Faculty of Education in line with

plans contained within the Merger Proposal.– Continue to support the promotion of TCS and LINK Schemes via the North of Scotland TCS-

LINK Centre.

REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2001-2002 In 2001-02 we have:

– Met the targets we set in terms of growth of grants and contracts

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– Implemented new procedures to streamline the administration of applications and awards.– Negotiated £1.8M in royalty income– Negotiated £0.25M from industry to support University Intellectual Property– Registered four new companies.– Reached our target of having 17 TCS Programmes during the year.– Reached targets we set in terms of new disclosures, patent applications and licensing deals.

ACTIONSIn 2002-03 we shall:

– Implement a School structure in three Faculties to facilitate research excellence in units based upon RAE results and emerging areas of excellence.

– Allocate R funding to areas of excellence.– Appoint high quality academics over the next three years in areas of academic excellence.– Set up a postgraduate fund at Faculty level to increase the number of research postgraduates in

areas of research excellence.– Ensure 29% of all research applications are to research councils.– Increase research income by over 30%.– Increase direct cost recovery by 15%.– Aim to improve upon current levels of overhead recovery with the support of Faculty and

Departmental management.– Conclude the ongoing review of applications and award reporting mechanisms to Deans and

Senior Management, and implement the recommendations.– Physically co-locate the remainder of R & I with Research Financial Services to provide a one

stop shop for all external-funding opportunities on the King's College campus, and maintain the co-location at Foresterhill.

– Increase the number of staff dedicated to commercialisation by at least 1 fte. – Streamline administrative procedures associated with consultancy enabling a growth in income

to £650K.– Develop promotional material including web based tools to improve the marketing of the

University’s research commercialisation opportunities, patent portfolio, consultancy and technical services. This will include enhanced use of the ScottishResearch.com database as a marketing tool.

– Achieve 3 new LINK Awards valued at £610K.– Achieve a further 10% increase in the number of TCS Programmes during the year.– Increase the number of programme awards and research fellowships from major research

funding bodies by 10%.– Provide training and more information on making Research Council applications.

ACTUAL TARGETS

ACTIVITY 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05Total Research Applications (£M) 99 190 133 153 164Total Research Awards (£M) 48 60 60 67 60Overhead Income and Contribution to Infrastructure Support (£M)

3.9 4.3 6.1 6.9 7.3

Consultancy, LINK and TCS Awards (£M) 1 1 .4 2 2.1 2.2 Research Income (£M) 31 35 48 55 59New Disclosures 18 23 27 32 38New Patents 14 18 20 23 26New Licensing Deals 8 10 10 12 14Company Formations 0 4 3 2 3External Funding for Patent Protection £K 218 250 264 270 300Number of Patents with External Support 30 34 36 40 40

STRATEGIC AIM 4

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE, ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENTThe University will strive to be a well-managed institution, utilising its resources to achieve its strategic objectives as efficiently and effectively as possible, through embedding good practice in all of its policies and procedures, committing its resources to enhancing recruitment, training, motivation and

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retention of staff, developing management systems which are both flexible and transparent, and operating within a financial framework appropriate to a financially well-managed institution.

INTRODUCTION4.1 We believe that, to achieve our strategic aims, it is essential that both the organisational

structure and the administrative and managerial culture of the institution are firmly embedded in an environment of high standards of governance. To reach their full potential staff, students and other stakeholders require the assurance that their affairs are being handled fairly, properly, prudently and efficiently and that the University’s management is fully accountable.

4.2 The Court regularly gives close attention to its mode of operation and to instilling an atmosphere of accountability throughout the University’s administrative and managerial structures. New members are inducted by the University Secretary and information and discussion sessions are regularly provided for lay members. In line with current best practice and with the assistance of Risk Management consultants we are embedding risk management techniques, processes and procedures to underpin governance and management.

4.3 All parts of the University must continue to make more efficient use of the resources available. This will mean more targeted investment and disinvestment according to the needs of the economy, market demand and our areas of expertise and strength. We returned a surplus of £1.56M in 2000-01 and shall return a surplus of around £2.1M in 2001-2002 with planned surpluses of £3M in each of the following two years.

