Newslink 80

Issue Number 80, Winter 2015

INSIDE THIS ISSUE The real crisis in higher education The changing nature of careers Responding to higher student expectations

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION Dr Giles H Brown FAUA, Editor Newslink

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE Page 1

Editor’s introduction

Page 2

Page 17

We mustn’t underestimate the importance of both professional development and networking

New Fellows and PgCert graduates

Page 19

Chair’s Column

Perspectives

Page 4

Page 20

Dr Giles H Brown

The real crisis in higher education

Page 6

The changing nature of careers: how are you responding?

Page 9

Q&A with Alison Johns FAUA

Page 11

Responding to higher student expectations through improved customer services

Page 14

AUA Annual Lecture

The AUA John Smith Essay Prize 2015

Page 21

Professional studies and higher education

our students don’t read more science fiction, since prescient

at a book reading and Q&A in Bath. In response to a question

authors such as William Gibson are blending science fiction

from the audience he reflected on the clear distinction we

with future science fact!

currently make between ‘reality’ and ‘virtual reality’, and how he anticipates this distinction will be less important in the future as

This issue of Newslink makes no attempt to present a

Network news

we become less wedded to the need to experience something

facsimile, either electronically or otherwise, of the 2014

‘directly’. After the event, my thoughts returned again to this

AUA Annual Lecture and associated events last November.

Page 26

prediction and its potential consequences for higher education

However, the lecture, delivered by Professor Janet Beer at

(as one does!). Our students, often not unreasonably, now

Oxford Brookes University, forms the focus of this issue,

demand more in terms of digital offerings. However, in most

coupled with articles from the 2014 Development Conference.

instances these requests are for the online (‘virtual’) delivery

The aims are twofold; to ensure aspects of these two key

of either the ‘real’ face-to-face experience (video or audio

events in the AUA’s calendar of events are made available

recordings of traditional lectures from lecture theatres) or

to all members of the Association (as Editor I see this as an

e-journals which simply replicate a black-typeface-on-white-

important role of Newslink), and to encourage those of you

paper article on screen which looks exactly the same as the

who didn’t manage to attend either these or other AUA events

hard-copy in the library. Thus, the student expectation currently

to try and get to something over the next 12 months. While

seems to be only for the digital reproduction of lecture and print

budgets may be tight, and time even more so, we (and our line

formats dating back at least to the 19th Century, but delivered to

managers, heads of finance and directors of human resources)

a single mobile portal (laptop or tablet). Even where journals are

mustn’t underestimate the importance of both professional

online-only, technologically-possible enrichment is either limited

development and networking. One snippet of information, one

or (more often than not) wholly lacking. Given the dynamic,

new skill, one newly-forged professional relationship, really can

inter-linked, multimedia format they demand from other

play dividends, both in terms of the money invested but also

aspects of their online lives it is very surprising their requests

the return in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and well-being of

in terms of teaching methods and learning technologies are

us, the employee and HE professional.

Page 22

AUA news

Page 27

Upcoming AUA events

Page 28

AUA staff - starters and leavers

Front Cover Image by Frank Dumbleton

I heard the science fiction writer William Gibson speak recently

not significantly more demanding. It is also perhaps a good job

Newslink Winter 2015 - 1

CHAIR’S COLUMN Tessa Harrison, FAUA, Chair of AUA and Director of Students and Education, Kings College London

I know from my own experience that getting involved and connected has transformed my career opportunities Tessa Harrison

Welcome to this edition of Newslink. I want to talk to you about

• Register for the PGCert (now validated by Nottingham Trent

the work we have been doing on shaping the future direction of

University) and begin a journey of achieving higher level

the AUA. As I said in the last edition, a strategy of growth through

qualifications leading to the postgraduate diploma and MSc

relevance and engagement was outlined at the 2014 Annual

in HE Administration, Management and Leadership

Conference. Over the last couple of months we have begun shaping the strategy into a clear set of priorities for the Association aimed at positioning AUA as a leading voice in the sector. Our networks at local, regional and thematic levels are important cornerstones in our connection to staff working in HE. Our strategic partnerships with other sector bodies will increasingly yield enhanced benefits for all. Our publications are important vehicles for positioning AUA as an authoritative voice in the sector.

• Contribute articles to Perspectives. As editor, David Law, said in the most recent edition ‘we want to receive more submissions that have a practical focus...the journal will thrive if the membership reads it, uses the content, and contributes their own work’. We can link you to a mentor to get you started, Newslink too offers a good route to publication • Support your local network co-ordinator in making your institution a thriving community of AUA members

Our programme of professional and personal development events is already strong and is being developed further to ensure we deliver events that meet the ever changing needs of those working in HE. We want to strengthen our digital services and increase the on-line resources we provide. We also want to broaden and deepen our reach into supporting colleagues

• Get involved in regional events as a speaker/presenter and/or by attending events • Look out for forthcoming opportunities to join the Board of Trustees and other opportunities to get involved at national level.

Matthew Andrews, Janet Beer and Tessa Harrison

working in further education and the so-called alternative providers.

I know from my own experience that getting involved and

We are developing AUA Consultancy as a vehicle for extending

connected has transformed my career opportunities. My network

the use of our distinctive CPD Behaviours Framework and for

of AUA friends and colleagues has been invaluable and never

professional recognition and supporting change management

ceases to yield support both professionally and personally.

and organisational development within our institutions.

If you haven’t yet signed up to come to the 2015 Annual Conference These are exciting times to be working within HE. These are

in Nottingham I urge you to do so. The programme of plenaries,

also challenging times as the sector shifts and responds to

keynote speakers and workshops will provide everything you need

marketisation. Your AUA experience will be greatly enhanced

to be an informed and proud university administrator confident

through seizing opportunities to get involved. These are some

about your contribution to the success of your institution.

things you might consider:

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Newslink Winter 2015 - 3

FEATURE ARTICLE THE REAL CRISIS IN HIGHER EDUCATION Professor Roger Brown FAUA, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education Policy, Liverpool Hope University

Universities, their leaders, and many of those associated with them, are pursuing status and position for themselves and their institutions at the expense of their core activities Professor Roger Brown

In spite of fee increases, institutions are still underfunded if one

management. We should also note the increasing amount of

market; and the information revolution and the ‘winner-takes-all

cautious about any attempts to measure our performance in

takes investment needs into account. Students are paying more

time and effort that institutions are committing to advertising,

society’, where the internet makes us both more aware of the

any seriously scientific way. We should refuse to have anything

for their courses whilst being less certain of a graduate, or any,

marketing and branding, not to mention Vice-Chancellors’ salaries.

top performers in each economic sector and puts us in direct

to do with the commercial league tables or with guides that use

touch with them.

material from the rankings. We should explain the fundamental

job. Employers complain about graduates’ lack of enterprise skills whilst remaining reluctant to finance higher education

Of course this is not a purely British phenomenon, nor is it

or high-level training. Governments consider that universities

limited to universities and their leaders. Many students aspire

However, there are some serious detriments. The pursuit of

Survey, the Key Information Set, and other similar devices that

are still insufficiently responsive to student and economic

to attend prestigious institutions, major employers confine their

status is a poor use of resources: prestige is what economists

purport to guide student choices. We should show how we use

pressures, as well as unable or unwilling to innovate or control

recruitment to a limited subset of ‘top’ universities, and donors

call a ‘rivalrous’ good, in that one individual can only consume

our resources to provide the best possible education for our

their costs. However, the real crisis in higher education is that

are highly sensitive to the standing of the institutions they favour.

or enjoy it at the expense of another (we can’t all be ‘top’

students. We should have a sector-wide agreement to regulate

universities, their leaders, and many of those associated with

The present Government’s preference for the ‘top’ universities

universities). Resources, attention and innovation that should

expenditure on marketing and advertising. We should unwind

them, are pursuing status and position for themselves and their

shows that it too sees merit in being associated with these

go into student education and research and scholarship are

research selectivity. We should ensure that academic research

institutions at the expense of their core activities of educating

institutions, rather than with less favoured providers, as the

instead being used for peripheral activities such as marketing

underpins teaching and, just as important, find ways in which

students and conducting research and scholarship to the

reported pattern of official Ministerial visits clearly demonstrates.

and branding that have at best a marginal impact on the

teaching can contribute to research and scholarship. Finally,

achievement of the basic purposes for which universities

we have to find some way of recognising and rewarding the

This increasing preoccupation with status has many causes.

