Health Faculties’
Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
CONTENTS Our ambition
3
Priority themes
4
Students and education
6
Research, impact and innovation 8 Partnerships
10
Our people and ways of working 12 Realising our ambition
15
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
Our ambition We will deliver impact locally, nationally and globally through discovery, innovation and education that ultimately leads to tangible improvements in patient care, population health and societal wellbeing. By 2021, King’s College London will be unequivocally positioned among the top ten global universities in biomedicine and health.
I am delighted to present King’s Health Faculties’ five-year ambition for 2016 to 2021. It builds on our distinguished and expanding reputation as one of Europe’s leading centres of healthrelated education and research. Situated across four campuses in central London – three of which are co-located with our major NHS partners – our education portfolio includes programmes designed for pre- and post-registration healthcare professionals, basic scientists and clinicians. Our research embraces the entire ‘bench to bedside to population’ continuum, with interdisciplinary groups engaging in fundamental scientific discovery and experimental medicine through to clinical trials and health improvement sciences. Designed to complement and enhance individual Faculty plans, as well as the university’s emerging strategic vision, our five-year collective ambition aims to identify where and how we can best coordinate our efforts across the health spectrum at King’s.
This document is focused on four complementary themes that are critical to our success: students and education; research, impact and innovation; partnerships; and our people and ways of working. By the four Health Faculties working together and building on current momentum, we are positioned to make a truly outstanding contribution to world health. In the next five years, our students will enjoy increasingly enriched university experiences, our research will deliver vital impact on the major health challenges of our time and our staff will be rightly recognised and sought out as global academic leaders. I am grateful to all those who have contributed to the development of this work to summarise our priorities for the next five years, including the many staff and students whose perspectives have been incorporated. I look forward to celebrating the achievements of our people as we work together to realise our ambition. Professor Sir Robert Lechler Vice-Principal (Health), King’s College London
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
Working together to make an outstanding contribution to world health
The world’s most pressing challenges commonly have a health dimension: eradicating disease, reducing child mortality rates and protecting our environment. Remarkable progress has been made in medicine and bioscience but we must accelerate efforts to drive better understanding and improved health for millions who continue to suffer across the world. Exceptional people are needed to generate, translate and share the valuable knowledge that will transform lives across the world through advances in physical and mental healthcare.
PRIORITY THEMES
Colleagues from King’s Health Faculties past and present have helped to shape today’s global biomedical landscape, through pioneering contributions to education, research and clinical care. Now we are building on our inspiring heritage coupled with the collective energy arising from outstanding REF 2014 results and the university’s ambitious growth agenda. By leveraging our combined strengths, we strive to make a real difference to people’s lives in London, the UK and the world. By working with external partners, our capacity to make an impact is strengthened even further. We will continue to build on our collaborations, with NHS healthcare organisations, academia and business: King’s Health Partners, the Francis Crick Institute and MedCity. While King’s is undoubtedly poised for continued success, we are mindful that the higher education landscape is changing at pace: technology is transforming the way we work, our complex funding landscape is volatile and there is considerable and ever-increasing global competition for students, academics and research investment. The higher education sector is more competitive than ever before. By having focused priorities and proactively shaping our ways of working, we can respond with agility to new opportunities and challenges. There has never been a more rewarding time to be part of King’s globally connected community of inspirational educators, researchers, clinicians and students. By harnessing our collective potential, we are exceptionally well-placed to make an enduring contribution to the world’s knowledge, health and wellbeing.
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
THE HEALTH FACULTIES AT KING'S COLLEGE LONDON:
DENTAL INSTITUTE
FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES & MEDICINE
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE FACULTY OF NURSING & MIDWIFERY
INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY & NEUROSCIENCE
PRIORITY THEMES 1 Students and education
Our students will enjoy a challenging, innovative and enriching university experience that reflects our unique world-leading blend of researchenhanced, interdisciplinary and interprofessional expertise. Our graduates will be equipped with the attributes and skills they need for a fulfilling career and to make a positive impact on society.
