Strategic Vision Strategic Vision Strategic Vision
Keele University was founded more than 70 years ago to prepare our students for an uncertain, post-war world Welcome to Our Future: and to support wider society through research in partnership A strategic vision for Keele with others. This ambition is as relevant and important now as it was then; though we are facing a different set of challenges and navigating new uncertainties. Our new strategy for Keele gives an opportunity to re-state our purpose and founding commitments, as well as providing a road map for new directions that will ensure our future success. Our Future is a living document that will evolve over the years to respond flexibly to the changing economic and HE landscape.
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Our strategic plan is articulated through a clear sense of purpose and knowledge of what our performance needs to be to achieve this. Keele University has a strong sense of community. We recognise how our place in the UK partly defines us and what we do but that brings with it a determination to be global in outlook and international in action. Ultimately, our success comes from our people and the partnerships we forge, nurture and cherish.
Purpose | People | Place | Partnerships | Performance
Our success in education and research will be underpinned by these – the five core tenets of our strategic plan – and our commitment to delivering the very best for all Dame Jo Williams those who work, study and research at Keele. CBE, DBE Our founding mission has not changed: Pro-Chancellor “Making a difference in society by providing innovative, high-quality education for students from all backgrounds and by undertaking world-leading research that transforms understanding and brings benefit to society, communities and individuals.” This strategic vision provides an overview of the Our Future plan, which has been developed over many months with engagement from staff, students and graduates as well as wider partners and stakeholders. It will give us new confidence, agility and the ambition required to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead. Professor Trevor McMillan We look forward to working with you to PhD, MRCP(Hon), FRCR(Hon), FRSB deliver Our Future – a new chapter in the Vice-Chancellor history of Keele University.
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In delivering Our Future we Crucially, Our Future will will continue to harness the underpin the key areas where Keele Difference: a culture we intend to invest and grow, of engagement, inclusion alongside a consistent focus and cohesion that allows a on driving efficiencies and progressive view of the world sustainability. to flourish and gives our staff, We are developing a number students and graduates the skills of strategic projects that will and opportunities to thrive. move this strategy from the Our Future was endorsed and incremental to the transformative; approved by the University shaping Keele to be fit for the Council in May 2019. It sets out future and moving us forward our strategic vision and aims to into one of the most important ensure that Keele has a planned periods in the institution’s long and proactive approach to meet and successful history. current and future challenges as well as being agile enough to respond to the shifting landscape.
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Our mission is built We will be: • A university that delivers a broad-base Key enablers: of innovative education as a means on a belief in: • The Keele Institute for Innovation to develop individuals’ strengths and • The transformative capacity of a and Teaching Excellence (KIITE) flexibility for the future. Our students will university education for individuals, and an Education Vision; inspiring see the world differently and stand out communities and society; a portfolio and curriculum that is in their determination to make a positive innovative, attractive and dynamic. • The importance of advancing difference; demonstrating this through knowledge through independent, high their knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs • Our flagship interdisciplinary quality research and academic enquiry; in a tolerant, diverse society that delivers Research Institutes in Global • The critical role of education and equality of opportunity. Health, Social Inclusion and research in transcending national Sustainable Futures. • A university that educates professionals fit and social boundaries; for a modern world through programmes • The New Keele Deal, Keele Deal • Leadership in environmental that are designed by world-leading | Culture and Keele Deal | Health sustainability as a critical behaviour academics and practitioners who aim re-affirming our civic leadership to secure a sustainable future; to educate students for their future. role and making real commitments • Valuing and celebrating the rights, We will provoke our students to look to to the futures of local communities. responsibilities, dignity, health and the future whilst establishing them firmly • The Institute of Liberal Arts and wellbeing of individuals through in the knowledge and needs of the present. Sciences; as a focus for ensuring a living commitment to equality, Our students will not only enter the that we are examining key societal diversity and inclusion. future workplace, they will create it. challenges. Proud of our heritage, we will take the • A propagator of world-class research • The provision of efficient, effective spirit of Lord Lindsay’s vision for Keele and researchers that push at the limits of and excellent professional and reimagine it for the future. This will current knowledge and understanding; services that support academic allow us to continue to deliver: innovative ensuring that the outputs have impact colleagues and students in education that is conscious of the through our teaching, public engagement pursuing outstanding education practical benefits it has for students; and the partnerships we form. and research. high quality, impactful research that is • An anchor higher education institution mindful of the benefits that it has to local that makes a genuine and measurable communities and wider society; and a difference to the health, culture and diverse, vibrant, tolerant and supportive economy of our region. university community that will enhance the experience of all who live and work • A beacon for environmental sustainability
Purpose at Keele and those who partner with us. in how we live, work and play.
