Transcript Slide 1

Strategy to join the elite: merger and the
2015 agenda for the University of
Manchester
Luke Georghiou
MIoIR, Manchester Business School
University of Manchester
http://www.mbs.ac.uk/PREST
Outline
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Rationale for merger and new university
Process of change
The 2015 Agenda
Progress and Challenges
The “new” University of Manchester
• Victoria University of Manchester and
UMIST merged in October 2004 to form
UK’s largest university
• The 2015 Vision of the new institution –
overall objective set out in Vision
Document Manchester 2015
To make the University of Manchester,
already an internationally distinguished
centre of research, innovation learning
and scholarly inquiry, one of the leading
universities in the world by 2015.
• Aiming for distinctive identity that
equalled but did not emulate the UK’s
“Golden Triangle” or the US Ivy League
Rationale
• UMIST smaller technical university with
management school
• Victoria University of Manchester (VUM) large
comprehensive university
• Internal rationale
– Retiring Vice-Chancellors
– UMIST vulnerable to shocks in student markets
– VUM concerned about investment needs to stay
competitive especially in physical sciences
– Historical close relationship and adjoining campuses
DRIVERS OF CHANGE
FOR HIGHER
EDUCATION
INTERNATIONALISATION
International
mobility
International
governance
e-learning
New entrants
Competition
Tuition
fees
Insufficient
resources
BUSINESS
Globalisation
Specialisation
Differentiation
Commercialisation
Open
innovation
Business
Cooperation
RESEARCH
New research
technologies
Student
consumerism
STUDENT
NUMBERS
Widening
participation
Demographic
change
External rationale
• The global pressures just depicted
• National problem of uni-nodal economy
• Greater Manchester successful economic
regeneration but to shift to knowledge
based economy needs world class
academic institution
Process of change
• 4 options considered
– Grassroots collaboration
– Federal collaboration
– Trade model
– Combined institution
• Dissolution and new foundation chosen
• Stages of due diligence and obtaining buyin from governing bodies, staff and
students
Investment
• Total merger cost of £300m estimated, most on
estates
• Funded through formula allocations, reserves,
disposal of surplus assets and contributions from
regional and national authorities
• Interim legal status of Company Limited by
Guarantee
• Key appointee new President and ViceChancellor present 8 months ahead of taking
office to allow strategy to be developed
Merger a success
• Little or no persistence of old identities
• Little or no disruption of students and courses
• UK’s biggest ever academic capital programme on time
and budget
• Main problem area in IT systems
• Success factors
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Clear strategic rationale
Universities similar research standing
External support and resources
Internal support from staff and students
Contiguous campuses
No dispute about CEO position
2015 Vision
• Initially drafted in 2004 with strong
leadership from new President and ViceChancellor
• Consultative process with all staff
• Reviewed annually by Board of Governors
and Senior staff and some changes made
in light of experience
Strategy Encapsulated in 9 Goals
1 High International Standing
• To establish The University of Manchester as a world renowned centre of scholarship
and research by 2015. To match the leading universities in the world in attracting and
retaining teachers, researchers and 'critical mass' research teams of the highest
quality. To be a higher education brand synonymous with the finest international
standards of academic excellence with pioneering, influential and exciting research
and scholarship.
2 World Class Research
• To establish the University of Manchester by 2015 among the 25 strongest research
universities in the world on commonly accepted criteria of research excellence and
performance.
3 Exemplary Knowledge and Technology Transfer
• To contribute to economic development regionally, nationally and internationally, and
to greatly increase opportunities for the University and its staff and students to benefit
from the commercialisation and application of the knowledge, expertise and
intellectual property (IP) that they develop in the University.
4 Excellent Teaching and Learning
• To provide students with teachers, learning environments, teaching and learning
infrastructure and support services equal to the best in the world.
5 Widening Participation
• To make the University of Manchester the UK's most accessible research-intensive
university by providing international students from educationally deprived
backgrounds and home students from traditionally under-represented sections of
society with a supportive learning environment in an inclusive and welcoming
university community.