4.4 Further re-structuring has taken place within our Administration so as to add greater value to the University’s core activities. In particular, we have created a Directorate of Marketing, in recognition of the growing importance of this area in supporting our academic ambitions. The Directorate has responsibility for the positioning of the University in its various market places and provides an integrated, systematic and co-ordinated approach to marketing which focuses on developing stronger and more effective communications..

4.5 The University is rising to the challenge of the rapidly developing information systems and technology environment through exploitation of new methods of delivery, such as electronic journals and digitisation, and through the pursuit of mutually beneficial and cost-effective collaboration with other institutions.

4.6 The merger between the University and the Aberdeen Campus of the Northern College took place on 1 December 2001. As expected, it has required the provision of significant managerial, administrative and other support service resource to be applied to this substantial and crucial strategic development. The harmonisation of procedures and practices has continued and will continue apace across the support services. The Faculty's own management and governance processes, analogous to those elsewhere within the University, have been implemented and are bedding down. The strategic decision to relocate from Hilton to the MacRobert Building in Old Aberdeen has now been ratified by the University Court and planning is moving forward rapidly to facilitate this.

4.7 As indicated in the last Plan, to support more effectively our policy of enhancing the professionalism of our staff the Educational Development and Staff Training and Development functions have been merged within Human Resources. That Office is now structured to deliver a range of programmes in support of learning and teaching, effective staff training and development for all categories of staff, and programmes of management development and training for senior and middle managers. The management of our 'building block' approach to Investors in People is also located centrally within Human Resources. Our programme of management development for senior staff has delivered activities that include the management, governance and funding of higher education; financial planning and budgeting; equal opportunities; and employment law. A number of new and revised staffing policies will be developed and implemented, while our innovative and productive Equal Opportunities Advisory Group will continue its work through the setting of targets for increased diversity and the continued monitoring of a pilot scheme of mentoring for women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET).

4.8 Our primary estate focus is to provide the academic community with modern, high quality, functional and flexible accommodation that ensures teaching and research plans can be properly supported in future years. This same rationale applies to strategic commercial property developments that can provide us with capital receipts for reinvestment or will help to provide new academic facilities. We have pursued projects aimed at enhancing the existing campus environment and facilities, including disabled access improvements and refurbishment of sports

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facilities. Work, initially funded by a Pathfinder Grant from SHEFC, has led to the disposal of a number of off-campus student residences, to be managed by the private sector. Work is continuing on a range of radical strategies in relation to catering services.

4.9 The Health and Safety executive have endorsed a recently published Code of Best Practice on University Health and Safety Management and have indicated that they hope senior managers in higher education will make extensive use of the Code in reviewing their health and safety management arrangements in the light of the Government's programme. Included in the Code are recommendations that health and safety be an integral part of a University's strategic planning process and that there be a corporate strategy for health and safety with defined aims and objectives which provide direction and is linked to the Institution's strategic objectives.

4.10 It is critical that we secure adequate financing for our key developments and routes currently being pursued include bids for public funds, third party and partnership schemes. Fundraising remains an important way of securing finance for areas of chosen development and for existing academic excellence, as well as being a means by which we strengthen our links with alumni, the community and other supporters. Our fundraising team actively manages monies raised by disbursing funds to the University in a manner that encourages leverage of other private or public funds and, in particular, provides alumni support for student scholarships.

OBJECTIVESWe shall:

– Foster a lively interest in governance issues within the Court, its committees and throughout the University community, while maintaining the highest possible standards of probity in the government and management of the University.

– Promote Risk Management techniques, processes and procedures to underpin University governance and management.

– Continue to return an annual historical cost surplus in the region of 3% of total income over the planning period.

– Build cash reserves to a level that will enable sufficient internal reserves to finance refurbishment of the existing estate.

