aston.ac.uk/spo
mb247
@AstonSPO
0121 204 5353
OFFICE CHARTER march 2019
STUDENT
projects
office (SPO)
OUR MISSION | OUR WORK | OUR VALUES | OUR TEAM | OUR GOALS
STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE | OFFICE CHARTER | MARCH 2019
OUR MISSION
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The Student Projects Office (SPO) is a new student-led department within Aston University comprising 15 placement students working together with stakeholders across the University to deliver impact and ultimately enhance the student experience.
Our core mission is to enhance the Student Experience, and we will align with the Aston Strategy 2023 throughout the work, ensuring that we are working directly or indirectly towards our shared institutional goals, and delivering for our beneficiaries; students (and graduates and alumni), business and the professions, and the region and society. Below are a number of extracts from the Project Officers interpretations of our mission, which highlights the diverse perspectives and priorities across the team, something we can hope to develop throughout the duration of the Student Projects Office.
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The Student Projects Office invites university departments, offices, schools and other staff to propose projects around the institution to deliver impact and enhance the student experience.
We have a website which we will keep developing and updating as we progress through projects, head over to www.aston.ac.uk/spo to check it out! if you have any general queries, please email to Jordan at j.kirkwood1@aston.ac.uk. Have a project proposal to submit? Fill out our online form now! Just head to tinyurl.com/astonspo
As Project Officers, the team will work across a diverse variety of projects spanning three tiers indicating scale, complexity and length.
"Building relationships"
"Making student life better"
"Developing life skills"
"Delivering throughout the year" "Working with students and colleagues
"Making Aston a more memorable across the University to turn projects experience" and ambitions into reality." "Empathising with students" "Making changes"
"Enhancing the Student Experience"
"Taking an interest in student ideas"
"Making the student voice heard"
"Providing positive change"
"Help us to help them"
"Creating a positive student experience"
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STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE | OFFICE CHARTER | MARCH 2019
OUR WORK
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The projects we undertake will range across different departments, schools and the wider University. We have adopted a tiered approach (see below) to enable a more effective approach to prioritising projects and the project officers' workloads. The reason for this is so we can ensure there is a diverse spread of projects that offer different challenges, approaches and solutions, and will hopefully result in a broad spectrum of value added to the stakeholders and University.
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As we undertake projects and see them through to completion whether that be of the whole project, or the part in which the Student Projects Office is responsible for, we will develop case studies which will be hosted on our website to showcase our work and impact across the institution.
s i w o H
? d e c n a n i f it
Project owners will be responsible for paying for the hours billed for a project. This is the amount of time spent carrying out the project work. The SPO Manager will track and manage the project officers' time and ensure that all project work is carried out within the agreed amount of time. Generally, we will have 2 to a project, and thus if there is a request for 1 person, we will likely discuss assigning 2, however this doesn't necessarily mean more project hours. Example: If a project took 60 billable hours, that would cost the project owner/department ÂŁ188.40.
Projects should develop students as part of their placement, and enhance their experience. If either of these are not present in a project proposal, it is unlikely to be something we will undertake. Projects go onto a waiting list process. We need to prioritise the work that creates the most value and offers the most development for our Project Officers (see priority tiers below). The Student Projects Office was created to offer a real placement experience to the Project Officers involved, and thus any work that fails to offer genuine development opportunities will not be eligible for the SPO.
. . . h c a o r p p A TIER THREE d e r e i T A Ad-Hoc projects or events, 'job and finish' tasks etc.
Tier 3 16.7%
Tier 1 33.3%
TIER TWO Medium-sized projects within a department or a simple institutionwide project.
Tier 2 50%
TIER ONE Large-scale, complex institution-wide or multidepartmental projects that will likely run across multiple months, requiring multiple project officers and project stakeholders.
All details including timescales, deliverables, planned project hours and more will be worked out at the first meeting between the Project Officers and project owner. The SPO Manager, Jordan Kirkwood will oversee the Project Officers' work.
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OUR MISSION | OUR WORK | OUR VALUES | OUR TEAM | OUR GOALS
STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE | OFFICE CHARTER | MARCH 2019
OUR VALUES RESPECT HONESTY AND INTEGRITY The SPO team will always ask and check that what we are delivering is to the expectations of our project owners, stakeholders and beneficiaries. Whatever the goal, we will do it with sincerity.