6 Empowering Collegiality
• To maintain The University of Manchester as a collegial community to which staff of
the highest calibre are attracted, and within which all staff, whatever their roles or
functions, may be proud of their University, are able to identify with its aspirations and
are informed, enabled and encouraged to take appropriate responsibility for its
direction, development and management.
7 Efficient, Effective Management
• To maintain management systems, processes and services at all levels of the
University that are open, supportive and empowering, responsive to academic needs,
strategically focused and exemplary in meeting all internal and external obligations
and responsibilities, and able to provide the University with a competitive advantage
in its pursuit of the Manchester 2015 Agenda.
8 Internationally Competitive Resources
• To ensure the University acquires the recurrent and capital resources necessary to be
competitive at the highest international level.
9 More Effective Community Service
• To contribute to the social, cultural and economic development of North West
England, and in a broader national and international context to the development of a
secure, humane, prosperous and sustainable future for human society.
2015 Agenda – Key Goals and Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Goal 1 High International Standing
Present KPIs
• Clear evidence of improvement in standing
as measured by reputable international
higher education rankings
• Appointing a number of ‘iconic’ scholars: 5
Nobel Laureates on staff by 2015, 3 by
2008
2015 Agenda
Goal Two: World Class Research
Initial KPIs
• 50% staff international quality 2008; 70% 2015
• Doubling real research income by 2015
• Doubling postgraduate research students and postdocs
by 2015
Present modified KPIs
• Annual increase in share of high impact research
publications
• Doubling real external grant income by 2015
• Treble research expenditure by 2015
• Double no of PGR students successfully completing and
no of postdocs by 2015
2015 Agenda
Goal 3 Exemplary Knowledge Transfer
KPIs
• 10% pa increase in invention disclosures
• Increase proportion of research income
from industry from 8% 2004 to 20% 2015
• Measuring amount of 3rd party investment
attracted by spin-off companies
2015 Agenda
Goal 4 Excellent Teaching and Learning
KPIs
• Annual increases in student satisfaction
• Annual increases in employer satisfaction
• Annual in promotions based on teaching
2015 Agenda
Goal 8 Internationally Competitive Resources
KPIs
• Increase Unit of Resource by 50% (real) by 2015
• Triple (real) revenues from overseas students by
2015
• Ten-fold increase in income from benefactions
by 2015
Progress to Date –
Achievements
• Two Nobel laureates signed (one paid for
by large donation) plus another iconic
appointment, several more in pipeline
• Research income growth ahead of
schedule TARE rose 45% in 3 years
• Most popular in terms of student
applications – growing when others falling
• External recognition – Times Higher and
Sunday Times University of the Year in
successive years
• Some movement up the rankings but not
enough
Highly Cited Researchers
Score on HiCi 24.3
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
10
0
97
93
89
85
81
76
73
69
65
61
56
53
48
45
41
37
33
29
25
21
17
13
8
5
1
0
•Among the 250 most cited researchers per main field in a 20 year rolling period
Challenges
• Financial
– Large operating deficit in 2006 (£30m on £601m turnover)
– Driven by larger than expected national salary settlements, growth of
staff numbers by 2,800, investment ahead of RAE and structural deficit
through duplication
– Early retirement and voluntary severance scheme reduced staff (mainly
admin) by 630 for balanced budget this year
– Highlights marginal nature of academic finances and vulnerability to
shocks meaning must maintain drive for productivity gain and growth of
high revenue areas
• Balancing teaching and research
– Initial push for research gave students impression of neglect
– University now launched challenging initiative to re-personalise
undergraduate education while gaining efficiency through e-learning and
Graduate Teaching Assistants
– Promotion tracks available for teaching and knowledge transfer
specialist as well as conventional careers
Looking forward
• Seven years to 2015
– Short period in terms of time to build reputation
– Major renewal of goals imminent to keep momentum
of change
• Achieving top 25 is not an endpoint as nature of
modern university and society’s expectations of
it still advancing
• Seeking to redefine rules for excellence
– Revive slogan of the Industrial Revolution
• “What Manchester does today, the World does
tomorrow.”