2 Research, impact and innovation
We will have a global impact on biomedicine through a broad portfolio that spans the health continuum. We will enhance existing strengths, develop new interdisciplinary programmes and consolidate our discovery science portfolio. Our research will be underpinned by a distinctive ‘line of sight’ from bench to bedside to population.
3 Partnerships
We will strengthen our partnerships with leading, like-minded organisations across the globe, engaging in activities driven by a common purpose that materially enrich our academic impact, student experience and societal contributions.
4 Our people and ways of working
We will cultivate a highly talented, engaged and inclusive community, in which staff and students are supported and motivated to excel. Our people will enjoy working across disciplines, functions and activities to deliver our ambitions.
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
Students and education
Our students will enjoy a challenging, innovative and enriching university experience that reflects our unique worldleading blend of research-enhanced, interdisciplinary and interprofessional expertise. Our graduates will be equipped with the attributes and skills they need for a fulfilling career and to make a positive impact on society.
STUDENTS AND EDUCATION
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
WE WILL...
King’s College London is one of the leading centres for biomedical science and clinical education in Europe. Our Health Faculties collectively educate over 7,300 undergraduate, 2,800 postgraduate taught and 1,200 postgraduate research students. We offer over 180 programmes of study, ranging from 3-year BSc degrees in the biomedical sciences through NHS-funded clinical programmes to postgraduate degrees in clinical and bioscience specialties.
RESEARCHENHANCED
take a holistic view of our students’ university experience, ensuring they extract maximum value from being part of a forward-looking, multi-faculty London university with a longstanding and proud heritage of healthrelated education and research. attract exceptional students, whatever their background, who share our values and ambitions.
Our programmes are designed to attract the very best students. They enjoy a unique research-enhanced learning experience with unrivalled opportunities supported by our strong partnerships with NHS Trusts, industry and healthcare organisations.
foster a culture of engagement and inclusivity in which staff and students enjoy a shared sense of ownership and take pride in the success of our university, its education and our people.
INTERDISCIPLINARY
recognise and reward excellence in teaching, celebrating innovative university educators who inspire students and influence colleagues. deliver programmes that are research-enriched, responsive to change and delivered in line with best educational practice.
INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
prepare our graduates to work in partnership with others through fostering a collaborative environment which transcends departmental, disciplinary, faculty and professional boundaries and encourages an interprofessional approach. ensure our graduates are equipped to enter a globalised and entrepreneurial workforce by maximising the opportunities for students to enhance their personal university experience and employability through excellent education, enriched with co-curricular activities.
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
Research, impact and innovation We will have a global impact on biomedicine through a broad portfolio that spans the health continuum. We will enhance existing strengths, develop new interdisciplinary programmes and consolidate our discovery science portfolio. Our research will be underpinned by a distinctive ‘line of sight’ from bench to bedside to population.
RESEARCH, IMPACT AND INNOVATION
King’s Health Faculties have a distinctive and thriving research portfolio. A standout REF 2014 performance across both clinical and biological aspects of medicine, nursing, dentistry, biomedical engineering and steady income growth from research gained within an increasingly competitive environment, have consolidated our international reputation for excellence. Our interdisciplinary and integrated approach is based on strong fundamental science and innovation that enable rapid translation into new therapies and improvements in care. Our strengths in experimental medicine and clinical translation and our increasing focus on population science are underpinned by our integration with three of the UK’s leading NHS Trusts through King’s Health Partners.
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
WE WILL... DRIVING RESEARCH FROM BENCH...
TO BEDSIDE...
Our opportunities, however, are matched by the scale of the health challenges faced by societies across the world. We will continue to make major advances across diverse fields of research to tackle these challenges – whether around clinical, environmental, public or global health – in recognition of our duty to provide a compelling and transformational contribution.