– Diversify our income streams to reduce reliance on state funding.– Appoint staff of the highest calibre and ensure effective reward systems to secure their

retention.– Endeavour to increase the diversity of our workforce.– Provide opportunities for staff to be developed so as to realise their full potential through the

provision of effective programmes of staff training and development.– Monitor the re-introduction of career development and appraisal schemes for all categories of

staff and ensure appropriate investment occurs to meet the outcomes of such appraisal.– Approach pro-actively the identification and exploitation of funding opportunities whether

through fundraising, public and private partnerships, or "third stream" income generation.– Improve, utilise more effectively and efficiently and enhance the University estate and its

environment in support of academic aims and to the benefit of all users.– Ensure that the management of services, information, processes and procedures complies with

legislation and good practice and provides value for money.– Take forward and implement the outcomes of the pilot Higher Education Partnership

Programme for Sustainable Development.– Support Faculties in the difficult period of change involved in the transition to a management

structure based around Schools.– Continue to support the Faculty of Education in its period of transition and development within

the University.– Conduct all University activities with due regard to good health and safety practice.

REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2001-2002During 2001-02 we have:

– Established a Risk Management Committee and developed a range of risk management policies and strategies.

– Revised our resource allocation method to ensure greater transparency and increased incentives for the generation of earned income.

– Implemented several staffing policies in the areas of dignity at work, bullying and equal opportunities, and developed a further policy on the management of sickness absence.

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– Concluded part of the Pathfinder Project by disposing of off-campus Halls of Residence to private sector operators.

– Reviewed processes and procedures for academic appeals and complaints, and ensured compliance with new data protection legislation.

– Attained Investors in People standard for two service areas, Careers & Appointments Service and Prospect CPD, and have scheduled the formal IiP standard review for our first academic department, General Practice & Primary Care.

– Completed a successful pilot of our Monitoring Scheme for Women in SET.– Embarked on formal programmes of management and leadership training for senior staff.

ACTIONSIn 2002-03 we shall:

– Continue to embed risk management techniques and procedures within the University.– Achieve an historic cost surplus of around £3M.– Examine options and develop plans for the future provision of student computing and network

connectivity taking account of the rise in private ownership of computing devices.– Take forward a range of initiatives to raise the University's level of "third stream" income.– Continue our programme of work to improve disabled access to University buildings and

facilities.– Implement new strategies for the provision and management of catering services.– Draw together into a single strategic document a formal statement on HR Strategy at the

University of Aberdeen. This will complement and support the strategic priorities within the Institutional Plan.

– Complete our revision of promotion procedures for Academic and Academic-Related Staff and take forward their immediate implementation.

– Implement the recommendations from our pilot scheme of mentoring for women in SET, by the commencement of the academic session.

– Ensure that managers are trained in good practice on the management of sickness absence and provide management information on the level and cost of such absence.

– Identify an appropriate tool for the purposes of job evaluation. This will mark the commencement of a major objective which will remain prevalent throughout the current planning period.

– Implement a web-enabled system of on-line recruitment to allow colleagues in the academic community greater flexibility in the process of recruitment and selection.

– Evaluate the re-introduction of career development and staff appraisal for all Academic and Academic-Related staff.

– Continue our programme of promoting good practice in relation to equal opportunities and specifically we will deliver training and information sessions throughout 2002/03 on how best to embed the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act within existing staffing policies and procedures.

– Support newly appointed Heads of Schools/Departments by arranging individual health and safety induction and briefing sessions within three months of appointment.

– Increase the frequency of health and safety audits, so that each Department is audited once every three years, to help us identify areas of strengths and weaknesses in health and safety management and assist managers to prioritise improvements.

STRATEGIC AIM 5

DEVELOPING LINKS WITH THE COMMUNITYThe University will seek to enhance its position as the major institution of higher education in the North of Scotland and to develop its role as a local, regional and national cultural centre to benefit both the academic and the local and regional communities.

INTRODUCTION5.1 A university is about more than formal training and education, and while we are committed to

being an international university we must serve the region within which we are based. We want to ensure that our students, graduates and staff play a fully rounded role in society and that our academic life is an integral part of, and adds value to, the wider community. Ways in which we achieve this encompass Employer Liaison Groups and the development and provision of CPD;

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developing links with Aberdeen City Council, which include a Memorandum of Understanding and a range of bilateral initiatives and the University for Children and Communities project.

