Student voices help shape the University’s future
Student-centred education, digital development, health & wellbeing and inclusion & diversity have emerged as high priorities for students in a consultation on the University’s strategy for the next 10 years.
Well over 1,000 students took part in workshops and an online survey, inviting feedback on the University’s draft strategy for 2020-2030.
The consultation was carried out by Community Research, an independent research company, between 23 January and 6 March 2020, shortly before the restrictions on movement due to Covid-19 were introduced.
The key points from the consultation with students are set out below.
Respondents were asked to comment on the following:
Strategic foundations:
- Holding fast to our values as we evolve our culture
- A healthy University community
- Academic and financial sustainability
- Tackling the climate crisis
Nearly all students (93%) agreed that these were the right foundations for the 2020-30 strategic plan - 53% agreed strongly, 40% agreed slightly.
Core activities - student education, research & innovation and international
The draft strategy (link) set out the broad themes for developing the University’s core activities:
- Student Education: Delivering an integrated, student-centred, research-led and inter-disciplinary education with students engaged as partners, supported by leading digital technology.
- Research & innovation: Building on our disciplinary strength to further improve our reputation for world-class, challenge-led research whilst being at the forefront of collaborative working across disciplines, institutions, sectors and continents.
- International: Delivering world-class education and research with a truly international outlook that is effectively connected to our global alumni.
Most students agreed (strongly or slightly) that these were the right core activities for the 2020-2030 strategic plan:
Looking at responses in more detail revealed the following:
- The digital technology elements of student education were seen as important, but some respondents stressed that such technology should be used to enhance traditional teaching methods.
- There was support for research-based education and for an approach to education that is sustainable both academically and financially.
- There was a call for employability to be explicitly factored into the student education strategy.
- There was support for the idea of fostering an engaged lifelong community of staff, students and alumni.
- The value of research and innovation on the University’s overall reputation was broadly recognised
- In considering the international element, some respondents expressed the benefits of supporting a plurality of nationalities and of balancing the needs and numbers of UK and International students.
What happens next?
Over the coming months, further work will be taking place to finalise the strategy in the light of the consultation responses and to develop the University’s strategic plan, which will define how the strategy is delivered. This will be done in conjunction with our next Vice-Chancellor.
Read our interview with Dr Tim Peakman, Chief Operating Officer at Leeds who is leading our vision and strategy work.