Treating everybody with respect and dignity- no exceptions. A mutual respect in our work is a core tenet of what we do, respecting different perspectives, levels of experience and diverse backgrounds. Creating an inclusive, human-centered approach.
COLLABORATION Through effective communication with stakeholders and beneficiaries, we shall embed collaboration throughout our work and adopt a people-oriented mindset.
FOCUS AND MOTIVATION The more focused and motivated the team, the better quality of work and experience for all involved. We will ensure the SPO team is well trained and that continuing professional development is present throughout to strengthen our focus.
TRUST A mutual trust of each other as project officers and with our stakeholders and beneficiaries is key to delivering effective and impactful outcomes in the projects we undertake.
PASSION Developing and evolving passions through diverse, meaningful and impactful project work, recognising the growth standpoint of our project officers and the skills, knowledge and experience to be developed.
RELIABILITY AND CONSISTENCY The SPO team will endeavour to be consistent in the quality of our work, in engaging with stakeholders, and in delivering projects. This is crucial to a successful reputation.
HEALTH AND HAPPINESS Creating an office environment that is welcome, fun and enjoyable, and engaging with our work with a positive, fun and can-do attitude.
MEANINGFUL WORK
TEAMWORK
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A willingness to support each other and our stakeholders, working in a collaborative environment with a shared sense of ownership, success and impact.
Key to delivering impact, the SPO team will engage in meaningful work and work with meaning, ensuring that enhancing the student experience is central to all of our work.
OUR MISSION | OUR WORK | OUR VALUES | OUR TEAM | OUR GOALS
STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE | OFFICE CHARTER | MARCH 2019
OUR TEAM JORDAN KIRKWOOD, STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE MANAGER EMAIL: J.KIRKWOOD1@ASTON.AC.UK
As manager of the Student Projects Office, I oversee the work of the Project Officers, manage the projects pipeline, liaise with our stakeholders, and ensure that expectations meet reality through the successful delivery of projects across the University. One of my core focuses is developing the Project Officers professional and personal skillsets to equip them with the know-how, mindset and tools to apply themselves throughout their time with the Student Projects Office and beyond into their Final Year and graduate destinations. EENDERDEEP SAHOTA EMAIL: E.SAHOTA@ASTON.AC.UK
Third year Business Computing & IT student currently undertaking a placement within the Student Projects Office as a Project Officer. I'm looking to develop proficient knowledge and practical experience of the fundamentals and advanced capabilities of IT within a business establishment, through degree studies and employment. JATIN JAISWAL EMAIL: J.JAISWAL1@ASTON.AC.UK
Third year Business Computing and IT student with comprehensive knowledge and practical experience of the IT industry, gained through degree studies and work experience. Looking to further develop my communication skills working as Project Officer by enhancing the student experience. MARYAM KIOUL EMAIL: M.KIOUL1@ASTON.AC.UK
As a Project Officer, I am excited to do my part in making the university experience better and more engaging for all students and staff. I can’t wait to develop my communication and presentation skills in my project work, through working in groups, speaking to new people and public speaking. EVAN JERVIS EMAIL: E.JERVIS1@ASTON.AC.UK
I hope to develop my professional working skills by working in an organised team and to gain a strong understanding of working in an office environment. By working alongside a variety of different departments, I hope to influence a positive change and enhance the student experience.
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STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE | OFFICE CHARTER | MARCH 2019
OUR TEAM ADNAAN SHILIWALA EMAIL: A.SHILIWALA1@ASTON.AC.UK
I’m most excited about working on multiple projects at once, as it will provide me with a solid foundation and understanding into the nature of consulting – something I would like to go into upon graduation. I want to finish this internship knowing that we have created and left behind new systems and processes that will not only benefit current students, but also those students who arrive in the coming years. KARENSA LAU EMAIL: K.LAU5@ASTON.AC.UK
I am a third year Maths with Economics student. As a Project Officer I would like to develop my communication and team work skills whilst simultaneously experiencing life in a working environment. I wish to enhance the student experience and to make life better for new and returning students. JAKE WOOLLEY EMAIL: J.WOOLLEY2@ASTON.AC.UK
I want to develop my key skills in building up my confidence, improving my presentation skills and working well as part of the team with the end goal of improving the overall student experience here at Aston. RISHI COUMAR EMAIL: R.COUMAR1@ASTON.AC.UK
I would like to utilise my current skills I have gained during my degree and also develop new skills that can improve my employability. By the end of the placement I want to have acquired experiences that will aid me whilst applying and interviewing for graduate jobs. OSAMA SABAH EMAIL: O.SABAH1@ASTON.AC.UK
A strong believer in working with other people towards a common goal. I’m very passionate about becoming the best version of myself. Being part of this exciting journey in improving the student experience will be challenging yet rewarding. I look forward to enhancing my fundamental skill sets as well as gaining hands-on experience in the professional academic environment. ABDIIRAHMAN MUDE EMAIL: A.MUDE1@ASTON.AC.UK
During this placement I would like to improve my communication skills and increase my IT skills to make me more employable once I finish my degree. I’m really excited about getting to know everyone that is part of the group and actively engaging in a high number of challenging projects and meeting many people across the university. I'm excited to be actively engaged throughout and seize opportunities beyond the placement.