exist. Above all, this overriding concern for position threatens

institutions that eschew the hunt for status and focus on their

In commenting on Exeter’s decision to leave the 1994 Group in

They include the rise of ‘cost sharing’ as expansion places

our ‘contract’ with society, whereby in return for discovering,

work with students, employers and the professions. Many of

2012, the Vice-Chancellor, Sir Steve Smith, is reported to have

strains on public funding; the increasingly prevalent view

accrediting, disseminating and conserving knowledge, we have

these play a key role in widening participation, high level vocational

said that “the sector is changing” and that “the AAB thing [had]

that the benefits of higher education are primarily private and

a certain degree of autonomy, as well as financial privileges.

training, community integration and regional development.

changed the debate.” He added that “Durham and ourselves

economic; the belief on the part of many governments that

The more we act as status-seeking service providers, the harder

Yet these universities and colleges are effectively penalised in

were up there and then York was a little bit lower, but not

markets or ‘quasi-markets ‘ (where the Government in effect

we shall find it to maintain this privileged position and our ability

favour of the most prestigious research intensive institutions.

much.” There could hardly be a better illustration of the values

acts as a single monopoly purchaser) are the best way of

to discharge our historic obligations to society.

that are now driving many of our leaders. There are many other

organising public services; the difficulty of finding meaningful

examples, some ten years on, almost all of the universities

quality indicators of, especially, student education; the dominant

that acquired their titles under the 2004 legislation have

role of research; globalisation and the hollowing out of labour

obtained research degree awarding powers, even though this

markets so that there are relatively fewer ‘graduate jobs’ at

Much of what is now happening in higher education is due to

is no longer needed for a university title. The principal external

the same time as there are increasing numbers of graduates;

factors beyond our control. But we can remind ourselves of

A longer version of this article was published in Higher

mechanisms for quality control, the REF and QAA review,

the consequential rise in ‘credentialism’ and the need for ever

Martin Trow’s famous dictum that higher education is a process

Education Research in 2014 (Brown, R. [2014] The real crisis in

have essentially become exercises in reputation building and

higher levels of qualification to give an edge in the labour

higher Higher Education Review, 46, 4-25). pretending to beOlivia an outcome, and that we should be properly Alison Wilkerson, Cameron and Irena Cheyney and image of Graduate Trainee Jameseducation, Pipkin

highest possible standards.

4 - Newslink Winter Summer2015 2014

methodological problems and limitations of the National Student

The pursuit of status will be the death of the university as we So what is to be done?

know it.

Graduates (from left): Linda Barr, Alice Greenland, Anne Marie O’Mullane, Sam Bayley, Emma Flight, Gemma Elliott,

Newslink NewslinkSummer Winter 2014 2015 - 5

How do you interpret ‘career progression’?

A survey of organisations has identified the following features as the top five most positive influences on career progression: • Developing a broad range of experience • Having specific experience in a relevant field • Gaining extra relevant qualifications • Taking on extra work responsibilities

I encourage you to speak directly with them about your concerns. If the support is clearly not going to be forthcoming, then the key is not to simply accept that you don’t have the support you need. If it is not forthcoming from one source then find another. It is estimated that we are each acquainted with around 500 people. 10% of those people will always be on our side – for example friends, close colleagues or someone whom you consider to be a mentor although this may never have been in a formal capacity – another 10% do not actually like us very much and may even try to block our development. The

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Working in a number of business areas

most interesting group of people are the 80% in the middle.

which to me implies a broader perspective of career progression

These are people who are neutral towards us, but who would

which encompasses any temporary or permanent job move, change of duties or additional responsibilities that provides

THE CHANGING NATURE OF CAREERS: HOW ARE YOU RESPONDING? Jan Shine FAUA, HR/Training Consultant, Paullus Consultancy

What should and should not be taught in our universities has long been a matter of heated debate

personal and professional development leading to greater knowledge, skills, effectiveness, productivity, professionalism,

support of the 10% who are our greatest fans.

What is your vision?

grade role is imperative in every career decision. So much

Although you may not have a clear idea of what your career

development and progression is derived from lateral moves

goals are, most of us can articulate what an ‘ideal’ job would

that offer alternative Perspectives.

look like – for example what kind of work would you be doing, would you be working with others or independently, would

What have you got going for you?

I realise that suggesting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis may not excite you and you

as it helps you focus in on transferable skills and identify potential

time there has been a shift away from the hierarchical rungs-of-the-ladder career route often predetermined by organisational factors such as structures and ‘conventions’ (for example doing your ‘time’ at a certain grade before moving on to a higher grade, well-trodden career pathways etc).

over the 10% who do not like us and we will always have the

others. This does not necessarily imply that moving to a higher

really well for situations where you are anticipating a career move

Over the years I have worked with many organisations, groups and individuals on personal and professional development issues. The need for proactive career management has been brought into sharper focus by the significant changes to the nature of careers in the last fifteen years. During that

is to focus on this 80%, as there is no point in trying to win

insight, self-awareness, behaviour change and awareness of

may be a little weary of using this tool. However, I find it works

Jan Shine

probably help us if we asked them for their support. The key

challenges and opportunities to enable you to develop for the

your role be internally or externally focused, how would you feel, what would others observe about you. By doing this kind of analysis, and even better writing it down, it enables you to make much more informed decisions about career and professional development to enable you to make choices that will take you closer to your vision rather than detract from it.

future not just for today. In AUA sessions we often use an extended

What constitutes a development opportunity?

version, ‘SWOT-IN’ which provides greater depth by adding in

Many colleagues focus on formal development opportunities

two additional factors, namely Inhibitors and Needs. Inhibitors

such as in-house staff development events, courses or

are factors that may limit your choices, for example transport,

programmes when considering how to meet their career

caring responsibilities, location, household income requirements

and professional development needs. If you think broadly

etc. Needs are factors that you feel are non-negotiable, for example

about personal and professional development with practice

role or organisational ‘fit’ with your personal work and life values.

you approach every day-to-day situation has having the

In the 21st Century where an ever-changing market demands

Of course, these changes also bring with them certain

As well as skills, knowledge, experience, strengths and attitude

potential to deliver personal and professional development. By

flexibility and agility to deliver ever more innovative products and

challenges. It is becoming harder to identify career paths that

don’t overlook resources available to you. For example, have you

‘piggybacking’ development on to work situations development

services, career decisions are much more driven by individuals.

will take us closer to our aspirations, harder to navigate our

explored the careers support resources available to students in your

is much less time consuming and sometimes more meaningful

Careers take different twists and turns as boundaries become

way around and make career choices, and easier to become

institution? Many of these resources are available on the intranet

learning and development, as it can be applied ‘in the

more blurred. This is great news for us as HE professionals as

distracted from our goals. One of the biggest dilemmas during

and you can use them to support your own personal and professional

moment’. If you need development that isn’t available in your

it means that we can take more control of our own careers and

our working lives can be deciding whether to stick with a

development. There are also really useful resources such as a

organisation then explore how you might make it happen. For

development. It releases us from the requirement to fit into a

specialised route that may limit career choices later on or to

Personal Development Record, CPD Activity Diary and Personal

example, you could collaborate with other areas of your own

prescriptive ‘route’ depending upon the role we start out in.

diversify early on and develop broader skills and knowledge.

Development Plan available on the members’ area of the AUA website.

institution to exchange or commission development opportunities,

It liberates us to be guided by our values and desire to achieve

or even establish a special interest group or consortium of

our full potential. It also means that organisational focus has

Whether you are anticipating your next move, happy where

shifted to recruiting, developing and retaining a ‘talent pool’

you are, in your first HE role, wanting to re-motivate yourself

rather than on career pathways. As a result, there has been

for your later career or actively seeking a change of career, I

Career support is critical. Line managers are the obvious

an increase in the number of requests from institutions for

encourage you to take a step back and reflect on your current

source of support and can be key to our development.

bespoke workshops on career development.

approach to career and professional development. The following

Many line managers are excellent developers of others and

paragraphs will, I hope, provide some useful prompts for you

actively seek and create development opportunities for their

How do you ensure you get the most out of development opportunities?

to do just that and offer an opportunity to identify any areas

colleagues. In my experience line manager support can be

One of the keys is to be self-aware of your own learning style

that may require some attention.

patchy depending upon the skills, knowledge and inclinations

preferences and on occasions where you have a choice of a

has remained constant through these changes, the skills and

of individual line managers. If you are not receiving as much

few options, choose activities that you enjoy. If you enjoy the

behaviours required in those roles are changing.

support as you would like from your own line manager,

activity the chances of remembering and being able to apply

But are we making the most of the opportunities that this shift presents us with? Even in jobs where the content and purpose

6 - Newslink Winter 2015

Who have you got going for you?

local HEIs for staff development purposes such as exchanges, shadowing, running joint development programmes.

