This is the full programme for the LF Dissemination Day.
Below is a summary of all the seminars which took place during the Dissemination Conference on the 7 November 2005. A number of sessions ran twice during the day: Click on the seminar titles to view the Powerpoint presentations.
11:30 – 12:10 Seminars 1-4
Seminar 1: This seminar looked at HR Developments in the context of the following areas:
Mentoring programme for women and ethnic minority managers
Dr Peter McCaffery, Pro Vice-Chancellor: London South Bank University [LSBU]
With a central focus on raising the profile of female and ethnic minority managers, this project has pursued a number of key objectives with LSBU managers including enabling them to reflect on their leadership and management skills in a ‘safe environment’ and prepare for higher levels of responsibility. The project encouraged them to increase their personal and professional effectiveness by acquiring a different perspective on the common challenges that face other organisations, as well as their own. The project has also looked to identify the next generation of senior managers and encourage their development.
Professor Tony Stevenson, Pro Vice-Chancellor: University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
At Newcastle, Professor Tony Stevenson has been leading a project designed to identify and develop future leaders at the University. The project relied on a number of key approaches, including: the design of a competency framework for University Heads of School; the creation of a fully-functioning development centre where a group of senior University managers could be trained in the skills of facilitating development centres, and the tracking and support of up to ten prospective leaders with the aim of growing a pool of talent from which to select future leaders.
A key element of the project has been the evaluation of the impact of the development centre approach on the performance of individuals, the schools, the faculty and the institution and consequently assessing how far this approach could be usefully applied across the institution.
Seminar 2: This seminar explored leading change; specifically:
Leading change in scholarship and research
Professor Yahya Al-Nakeeb, Director of Research: Newman College
At Newman College, Professor Al Nakeeb has been working to implement an institutional change programme designed to develop an appropriate model of scholarship and research for a small teaching intensive institution. This has involved a number of approaches including the creation of a framework to integrate scholarship and applied research with teaching; the introduction of new forms of teaching and learning and attempts to increase research-based output in the form of published papers and reports.
Developing Integrated Student Support
Claire Schwartz, Director of Student Services: Kingston University
The project at Kingston has focused on creating a sustainable integrated support model for student services in order that student services might be delivered in the most effective, efficient and economic way. The project has aimed to create a comprehensive system of support to include online support, onsite presences at all campuses and seamless links to specialist corporate and faculty support offices.
Seminar 3: This session looked at projects focusing on external collaboration, specifically:
Professor Kevin Edge, Pro Vice-Chancellor: University of Bath
This project has sought to explore the wide range of leadership, governance and management issues associated with a deep collaborative enterprise. Using interviews with champions and stakeholders of existing and prospective research collaborations, the project team looked particularly at the change management issues involved with these types of collaborations and the models of leadership that would be most effective in facilitating them.
The Leadership, Management and Governance of International Collaborative Academic Projects
Nigel Relph, Director of External Relations and Communications: Queen Mary University, London
This project has aimed to evaluate the models and factors within, and the institutional governance and managerial factors bearing upon, international collaborative programmes.
Specifically it has identified the mechanisms to disseminate effectively the good practice developed from the collaborations to parts of the Institution not yet involved in international collaboration. The project has also looked at the challenges for leadership, governance and management within Queen Mary (and HEIs more generally by implication) of the need to develop and sustain collaborative international programmes.
Seminar 4: In this seminar, projects with an organisational development focus were discussed:
Leadership and Strategy
Simon Donoghue, Head of Project Management Group: University of Leeds
This project has explored how process might be used to create culture change and improvement in leadership skills throughout the organisation. Specifically it has looked at how strategy maps and balanced scorecards can help in the development and roll-out of university strategy and how strategic management as a process might be embedded at the core of the organisation.
Achieving change by the back door
Dr David Arrell, Pro Vice-Chancellor: University of Portsmouth
At Portsmouth, Dr Arrell has led a project looking to develop a core team of staff dedicated to the spread of good practice across the institution. This has involved the creation of a team of respected opinion formers with the aim of using this team to create a more effective, responsive and proactive institution. The project has also aimed to break down any barriers to change and to marginalise the ‘blockers.’
12:20 – 13:00 Seminars 5-8
Seminar 5: Projects presented in this seminar centred around HR developments:
Academic Leadership and Strategic Management Project
Elspeth MacArthur, Director of Human Resources: University of Edinburgh
(with Lorna Sinclair, Project Manager)
At Edinburgh, Elspeth MacArthur has been leading a project looking at succession planning for Heads of Schools roles. The project has explored best practice for achieving effective handover, succession or exit from roles and has also looked at how Heads of School might better be supported in their work.
Enhancing Equality and Diversity Procedures within the University
Professor Theresa Rees CBE, Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Cardiff University
At Cardiff, Professor Theresa Rees has been leading a project looking at enhancing current equality and diversity procedures across the whole university. The approach has aimed to take account of key trends in legislation change expected over the next five years and identify how these might impact on the HE environment. The result has been the creation of a practical range of strategy options for promoting and embedding good practice in equality and diversity across all levels of the institution.
