University for the Common Good Strategy 2020 Contents 04-05 Foreword 06-07 Our mission, our vision, our values Strategic goals 08-09 Transforming lives through education 10-11 Enriching cities and communities through research 12-13 Innovating for social and economic impact 14-15 Engaging globally 16-17 Aligning for the Common Good 18-19 Measuring our impact and strategic enablers 20-23 Delivering Strategy 2020 24-25 Powerful partnerships 26-27 Working with thought leaders 28-29 Glasgow Caledonian University Foundation 30-31 Engaging with GCU Principles for Responsible Management Education Designed by: Print Design Services, Glasgow Caledonian University. Printed by: J. Thomson Colour Printers, Glasgow. © Glasgow Caledonian University 2015. 02 03 Foreword Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Pamela Gillies CBE FRSE BSc PGCE MEd MMedSci PhD FRSA FFPH FAcSS Hon FRCPS (Glasg) The community of staff, lay governors knowledge and problem-solving skills. while our Chief Scientist and students of Glasgow Caledonian We aim to challenge conventional Office-funded research measures University have worked very closely thinking about how a university the intervention’s impact on the together to craft a future Strategy for should operate. health of borrowers and their families. the institution. The co-creation of a relevant Our Caledonian Club already raises work-based degree in railway This Strategy places active and the aspirations and life skills of pupils operations management is enhancing cooperative effort towards creating from nursery, primary and secondary the skills and capabilities of a large, a better and fairer world at its heart. schools and their parents, supported local workforce in South Africa. This means that as the University for by student mentors. Thousands of our the Common Good we are ‘doers’, students volunteer each year and the Our University community is rightly harnessing all of the institution’s establishment by students of the GCU proud of these achievements. I believe intellectual, social and emotional Law Clinic, for individuals who do not that this ambitious and bold Strategy, capital, and working collaboratively qualify for legal aid, is an example of collectively agreed upon, will allow us with others to deliver social benefit. their commitment to social justice. to exceed our expectations in our It means we aim to do this in a way ability to deliver academic excellence, that embraces, and goes beyond, Our facilitation of the microlending an outstanding student experience and the traditional role of a university in initiative Grameen in the UK is directly social benefit, as we work together the creation, curation and transfer of tackling inequalities in Glasgow, towards 2020. Chancellor Professor Muhammad Yunus On my engagements around the It is producing graduates who are leaders of tomorrow, but leaders world, I am always eager to highlight embracing new ideas and new today. my role as Chancellor of Glasgow technologies, so that they do not Caledonian University. This is because think of themselves only as job Since I became involved with the GCU is a bold and creative institution seekers, but as having the potential University in 2008, I know from that exemplifies its mission to be the to create jobs as well. experience that GCU lives up to its University for the Common Good. founding motto and delivers on its The basis for this is a student social mission to work for the GCU is serving communities at its experience at GCU that fosters common good. I am proud to be its home campus in Glasgow and others entrepreneurialism, responsible Chancellor and proud to commend around the world such as the Unilever leadership, and divergent thinking, to you this Strategy 2020, which I Global Development award-winning so students truly understand believe will see the University flourish Nursing College in Dhaka, Bangladesh. their potential to not only be the in the future. 04 05 Strategy 2020 Our mission Glasgow Caledonian University is the University for the Common Good. Our University’s heritage dates back to 1875 through its founding institutions and our coat of arms incorporates the motto For the Common Weal. Established as a University in 1993, our commitment to the common good underpins everything we do. Our vision By 2020, Glasgow Caledonian University will have a global reputation for delivering social benefit and impact through education, research and social innovation. We will be recognised as the University for the Common Good that transforms lives, enriches cities and communities, innovates for social and economic impact, engages globally and aligns with others in partnership and collaboration to deliver our goals. Our values Our core values are shared by staff and students and they underpin what we do and how we do it. They are the foundations upon which we build collaborative relationships with like-minded partners to deliver our social mission for the common good. Our values are Integrity Creativity Responsibility Confidence Our goals Transforming lives through education Enriching cities and communities through research Innovating for social and economic impact Engaging globally Aligning for the Common Good Our graduates, pictured on the roof terrace of GCU London, benefit from an outstanding student experience underpinned by our mission, our vision and our values. 06 07 Goal One Transforming lives through education We will deliver excellence in learning and an outstanding student experience which equips students with the employability and entrepreneurial skills to succeed as global citizens, and enables them to make a positive impact within their communities, transforming their lives and the lives of others. To achieve this we will: • Deepen our commitment to widening access • Deliver a distinctive approach to learning and and articulation, raising aspirations and teaching that supports the development of creating flexible learning pathways in social entrepreneurialism, responsible partnership with schools and colleges leadership, curiosity and divergent thinking, through programmes such as College and creates distinctive global graduates who Connect, and demonstrating the impact of can address real-world issues and put their initiatives including the Advanced Higher Hub. ideas into action. • Offer high-quality programmes based on our • Grow our postgraduate provision to deliver academic strengths, informed by research innovative advanced education offerings and practically applied to meet the needs of and accessible continuing professional students, employers, professional bodies development and work-based education. and wider society. • Develop our digital education environment • Enhance the personal, professional and and expand the use of learning technologies employability skills of our students by to enhance the student experience, expanding opportunities for work placements support high-level digital literacy, scale up and internships, research, enterprise and our online and distance learning offerings, innovation projects, volunteering and and increase the connectivity of our campuses mentoring, and international study and and communities. cultural experiences through our international campuses and global networks. Photographs Main: Students benefit from the expertise of our academic staff and links with industry professionals, such as former Disney animator Fraser Maclean. Bottom Left: GCU is Scotland’s only Ashoka U Changemaker Campus, which recognises our commitment to social innovation through education. Bottom Right: GCU’s partnership with the Transnet Foundation provides unique student volunteering opportunities in South Africa on the Phelophepa Train of Hope. 08 09 Goal Two Enriching cities and communities through research We will build on our key areas of research strength in inclusive societies, healthy lives and sustainable environments, applying our research and knowledge to address societal challenges and enrich cities and communities. To achieve this we will: • Focus on building our research excellence • Strengthen our research-teaching nexus to under the broad interdisciplinary themes foster innovation and equip our graduates of inclusive societies, healthy lives and with the skills to deal with complex global sustainable environments to enhance challenges. the impact of our research outputs. • Increase the number of postgraduate research • Promote a holistic approach that is based students while continuing to enhance the on multidisciplinarity and collaboration with student experience and promote successful strategic national and international partners student outcomes. in the private, public and voluntary sectors. • Develop our research infrastructure and • Enhance our research culture, building expand our use of technologies to collaborate capacity and capability and supporting with partners, and users and beneficiaries of early-career researchers to achieve the our research. highest standards of research excellence. Photographs Main: GCU, the top modern university in Scotland by research power, is working on award-winning projects customising 3D-printed orthoses for people with foot and ankle problems. Top: Experts work with companies including Doble Engineering and EDF Energy to ensure safe and reliable electrical power supply through condition-monitoring instrumentation. Centre: GCU is ranked in the top 20 in the UK for world-leading and internationally excellent health research, recognising collaborative and interdisciplinary activity that is helping people live