Newslink Winter 2015 - 7

Q&A WITH ALISON JOHNS FAUA

what you have learned into your professional practice are

You could make a diary note to revisit the activity/materials

much higher. If none of the options available appeal to your

three months after the event, you could link with others who

interest, then focus in on which is the most applicable to your

may have shared the same development activity and form an

current role or the direction you want your career to go in. Your

action learning set for ongoing development, you could book

mind-set is a huge factor in determining how much value you

some time to discuss what you have learned and how you are

get out of development activities. Too often we sign up for a

applying it with your line manager or mentor. Don’t wait for

course or decide to undertake a development activity and then

your appraisal at the end of the year.

experience it without having given it any thought in between.

Two things are critical – do some preparation and start the activity ready to learn. Think about your objectives in advance and make some notes about the questions you have and what you specifically want to know, learn and take away from the activity.

How do you consolidate and apply what you learn?

Are you familiar with the AUA’s framework?

If you haven’t already given it any serious thought, discover or revisit the AUA’s CPD Framework and see how your career and professional development might benefit from it. The Good

Alison is Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.

She has worked in higher education for over 20 years where she has held a number of senior positions. Prior to her current role she was head of Policy for Leadership, Governance and Management and also had responsibility for the internal HR and organisational development function at the Hefce. Alison is the immediate past president of the AUA, and is the UK representative on the Association of Commonwealth Universities HRM Network. She speaks regularly on the subject of Leadership, Governance and Management of higher education nationally and internationally. Prior to higher education Alison worked in the private sector as a management consultant and before that was a career civil servant.

What does your role involve?

As Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation, my

What are you most proud of having achieved in the past year/your career so far?

role involves leading on strategic development, building

Past year - being appointed into my new role.

and maintaining good relationships with our members, stakeholders and the sector, ensuring the quality of our offer

Career - being part of a global higher education community.

and looking after the LF team.

The opportunity to grow and develop and my connections with great colleagues, institutions and AUA.

Practice Guide is now available to prompt some ideas about how it could meet your own needs and you will have other

What do you see as your most important aspect of your role as Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation?

What are your biggest challenges over the next six months?

Leading the team in the delivery of our aspirations and goals.

Translating our strategic dreams at the Leadership Foundation

Before during and after a development activity it is important

ideas too. It would be good to familiarise yourself with the

to build in reflection time – in other words planning what you

framework as it exemplifies the AUA’s values and is widely

are going to do before the event, thinking about what you are

used and respected in the sector. Find out more about the

doing whilst you are doing it and thinking about what you did

AUA’s accreditation scheme to gain recognition for your HE

after the event.

professionalism.

Building reflection into your everyday professional life is a

The nature of careers has changed over the last decade.

What are your short and long-term ambitions for the role?

good habit to develop. A few minutes at the end of the day

In summary, here are some top tips for responding to

We launched our new strategy Catalysing Change 2015- 2020

How will you tackle these issues?

works for me but you will find the time that best fits with your

those changes:

in January – a great (short!) read (www.lfhe.ac.uk/catalyst). Our

With the team, with our members and with the sector.

preferences and daily schedule. Using a model of reflection, for example the Gibbs model can be helpful to get you started and you may find that once you become more experienced that you will develop your own adaptations. Reflection is a purposeful thought activity that enables you to stand back and think about the impact of situations and make sense of experiences

• Think broadly about ways to meet your development needs • Build on your existing strengths • View all situations as potential opportunities for

• Be proactive in identifying and securing sources of support

knowledge that guides actions in future professional practice.

• Ensure your excellent performance and professionalism is

fact any experience that was meaningful or significant either

visible outside of your immediate area of work • Ensure that the image you project into your workplace and

in a positive or negative way. These reflections need to be

more widely in your organisation/the sector supports who

captured and there are many tools available to help you – for

you are, your aspirations and the AUA’s values and model of

example you could keep a journal, a learning log or blog.

professional behaviours

How do you keep the momentum going?

wider higher education community as the preferred partner to support their aspirations and needs.

What do you hope to achieve as Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation?

The delivery of our new strategy! This embodies delivery of high quality leadership development programmes and resources to train and support leaders, governors and managers, consultancy to help develop teams and higher education institutions, and research and good practice to underpin those.

Best - all of it, worst – not enough time to do all I want to do.

papers away or put them on a shelf and never think about it

8 - Newslink Winter 2015

is recognised throughout the world by our members and the

What are the best and worst things about your job?

So often we undertake a development activity and file the again. There are many ways to keep the momentum going.

leadership, governance and management development that

development

and acquire new understanding and construct meaning and

events that went particularly well, events that frustrate you; in

into reality.

ambition is to become the premier provider of higher education

in order to gain new insights, challenge your assumptions

You could reflect on events that had unexpected outcomes,

for leadership, governance and management in the sector

www.paullusconsultancy.com

What has been the most challenging thing you have faced in your professional life?

Like all people, there have been some tough moments in my career. The important thing is to tough it out, be resilient, learn from it and move on.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Follow your star! It came from Sir Terence English, heart transplant pioneer, who took risks, achieved great things for the benefit of others and put others wishes and needs before his when needed.

Did you map out your career early on or has it been accidental?

It has been organic, but I always had some secret and not so secret passions I wanted to follow, largely driven out of curiosity.

Newslink Winter 2015 - 9

What is your biggest professional achievement?

studying a subject because you think you ‘ought to’ do it.

Becoming the Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation.

What keeps you awake at night? and…. your biggest regret?

I don’t do regret!

What are your thoughts on the current UK HE sector?

First, it’s a brilliant place to work, however the unpredictability of the future for HEIs has never been so great, the increasing

Not much, but if it happens, just too many ideas running

but challenging. All this makes the need for high quality

• Actually, sometimes good enough is good enough.

• Just Do It! • Seek help.

What has changed most in higher education in the past 10 years?

Funding.

What is different about higher education now from when you started your career?

Not a lot and so much at the same time.

As a member of the Association, what are your thoughts on the AUA? AUA is a fantastic organisation - in some ways almost a best kept secret. I wouldn’t be doing the job I do today without the AUA.

In what way has your AUA membership been of most benefit to you?

The networks, friends, contacts and understanding of higher education I have gained through being a member of the

Valerie Stevenson, Head of Academic Services, Library Services, Liverpool John Moores University (v.stevenson@ljmu.ac.uk)

What are your tricks for managing the increasing demands associated with working in HE administration and management today?

• Keep strategically focused on what’s important.

and more needed.

Meriel Box, Head of Staff Development, Chair, UK ODHE Group, NW LF Regional Co-ordinator, FLFHE (m.box@ljmu.ac.uk)

around in my head.

complexity, volatility and ambiguity make it not only exciting leadership, governance and management even more relevant

RESPONDING TO HEIGHTENED STUDENT EXPECTATIONS THROUGH IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICES: LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY LIBRARY SERVICES (CPDF CASE STUDY)

What do you do for fun?

I like to build fun into whatever I do, including work.

This article focuses on how our Library Services are well equipped to respond to the challenges of heightened demands of students in the changing HE landscape, and maps on to the enhancing institutional performance through high quality staff and developing management and leadership capability professional competencies.

Thankfully the Leadership Foundation is a work hard, play hard organisation. Last Christmas we had a Hogwarts themed party.

Dressing up for that was fun. We had an almost full cast!

What are your hobbies?

I like to relax with my partner in Norfolk where I love cooking, restoring our house and walking.

Tell us about a book, show, film, play or work of art you love?

Baroque music – it is difficult to explain – it’s just so evocative.

Who from history would you most like to meet?

Julius Caesar.

AUA. It has served me well (although I didn’t expect that

Valerie Stevenson

Meriel Box

In 2011 an AUA Behaviours pilot project was implemented to

reflecting the increase in tuition fees and expectations of

develop leadership and management capability with a group of

excellent value for money.

when I joined). Also, the experience it gave me as a

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Grade 7 Library Services staff. Sixteen staff undertook the ILM

committee and executive member, chair and president have

My partner, our really good friends and family, perhaps a

Level 4 Certificate and the modular programme was mapped to

Staff work closely with student representatives, and students

all been invaluable.

really good comedian and some outstanding musicians for

the AUA Professional Behaviours Framework. The development

are treated as equals and as partners involved with continuous

entertainment.

project resulted in the staff feeling more confident in their

service improvements. Regular methods of gathering student

leadership and management capability with increased

opinion and feedback include:

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t be so hard on yourself.

