Summary from the March Board

You can download this as a one page summary document here

The Hallam Model

•  Further to the February update, Elaine Buckley, Interim Assistant Dean Academic Development, provided an update to the Board.
• A presentation was made to University Leadership Team (ULT) and Professional Services Leadership Forum w/c 18 March. The project team are ensuring that step-change priorities and other corporate projects align with the Hallam Model. Internal communication and engagement plans are being developed which includes staff and student focus groups during March/April.

Highly Skilled Employment (HSE) – a step change

• Following on from the February update, over 500 review forms have been received from academic colleagues. The team are now analysing and interpreting the data gathered to understand the gap between what is in existence and what is required to meet the strategy and project objectives. As we move into the check and challenge phase of the work the team will be interacting with Academic and Faculty Boards.
• Operational groups have been set up for each of the four main components of the project. All the task and finish groups report into the Employability Steering Group. Industry advisory boards are also being established.
• GradConsult are coming in to meet with the Assistant Deans for Student Experience (ADSEs) in March and April.

Student Experience – Outstanding Teaching and Learning (OTL) – a step change

All faculties have completed an audit and review meetings have started to consider the information gathered. The initial findings highlight both pockets of excellence and some inconsistencies.  Best practices will be built upon and how to share learning between colleagues. Action plans and a dashboard are being developed.

Student’s Business

Abdullah Okud, President, Sheffield Hallam Student’s Union, provided an update following the launch of the ‘Why is my curriculum white’ campaign.

• The Students’ Union is working with the Library to diversify the learning materials available and increase the visibility of non-western content.
• Abdullah is working with departments to understand how they can decolonise their curriculums.
• The Students’ Union has released a survey to gather the student experience of their curriculum.

The Union elections and referendum voting closed on Friday 15 March – results here.

Abdullah also notified the board that the mind your head campaign will launch in early April. Information on this will be added to the Shaping Futures hub as soon as it becomes available.

BAME Attainment Gap

“Narrowing the Gaps” a new section of the ACHIEVE website has been launched alongside a data dashboard in relation to the BAME Attainment Gap work.

The board reflected upon the proposals that were approved in June 2018 and the work done to date across the faculties. The board discussed and agreed on the need for BAME and the wider lens of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to ensure it is interwoven into all activity and therefore included in the planning work currently being undertaken – including Provost Group Planning, Professional Services and Faculty Business Plans.

Keys to Success

An update on the Keys to Success work was given by Katie Wall, Head of the Continuous Improvement Service at the initial Heads of Departments (HoDs) Forum at the end of February.  The HoDs will continue with this monthly meeting to enable closer working together with a theme selected for each forum.

2019/20 Planning

The 2019/20 planning process has begun and the board had some initial discussions around the high level themes that are emerging.

You can download this as a one page summary document here