Dear colleagues,
We are grateful to you for the many insights and suggestions you have sent to the Financial Recovery Group which is helping to steer the University back to growth. Members of the Group (which consists of representatives from across the University) and colleagues in the relevant operational areas have been giving these ideas careful consideration.
As outlined before, the University is making real progress in reducing the financial deficit, strengthening our reputation not least through strong performance in league tables and raising our profile in the media and directly with important external organisations. We still have a distance to go and welcome your additional insights via the dedicated confidential mailbox (financialrecovery@abdn.ac.uk).
You Said, We Did
Building on previous responses to your suggestions we have completed a ‘You Said We Did’ exercise to indicate how your ideas have been taken forward. They fall broadly into the following headings:
- Financial planning/processes
- Education
- Research
- Student recruitment activities
- Campus facilities/commercialisation/brand awareness
- Academic Commercialisation
- IT systems & processes
- Philanthropy/fundraising
Full details of the outcomes of this You Said, We Did exercise are available online as part of the Financial Recovery webpage - I would encourage you to review these and feed back any reflections via the mailbox.
Some actions are still a ‘work in progress’, but here is a summary of key areas that have already been addressed. These include:
- Financial Recovery Group update messages have addressed some of the specific queries raised by submissions to the mailbox e.g. political/external lobbying activities, research income generation, online education, academic commercialisation
- Information about policies, procedures and benefits has been promoted via the Staff Ezine (e.g. opportunities to purchase additional annual leave, flexible working options etc.)
- Feedback received in relation to online/distance-learning PhDs is being taken into consideration as part of the development and marketing of such courses
- New processes to support the development and submission of grant applications have been implemented from 1 August to optimise efforts to secure high value grants and support our early career researchers
- Suggestions in relation to IT systems and processes are being taken into consideration as part of Directorate planning processes e.g. evaluation of services offered to IT/telephony users, establishment of Automation Taskforce, Business Systems Cloud Migration Programme
- Various meetings taking place between respondents (who have agreed to waive anonymity) and relevant Vice-Principals, Heads of School and Professional Services Leads to inform consideration of suggestions
- Feedback relating to fundraising and alumni engagement are being considered in the context of developing a 3-year Development & Alumni Relations strategy that will focus on engagement, participation and philanthropy. Suggestions to promote and facilitate on-campus cashless donations are being actively taken forward
- Discussions are underway at School level to consider suggestions received in relation to enhancing collaborative educational and other opportunities following the publication of Guardian University Guide results
- Discussions around how to attract and enhance student/summer school visits (especially visits from international groups) have taken place
- Suggestions on how the on-campus experience could be enhanced are being considered by Estates & Facilities, recognising that places need to be created that give staff, students and external communities compelling reasons to spend time on campus e.g. encouraging the creation of informal social spaces in under-utilised locations
The Financial Recovery Group will meet again on 9 October to review progress and in particular will look at domestic and international student recruitment. I will provide you with a further update on progress after that meeting.
In the meantime, a reminder to please continue to share your thoughts, reflections and suggestions on any aspect of our financial recovery via the Group’s dedicated mailbox (financialrecovery@abdn.ac.uk). We fully recognise that colleagues across the University, whatever your role, have important insights which can assist our collective journey back to growth.
Best wishes
Karl Leydecker
Senior Vice-Principal