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We will: • Expect our staff, students and partners Key enablers: to live by the values of: collegiality, • An effective two-way ambition, accountability, respect, communication understanding fairness and consistency. between all members of the • Provide an exceptional student experience Keele community. that celebrates the diversity of our • A strong spirit of partnership backgrounds and experiences, informed and collaboration with the by a vibrant and inclusive student voice. Keele University Students’ • Be a university that recognises international Union and the Keele staff and students as highly valued Postgraduate Association. contributors to our community, enhancing • A People Strategy and a the experience of all. Health and Wellbeing Strategy • Provide a safe, inclusive community for that provides the framework for students and staff, which promotes a sense our commitment and approach of belonging, good mental health and to supporting staff and student wellbeing and opportunities for students health and wellbeing, treating to contribute across the full spectrum of the mental health of our their academic, social and civic lives. students as a matter of the highest priority. We will ensure • Give all our staff the opportunity to develop that all colleagues feel valued Keele’s dynamic and supportive the skills, tools and working practices to and appropriately rewarded community is at the heart of its do their jobs. We recognise the diversity of and supported. success. We will embrace with clear our efficient, effective and talented staff as • A strong commitment to and uncompromising demand the key to our success. Developing the digital equality, diversity and inclusion, fostering of working relationships literacy of both our staff and students and ensuring we translate our that support, respect and nurture the ability to be agile, flexible and adaptive commitment into practice the Keele community. to changing needs and expectations. through the implementation We will celebrate the freedom • Engage with our alumni, as members of of effective action plans. of expression and activity that is our university, to enhance the experience afforded to an academic community, of past, present and future students. yet be accountable to each other and broader society for what we do
People and contribute to our communities.
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We will: • Aim for consistency of service and quality Key enablers: of experience for all students and members • A well-structured campus of staff, irrespective of where they are masterplan that recognises the based and where they live and work. needs of the whole campus • Have global perspectives that are essential community and creates the routes if individuals and humanity in general are for achieving the plan. to thrive in a modern and inclusive society • An approach to transport that and if Keele is to thrive and to meet the accommodates the needs of staff local and global challenges it faces. and students whilst also aligning • Welcome more staff and students from to our sustainability goals. We are justifiably proud of our overseas and widen our global perspective • A digital first approach that campus and have a strong across research and education through facilitates access, learning, living commitment to being an active collaboration with international universities. and working. critical regional anchor that is responsive to – and shows • Meaningful relationships with leadership for – our local key public sector organisations communities. in the region that facilitate our role in Newcastle under Lyme, The original remit for the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. University was to have a strong sense of place, in particular in • The recognition of the specific relation to North Staffordshire needs of students who live off and the City of Stoke-on-Trent. campus or study with us via our We will develop even further the online provision. civic role that we have to play • Smart Energy Network in the private, public, cultural, Demonstrator (SEND) – energy and heath economy the use of our campus as a around us. demonstrator of best practice We believe in the centrality of for environmental sustainability. the campus to the Keele vision, • A strategy of international but we will increasingly see the engagement that supports a campus as a hub at the centre Keele influence around the world. of a wide range of activities
Place involving staff and students.