What advice would you give someone starting out in higher education management and administration today?

Go for it, manage your own career, join the AUA and do their Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of going to university in 2015?

Think hard about what you enjoy. There’s nothing worse than

10 - Newslink Winter 2015

If you hadn’t followed a career in higher education management and administration, what do you think you would you have done?

I would have been a nurse. I had a place to study nursing at

self-awareness of their professional behaviours, including embracing change with increased autonomy, making decisions and reducing reliance on senior managers. The outcome from the pilot was aligned with Liverpool John Moores University’s ethos of ‘dream, plan, achieve’.

Newcastle University on the first degree course, but gave it

• A Critical Friends Group • A meeting each semester with the Liverpool Students Union elected officers • Academic Liaison Librarians’ attendance at Faculty Quality

up to become a career civil servant. I wanted to be a matron

Following three years of continuous application of the AUA

Assurance and Enhancement Committees and Boards of

- better uniform and hat! I grew up in a naval town. My first

professional behaviours across the Library Services which

Study

career ambition at the age of 4 was to be a road sweeper.

comprises 104 full-time equivalent (fte) library staff, 34 fte in professional roles (Grade 6 and above) and 70 fte in clerical/

• Analysis of NSS, mirror survey, PGT and other survey results

administrative roles, and with a staff/student ratio of 1:178. A

• Responding to ad hoc comments from the paper comment

culture of empowerment and collaboration is now embedded,

forms in libraries, Facebook, Twitter and our anonymous

along with the provision of exceptional service to students,

texting customer feedback service

Newslink Winter 2015 - 11

Four major improvements illustrate how our Library Services have responded to student demands to enhance their service provision: The Implementation of Automatic Renewals

The Student Learning Spaces Project

With the introduction of fees of £9,000 per annum in 2012,

During March 2014, a small scale study entitled the ‘Student

greater scrutiny began to be placed on university costs charged

Learning Spaces Experience’ commenced. Fifteen students

to students throughout their academic career. The Liverpool

completed a reflective log of their use of learning spaces

Students Union ran a high profile campaign investigating

over a three week period. One of the aims of this activity was

additional costs of undertaking a degree.

to establish how much the library, along with other learning spaces, was used as a study environment. The 15 students

In January 2014 Library Services implemented a service called

represented a broad range of academic disciplines and levels.

‘Automatic Renewals’ whereby eligible materials on loan to a

Students kept diaries and focused on their use of the physical

student would be automatically renewed should the item be

library spaces. Their observations are being used to inform

unrequested. This prevented students from being penalised for

discussions on the planning of a new library development due

maintaining an item, not required by anyone else. The initiative

to be opened in 2018. The project will continue involving more

was advertised through the Library Services Blog, Facebook

students over the next two years.

The Development of Community Partnerships In the past year staff and students have jointly played their part in the wider community through proactive civic engagement in developing mutually beneficial partnerships. The following examples illustrate the collaborative approach taken to enable students’ professional development and achievement: The Willy Russell Archive

Staff Summer Challenge

Six students from the Art School curated the exhibition,

Library Services run an annual Summer Challenge for all staff and

worked with Library archivists and Willy Russell, and produced

in 2014 the challenge was to define what ‘A Library Without

the exhibition brochure. 284 members of the public attended

Walls’ meant to them. Staff designed a completely different

the opening of the exhibition.

service model and a new role Faculty Information Consultants.

Our Day Out

• Faculty based teams: personal business cards with a photo An academic from the Faculty of Arts and Professional studies Screen School led a small Heritage lottery funded project

Page and Twitter account.

Suggestions for service developments included: and subject support detailed • VLE with digital software

Most of the students in the pilot cited that they preferred to

with a group of students who worked with elderly people in

The biggest impact was on fines income received, which

work in the Silent Study areas believing them to be conducive

Liverpool (via Age Concern one of LJMU’s Corporate Charities

dropped by 63% in 2013/14. Complaints and comments about

to concentration and scholarship. For some students the

and another charity), using images to stimulate memories of

fines dropped by 61%. These two metrics are evidence of the

library provided an opportunity to get away from distractions or

holidays and days out in Merseyside. The students recorded

positive financial impact the initiative had to the cost incurred

difficult situations at home. One student in a two week period

oral histories from the participants and helped them produce

• E-journals

by students.

visited the library 11 times for individual study.

digital and print postcards to send to their families. Prints

• 1hour response team for Twitter and Face Book comments

• Peripatetic Service - Roadshows and drop-ins for students • Helping staff with Mobile phone configurations

from the archive and the postcards and stories are currently

The Implementation of Late Night Opening of the Library Annually Library Services analyse the National Student Survey results to identify key trends or common issues with the service. In 2012 and 2013, a high number of negative comments were received from students in the School of

All students remarked on the effectiveness of the Social

• 10 minutes response to anonymous text service for Library noise email

Learning Spaces which provide greater variation of space and more seclusion.

The Homotopia exhibition England’s Erotic Dream

The students also favoured the Group Study Rooms used to

The original concept for the exhibition was a student degree

create informal ‘silent study’ areas for individuals or a group of

show, and 12 students from the Art School worked on the

friends wishing to pursue individual study.

design of the exhibition space in a city centre shopping mall

• Social media training for staff A trophy was presented to the winning team and a new Social Space was created for staff to practice their Social Media skills.

and staffed the pop-up gallery on a rota basis. The exhibition

Nursing and Allied Health whose study patterns do not follow the traditional September to May academic term and

exhibited at the Museum of Liverpool until September 2015.

Consolidated Services for students with disabilities

attracted 799 visitors.

Over the years Library Services has always worked closely

The professional expertise of the staff and their shared commitment to being a first-class, people centred library service; delivering outstanding customer-service in support of learning and teaching, research and scholarship has directly impacted on our students’ increased satisfaction with their learning experience year on year.

demanded extended library opening hours, in particular during the summer.

with IT Services and Student Advice and Wellbeing to As a result of the students’ demand, staff services were

offer accessible and inclusive services for all students and

extended till 11 pm. Additional Fire Wardens were funded to

customers of the library. Whilst the provision and adaptability

staff the Library from 7-11 pm in order to keep all floors

(to make reasonable adjustments) have been well received and

open allowing access to resources on a self-service approach.

ensured that the service is compliant with Disability Legislation and the Equality Act. The Critical Friends Group demanded a

The new opening hours were rolled out during the summer

more ‘joined up’ approach, both across the professional service

of 2013. Analysis showed that the service was well used not

areas and within the Library Service itself.

only by Nursing and Allied Health students but by a wider cross section of students. The additional hours were well used and

In response to the demand the Library management Team

given the overall cost of staffing them approximately £6,800 it

presented it as a specific ‘offer’ to students. A change in policy

was good value for money and invaluable to students.

was effected and the offer developed into a concise web

Staff can understand and are prepared to go the extra mile in responding fully to the individual needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Students are proudly supported by staff on their journey from pre-university to alumni. Testimony to this has been the result in the NSS 2014, Liverpool John Moores Learning Resources achieving 5% above the sector average at 90%.

In December 2014 the Library Services were externally assessed and achieved the Customer Service Excellence Award.

page, bringing together to promote the services available for students with disabilities.

The page is both informative and a landing page to access other support and facilities. (see www.ljmu.ac.uk/lea/123988.htm)

12 - Newslink Winter 2015

Newslink Winter 2015 - 13

ANNUAL LECTURE

ANNUAL LECTURE

A BRANCH PERSPECTIVE ON THE AUA ANNUAL LECTURE – MORE THAN JUST A LECTURE.

DIVERSITY IN LEADERSHIP, PROFESSOR JANET BEER, VICE-CHANCELLOR, OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY

Dr Mora McCallum MAUA, Faculty Education Manager and AUA Joint Branch Advocate, Faculty of Science, University of Bristol

Sam Bayley FAUA, AUA Trustee, Network Coordinator (Yorkshire and the North East), and Timetabling Manager, University of York

Professor Beer’s challenge to ESFs, and to HE institutions themselves, is to be more self-aware during the recruitment cycle

To travel and listen and engage more widely is a valuable and stimulating addition to our professional development Sam Bayley

Mora McCallum

I have attended the AUA Annual Lecture many times over the

The 17th AUA Annual Lecture was delivered by Professor

not translate to representation at senior levels. Across the EU,

years and I did so again this year in Oxford, more about

Janet Beer, the charismatic Vice-Chancellor of Oxford

only 13% of HEIs were headed by women in 2009, and in the

which can be found in Sam Bayley’s article in this issue of

Brookes University, who will be taking up a new role as VC

UK, women held just 20.5% of senior management roles. Add

Newslink. I enthusiastically recommend this key event in the

of the University of Liverpool in 2015. She will thus increase

these two factors together, and the results are truly staggering.

