Issue 112 | August 2017 | ISSN 1756-0225 | £3.99 where sold UB w: universitybusiness.co.uk t: @UB_UK The Business of Higher Education MOVING WITH THE TIMES From freshers to graduation, Durham University’s new -year strategy keeps the complete student experience at its core RFID • SECURITY • RFIQ • PEOPLE COUNTERS • EM • STOCK MANAGEMENT • RF • LAPTOP SECURITY • VENDING computeIT™ • 24 hour Secure Laptop/ tablet loan service AT YOUR • Full LMS integration using SIP2 • Bring Your Own Device SERVICE charging facility • SmartLine™ technology with PowaSave™ • Configured to any laptop/tablet holdIT™ 24/7 • Any time secure reservations collection point • Full LMS integration GIVE YOUR STUDENTS using SIP2 • Optional secure THE RESOURCES TO SUCCEED returns facility • Barcode, Mifare, Biometrics, RFID or smartphone Our full range of cost saving solutions scanning for user ID for any library environment allows you • Comprehensive staff admin application for easy loading to choose what’s right for you. STOCK MANAGEMENT • RF • LAPTOP SECURITY • RFID • SECURITY • RFIQ • PEOPLE COUNTERS • VENDING • SELF SERVICE Contact us for a no-obligation site visit T: 01394 420077 E: [email protected] d-techinternational.com D-Tech_UBAdvert_210x297_V1.indd 1 02/02/2016 12:20 HE NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS The Business of Higher Education w: universitybusiness.co.uk t: @UB_UK f: facebook.com/ubmag 62 Diary: with Dr Tim Bradshaw 05 Bristol reveals transformative campus plans 08 Industry news, awards and appointments 12 Legal advice: building resilience 16 Feature: Sustainability special 19 Last word: with NTU’s Lucy Judd 62 ESTATES AND FACILITIES 42 Estates and facilities news 25 CUBO 2017: we review the annual conference and awards 36 ASRA: The student accommodation people 40 Then and now: Bath Spa University through the years 42 Catering round-up: with TUCO and David Russell 48 COVER IMAGE: Courtesy of Durham University ON THE COVER 44 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY Moving with the times Durham’s new 10-year strategy proves it isn’t resting on its laurels ESTATE OF PLAY 31 Estates managers’ concerns grow about the UK construction market, says Nicola Yeeles 54 THE EDTECH EVOLUTION 57 Steve Wright reveals the latest technology News wire 51 enhancing learning across campus Opinion: Prof Helen O’Sullivan University of Liverpool 54 @UB_UK | www.universitybusiness.co.uk | 03 In the next issue: Roundtable: What's next for HE? Preventing cyber attacks Catering trends on campus Extra! Extra! elcome to the August issue round of results from the long-awaited TEF, of University Business. and, as always, include the latest and very best W I don’t usually open with estates, facilities, catering and educational this line, but, as our most avid readers have technology news. Thank you to all of our noticed, this is, in fact, an extra issue. partners for making this bonus issue possible. As is accustomed in the publishing industry, Also in this issue, I review this year’s CUBO we usually miss an issue over the summer, conference and awards (p36), this year held re ecting the quieter time in our sector – at the University of Kent. The College and when students either graduate, or return to University Business O cers are our long- their hometowns, and most of us take a well- standing partners, and once again they’ve put earned summer holiday. on a great event for their members. But, as we’ve found in recent months, our Under the spotlight this issue is Durham higher education sector is far from calm and University (p44). It may be an institution tranquil. With far too much HE news to share reminiscent of the classic Oxbridge model, with you, and by popular demand, we are but Durham’s new 10-year strategy proves it bringing you this extra edition of UB. isn’t resting on its laurels. The recap issue will look at the highs and Rebecca Paddick lows of the past academic year, discuss the rst Until next time, Editor Connect with us… Have you seen www.universitybusiness.co.uk www.facebook.com/ubmag @UB_UK UB Publisher Dave Higgitt | [email protected] WILDFIRE COMMS LIMITED Unit 2.4 Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol BS4 3EH Managing Editor & Editor Rebecca Paddick | [email protected] Tel: 0117 300 5526 Fax: 0117 300 5526 www.wildfirecomms.co.uk Assistant Editor: Charley Rogers | [email protected] Note: copyright – all articles and features including illustrations and photos may not be reproduced, reprinted or posted on the internet, in part or whole without the express permission of Wildfire Comms Ltd. Sub-Editor Peter Stillman Disclaimer: The legal responsibilities for all images or copy supplied to University Business by third parties remain those of the third-party supplier. The magazine cannot be held responsible for copyright – or similar – infringements that may arise as a result of images or copy sent in by contributors outside of Wildfire Comms Ltd. The obligation to