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We will: • Partner with a wide range of people Key enablers: and organisations, on campus, and • Achieving our ambition of seeing across the world. the majority of our student body • Carry out a large proportion of our experience a placement, internship research in cooperation with a range or employment-related experience of organisations from business, during their studies. charity, government, the NHS, local • Enhancing the value and relevance authorities, cultural sectors and directly of our educational portfolio through with the public. input from our students, graduates • Support our undergraduate and and employers into the design of postgraduate programmes through courses and their delivery. long-term educational partnerships • A coordinated effort to develop a which enable our students to gain suite of international partnerships essential experiential learning critical for research, international alongside, or as part of their studies, student recruitment, and and a graduate level of employment To achieve our goals, we must be maintaining a diverse community when they leave us. trustworthy and reliable members of on campus, and for the overall meaningful partnerships – and we will • Develop a Keele Deal | Health with reputation of the University. continue to have partnerships that we partners to reaffirm, enhance and • The development of strong can be proud of. expand our education and research principles and processes that activity and strengthen our position Our Keele Deals frame partnerships make clear our approach and in promoting improved health and with significant organisations such commitment to working with wellbeing in our communities. as local authorities, businesses of a wide range of partners. all sizes, third-sector organisations, • Close working partnerships theatres, schools and colleges or with with our students and staff. our local communities through our arts
Partnerships programme and outreach activities.
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We will: • Compare ourselves to others but do this Key enablers: with a clear sense of our unique position • Deploy a Student Engagement in higher education in the UK. approach, which will heighten • Not obsess over league tables but use the detail and rigor of our data on external evaluations wisely to learn from educational engagement. comparisons in order to enhance and • The evaluation and demonstration promote our own performance and deliver of value for money in all that we do. a strong positioning in the sector. • A financial plan which will underpin • Use the Research Excellence Framework our long-term sustainability. This (REF) as an important evaluation of our will deliver a level of performance progress and performance in the pursuit of that reduces our vulnerability the highest quality of research, measured to external pressures; enables in both the eyes of our peers and those adequate funding for core university benefiting from our work across the world. activities and provides headroom for • Increase income to support our research investment in a competitive student and the development of our postgraduate experience and a world-class Achieving long-term success means researcher community which will play research environment. that we must be recognised as a highly an important role in the measures we • A principle that workloads should ranked university, one that undertakes develop to assess the achievement of be fair and equitable across the world-class research – which has our research ambitions. University and that all staff are significant impact within the academy supported to fulfil their potential. and beyond – undertaken in the • Evaluate our performance in education through a combination of externally context of an exceptional educational • Improved research performance, benchmarked metrics – and in more experience for our students. resulting in increased research detailed evaluation by KIITE – of student income after the 2021 REF. Our research performance is a key satisfaction and outcomes plus the nature contributor to our reputation as an of changes in teaching practice. • Transformation of our professional institution of significance in the field support processes in order to deliver of postgraduate endeavor and it must effective and consistent support remain at the heart of our future plans. across the University. We will be innovative and flexible, ensuring our Our success will depend on our world- governance and decision-making class researchers, how we support them structures empower progress whilst and how we actively collaborate across maintaining our high standards. and beyond the campus in significant
Performance and collaborative research programmes.
17 18 Strategic Vision More information For more information about our plans or to request a copy of the strategic vision in an alternative format please visit keele.ac.uk or contact the Vice-Chancellors office at:
Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG Telephone: +44 (0)1782 732000 | Email: [email protected]
We know that the successful delivery of Our Future will require robust governance processes, accountability and courage to make complex and sometimes difficult decisions. We are committed to achieving the aims of Our Future through the following aligned and underpinning visions and strategies and delivery against their specific action: Education Research Student Experience People International Financial Sustainability Estates Digital Environmental Sustainability A number of Project Executive Groups (PEGs) have already been formed comprising a range of expertise and representation from across the University. These are responsible for driving success in our key areas, guided by the core tenets of Purpose, People, Place,
Delivery Partnerships and Performance.
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