AUA’s calendar, as there is much more to it than the lecture

the number of female leaders of Russell Group institutions

Whereas 15.9% of white male academics in the UK are professors,

itself. It provides a valuable networking opportunity, not just

from one to three within the space of six months, alongside

only 2.8% of BME women make the same grade.

with members from other branches, the AUA National Office

Professor Alice Gast at Imperial College London and Professor

and our Trustees but also your own colleagues! Coordinating

Dame Nancy Rothwell at the University of Manchester. Such

Professor Beer scratched away at the surface of these statistics

travel with members from your branch is a good opportunity

absence of diversity amongst senior managers in the HE sector

to suggest underlying causes and how to address them. She

to get to know them better and to exchange ideas about future

was the subject of her thought-provoking lecture to some 150

challenged the record of executive search firms (ESFs), pointing

AUA members in the new John Henry Brookes Building at

to the inclusion of women on recruitment long-lists who rarely

Oxford Brookes University last November.

progress to shortlists. This could suggest a tokenistic approach

branch activities and the offer of a travel companion can often encourage others to make the journey. The lecture itself, which over the years has consistently provided high quality

to recruitment where women may be put for forward for unsuitable

and stimulating speakers (many of whom have subsequently written them up as papers for Perspectives), always gives a broader view of the HE sector, and it’s challenges and achievements. I enjoy the relative informality of the event, with time for questions and the preparedness of the speakers

Professor Beer is well qualified to present on this important

positions simply to bolster their ranks on the agencies’ reports.

issue; alongside her role at Oxford Brookes she is also

To address this, Professor Beer pushed for transparent publication

involved at a senior level in a number of HE roles, including

of data from ESFs, allowing employers and others to identify

with the Higher Education Public Information Steering Group,

where the system may be failing women.

Universities UK, UCAS, and the British Council.

to engage in discussion with the audience. What also occurred

Having said this, she acknowledged that ESFs may themselves

to me sitting in the John Henry Brookes Building at Oxford Brookes University was how nice it was not to be in London

Professor Beer began her talk by highlighting the attainment

be driven by institutions with a view of leadership that is too

and to be listening to the opinions of a Vice-Chancellor,

gap experienced by Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students

narrowly-defined. Leadership traits such as decisiveness and

speaking on their home turf, surrounded by their colleagues.

across the UK. Students from these backgrounds are 17.7%

assertiveness, seen by many to be masculine traits, appear

It left me with a feeling of belonging, not only to the AUA

worse off in their academic achievements when other factors

to affect decision-making through the unconscious bias of

but also to the sector in which I have worked for 20 years and

some time out of the office and to a lesser extent away from

are accounted for. Perhaps even more alarmingly, when NSS

selection panel members. This bias leads to the ‘cloning

e-mail. I believe that to travel and listen and engage more

results are broken down into ethnic groups, only white students

effect’, where senior managers have a tendency towards hiring

widely is a valuable and stimulating addition to our professional

score above average for overall student satisfaction.

individuals with similar traits to themselves.

studied for several more before that.

For many years now the presentation of the PgCert awards

development, whether that is on a personal, career or day-to-

has been allied to the lecture, which gives a positive, upbeat

day work level. The inclusion of a development event makes it

As Professor Beer explained, these worrying trends continue

Professor Beer’s challenge to ESFs, and to HE institutions

end to the event. Finishing off the evening with a glass of

a very productive day for those attending both.

into staff progression. Only 9.4% of UK BME academics are

themselves, is to be more self-aware during the recruitment

wine aids the continuation of debate prompted by the lecture,

professors, compared to 11.6% overall. There is an even more

cycle; asking “what skills and characteristics do we lack?”

with the exchange of sector gossip an added bonus! Other

The Annual Lecture is an important and long running event

stark difference when it comes to university senior managers

may result in a more diverse, and ultimately more effective,

aspects I enjoy about attending the Annual Lecture is the

in the AUA calendar, encompassing in miniature much

(1.2% are from BME backgrounds compared to 2.2% overall).

leadership team, able to better engage a much wider constituency.

opportunity to visit other institutions, explore their facilities,

of the essence of its big brother the Annual Conference

When it comes to the gender divide, Professor Beer pointed us

and compare, contrast and learn from alternative teaching,

and showcasing the key attributes of the Association. In

to the exponential growth of women entering HE worldwide (there

More controversially, Professor Beer supports the more

learning and support environments (on a much smaller scale

conclusion, the Annual Lecture is well worth the effort - make

are now 1.08 female students enrolled to every male). However,

than the Annual Conference but still interesting) and of course,

it one of your New Year resolutions to attend in 2015!

widespread use of quotas in recruitment, while acknowledging

she left us in no doubt that this population of women overall does

that for many quotas is a ‘dirty word’. However, she justifies

14 - Newslink Winter 2015

Newslink Winter 2015 - 15

this approach by pointing to the ability of targets to “concentrate

Perhaps the point that will resonate clearest with many AUA

minds”. Professor Beer hailed Dame Sally Davies, the Chief

members is the lack of opportunity for staff in professional

Medical Officer for England, who did just that by setting a

services roles to reach the highest peaks of university

minimum requirement of an Equality Change Unit (ECU) Athena

leadership. Professor Beer called for the “end to apartheid”

SWAN Silver Award (see www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charter-

between academic and professional services staff roles, with

marks/athena-swan/) for any medical schools applying for

more permeable boundaries at senior levels, and a focus on the

funding from the National Institute for Health Research. While

skills and qualities of individuals rather than simply assessing

Athena SWAN does not set specific recruitment targets for

their previous job roles and experience from their CV.

women, the good practice benchmarks the charter sets out

CONGRATULATIONS TO NEW FELLOWS AND PGCERT GRADUATES WHO WERE PRESENTED THEIR AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL LECTURE BY PROFESSOR JANET BEER FELLOWSHIP AWARDS John Baildam FAUA, Newbold College of Higher Education Eleanor Eiserman FAUA, London Business School

are seen as a good way to break the self-perpetuating cycle of

Professor Beer spoke of her wish that “someone else would

Chloe Gallien FAUA, University of Kent

“male, pale, and stale” senior management teams within HE.

make the point about diversity” when convening conference

Linda Lough FAUA, University of Kent Emma Sabzalieva FAUA, University of Oxford Beverley Windibank FAUA, Southampton Solent University (not pictured)

John Baildam

Emma Sabzalieva

Eleanor Eiserman

Linda Lough

Chloe Gallien

Professor Janet Beer

While Athena SWAN focusses on women within the Science,

speakers, compiling shortlists or building senior committees. In

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, it is

reality, all of us have a responsibility for incorporating this check

being used as the basis of one of the equality charter marks

into our daily practice. Encouraging diverse senior teams will

being developed by the ECU, as forward-thinking HEIs use its

make our universities more interesting and welcoming, and can

principles to address inequalities within their social sciences

only ultimately be good for the student experience.

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT - FULL AWARD Eleanor Day MAUA, UCL

and arts and humanities faculties. The ECU hope to replicate the success of Athena SWAN through their Race Equality

Readers wishing to gain further information on equality and

Charter Mark (www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charter-marks/race-

diversity issues may wish to refer to the Special Issue of

equality-charter-mark/), which is currently under development.

the AUA’s journal Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher

Professor Beer evidenced the significant impact of the Athena

Education. This issue, guest edited by Simonetta Manfredi and

SWAN charter on institutions, demonstrating how critical the

Sara Hunter, explores the impact of the 2010 Equality Act on

development of such schemes can be.

the HE sector.

Johanna Pursey AAUA, Royal Holloway, University of London

It is clear that the responsibility for creating balanced and diverse institutions must begin at the top. So one of Professor Beer’s simpler, but surely worthwhile ideas, was to encourage the inclusion of equality training to leadership development programmes and inductions for new members of governing boards.

