ACU strategy

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1 ACU strategy

2 Mission, vision and values OUR MISSION To promote and support excellence in higher education for the benefit of individuals and societies throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. OUR VISION Vibrant and exciting universities that use their transformational power to: Create opportunities for individuals to fulfil their potential Increase understanding through international partnerships both inside and outside the higher education sector Contribute to the cultural, economic, and social development of every nation OUR VALUES The ACU s set of values help guide the organisation in its mission. Our values reflect our aspirations, who we are, and how we do things, and are brought alive in everything that we do. Quality We strive for excellence, using our collective expertise and professionalism to fulfil our commitments. We listen to our stakeholders to deliver valued services. Collaboration We promote the sharing of good practice and capacity strengthening, and provide a platform for knowledge generation and exchange. We foster cooperation and partnerships within the sector and across cultures. Innovation We enable the exploration of ideas and willingness to think differently. We give staff the freedom to do their work and develop new ways to deliver our services. Respect We are committed to openness, fairness, integrity, and transparency in all our work and relationships. We share the values and aspirations that unite all the people and nations of the Commonwealth. Inclusion We are an inclusive organisation, working with and representing a diverse range of individuals, nations, and institutions. Inclusive thinking is part of our everyday working practice. 2

3 Background Much has changed since 1912, when 53 institutional heads met in London to establish the first international network of universities. Today, the need for the organisation that they created remains stronger than ever. Membership of today s ACU has increased more than ten-fold. We bring together many of the most prestigious and wellfunded universities internationally with relatively new institutions in some of the world s least developed countries. What binds us together is a common belief in the value of higher education to society, the conviction that this value is enhanced by international collaboration, and a passion for rigour and excellence in everything that we and our member universities do. In pursuing these beliefs, we draw on a high degree of credibility and status derived from a century of experience. OUR CORE ACTIVITIES What is unique about the ACU is its international stature and structure. With three distinct but interconnected areas member services, programmes, and scholarship administration supported by a robust infrastructure and governance arrangements, the ACU combines delivering value to its members with achieving impact on the world of higher education and wider society. We remain a membership organisation. Our services to members include benchmarking and networking opportunities, publications, briefings and information, training, and small grants, as well as providing a platform for members to promote their own activities to a global audience. Our emphasis at all times is on two-way communication, often between individuals and institutions that may not have the opportunity to interact through any other channel. Our range of innovative and high-quality programmes, many funded by external organisations, enables us to add further value. Our current portfolio of activities addresses the ways in which universities communicate their research, support the career development of emerging academics, mainstream gender equity, and seize the opportunities of open science. In many of our programmes, the interaction and sharing of experience between universities from different parts of the Commonwealth creates a distinctive and added strength to the solutions identified. Managing and promoting international scholarships and fellowships is a perfect way to put our ideals into practice. Our innovative approaches help individuals meet their aspirations, promote international mobility, and support funding bodies and universities to better meet the needs of society. We aim to be at the cutting edge in key areas such as selection, student engagement, alumni relations, and evaluation as well as providing a cost-effective service which enables donors to spend the maximum proportion of their budget on the awards themselves. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Now, as a century ago, the task of producing a programme of activities to meet the needs of such a diverse group of institutions represents a challenge, as well as an opportunity. The nature of this challenge is increased by the rapid growth of higher education in many countries, and the proliferation of information and other networking opportunities. We recognise the continuing need to ensure that everything we do adds value to what is already available, that our overall programme is balanced and relevant, and that our activities are communicated effectively to an increasingly diverse group of members and other stakeholders. In meeting this challenge, we can draw on a century of experience and recognition, a committed membership, a growing and talented staff, and a reasonable financial reserve which allows us to invest and provide seed funding for targeted new initiatives. This document brings together these assets into a coherent plan for the next five years. 3