TO POPULATION
enhance our world-class research eminence by investing throughout the research pipeline from fundamental science, through experimental medicine, to health services research. Our research will be informed by clinical challenges, rapidly translated, and lead to innovative models of healthcare delivery for the benefit of patient and population health. invest in and consolidate our areas of distinctive strength, in: • Cardiovascular Science • Genetics & Genomics • Imaging & Biomedical Engineering • Immunology, including Transplantation • Psychiatry & Neuroscience. grow our research portfolio to complement our clinical strengths and leverage King’s Health Partners to deliver world-class patient care in: • Cancer • Dentistry & Oral Health • Haematology • Liver, Obesity, Diabetes & Metabolism • Early Development & Child Health • Population Health & Implementation Science.
enhance our cross-university interdisciplinary research programmes, particularly those at the interface of health, science, technology, the humanities and social sciences: • Quantitative Biomedicine & Clinical Informatics • Global Health • Environment & Public Health • Psychology & Sociology. extract maximum benefit through our key partnerships: King’s Health Partners, the Francis Crick Institute and MedCity. concentrate our resources on excellent research that responds to global challenges in health, by maximising opportunities to rapidly translate our work into patient and public benefit, and linking with relevant funders, industry leaders and policy makers. offer the best possible environment to enable world-class research, including: support for innovation, translation and commercialisation; guidance on public engagement; and investment in new platform technologies, estates and facilities.
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
Partnerships
We will strengthen our partnerships with leading, like-minded organisations across the globe, engaging in activities driven by a common purpose that materially enrich our academic impact, student experience and societal contributions.
PARTNERSHIPS
Our central London location enables exceptional opportunities to work alongside partners who complement our research base, enrich our education and training portfolio, accelerate our pathways from innovation to implementation, and enhance our societal impact. Our principal partnership is with three NHS Trusts with whom we are jointly accredited as one of only six Academic Health Science Centres (AHSC) in the UK; King’s Health Partners incorporates King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts. Together our mission is to bring together world-class research, education and clinical practice for the benefit of patients. The Francis Crick Institute, in which King’s is a founding member, offers us unprecedented opportunities to strengthen our collaborative and interdisciplinary research endeavours, placing the UK at the forefront of global biomedical discoveries and innovations that make a real difference to global health. King’s is also one of the three London academic members of MedCity, which aims to promote and grow world-leading life sciences across the ‘golden triangle’ in England’s greater south east.
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
WE WILL... develop value added partnerships that are characterised by a common purpose, respect, commitment and trust. through King’s Health Partners, build on opportunities to enable faster translation and adoption of research innovation into clinical practice, develop a healthcare workforce which works across traditional boundaries, and improve patient care. We will embrace the creation of KHP Institutes as a vehicle to deliver and embed our research from bench to bedside to population, and drive discovery research-led transformation within clinical settings. maximise opportunities arising from the Francis Crick Institute, from providing access to bespoke research technologies, joint postgraduate research and clinical training through to offering innovative interdisciplinary research collaborations.
harness our MedCity membership to increase engagement with industry and contribute to London’s position as a globally-competitive location for investment. develop a small number of high quality strategic partnerships with healthcare organisations, academia and industry, drawing on complementary expertise to pursue opportunities in areas including: research (devices, diagnostics and therapeutics) and education (student internships, distance learning and research placements). develop a Global Health strategy driven by King’s unique combination of interdisciplinary strengths, in-country relationships and experience of cross-sector delivery models. increase staff and student participation in our key partnerships, ensuring that the full range of opportunities and benefits are clearly communicated and supported.
We also enjoy a number of local and international partnerships, including academic collaborations with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Johns Hopkins University and the Peking University Health Science Centre.
IMPROVING HEALTH LOCALLY...
NATIONALLY...