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STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE | OFFICE CHARTER | MARCH 2019
OUR TEAM NATASHA QURESHI EMAIL: N.QURESHI3@ASTON.AC.UK
At the end of my placement I would like to ensure I have given 100% in the projects I have taken part in. I wish to develop my presentation skills and gain the confidence to be pushed outside my comfort zone continuously. Moreover, I would like to leave behind all the ideas I' have put into the projects in the hopes of them being implemented in the coming years and to continue to enhance the student experience at Aston University. ALLY AHMAD EMAIL: A.AHMAD14@ASTON.AC.UK
I'm currently undertaking a placement as a Project Officer in the Student Projects Office at Aston University. I'm honoured to have the opportunity in working with projects that will make changes in which students can benefit from. In my time here, I hope to develop my knowledge of working in a professional environment. RAPHAEL CHIDAVAENZI EMAIL: R.CHIDAVAENZI1@ASTON.AC.UK
The aim of this placement for me is to gain some self leadership and transferable skills whilst also preparing me for working life after university. It’s an exciting opportunity as I get to work alongside fellow placement students and get the opportunity to improve my team working ability. I also want to improve my professional understanding and work towards something meaningful to current and prospective students. I look forward to working with different departments of Aston University on a range of projects that could shape the future of the university. NISHIL UNADKAT EMAIL: N.UNADKAT1@ASTON.AC.UK
A third year Politics and Economics student with a keen interest in learning and a desire to develop as an individual. A hardworking, reliable and dedicated student who wishes to gain knowledge and experience to pursue a career in my field of study and make a contribution. SOHAM PARDEEP EMAIL: S.PARDEEP1@ASTON.AC.UK
Fun, Energetic and Ambitious are a few words that briefly define me. Currently working towards a BSc in Human Resource Management, whilst working as a Project Officer within Aston, in addition to running a Car Trading business in my spare time. I particularly look forward to developing crucial administration and organisation skills, whilst delivering an exceptional service throughout the University to increase student satisfaction for years to come.
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STUDENT PROJECTS OFFICE | OFFICE CHARTER | MARCH 2019
OUR GOALS I. DEVELOP AS A TEAM AND INDIVIDUALS. Develop as a cohesive unit, both as the wider Student Projects Office, but also within project teams including project and other key stakeholders. Learn to work as one team across a multitude of projects, offering support and expertise to colleagues where appropriate, and creating a synergistic value between project officers.
II. BUILD PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE. Ensure professional development is at the forefront of the project work, developing skill-sets and expertise. Engaging in continuing professional development throughout the project officers' duration through the CPD Schedule, in-house training and development opportunities, and coaching and mentoring.
III. DELIVER REAL IMPACT THROUGH OUR WORK. Through effective training, support and management and the use of shared processes and templates, delivering quality outcomes throughout the duration of the Student Projects Office. Effective prioritisation of projects across a fair balance of tiers, alongside strategic allocation to ensure a diverse and developmental experience.
IV. ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE PROJECT OFFICE THAT CONTINUES TO DELIVER. Building a reputation with a project portfolio showcasing the added value and impact on stakeholders and beneficiaries across the University. Setting up a strong and agile structure that has the potential to continue beyond the first year of the Student Projects Office.
V. NURTURE SKILLS FOR THE MODERN WORKPLACE THROUGH IDEAS CREATION, CREATIVITY, ETHICS AND PROBLEM SOLVING. Working to ensure the skills and wider development of project officers is centered in the desired and essential attributes of the future graduate in a digital workplace. Reflecting and recording professional development, achievements, challenges and outcomes for each project offficer to optimise learning opportunity and place in the context of future application and employability.
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