Seminar 6: This seminar centred on organisational development-focused projects:
Development and Embedding of 'global perspectives' across the University curriculum
Christine Shiel, Head of Learning and Teaching: Institute of Business and Law, University of Bournemouth
This project at Bournemouth aimed to increase awareness of global perspectives across the whole institution, from students through to senior staff. The approach was student-focused with a strategy to ensure that the Bournemouth graduates of 2010 would be aware of, and confident in, dealing with issues relating to equity, justice, diversity and sustainable development.
Helen Valentine, Pro Vice-Chancellor: Anglia Polytechnic University
Reflecting on a recent major overhaul of leadership, management and university structures, the project set out to evaluate all aspects of the key processes involved, specifically: the consultation and decision-making leading up to the programme; the use of an assessment centre in making senior management appointments; and finally, the perceived efficacy of the new structures for the current and future direction of the university.
Seminar 7: This seminar focused on projects which have looked at external collaboration:
Towards a learning organisation: capacity building in business and community engagement
Paul Gentle, Director of Regional Affairs: College of St Mark and St John
Following on from their success at the 2004 Leadership Foundation/HEA Change Academy event in Edinburgh, the St Mark and St John team, led by Paul Gentle, have been working on a project looking at enhancing procedures and approaches to third leg activities. The project has looked at developing new strategies to organisational learning in the context of managing change in third leg activity.
The Leadership, Management and Governance of International Collaborative Academic Projects
Nigel Relph, Director of External Relations and Communications: Queen Mary University, London
This project has aimed to evaluate the models and factors within, and the institutional governance and managerial factors bearing upon, international collaborative programmes.
Specifically it has identified the mechanisms to disseminate effectively the good practice developed from the collaborations to parts of the institution not yet involved in international collaboration. The project has also looked at the challenges for leadership, governance and management within Queen Mary (and HEIs more generally by implication) of the need to develop and sustain collaborative international programmes.
Seminar 8: This seminar explored projects looking at organisational development:
Cultural Understanding in Leadership and Management [CULM]
Professor Uduak Archibong, Professor of Diversity: University of Bradford
With a focus particularly on black and ethnic minority staff, this project aimed to bring together senior leaders/managers within the University to offer personal 'mutual' learning opportunities. Working in pairs, individuals were able to learn from each other’s experiences and offer advice on problem solving and change management whilst also acting as mutual sounding boards.
Management by Processes and Facts
Paul Evans, Director of Business Excellence: Liverpool John Moores University
The project at Liverpool John Moores has been designed to improve the overall management system of the University using established ‘Excellence’ principles of aligning strategy to operational management through a system of key processes. The project called for the creation of a process framework for the delivery of strategic objectives and the use of this framework for continuous review and improvement through an inclusive model of leadership.
14:00 – 14:40 Seminars 9-13
Seminar 9: In this seminar, projects concerned with HR developments were discussed:
Improving leadership, management and administration at Oxford
Dr Jeremy Whitely, Director of Personnel and Administrative Services: University of Oxford
This project has focused on the development of a high-performance organisational culture. Key objectives have included the formation of clear, interlocking job descriptions for all senior management posts and the creation of a shared vision of a unified system of leadership, management, administration across the institution.
Dr Malcolm Rhodes, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic): University College Chester
This project has been exploring how leadership within the university might be enhanced. Specific areas of focus have included: sourcing role models and identifying leadership behaviours; considering how to professionalise approaches to management, and establishing a framework for succession planning for key leadership and management roles within the institution.
Seminar 10: This seminar looked specifically at leading change in HEIs:
TRUSST: The road to a university service strategy
Dr Jill Venus, Director, Service Development: University of Wales, Lampeter
At Lampeter, Dr Venus has worked to raise awareness across the whole University of the service relationships within the University and the benefits to be gained from taking a truly service led approach. The project has also involved the development of a range of information collection and analysis mechanisms to inform decision making for service delivery development.
Conversational, not confrontational: a new approach to quality
Professor Bob Munn, Vice-President for Teaching and Learning: University of Manchester
This project has focused on the new management systems and processes within the University following the merger of the Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST in October 2004. Specifically it has aimed to discuss with all Faculties and Schools their hopes and fears for a new quality framework, to use the discussions to optimise the quality framework for introduction in September 2005 and to use the process of discussion to enhance staff buy-in to the new quality procedures.
Seminar 11: This seminar looked at projects dealing with organisational development:
Administrative Professional Practice in a Learning Environment [APPLE]
Lorna Fraser, Faculty Manager: Napier University
This project has aimed to define, develop and drive forward new roles, structures, career paths and development plans which professionalise support to academic areas in new ways. Specifically, this has meant the review of existing administrative support structures and the identification of examples of best practice in order to contribute to the development and retention of staff. The project has also resulted in the production of training packages and opportunities to induct and develop administrators so they can effectively respond to business needs and the academic cycle.
