Annual Review and Financial Statements 2016/17
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Annual Review and Financial Statements 2016/17 No. 1 97.5% of our graduates are for Employability* in employment staffs.ac.uk 1 Contents 03 Chair’s Foreword 04 Vice-Chancellor’s Report 06 Connected Strategy 10 Key Highlights 12 Financial Review 16-27 Academic Schools 28 Campus Transformation 30 Higher Apprenticeships 31 Employability 32 Student Experience 34 Sport at Staffordshire University 36 Research 38 Sustainability 39 Collaborative Academic Workshops 40 Future Risks and Uncertainties 42 Corporate Governance 44 Responsibility of the Board of Governors 46 List of Governors, Executive and Advisors 47 Auditor’s Report and Opinion 48-71 Financial Statements 2 Annual Review and Financial Statements 2016-17 Chair’s foreword It was enormously pleasing to across the region in many ways, learn that the University achieved particularly with Staffordshire County a silver rating in the Government’s Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, new national Teaching Excellence Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce Framework (TEF) assessment. We and Stoke-on-Trent with Staffordshire are confident of upgrading this to Local Enterprise Partnership. gold within the next few years. We are also extremely proud of our As a Board, we are continually number one ranking for employability looking at how we can improve our among English Universities (excluding own performance, too. From August specialist institutions), a deserved 2017, the number of independent recognition of our talented people. Board members will be reduced from 16 to 10 as we look to work The Board is indebted to our more efficiently and effectively. We ambitious and committed academic have also introduced a Strategy and David Gage MBE, DL and support staff for their vital Performance Committee to further Chair of the Board of Governors contributions to achieving these improve the way the Board operates fantastic outcomes. I also thank the in these critical areas. Students’ Union for its excellent “I am extremely encouraged by working relationship with our Several Board members retired this all that has been achieved at managers. year. Many thanks to Gary Crowe, Richard Hey, Martin Fiddler, Barry Staffordshire University over You can read more of our Machin and Elaine Simpson for the last year. The University’s achievements and ambitions in our their contributions during their Board has approved new five- Vice Chancellor’s report. time serving the Board and our year financial and strategic committees. As we move forward, I firmly believe plans and we are confident that that Staffordshire University has a And finally, it was a privilege to our University will be a force to critical role to play in: join students and their families at reckon with in the ever-more our Graduation Week at Trentham (i) developing the next generation of Gardens in July. It was a marvellous competitive higher education graduate-level employees and occasion to celebrate their environment. entrepreneurs to close the achievements and welcome our new At the same time, under the regional skills gap honorary doctors. As indeed was the installation of Professor Barnes as dynamic leadership of the (ii) supporting and encouraging Vice Chancellor at Stoke Minster at Vice Chancellor, Professor Liz regional, national and global the beginning of the year, where we Barnes, we have refreshed the employers to innovate and grow celebrated with her family and the University’s friends and partners from executive and senior leadership (iii) improving social mobility by the UK and beyond. The Board looks teams, realigned the structure increasing the opportunities forward to continuing to work closely of our schools, and focussed for people to gain a Staffordshire with her over the next 12 months. determinedly on providing an University award. outstanding student experience.” To help us achieve these aspirations, David Gage MBE, DL we are engaged collaboratively Chair of the Board of Governors staffs.ac.uk 3 Vice-Chancellor’s report At the heart of everything we do is We have completed our first year “It is now over 12 months since our unrelenting focus on putting our on the new consolidated campus in I became Vice Chancellor and students first and providing an excellent Stoke-on-Trent, where our students and student experience, enabling them to staff have enjoyed working in our new Chief Executive at Staffordshire achieve the best they can. Our core TV, music and stop animation studios, University. During this time, I themes of Innovative and Applied computer gaming labs, digital learning have been proud to lead the Learning, Connecting Communities, and teaching hub, the Beacon building, and Talented People, reflect our and our collaborative space, The Digital University through what has approach to staff, students and our Kiln. We also created two ‘Centres of been a transformative period, as communities, as we work together Excellence in Healthcare Education’ in we begin to implement our new to enhance performance and deliver Stafford and Shrewsbury to support our ‘Connected’ strategy. benefits for all. regional health demands. Computing has been a key part of The higher education sector has our offering for over half a century faced a challenging landscape Connected Highlights – we celebrated 50 years since the introduction of our first computing for several years now, but We have created an agile, student- course last year. We were therefore the last 12 months have been delighted to be recognised as the focused academic model, with especially so, with by-elections, a number one university for computer six new schools anchored around general election, the triggering of games and games design courses by portfolio strengths and aligned with the leading online lifestyle and culture Article 50, new metric demands, regional and national priorities: magazine, Alphr.com. Our strengths in increased competition and a new this area were also demonstrated by us Higher Education Bill adding yet 1. Computing and Digital becoming the first university to put its IT Technologies infrastructure and data into the Cloud, more uncertainty to the sector. marking another step towards our 2. Business, Leadership and ambition of becoming a leading digital With our new strategy – The Economics university. Connected University – we have 3. Creative Arts and Engineering We were equally proud to be awarded a catalyst to adapt, shape and 4. Health and Social Care a silver rating in the Government’s drive the future direction of the new Teaching Excellence Framework, University as we address these 5. Life Sciences and Education in recognition of our teaching, our contribution to improving the skills gap challenges.” 6. Law, Policing and Forensics in our region, and our investment in new facilities and digital technologies. 4 Annual Review and Financial Statements 2016-17 Supporting our graduates to find and are determined to play a key role employment is a priority. We continue in developing a ‘smart Staffordshire’, to increase the number of employers capitalising on our success and expertise Staff Success we work with and the opportunities around computer gaming, big data and for students to experience real-world future technologies. I was pleased to report during learning through initiatives such as our graduation ceremonies the placements, live briefs and employer- Applied Connectivity success of many of our staff informed courses. Our applied research strategy is about members, and to recognise impact. The Centre for Health and the hugely positive response It was also immensely satisfying this year Development is an innovative partnership to our student-nominated staff to see a big improvement in graduate between the University, Stoke-on-Trent awards. outcomes. In the most recent Destination City Council and Staffordshire County of Leavers from Higher Education survey, Council, with the aim of reducing health Of particular note is the we are the number one English university and social inequalities and improving Higher Education Academy for employability, with 97 per cent of our the health and wellbeing of our local graduates in employment or further study population. We aim to achieve this by National Teaching Fellowship six months after graduation. We also saw carrying out high quality translational and awarded to Professor Fiona 80 per cent of our students in graduate internationally recognised research. Tweed, and the Forensic level jobs, increasing our ‘graduate Science team’s shortlisting prospects’ ranking by 100 places to 41. A good example of this is the work for a Collaborative Award for being done by Dr Caroline Sturdy Colls, Teaching Excellence. We received further national recognition Professor in Forensic Archaeology and as one of eight universities with a Genocide Investigation, who is working special commendation for our Higher with colleagues in Computer Games Achievements like these show Education Innovation Fund strategy. The Design and external partners, including that our values: commendation highlighted our strength Staffordshire Police, Advanced Laser as a regional and civic university and Imaging and Epic Games, on a digital • Proud to be Staffs noted our clear ambitions for the role and forensic archaeology project. contribution that Staffordshire University • Ambitious and makes in our region. The project seeks to develop and apply novel digital recording methods from Inspirational Creating Connections archaeology and games technology, Connectivity is integral to our success, including 4D and 5D simulation, to • Curious and