5.2 We play an active cultural role in the city and region, not just in collaboration with local and national agencies but also as a primary provider and facilitator. As a member of Aberdeen Cultural Forum, we shall contribute to the delivery of Aberdeen's Cultural Strategy through the activities of University Music and the Elphinstone Institute, the latter of which is particularly well placed to support activities relating to the traditional culture of the North-East. Following the success of the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention in July 2001, it has launched the Elphinstone Kist of Doric materials for schools It has gained a British Academy grant to produce a performers' edition of the Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection, and a generous award from the Lottery Fund to research, archive and promote the oral and cultural traditions of Scottish Travellers in the North East. We are exploring the opportunities for collaboration between Marischal Museum and the four local authority museums services (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus and Moray) in the context of the National Audit and the Strategic Change Fund administered by the Scottish Museums Council; we have also been invited by Aberdeen City to contribute to the development of a three-year local plan to address the recommendations of the report on Museums and Social Justice. Resources permitting, we plan to organise a third Writers' Festival, WORD 2003, in collaboration with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, the Scottish Arts Council and other partners.

5.3 The University is closely involved in the strategic health planning for the region through several mechanisms. As a consequence of the joint management structures that exist between the University and the local NHS, the Provost of the Faculty of Medicine & Medical Sciences is a member of the NHS Grampian Management Board. We play a key role in the development of Information Management & Technology infrastructure and strategy for the healthcare community locally via the Grampian Regional Health Information Network (GRHIN), and we are jointly responsible for providing pharmaceutical public health advice to NHS Grampian in a partnership with The Robert Gordon University. Through our teaching and research activities we work closely with more than a hundred general practices throughout Scotland, and are making increasing links with remote and rural practices. We are engaged with a number of general practices for specific research activities, including general practice based clinical trials through the Aberdeen Community Clinical Research Unit (ACCRU) and in the evaluation of a telemedicine project, linking community hospitals and Accident & Emergency at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary through our Remote Health Care Unit.

5.4 An example of our key role in the community was the joint bid by the University and the City Council to host the Scottish Parliament in May 2002. The visit of the Parliament to Aberdeen has cemented links with the City, Aberdeenshire Council, the Chamber of Commerce and a range of other local organisations. The associated programmes of events have brought large numbers of school-children and members of the general public onto the Old Aberdeen campus, have allowed the University to illustrate its achievements across the spectrum of its activities and to play a fundamental role in projecting the City of Aberdeen and its environs as vibrant and attractive.

OBJECTIVESWe shall:

– Promote the University as a key player in community life at the heart of contemporary society.– Play a key role in the economic, academic, professional, social and cultural development of the

North and North East of Scotland, in collaboration with public Agencies and private sector.– Promote the University of Aberdeen, the city and the region. – Study, record and promote regional and national Scottish culture and traditions.

REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2001-2002In 2001-02 we have:

– Collaborated with Aberdeen City Council and other leading Groups within the City to produce Aberdeen City's first Community Plan, a social, economic and environmental design for the City of Aberdeen.

– Secured ESF funding for the Outreach Access Initiative in Peterhead, jointly with Aberdeen College.

– Jointly hosted the visit of the Scottish Parliament to Aberdeen.

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ACTIONSIn 2002-03 we shall:

– Work with the City to implement its Community Plan.– Encourage and support the use of University facilities for conferences and meetings, such as

the International Association for Energy Economics (2002).– Offer a full programme of conferences, symposia, seminars and other events.– Develop our increasingly close links with Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, the

Seven Incorporated Trades and other local and regional organisations.– With local and regional public sector organisations determine options for the economic

management of electronic data and systems, examine opportunities for shared data storage, reciprocal disaster recovery arrangements and optimise use for installed data networks.

– Build upon and extend the Elphinstone Institute's outreach into Doric culture through contact with schools, music, ballads and storytelling.

– Continue to develop our outreach activities through SRAS, KEY Learning Opportunities, Prospect CPD, University Music, Marischal Museum, the Natural History Centre, the Open Lecture Programme, and through public lectures and other events.

– Support provision enabling the Head Teachers' Conference.

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