check for such issues is the duty of the party who supplied the images or copy. Content supplied for print may Contributors also be used online, and vice versa, unless otherwise requested. Tim Bradshaw, Bettina Rigg,Simon Fry, Nicola Yeeles, Karen Burke, Steve Wright, Lucy Judd Specialists in contract print & digital communications With clients including leading UK brands, Wildfire can help you deliver your Art Director Bruce Mytton | [email protected] company’s message in a creative, credible and compelling way. We are specialists in all media channels and provide a range of services including: Designer Kirsty Dearman | [email protected] ✔ Customer print and digital magazines Sales Manager Joe Lawson-West | [email protected] ✔ Brochures Senior Account Manager Ed Brown | [email protected] ✔ Event programmes and annual guides Account Manager Rob Bertels | [email protected] ✔ Digital newsletters and infograms Marketing Manager Imogen Smith | [email protected] ✔ Website design & build PRINT WEB MOBILE ✔ Social media marketing TO SUBSCRIBE Tel: 0117 300 5526 Email: [email protected] Wild re Comms is an independent publisher, specialising in the education sector. Some of our other titles include: E DUCATION I NDEPENDENT TECHNOLOGY DUCATION ACADEMY E T ODAY T ODAY Printed in the UK on paper from a sustainable source. ISSN 1751-9209 © 2017 04 | www.universitybusiness.co.uk | @UB_UK DIARY TEF – a disservice to the sector? By measuring performance against expected benchmark values based on student profiles, rather than absolute outcomes, the current Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) model risks understating how well some universities are performing, says Russell Group Acting Director, Dr Tim Bradshaw he question of how to improve the universities provide. This would be bad T service universities provide to news for applicants and universities alike. students is something that keeps Ministers have acknowledged some of vice-chancellors up at night. This is why the issues with the TEF and shown they our members are spending hundreds of are willing to listen to the concerns of the millions of pounds on new facilities, sector, which is very welcome. The late pastoral care and enhancements to the amendments to the Higher Education and learning and teaching experience. Research Act on the TEF were helpful Academic support is being boosted on and, in particular, we look forward to campuses right across the country. the full independent assessment that The publication of the Teaching will be undertaken in the next couple Excellence Framework (TEF) year 2 of years. We will work constructively outcomes is the rst time the government with the government to improve the has made an attempt to capture the TEF throughout this process. work universities are doing in this area However, the TEF results present systematically. We support moves to ensure a communication challenge that applicants get accurate information about their higher education options, but it is no secret that many in the sector have concerns “UK HE as a whole has a global reputation over the calculation of the TEF outcomes and how they will be interpreted. for the quality of our teaching and research. By measuring performance against expected The TEF outcomes will not change that” benchmark values based on student proles, rather than absolute outcomes, the current TEF model risks understating how well needs to be addressed now – even if for England (HEFCE) must provide some universities are performing. this year is billed as a ‘trial year’. supplementary guidance for applicants It is right we recognise improvements Applicants who are yet to take explaining what the TEF results mean in across the sector, and celebrate them. a nal decision on their academic practice and how they can be used alongside But on the strength of the metrics options for this year are likely to use the range of information about courses and alone, some universities may nd it the TEF to help them pick courses. institutions which is already available. near impossible to secure a gold or Independent research has also made it Russell Group universities deliver an silver TEF rating even if they are clear international applicants considering outstanding student experience where outperforming most other institutions. courses for next year will use TEF teaching is enhanced by world-class For instance, we could see institutions outcomes to help guide them, despite the research and facilities. This is why our where close to 10% of students drop out fact that the current methodology does graduates are among the most sought- aer the rst year gain a positive ag on not look at the experiences of overseas aer in the world. UK higher education non-completion rates. A university where students in any signicant detail. as a whole has a global reputation for the the number of drop outs is closer to 1% Some institutions – including Russell quality of our teaching and research.