¹û¶³Ó°Ôº

• launching the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº East campus, a flagship facility for ground-breaking multi-disciplinary teaching and learning as well as high-quality student accommodation, which is now fully open with over 2,000 students living and studying hereÌý
• a major investment in pay and reward for the long-term, enabled through significant work by the Finance team, portfolios and faculties to identify savings, move to a new model of budgeting and restructure teams where staff opted to take voluntary resignation. This included implementing the first stage of a four-plan to invest £110.2 million in pay and reward for both ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº staff and outsourced colleagues, over and above any UCEA negotiated increases, finalising the Financial Strategy and confirming a high-level approach to reporting to ensure longer term financial sustainability. Ìý
• the first delivery phases of the Strategic Plan activities to improve ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s processes and create a more navigable place to work and study. Last year, we identified key pain points and identified systems and process improvements to unlock workload pressures across portfolios, faculties and departments, and drove improvements on our physical Estate and infrastructure. Ìý
• our strong performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) assessment, with ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº ranked second in the UK for research power – an endorsement of our research strength.Ìý
• the quality of our education was recognised in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) with Gold for Student Outcomes, Silver for Student Experience, and an overall rating of Silver.Ìý
• working in partnership with the Student Union, we also launched the Student Life Strategy and are advocating for enhanced student space (options for a new building, increased study space and sports facilities). Ìý
• improved our capacity to support our community and our commitments by repositioning the EDI team within the Chief People Officer portfolio and recruiting a new Pro-Provost (Equity & Inclusion), which we will give space to discuss further in future Town Halls. Ìý

The discussion covered only a fraction of the achievements which contributed to the naming of ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº as the Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024, a highly valuable accolade in the student recruitment space.Ìý

Looking to the year ahead

The panel also looked to the year ahead during their discussion, and throughout the audience Q&A, to highlight some of our strategic goals across the university. Ìý

Watch the recording above to find out more about these priorities in detail. Ìý

There was a conversation about how we empower and develop our people, and how we create an environment within which our students and staff can reach their full potential. In the coming year, this will include our continuing work with the Student Life Strategy and the Student Union, our EDI Strategic Review, the second phase of the Pay & Reward Strategy, and closer work with key roles such as our Heads of Departments to respond to their recommendations and build their roles in institutional decision-making. Ìý

We will build on our academic excellence by having an open conversation throughout 2023-24 with faculties and departments about priorities for sustained support and focus across the disciplines. To support that work, we are focused on estates planning for the long-term. Another priority willÌýbeÌýconsidering how we might diversify our student markets. Ìý

A lot of the work that has been happening over the past year has been about developing systems and processes, and improving our estate and how we use it, so that we can all do our work as efficiently and effectively as possible. This will continue to be a core priority for us over the next year. Work in this area includes continuing to transform our approach to admissions, by streamlining processes, investing in systems, improving data quality and improving the policy framework with the aim to realise significant efficiencies and to improve the staff and applicant experience. We are also initiating several pilots of our proposed new approach to scheduling teaching as part of a longer-term plan for addressing the challenges of timetabling on the Bloomsbury site.Ìý

These and other improvements to our shared working environment and ourÌýdigital toolsÌýwill support us all to contribute more effectively to ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s mission to carry out life-changing research and work that has a positive impact on the world.Ìý

The next year is also an opportunity to consolidate how we present ourselves and how we can approachÌýto our bicentennial celebrations in 2026 with confidence and a strong sense of identity. This includes progressing our Brand Framework Project to deliver a brand refresh and maximise our reach and impact.

Further reading:Ìý