Our Shared Vision

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OurShared

Vision.Our future

Where we are going and how we aim to get there2006 and onwards…

OurShared

Vision. ©

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Our mission: why we are here

ToDiscoverAndUnderstand.Our University works to improve the world by seeking to understand it.

Our vision: where we aspire to be

The University will be firmly positioned

amongst the world’s leading universities, recognised for the impact, excellence anddistinctiveness of its graduates and research activities.




This plan for the future of the University of Sheffield,

published August 2006, is primarily for the three years to

2009 – but it also looks well beyond that horizon. It sets

out our long-term direction towards ambitious goals, to

ensure that the University remains world-class, enhances

its reputation, raises its profile and further develops its

already significant international standing by 2020. Our

Shared Vision illustrates both our plans for future successand our aspirations.

About Our Shared Vision

The University of Sheffield

Our Shared Vision will also help us

tell people (in the outside world and

internally) about our purpose, our

aims and our aspirations for the

future.

Our Shared Vision will become central

to the University’s business-planning

process. It will guide departments,

teams and individuals in their detailedplanning so any member of staff will be

able to see how their own day-to-day

work supports the University’s overall

vision, and to understand the value of

their own contribution to its success.

Our Shared Vision is an important tool

for all staff as, together, we make the

vision a reality.

SeeChange2007.


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What we have achievedso far…

The University of Sheffield

“ This splendid and unique Institute istestament to Sheffield’soutstanding track

record in arts andhumanities research,and to its long-termcommitment to

promoting cutting-edgecollaborative and inter-disciplinary working

and supporting knowledge transfer.”

ProfessorPhilip EslerChief ExecutiveThe Arts andHumanitiesResearch CouncilHumanities ResearchInstitute buildingopening, 24 May 2006

“ PricewaterhouseCoopers recruits inconsistently large

numbers from theUniversity, valuing

the academic rigourand flexible outlookof its graduates.”

Pricewaterhouse-Coopers LLP

“ The University of Sheffield is a key partner for us in ourongoing efforts tosource the best

research expertisearound the world.The AMRC provides

us with a top quality manufacturing Research and

Development Centre in Europe, and wearedelighted to be

working so closely with such an innovativeanddynamic group of engineers.”

Sir Michael JenkinsUK President of Boeing

AMRC opening event 2004

“ Studentsfrom Sheffield are amongthe best in thecountry.”

DLA PiperLeading law company

Learning and teaching

Applying research processes and principles to learning and

teaching, we have evolved a distinctive learning and teaching

environment. We excel at developing talent and equipping

our students and alumni to succeed throughout their

professions and careers.

Research

Our outstanding performace in peer review assessments

testifies to the strength, high quality and wide range of our

internationally recognised research activities.

Our research is amongst the world-leading in, for example,

materials engineering, bioscience, regenerative medicine,

advanced manufacturing, aerospace engineering and

nanotechnology. Its quality has led to partnerships with

leading global companies including Rolls-Royce and Boeing.

Our reputation for, and approach to, translating research

into practice distinguish us in the Higher Education sector.

One example of our success is a unique research facility in

South Yorkshire, where our research staff are working withglobal companies to develop world-leading, innovative

advanced manufacturing solutions.

We contribute to global research themes including new

initiatives on environmental change, identities (digital,

national, social, political) and energy. Each of these

demands a multi disciplinary approach for maximum

impact. A number of Queen’s Anniversary Prizes – most

recently for research on ageing – have publicly recognised

our significant contribution to the intellectual, economic,

cultural and social life of the nation.

Crossing boundaries

We have significant research strengths in multi and inter-

disciplinary research, in which researchers from different

departments and academic disciplines join forces in new

approaches to discovering and understanding research

questions. Our research infrastructure includes three

Research Institutes, each leading the way in interdisciplinary

research and boasting facilities unique in the UK. They

are the £20 million North Campus, a major new multi-disciplinary complex (which includes the Kroto Research

Institute for Nanoscience and Technology), the Informatics

Collaboratory for the Social Sciences and the Humanities

Research Institute.

Business, industry and enterprise

We have a long-standing reputation for sharing our

research discoveries with local, regional, national and

international partners. As a result we attract to the city

and the region world-class organisations that want to

benefit from our excellence and expertise. Their presence

is an important example of our tradition of working inpartnership with the local economy.

The success of companies such as Biofusion, launched

to commercialise the practical business and industrial

applications of University research, demonstrates our

entrepreneurial strengths; and we have developed new

approaches to nurturing entrepreneurial skills in our

students.

We are recognised as a leading

international university that delivers

learning, teaching, research and

knowledge of the highest quality.

1945Medicine/ Physiology PrizeLord Florey

Joseph Hunter Chair of

Pathology 1932-35 • •

1953Medicine/ Physiology PrizeSir Hans Krebs

Lecturer in Pharmacology 1935-45, Professor of Biochemistry 1945-54

1967Chemistry PrizeLord Porter

Professor of Physical

Chemistry 1955-66• •

1993Medicine/ Physiology PrizeRichard Roberts

BSc Chemistry 1965, PhD 1968

1996Chemistry PrizeSir Harry Kroto

BSc Chemistry 1961,

PhD 1964•

Nobel laureates


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Our environment is changing fast, so we cannot afford

to rest on our laurels. In five priority areas in particular,

we intend to strengthen our competitive position by

influencing and leading the way in student and research

markets, within a complex financial environment.