AND INTERNATIONALLY
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
Our people and ways of working We will cultivate a highly talented, engaged and inclusive community, in which staff and students are supported and motivated to excel. Our people will enjoy working across disciplines, functions and activities to deliver our ambition.
OUR PEOPLE AND WAYS OF WORKING
To achieve the ambitious growth articulated in this five-year strategy, we need to galvanise around a united sense of purpose and support our students and staff to excel within the context of our ambitions. This process requires purposeful dialogue and communication with our community of students, staff, alumni and partners, so that every person understands and feels empowered to play their role in achieving our shared ambition. Our aim is to embed mechanisms that underpin an environment where excellence is rewarded and innovation is supported. Starting with our leadership, we will encourage, empower and challenge all members of our community to work in ways that we want to see in others: enhanced communication, openness and transparency, enterprise, collaboration and inclusivity. World-class staff who have the capability, motivation and resilience to excel in a continually changing environment are critical to our success. Excellent development opportunities, clear career structures and a greater emphasis on the qualities of leadership, innovation and accountability are therefore crucial elements of our strategy.
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
WE WILL... ENHANCED COMMUNICATION
OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY
ENTERPRISE
COLLABORATION
INCLUSIVITY
build on existing momentum and motivation within the university to transform the way we work and to make King’s Health Faculties a rewarding and exciting environment in which to work and study.
promote meaningful, productive and creative collaboration, with a focus on embedding diversity and inclusion, to benefit from solutions offered by colleagues with a range of expertise and perspectives.
create a sustainable culture of high ambition and standards, in which excellence in teaching, research, impact and professional services is fostered, celebrated and rewarded.
provide the best working environment and resources to enable world-class education and research.
nurture staff talent, by offering outstanding development opportunities at all levels, with a focus on training, mentoring and coaching early career academics, emerging managers and future leaders who are confident in championing change. We will offer clarity of staff performance expectations throughout the employee life cycle. develop the quality and timeliness of our communication channels, listen and respond to feedback, share good practice and learnings, empower people to be involved in decisionmaking, and reinforce the value of innovation.
REALISING OUR AMBITION
Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition 2016-21
Realising our ambition As this initial version of the Health Faculties’ Five-Year Ambition for 2016 to 2021 is published, work is continuing apace on the creation of King’s College London’s strategic vision. Due to be published in early 2017, this overarching piece of work will set out the university’s characteristics and aspirations as we approach our landmark 200th year in 2029. Within the Health Faculties, our priority themes and approaches will continue to develop alongside the university vision. Our ambition is intended to be a ‘living’ piece of work, one that informs our choices and planning but also enables a swift response to changes arising from our complex environment. Alongside this document, we have developed several internally-focused enabling papers that identify in greater detail the activities and measures of success proposed in each of our four priority themes. As we make progress in these areas, we will review and learn from our experiences. There is an unmistakeable sense of mounting energy and confidence across King’s. We have been buoyed by the demonstrable influence and impact of our recent work, reflected in part by rising global rankings based on our teaching, research, reputation and impact. Our ambition now seeks to consolidate the critical role of King’s Health Faculties in continuing to make transformative and sustained contributions to society.
8TH
TOP 3
TOP 10
CLINICAL, PRE-CLINICAL & HEALTH
CLINICAL MEDICINE; PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHIATRY & NEUROSCIENCE; SUBJECTS ALLIED TO MEDICINE
DENTISTRY; NURSING; PHARMACY & PHARMACOLOGY
in the world
Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings 2015
in the UK
REF Power Rankings 2014
in the world
QS World University Subject Rankings 2016
DENTAL INSTITUTE www.kcl.ac.uk/dentistry
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE FACULTY OF NURSING & MIDWIFERY www.kcl.ac.uk/nursing
FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES & MEDICINE www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm
INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY & NEUROSCIENCE www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn
APRIL 2016 Design: RF Design, www.rfportfolio.com Approved by brand@kcl.ac.uk, April 2016