4 Strategic plan The strategic plan seeks to add value both to the ACU as an organisation and to the member universities it represents, while ensuring that its work remains focused on its mission and vision. While intended to determine the course of our work for the next five years, it is a living document which will be reviewed annually and updated to ensure it remains relevant to a changing environment. The plan focuses on five strategic priorities for the organisation and their impact on our membership and the wider higher education sector. Beneath each strategic priority the key tactics we intend to pursue are listed. An operational plan will outline specific and measurable objectives, and detail the activities that need to be undertaken in order to achieve them and how progress will be evaluated. STRATEGIC FOCUS To enhance higher education internationally through innovative relationships. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES We have set out five strategic priorities, which will guide our work over the next five years. 1. Champion the value of higher education for global challenges and positive social change 2. Facilitate the interchange of staff and students to extend educational opportunity in the Commonwealth and beyond 3. Support Commonwealth universities to enhance their effectiveness and achieve excellence 4. Grow the reputation and impact of the ACU s work internationally 5. Strengthen member services and enrich engagement with and among members, stakeholders, and staff 4

5 Strategic priority 1: Champion the value of higher education for global challenges and positive social change The ACU believes passionately in the vital importance of higher education s contribution to society and international development. In order to champion the value of higher education, we will: 1.1 Advocate for the role of higher education in contributing to international development and social change, delivering an effective voice for member universities to governments, international organisations, and other key stakeholders 1.2 Provide a strong platform through which member universities can demonstrate the value of their work to a wider audience 1.3 Add to the stock of evidence on the value of higher education through evaluation and analysis of existing and future initiatives 5

6 Strategic priority 2: Facilitate the interchange of staff and students to extend educational opportunity in the Commonwealth and beyond International exposure and exchange remains a valuable driver of personal, social, and academic development. In continuing the ACU s long history of facilitating staff and student mobility into and between Commonwealth nations, we will: 2.1 Deliver innovative and effective management of externally-funded scholarship schemes, maximising their value to sponsors, recipients, and wider society 2.2 Support the development of staff and students of member institutions through small grants from the ACU s own resources 6

7 Strategic priority 3: Support Commonwealth universities to enhance their effectiveness and achieve excellence Universities old and new find themselves confronted with rapidly-changing environments and subjected to increasing demands. In order to help our members, and the higher education sector more widely, to rise to these challenges and excel, we will: 3.1 Maintain a portfolio of innovative projects and programmes to develop and disseminate good practice in areas of importance to higher education in the Commonwealth 3.2 Act as a catalyst to partnerships and collaboration by providing mechanisms through which member universities and their staff and students can actively compare their experiences and learn from good practice 3.3 Provide training and learning opportunities which assist member universities in targeted areas 3.4 Provide support and commercial services to like-minded organisations that also pursue excellence in higher education 7

8 Strategic priority 4: Grow the reputation and impact of the ACU s work internationally The ACU is committed to reinforcing its standing as a leader in the field of international higher education, through championing higher education s value to society, as well as supporting the work of its member universities to a global audience. To deliver this, we will: 4.1 Establish partnerships that add value to our work and advocacy 4.2 Contribute actively to debates about the future of higher education 4.3 Increase the dissemination of our work through publications and wider media 8

9 Strategic priority 5: Strengthen member services and enrich engagement with and among members, stakeholders, and staff We believe that the key to supporting universities to achieve excellence and promote the international flow of students, staff, and ideas is strong engagement with and among our membership, stakeholders, and staff. Members, underpinned by a strong organisation, will be able to look to the ACU as a source of professional development. To achieve this, we will: 5.1 Promote the flow and exchange of ideas and information among the universities of the Commonwealth 5.2 Provide in-person opportunities for interaction between the staff of member universities 5.3 Actively capture feedback and information from members 5.4 Communicate meaningfully with the staff of member institutions through active communities, networks, and social media 5.5 Add greater balance to our portfolio of activities, responding to the needs of members in all regions of the Commonwealth 9

10 SUPPORTING IMPERATIVE Enabling us to live by our values and execute our strategy. i. Good governance, suitable for a UK charity with international reach ii. Well-considered risk management and reserves policies iii. Well-motivated, well-trained staff, supported by an appropriate health and wellbeing agenda iv. Appropriate financial controls v. Efficient and cost-effective working environment with a resilient IT infrastructure AP-Press Association Images 10

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