16 - Newslink Winter 2015

Johanna Pursey

Eleanor Day

Newslink Winter 2015 - 17

GRADUATION IN ABSENTIA:

FEATURE ARTICLE

Harriet Barnes MAUA, QAA

Matthew Jones AAUA, University of Sheffield

Crawford Blagden MAUA, Queen Mary, University of London

Rosalind Ogden, St George’s, University of London

Caroline Brown University of Sheffield

Helen Ordidge MAUA, Aston University

Karen Browne, University of Kent

Sophie Osborne University of Bristol

Sioned Eleri Canning MAUA, Regent’s University London

Liz Pearce MAUA, University of Hull

Rebecca Elliot, University of Bristol

Helen Phipps Cliff College

Colin Ferguson MAUA, Durham University

Kevin Sales University College London

Sarah Forbes, University of Edinburgh

Georgi Sinclair MAUA, Leeds Beckett University

Angela Foxcroft MAUA, University of Liverpool

Clare Stogden MAUA, Newcastle University

Richard Glenton, Newcastle University

Maria Lisa Towes MAUA, Durham University

Heather Goldie MAUA, Regent’s University London

Kathryn Watson MAUA, University of Hull

Veronika Haacker-Lukacs MAUA,

Lucy Wilford-Brickwood AAUA, Newcastle University

PERSPECTIVES David Law, Principal Editor Perspectives

In 2015 Perspectives will be covering topics that AUA members cannot afford to ignore David Law

AUA membership includes a subscription to our quarterly review of policy and practice in higher education, including free online access to all past editions. Each year Perspectives publishes about 20 papers, many of them by AUA members, on a wide range of

The Royal College of Surgeons of England

subjects. We would very much wish to see more members submitting to the journal and next year, at the annual conference, we will award a prize to encourage more of you to write for us. Details of the AUA John Smith Essay Prize are available on the website.

GRADUATE TRAINEES - REFLECTIVE PRACTICE FOR WORK-BASED LEARNING GRADUATION IN ABSENTIA: Georgie Chesman, Kingston University

In 2015 Perspectives will be covering topics that AUA

In the publication pipeline we have Janet Beer’s AUA lecture

members cannot afford to ignore. Our themed issue on

from November 2014 on ‘Diversity in Leadership’, a paper from

‘Internationalisation of HE’ will be published and we will be

the 2014 AUA Conference on how the University of Leicester

developing a debate about the ways in which universities are

managed its public relations activities when it realised that

adapting to the new environment of market competition.

there was a King (Richard III) under a Leicester car park, and an analysis of the “innovation paradox” in China.

In the past year, the main pieces that we published were: • ‘Disruption and distinctiveness’ - Wendy Purcell (2013 AUA

POSTGRADUATE QUALIFICATIONS

Annual Lecture - 18.1)

• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership • Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership • MSc in Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership.

In partnership with AUA, Nottingham Trent University has developed two new courses designed specifically for managers and administrators within HE, offering a progression route for graduates of the AUA PgCert. The Postgraduate Diploma/MSc in HE Administration, Management & Leadership course(s) help participants to develop knowledge and skills in management and leadership that can be easily transferred to the workplace.

To find out more visit www.ntu.ac.uk and search for AUA

18 - Newslink Winter 2015

issue that will focus on how universities manage ‘Access’ and ‘non-standard’ routes into HE. Our guest editor for that

• ‘Intersection of gender and age’ - Michelle Gander (18.1)

If you completed the AUA Postgraduate Certificate Professional Practice in HE Management during the last five years, you qualify for direct progression to the diploma.

In the coming year we will be inviting contributions to a special

• ‘Valuing professional, managerial and administrative staff’ David Duncan (18.2) • ‘Constructions of professional identity’ - Kenton Lewis (18.2)

edition will be Professor Foskett, the current Vice-Chancellor of Keele University and formerly a Professor of Education at the University of Southampton.

Perspectives will thrive only if it is read and used by the AUA membership. The best way to maintain utility and keep the

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journal strong is for those members who lead projects and manage change in their institutions to produce jargon-free studies of real world problems/solutions. We all know that one of the characteristics of professionalism is a readiness to contribute to debate so that ideas can be tested through scrutiny.

Perspectives is your journal. Please use it and contribute to it.

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• ‘Middle managers’ - Rachel Birds (18.3)

persp ect ive s

• ‘Continuity and Change’ - Debate from the 2014 AUA Conference (18.3)

PO• LICY‘How AND did it come to this?’ - Colin Raban and PRAC TIC(18.4) David Cairns E IN H IGHER EDUC ATION • ‘Internationalisation – a new definition is needed’ -

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PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION

THE AUA JOHN SMITH ESSAY PRIZE 2015

Matthew Andrews FAUA, Deputy Chair of AUA and Academic Registrar, Oxford Brookes University

In 2015 the Editorial Board of Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education will be launching a competition for the best essay submitted on the topic of ‘Managers and Markets’. The closing date is 1 September 2015.

What should and should not be taught in our universities has long been a matter of heated debate

The £1500 prize will be formally awarded at the AUA’s annual conference in 2016.

Matthew Andrews

We are grateful to the John Smith Group for sponsorship of the prize. This group of companies, which includes campus bookshops, is dedicated to meeting the information needs of the education and professional services sectors.

Further information about the John Smith Group can be found on their website: www.johnsmithgroup.com.

To be considered for the prize, essays must be no longer than 4,000 words and must meet

So-called ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees have had a bad press for a

university was ‘not to make skilful lawyers, or physicians, or

couple decades but the criticism of new academic disciplines

engineers, but capable and cultivated human beings.’ What

long pre-dates Walt Disney’s loveable rodent. ‘It is not just

should and should not be taught in our universities has long

medicine and law that prove popular with students and

been a matter of heated debate, and the place of practical

employers’, the Times Higher Education noted in November

professional studies has perhaps been one of the more

2002, but ‘”quasi-academic” degrees are winning favour’ too.

contentious issues. In time, however, what is anathema to

Yet medicine and law have not always been seen as the bona

one generation can become celebrated, and few would now

Editorial Board will appoint a jury to decide

fide subjects of a higher education. In 1867, in his inaugural

argue that universities should not concern themselves with

the winner.

address as Rector to the University of St Andrews, John Stuart

law, medicine or engineering. There is certainly hope for the

Mill criticised ‘the English Universities’ which had ‘confined all

acceptance of ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees yet.

the standards for publication by Perspectives.

the stress’ of their teaching ’within the limits of two subjects,

Essays must be the original work of the

We do not wish to be restrictive about how

the classical languages and mathematics‘. But, despite his

Want to read more?

author and must not be re-presentations of

the topic is interpreted and we hope to receive

desire for breadth, Mill still declared that a university was ‘not

Mill’s complete address, published in 1867, is available on-line

work that has already been published in any

entries from colleagues working in many

a place of professional education’, and that the object of a

at http://bit.ly/1Ei4J1t

form. Only submissions that are exclusively

different professional areas across the higher

for consideration by Perspectives will be valid.

education sector. We only require that your

For further information about Perspectives

work is engaging and original. We expect to

please consult the AUA website.

publish the winning entry in Spring 2016.

It is a condition of entry that all submitted

There are no restrictions on who may submit

essays are made available for publication,

for this prize. Whilst we expect to see a focus

at the discretion of the Editorial Board.

on the challenges faced by either the UK

The Conference programme presents a broad spectrum of

With over 50 working sessions and two sets of parallel keynote

Submission can only be made through the

HE sector or one of its member institutions,

speakers and thought provoking and engaging content to

sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday from leading higher

on-line portal of our publisher, Taylor and

including related organisations, we invite

further your own professional development and knowledge

education specialists.

Francis. A covering letter must be attached

all comers and all kinds of approaches to

to indicate that the submission is for

the topic. Multiple authorship is acceptable

consideration in the prize competition. All

but please note that the prize is given for

entries that are accepted for publication are

the essay; if there is more than one named

automatically included on the short list. The

author the prize would be split equally.

Any questions about this competition should be sent to the Principal Editor of Perspectives: david.law@edgehill.ac.uk

ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION 2015 The 2015 Conference in Nottingham is fast approaching and if you’ve not booked your place head to the website to book your place.

of the higher education sector in 2015 with the opening plenary delivered by Professor Laurie Taylor and with plenaries

The Conference is the unmissable AUA event of 2015.

from Nick Hillman, Director, HEPI and Professor Sir David Greenaway, VC of University of Nottingham.

The recently announce plenary debate panel comprises: Professor Simonetta Manfredi, Centre for Diversity Policy Research, Oxford Brookes University, John Gill, Times Higher Education, Smita Jamdar, SGH Martineau and Dr Paul Greatrix, The University of Nottingham. The panel will be chaired by Professor Ruth Farwell, CBE, AUA Honorary President. The motion for discussion at the 2015 Conference is: “This House believes that little progress will be made on the diversity of senior leadership in HE without the introduction of quotas and/or targets.”

