Some New Ways of Working with Local Employers

Andrew SummersManagement Department

Enterprise Championsummeraj@lsbu.ac.uk

CIBS Seminar 8 May 2013

Outline• Why new ways of working are needed• Examples of what we have been doing• Challenges involved• Benefits to LSBU, students and to

colleagues• What we are doing to develop an

enterprise culture• Thoughts from the group

Why new ways of working?• Long record of providing quality

certificated courses for London organisations

• With employer’s changing needs and reducing budgets, we need to be more flexible and imaginative

• With reduced conventional sources we have to find new funding streams

Example 1: Academic Partnership

• Being an “Academic Partner” to quality assure training provided by other agencies

• Involved some training the trainer • Advising on learning methods and provider

suitability• Feedback to trainers• Evaluation of effectiveness

Example 2: Developing Bespoke Qualification

• Worked in conjunction with SEE and London Councils

• Created unique Postgrad. Cert. in Local Governance for Councillors

• Validated programme• Ran two cohorts • Brought in range of external experts

Example 3: FHSC Collaboration

FHSC have good working relations with NELFT, providing mental health nursing courses.

How NELFT project developed

• Needs were increasingly for leadership and management

• We sought to understand their needs and made a proposal

• Two existing modules - one from FHSC and the other from BuS – each tailored to NELFT’s context.

• A key theme as that a NELFT executive would contribute to each session

NELFT wanted flexibility regarding qualifications, LSBU credits, a CMI Certificate or none.

An impact evaluation• I undertook an

evaluation of its impact

• 77% said that it was useful in their current role

• 62% believe it will improve their performance in a future NELFT role

Example 4: Executive Coaching

• Two NHS contracts • Using our skills as coaches rather than

direct educators or trainers• “Coaching is learning on the fast track”

(Whitmore 2009)

Whitmore, J. (2009) Coaching for Performance. GROWing human potential and purpose. The principles and practice of coaching and leadership. Fourth Edition. Nicholas Brealey Publishing

Example 5: Short Courses

• Adapting an existing module • Providing a one or two day course• eg 1 Executive Coaching for a health trust• eg 2 Current variant on theme –

Entrepreneurship module being delivered in-house flexibly to suit client

Example 6a: CMI Accreditation

• Assessed portfolios prepared by employees of an insurance company

• Awarded a CMI certificate • CMI verifies our assessment

Example 6b: CMI Accreditation

• Participant attends series of development events organised by their own organisation

• Then submits portfolio of evidence that they have met the learning outcomes of the CMI Level 3 Qualification

Example 6c: CMI Accreditation

• Joint proposal with private health provider • They provide coaching training • LSBU assesses coaches’ portfolios • Awards CMI L5 Certificate in Management

Coaching and Mentoring

Example 7: Open CPD Programme

• LSBU develop a series of “micro-modules” • Based on sessions within existing Masters

Modules • A minimum of half-day duration • Each would attract a minimum of 2

Masters Level Credits• 30 credits worth of micro-modules = an

LSBU Certificate of in Life Long Learning

Example 8: Management Consultancy

• Contacts with employers has led to consultancy work

• Management teams • Hospital medical consultants • Civil society organisations• Workshops for local councillors in

community leadership

Example 9: KTPs

• Lull after earlier successes• Signs that KTPs could be resuscitated

Example 10: In-house Masters

• Used our NELFT success to talk with other organisations about meeting their leadership and management needs

• Has led to an in-house Masters in Public Administration for

Example 11: Working Internationally

• Helping a Moscow University set up a Health Sector MBA

• Hosting their students on study tours• Running courses for Finance and HR Directors

from Kazakh hospitals• Developing courses with other universities eg in

China, Thailand, Cyprus and Czech Republic • MoU with organisation based in southern Africa for

public sector programmes.

The Challenges 1• Need a culture, backed by systems and

delegated authorities, which prioritises process of winning contracts

• Pricing via fEC forms is not conducive to commercial practices

• Success requires there to be systems in place for non-standard activity

• Staff at all levels need to put developing new ways of working as a high priority

The Challenges 2• A sales approach (or rolling out a successful

package from elsewhere) does not work• Consulting skills to help the client understand

their needs and create resourceful solutions• It is very unlike classroom teaching• Project managing IGA assignments is time-

consuming and demanding• The university is not geared to Saturday

working eg room booking, cleaning and catering

Benefits to LSBU & Students • New income streams• Enhanced reputation for imaginative

delivery • Developing a network of high level

contacts• Learning from live client issues• Realistic case studies

Benefits to Colleagues• Interest of working with organisations• Learning from them• Kudos with other staff and students • Case study material• Developing networks• Opportunities for research eg evaluation • VC Enterprise Awards • Potential additional income• Survival !!

Developing an Enterprise Culture

• Working with Enterprise Dept • HoD and colleagues working on

understanding issues• Met with VC• Working with central depts• Forthcoming Mgmt Dept meeting• Seek views of colleagues

Your Thoughts??