I-opener: a project to connect the service and academic departmental sides of IT and IS
Annette Haworth, Director of Information Services: University of Reading
This project has aimed to enhance the usage of a recently updated IT infrastructure at the University of Reading. Key objectives included linking more closely the service and academic departmental sides of IT and IS; launching ‘I-OPENER and testing its ability to improve the use of information infrastructure.
Seminar 12: This seminar looked at projects dealing with organisational development and the student experience:
A process of developmental engagement between the University and the Students’ Union
Dr Paul Greatrix, Director of Academic and Student Affairs: University of Warwick
The project at Warwick has aimed to strengthen the relationship between the University and the Students’ Union. A number of approaches have been taken, including: extensive dialogue between University representatives and SU Staff over possible opportunities for convergence in a range of service areas, and the undertaking of detailed exploration of constitutional and legal matters from the perspectives of the University and Students’ Union with reference to Union/University relationships at other HEIs.
Professor Lyn Pykett, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs: University of Wales, Aberystwyth
This project has aimed to devise, implement and embed new policies and procedures for the enhancement of quality and standards in learning and teaching and postgraduate research. Approaches have included working with others across the institution to improve academic management of the University through the improvement of systems and the skills of those who administer them. The project has also aimed to enhance the learning and teaching culture of the University and to disseminate and embed ownership of and responsibility for quality and standards amongst all relevant staff.
14:45 – 15:25 Seminars 13-16
Seminar 13: This seminar looked at projects working with HR developments:
HR Transformation - a new service model
Gwen Wileman, Director of Human Resources: De Montfort University
This project has focused on the role of the HR Business Partner in a university. It has considered how enhancing the use of HR management information can help drive forward the strategic HR agenda and also how key employee indicators can be used as levers for change.
Embedding Diversity in Leadership and Management at London Business School
Philip Willatt, Director of Human Resources: London Business School
This project has focused on exploring the extent of existing good practice in diversity with regard to key practices, specifically within higher education institutions at leadership levels. Practical approaches have included providing learning support to senior leaders and key stakeholders and the identification of two key pilot areas within the School to test key practices. A key aim of the project has been to evaluate the impact of the methods adopted in the project, so that they can be shared more widely.
Seminar 14: This session looked at HR development work in the context of succession planning and equality and diversity initiatives:
Developing Potential Leaders at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Professor Tony Stevenson, Pro Vice-Chancellor: University of Newcastle upon Tyne
At Newcastle, Professor Tony Stevenson has been leading a project designed to identify and develop future leaders at the University. The project relied on a number of key approaches, including: the design of a competency framework for University Heads of School; the creation of a fully-functioning development centre where a group of senior University managers could be trained in the skills of facilitating development centres, and the tracking and support of up to ten prospective leaders with the aim of growing a pool of talent from which to select future leaders.
A key element of the project has been the evaluation of the impact of the development centre approach on the performance of individuals, the schools, the faculty and the institution and consequently assessing how far this approach could be usefully applied across the institution.
Dr Peter McCaffery, Pro Vice-Chancellor: London South Bank University [LSBU]
With a central focus on raising the profile of female and ethnic minority managers, this project has pursued a number of key objectives with LSBU managers including: enabling them to reflect on their leadership and management skills in a ‘safe environment’ and prepare for higher levels of responsibility. The Project enabled them to increase their personal and professional effectiveness by acquiring a different perspective on the common challenges that face other organisations, as well as their own. The project has also looked to identify the next generation of senior managers and encourage their development.
Seminar 15: This session looked at projects dealing with leading change:
TRUSST: The road to a university service strategy
Dr Jill Venus, Director, Service Development: University of Wales, Lampeter
At Lampeter, Dr Venus has worked to raise awareness across the whole University of the service relationships within the University and the benefits to be gained from taking a truly service led approach. The project has also involved the development of a range of information collection and analysis mechanisms to inform service delivery and decision making.
Leading change in scholarship and research
Professor Yahya Al-Nakeeb, Director of Research: Newman College
At Newman College, Professor Al-Nakeeb has been working to implement an institutional change programme designed to develop an appropriate model of scholarship and research for a small teaching intensive institution. This has involved a number of approaches including the creation of a framework to integrate scholarship and applied research with teaching; the introduction of new forms of teaching and learning and attempts to increase research-based output in the form of published papers and reports.
Seminar 16: This seminar focused on organisational development:
Leadership and Strategy
Simon Donoghue, Head of Project Management Group: University of Leeds
This project has explored how process might be used to create culture change and improvement in leadership skills throughout the organisation. Specifically it has looked at how strategy maps and balanced scorecards can help in the development and roll-out of university strategy and how strategic management as a process might be embedded at the core of the organisation.
Achieving change by the back door
Dr David Arrell, Pro Vice-Chancellor: University of Portsmouth
At Portsmouth, Dr Arrell has led a project looking to develop a core team of staff dedicated to the spread of good practice across the institution. This has involved the creation of a team of respected opinion formers with the aim of using this team to create a more effective, responsive and proactive institution. The project has also aimed to break down any barriers to change and to marginalise the ‘blockers.’