20 - Newslink Winter 2015

Newslink Winter 2015 - 21

NETWORK NEWS UNIVERSITY OF BATH NETWORK

FINANCE NETWORK Behaviours Framework, planning one’s career and how to get

The aim of this newly formed network is to share finance best

involved in the AUA.

practice, information and ideas that may impact on our work in our departments and faculties, the HE sector, and the wider

The Advocates, Shaun McGall, Carole Negre and Iain Forster

finance world (the latter in order to keep updated, especially

have planned an AUA lecture and seminar programme,

if in the future it may be adapted by the standard setters/

combining internal and external speakers, with the first of

regulatory bodies to impact on the HE sector).

these being a talk on the University’s Education Strategy.

PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION AND EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING: MIDLANDS NETWORK On Friday 28 November, the University of Northampton played host to two Midlands Seminars on the topics of Persuasive Communication and Decision Making.

The first Seminar provided an opportunity for delegates to

Monthly social events are also organised across campus, to

I hope network members will also share documents and

consider situations when persuasion was successful and

which AUA members and non-members are always invited.

snippets of information they have found from their regulatory

unsuccessful and offered an opportunity to break down

bodies, their institutions and generally in the media, and open

these situations to identify underlying reasons or causes

There was standing room only as Professor Bernie Morley, the

debate and conversation on their findings so that we can

for the success or otherwise of the situation. The session

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), addressed over

provide the best possible knowledge and support in our roles.

also considered the attributes of an effective persuader and

60 staff on the 2013 -2016 Education Strategy: Excellence

introduced the 5 plus 1 Ps of Personal Efficacy (Purpose,

in Education. There was a lively discussion following the

I also hope that we can have fun with the network, including

Psyche, Persistence, Personal Development, Passion and

presentation with questions ranging from the Operational

an annual social at a practical mid-point location so as many

Persuasion) and various models of persuasion.

Plan to delivering the objectives within the Strategy and how

network members as possible can attend, along with inviting

professional services staff can be supported to meet current

any AUA members with an interest in finance to tempt them

The second seminar, on decision-making, considered the

challenges facing UK higher education. The focus of the next

into our network or at least gain a better understanding of

psychological elements of decision-making and introduced

The University of Bath network has held its first few events of

event in our AUA Lecture and Seminar series is a talk on the

why we ask for things to be done a certain way! An event

various terms such as maximising and satisfying. A decision-

the academic year with its re-launch event focusing on career

AUA Study Tours.

that begins with a finance-themed presentation and ends

making tool was introduced which led to the creation a mind

with a social would hopefully lead to a boost in CPD hours

map which could help decision-making and argument mapping

development. Over 40 members and non-members from the University of Bath were joined by colleagues from Bath

for members of both the AUA and our various professional

in the production of academic assignments. Both seminars

Spa University to hear an inspiring talk from Tessa Harrison,

For more details please contact the Branch Advocates on:

accountancy bodies.

which were presented by Senior Psychology Lecturers were

the AUA Chair, on HE administration, the AUA’s Professional

aua@bath.ac.uk

Allison Biggs MAUA, University of Hull

intellectually stimulating and provided food for thought for workplace and wider business communications.

DEVELOPING A CAREER IN HIGHER EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION: SOUTH NETWORK

Find out more and join the network at:

Nick Allen MAUA, University of Northampton and

www.aua.ac.uk/pigroups-19-Finance.html.

Midlands joint Coordinator

The event was held on Friday 5 December at the University of Surrey in Guildford and was sponsored by Surrey and the University of Kent. The 34 participants were treated to very interesting and thought-provoking presentations by Dr Heather Moyes from Cardiff University, Helena Torres and Anne Rushworth from Kent and Tim Parry from Surrey. Heather’s 7 lessons and carols on her book “Managing your Career in Higher Education Administration” (jointly authored with Michelle Gander and Emma Sabzalieva) was informative and stimulated a lively discussion.

Heather’s emphasis on the importance of making purposeful contacts was picked up by Helena and Anne as they described how the Developing Management Skills programme had grown out of the partnership they had nurtured over a number of years. Their description of this programme and the other leadership and management programmes at Kent

Linda Lough

led neatly into Tim’s presentation on the review of staff learning and development at Surrey. The event was well received by those present and suggestions for the next event (April/May) include informal learning, implementing a shadowing scheme and live case studies on career paths including sideways moves and maintaining a reasonable work/life balance.

Linda Lough FAUA, University of Kent and South Coordinator

22 - Newslink Winter 2015

Allison Biggs

Nick Allen

Newslink Winter 2014 - 23

AUA ANGLIA AND LONDON QUIZ 2014

PRIVATE PROVIDERS NETWORK to address these problems working together with other AUA

Previously a regular highlight within the former London region,

The event was a fantastic success due to the hard work and

members. The aim? To pool ideas and resources to help

2013 saw the initial return of a seasonal quiz within the new

collaboration of AUA members, the University of Greenwich

themselves and others in the preparation for the significant

Anglia and London region and, in 2014, with the support of Emma

Students Union and the National Office, so huge thanks must

changes ahead; creating a forum for sharing knowledge to help

Price (AUA Quality Network Coordinator, Goldsmiths), Kate

go to them.

integrate alternative providers more fully with public providers

Southgate and Jenny Humphrey and Sarah Maguire (University

and vice versa. Their plans are to attract more AUA members

of Greenwich), on the 10 December 2014 the Anglia and London

Future events within the region are being planned, but should

working in private providers to share best practice and in doing

region held its annual quiz at the University of Greenwich.

any member within the region have an idea for a regional event, would like to run, present at or host an event for the region.

so, gain greater understanding within a supportive environment to help each other with the complexities associated with this.

Tee Holden

Clare Beckett (pic to follow)

The event gave colleagues from the region the opportunity to

Contact Mark Crittenden on M.Crittenden@gre.ac.uk

network, reflect on the last 12 months of 2014, partake in some In addition to the Professional Network, Tee and Clare are

healthy competition and also for some of the delegates the

After long careers in the public sector, Tee Holden and Clare

running an engaging and fully interactive session entitled

opportunity to retain their 2013 winners’ title.

Beckett have made the transition and are now working as

‘Private Providers - Ally or Enemy, Demystifying alternative

senior managers at SAE Institute, a private provider. They

providers’ at the AUA Annual Conference 2015, which will

With AUA members from University of Greenwich, UCL, Queen

quickly recognised that private and alternative providers face

bring together interested parties and form the launch-pad for

Mary University of London, London South Bank University,

a number of challenges in a fast changing landscape, not least

the dynamic and active new Network. Post-conference they

University of the Arts London and HE partners from the region

of which include the intricacies involved in aligning private

intend to hold their first Network meeting on 13 May at SAE

competing, teams were faced with 10 rounds including a; name

providers with government requirements for the public sector.

Institute Global Headquarters in Oxford and would welcome

the HEI crest round, London round, general knowledge, Christmas

new members to join the group in advance of this meeting.

music round and a seasonal film video round.

from alternative and private providers, they have decided on

You can learn more about Clare and Tee, forthcoming events

Despite claims that the posed some difficult questions,

a two pronged approach to tackling the issues faced head on;

and find their contact details at:

delegates reported that they all had a great event, appreciating

by setting a Private Provider Professional Network specifically

www.aua.ac.uk/pigroups-6-Private-Providers.html

the variety of the quiz as an event that gave the opportunity to

After much thought, consultation and networking with others

meet with collages within the region.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW NETWORK COORDINATORS

Ultimately the quiz was won by the South Bank Belles (including 2013 winner Nicola Hallas, John Baker, Caroline Gordon and

As well as our brand new networks we’d like to say a warm welcome to Sam Bayley FAUA, who has taken over as Yorkshire and

Sharon Holmes) and a small prize giving was arranged.

North East Coordinator, and Wendy Cairney MAUA who takes on the Scotland Coordinator role.

