uhi millennium institute, arts, humanities and business - faculty vision (2009) [original: neil...

5
Initial Thoughts on the Challenges and Opportunities for the Faculty of Business and Leisure Dr Neil Simco Dean of Business and Leisure March 2009

Upload: rob-macpherson

Post on 15-Dec-2014

49 views

Category:

Education


1 download

DESCRIPTION

PowerPoint presentation of potential vision for the UHI Arts, Humanities and Business Faculty, delivered by Neil Simco, May 2009

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: UHI Millennium Institute, Arts, Humanities and Business - Faculty Vision (2009) [original: Neil Simco]

Initial Thoughts on the Challenges and Opportunities for the Faculty of

Business and Leisure

Dr Neil SimcoDean of Business and Leisure

March 2009

Page 2: UHI Millennium Institute, Arts, Humanities and Business - Faculty Vision (2009) [original: Neil Simco]

Contextualising Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges and opportunities are articulated within an academic context. This context must uphold the deep inter-connection between research, the academic portfolio and learning and teaching. It is concerned with affirming the primacy of the academic function, and is informed by a range of internal and external drivers.

Research and

Scholarship

Academic Portfolio

Learning and Teaching Strategy

Internal Drivers(in particular the new

strategic plan)

External Drivers

(eg Scottish Government economic and skills strategies, New Horizons Task

Force, SFC priorities)

Page 3: UHI Millennium Institute, Arts, Humanities and Business - Faculty Vision (2009) [original: Neil Simco]

Academic Portfolio

Challenge Opportunities building on achievements

To create a demand led 1. Continuously identify new academic products through diversification,

academic portfolio that employer engagement built on strong

will contribute significantly partnerships (eg transport and logistics) and the development of a balanced

to the increase in student portfolio, including M level provision in all subject areas.

numbers at UHI identified

in the strategic plan for the 2. Maximise access, recruitment, progression and retention, through

Institution. engagement with schools (starting at P7); facilitating and strengthening progression, particularly from SQA qualifications to degrees)being uncompromising about the quality of the student experience and through securing international students.

3. Ensure that the academic portfolio is delivered in an efficient and effective

way through, careful and robust scrutiny of resource at approval and validation; a clear focus on core learning and a strategy of ensuring

efficiency through the deployment of the minimum number of modules for the largest number of qualifications.

4. Clarify the role, form and purpose of the `Management School’.

Page 4: UHI Millennium Institute, Arts, Humanities and Business - Faculty Vision (2009) [original: Neil Simco]

Research and Scholarship

Challenge Opportunities building on achievements

To create a vibrant culture of 1. Create opportunities for all staff to understand the primacy of the academic

scholarship across all Faculty function, to become immersed in scholarly thematic groups within subject

academic staff and produce networks, to have opportunities for scholarly output to be disseminated

significant formal research internally, and for individuals to have access to support in their scholarly

output from the Faculty. aspirations. Ensure these opportunities are realistic!

2. Foster collaborative research projects across the UHI network and with other HEIs, particularly, where appropriate with Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Strathclyde Universities.

3. Create a research centre which demonstrably adds value to the economy of the Highlands and Islands within one subject discipline located within the

Faculty. Such a research centre would be funded and would lead to formal research output and to the enrolment of new research students.

Page 5: UHI Millennium Institute, Arts, Humanities and Business - Faculty Vision (2009) [original: Neil Simco]

Learning, Teaching and Assessment

Challenge Opportunities building on achievements

To ensure that all students have 1. Within the UHI Learning and Teaching Strategy, encourage

access to an imaginative, contemporary, the deployment of a blended learning approach in the fullest

relevant and flexible approach sense of the word - involving, as appropriate, effective use of

to their learning. the VLE; skilful and varied face to face teaching; high quality work placements; the imaginative integration of learning resources within study and an approach to assessment which utilises a wide range of techniques.

2. Encourage all teaching staff to develop their teaching skills, through continuing professional development (perhaps through a PGC in Learning and Teaching); through structured reflection and through dissemination of good practice (a `teaching and

learning fest’).

3. Encourage staff to embrace the notion that there is a clear link between the imperative of scholarship and the learning,

teaching and assessment function. The study of pedagogy in HE and FE is in itself a worthy academic discipline.