MIDLANDS REGIONAL CONFERENCE - 14 JANUARY 2015

“Networks are the

“I am delighted to be

backbone of the AUA,

taking on the role of

and Yorkshire and the

Co-ordinator for the

On 14 January, the Midlands Region held its Regional

senior administrators delivered a short presentation on how

North East has a wealth of

Scotland Network, for

Conference in Birmingham. Over 50 delegates from around

their university was facing forthcoming challenges in the higher

experience, energy, and

the last 4 years I have

the UK were invited to consider challenges faced by the higher

education sector and took questions from delegates.

enthusiastic members.

been the joint branch

education sector in 2015 with a range of presentations and

I’m therefore delighted to

advocate at Edinburgh

sessions. The opening keynote was delivered by Liz Shutt

The Midlands Region hold a series of Seminars and other

be taking on the Network

Napier University. It has

from University Alliance. She spoke about the higher education

events each year. If you are interested in finding out more

Coordinator role. My

been an interesting year

funding model and gave delegates much food for thought.

about our Seminars, please contact the Regional Co-ordinators

aim will be to bring the

in Scotland, I am sure

opportunities that the

you will all agree. My

Following the keynote, delegates were treated to a range of

AUA offers closer to our

aims will be to help grow

parallel sessions on topics including ‘A Changing Landscape for HE Governance’, ‘The Emerging Role of Graduate Trainees in

Sandra Mienczakowski (sandra.mienczakowski@nottingham.

members, and using our

membership (& recruit to

members’ thoughts and wishes to improve local and national

vacant advocate posts), widen participation through improved

HE’, ‘Improving Quality by Strategically Working with Students

services. I want to explore new ways of making the AUA

communication and explore new ways of working by using

as Partners’ and ‘Students, Universities and Consumer Law’.

relevant to institutions and individuals within our network, and

technology to help bring members from across the network

help our Advocates grow our membership levels so they can

together in more innovative ways. I am looking forward to

The Conference concluded with a Panel Discussion chaired

do more at local level.”

working with you all.”

by the AUA Chair, Tessa Harrison, who was joined by the

Sam Bayley FAUA, University of York

Wendy Cairney MAUA, Edinburgh Napier University

Registrar of the University of Nottingham, Dr Paul Greatrix, the

Find out more about the Yorkshire and North East network at

Find out more about the Scotland network at www.aua.ac.uk/

Taylor and the University Secretary and Director of Operations

www.aua.ac.uk/Geographical_Networks_more.aspx?ID=12

Geographical_Networks_more.aspx?ID=7

at Birmingham City University, Christine Abbott. Each of these

ac.uk) or Nick Allen (nick.allen@northampton.ac.uk).

Chief Operating Officer of Loughborough University, Richard

24 - Newslink Winter 2015

Newslink Winter 2015 - 25

UPCOMING AUA EVENTS

AUA NEWS

AUA HONORARY PRESIDENT, RUTH FARWELL RECOGNISED IN NEW YEAR’S HONOURS LIST

MARCH 2015

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higher education.

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Professor Ruth Farwell said: “I am absolutely

Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015 (Nottingham)

Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015 (Nottingham)

South Wales and South West Conference (Bristol)

JUNE 2015

JULY 2015

AUGUST 2015

delighted that my career has been honoured in this way and want to thank all of those people who have kindly sent me congratulatory messages since the public announcement. I personally

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Anglia and London Conference (London, 12 June) Introduction to Higher Education: A Professional Toolkit (Manchester)

Managing Change in HE (London)

Presently, she is Vice-Chancellor of Buckinghamshire

SEPTEMBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015

New University. Ruth is a serving executive

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Professor Ruth Farwell is a mathematician by background. Following a succession of posts at the University of Brighton she was Pro Vice-

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Chancellor at London South Bank University.

member of the HE representative body, GuildHE

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and a board member of the Higher Education

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Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the

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She is a member of the London Mathematical

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Society and the Higher Education Academy

Ruth Farwell

`

Development Conference and Annual Lecture (York) DECEMBER 2015

Issue Number 79, Summer 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Annual Conference and Exhibition 2014

REVISION OF INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN ISSUE 79

IMPORTANT

Unfortunately, the axes in Figure 1 of Kenton Lewis’ Are you busy? article in Issue 79 of Newslink were depicted incorrectly. These have been corrected

URGENT

How to give great presentations

Yes

The future of higher education in Scotland

on the members’ section of the AUA website, and the graphic is presented here in its correct version.

26 - Newslink Winter 2015

No

in the .pdf version of Newslink available

Yes

No

First importance tasks you have to DO them now

Tasks to be delegated NOT added-value tasks

1

3

DO

DELEGATE

Tasks you must PLAN or they’ll become urgent (1)

Tasks to be eliminated or they’ll become (3)

2

PLAN

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ELIMINATE

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Introduction to Higher Education: A Professional Toolkit (London)

For further details about AUA events please visit www.aua.ac.uk

Newslink Winter 2015 - 27

AUA STAFF STARTERS...

...AND LEAVERS

Jane Reid, Programme Manager and Project Officer (Professional Development)

Lauren Tidey Events Assistant

Laura Ashcroft, Project Officer (Membership and Networks)

Pamela Johnson Administrative Assistant

I started at the AUA in October 2014 as the Project Officer

Hi there! I am the current Events Assistant at the AUA and

It is with a heavy heart that I will be leaving AUA at the start

Working together, helping and supporting each other towards

in Professional Development so I am still new to the

have travelled a short distance down Oxford Road as I’m on

of January and taking up a new role as Teaching and Learning

common goals, and resorting to cakes when we are flagging -

organisation. In my role, I am the Programme Manager for

placement from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Project Officer for the new Engineering Campus Development

this has been my experience of working with my wonderful

at University of Manchester.

AUA colleagues!

the AUA’s Postgraduate Certificate. This involves the day to day management of the qualification and facilitating the

Having worked at the AUA for just under 6 months I have

strategic development of the programme. The role is varied

gained valuable industry and sector knowledge (which, from

During my time with the AUA I’ve learnt a huge amount and

Working at the AUA has been a pleasure, but I am now moving

and challenging and I am enjoying putting my 8 years’ worth

a student’s point of view has been very interesting). I help

developed my skill-set to a point that it’s unrecognisable

on. My role has been varied and sometimes challenging. I

of experience in the HE sector to good use and look forward

coordinate all of the events that the AUA runs throughout

compared to when I started. I’ve been given many opportunities

have mostly supported the administration of the Postgraduate

to developing my skills and experience further in my new role.

the year from the venue right through to feedback. Working

to develop and always had the support of the team in the office

Certificate in Higher Education Administration, Management

When I am not at work I like to travel, read or go to the cinema

here has opened my eyes to the world of events and higher

and the Board of Trustees to do that. If it wasn’t for the trust,

and Leadership. This has brought me into contact with a wide

whilst pretending to be a regular gym goer.

education as well as emphasising my obsession with

responsibility and support I’ve been given, I wouldn’t be a in a

variety of interesting people from students to academics.

organisation!! Outside of work I like to socialise with a glass of

position to take that next step in my career.

However I have also supported some of the AUA’s 3rd party

wine, watch the most successful club in Manchester (United)

activities and been involved in events in Birmingham and London.

and make valuable time for my friends and family. After my year

I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone

at the AUA, I’m aiming to graduate with a 1st and ultimately

who I’ve worked with over the last five years, it’s been a

I am now about to embark on a new journey as a Programmes

either organise events or have an event recruitment company

pleasure for me to work with you all, and in particular the

Administrator at the University of Manchester, supporting

for a living. Think Big!!

Advocates and Network Coordinators. I have promised to join

Philosophy undergraduates. Although I am sorry to say goodbye

AUA as a member when I start my new role so I hope it’s not

to my AUA colleagues, I am certain we will keep in touch, as I

so much goodbye, more see you later!

shall be staying with the AUA as a member.

So, AUA ladies and gents, ‘adieu’, and thank you for your unstinting professionalism, cheerfulness - and cakes.

28 - Newslink Summer 2014

Newslink Winter 2015 - 29

The AUA exists to advance and promote the professional recognition and development of all who work in professional services roles in higher education, and to be an authoritative advocate and champion for the sector.

As an organisation, we exist for our members. We offer support to help you enhance careers, boost your job prospects and create valuable networking opportunities. In short, we empower our members to take control of their career development.

Feeling inspired? If you would like to submit an article for future issues of Newslink or recommend areas you would like to see covered, please get in touch with us at: aua@aua.ac.uk Follow @The_AUA on Twitter and join our members group on LinkedIn for all our latest news.

We appreciate your thoughts and feedback on Newslink and your comments help us to develop future issues. If you would like to provide any comments or feedback, please send to: aua@aua.ac.uk

The views and opinions expressed in Newslink are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of their institutions, or of the Editor, nor should they be considered as expressions of opinion or official policy of the Association of the University Administrators (AUA).

AUA National Office The University of Manchester, Sackville Street Building, Sackville Street, Manchester, M60 1QD +44

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