Key challenges

The University of Sheffield Our shared vision

1 Developing student skills and capabilities

Both potential students and their potential employers now

have sophisticated expectations of graduates and the

benefits that a good university education should provide for

individuals, employers and society. So we will promote the

skills and capabilities of the ‘Sheffield Graduate’ and ensure

that our students are equipped with the qualifications

and the generic and specialist skills necessary to driveinnovation. We will help to increase the proportion of the

UK population holding a degree and delivering world-class

skills.

2 Attracting funding

Building on our outstanding performance in peer review

assessments and major research awards, the level of our

research income and the quality and impact of our outputs

will be amongst the highest in the UK. The widening range

of funding sources will also be reflected in our balanced

portfolio of awards and research support. Our ability to

capture our market share of funding will be critical.

3 Meeting and exceeding customer expectations

Competition for students, clients and partners is growing

increasingly intense. It is vital that the we stand out from

competitors by exceeding customer expectations at every

point of contact. Achieving a consistently excellent quality

of customer service is a top priority and we will continue

to foster high-quality relationships with our stakeholders

and partners.

4 Competing globally for students,staff and partners

In the face of intense competition and volatile overseas

demand for UK higher education, we are focused on

competing effectively in international markets for students,

staff and strategic partners. Our priorities are predicting

and addressing changing patterns of demand in

international student recruitment, establishing strategic

educational partnerships, and offering attractive new

teaching and research opportunities for staff from

overseas.

5 Managing effectively in timesof uncertainty

At a time when changes to tuition fees are being

implemented in England and diversification into non-

government funding is increasingly important for

universities, effective and efficient governance, leadership,

and management are high on our agenda. We are ready

to meet the challenges of the ever-changing and highly

complex environment in which we work.

We have taken all five of these themes into account within

the plan that follows.

OurFive

KeyChallenges.


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Goal

We will produce Sheffield Graduates

who demonstrate impact, excellence

and distinctiveness in their chosen

field.

Measure

We will recognise our success by

assessing how leading international

employers view the Sheffield

Graduate.

Our vision Where we aspire to be


We will

• Offer academic programmes that change our students’ lives for

the better, equipping ‘Sheffield Graduates’ to make a difference

in their chosen field, profession or career and achieve personal

fulfilment

• Inspire our graduates and engender in them a quest for

knowledge

• Engage students in knowledge creation and nurture their desire

to discover and understand; and, through inquiry-based

learning, develop their understanding of their chosen academic

discipline

• Use our excellent research to ensure that individuals and

groups are at the forefront of professional practice in learning

and teaching

• Provide a global learning and teaching environment in which

our students benefit from an international dimension in their

studies.

TheAchievementOf Excellence.

The University will be firmly positioned amongst the

world’s leading universities, recognised for the impact,

excellence and distinctiveness of its graduates and

research activities.

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We will

• Set the agenda in terms of global research activities

• Recruit, retain and provide sustained development for the very

best people and those with the potential to set tomorrow’s

research agenda

• Position our University at the forefront of academic discovery

• Develop a critical mass of strategic partnerships and

collaborations with world-leading institutions and

organisations in which the process of discovery is mutually

beneficial.



Goal

We will be one of the top five universities in the UK based

on peer review assessment.

Measure

We will recognise our success by evidence of our relative

position based on national and international peer reviewassessment.

TheFrontiersOf Knowledge.




We will

• Work with a greater number of strategic partners

(particularly leading international companies, high technology

start-ups and key policy makers in government and govern-

mental organisations) for mutual benefit and to help them to

remain globally competitive

• Drive innovation and technological advances that make animpact locally, regionally and globally

• Share our discoveries, through scholarship, learning, teaching,

innovation and entrepreneurial activity, by means of mutually

beneficial partnerships

• Be a magnet for inward investment into the city and the region

• Consolidate our position as a university leading the way in

developing entrepreneurial and innovation skills and

opportunities for students and staff

• Maximise commercialisation and spin-out benefits from our

research activities.



Goal

We will achieve a high global impact through innovation and

through applying our entrepreneurial skills in teaching and

research.

Measure

We will recognise our success by evidence of a range ofcollaborations with internationally known partners.

TheImpactOf Innovation.






We will

• Ensure that our staff feel that they belong to a local, regional

and global academic community and actively contribute to

education and knowledge creation

• Ensure that our staff belong to a dynamic, diverse and

inclusiv e University

• Encourage pride in our University’s civic heritage and the region

• Actively contribute to civic life, regional economic

regeneration and the provision of lifelong learning

opportunities for our communities

• Nurture in our alumni a pride that motivates them to support

and promote the University throughout their lives.



Goal

We will actively contribute to the

success and prosperity of the city and

region through partnerships and

support for local industry, commerce,

public services, schools and colleges,

the international quality of the staff we

attract, and the impact of our staff’sengagement with the city and region.

Measure

We will recognise our success when

independent surveys illustrate the

impact and benefit of the engagement

of our staff in the city and region.

TheSenseOf Belonging.





We will

• Create an environment that supports and promotes

achievement and success

• Offer students, staff and partners excellent service

• Inno vate and excel in the provision of support services

• Take a lead in implementing new ways of working among our

professional support teams, departmental teams and partners

• Provide an excellent working environment in which estates and

facilities contribute to the wellbeing and creativity of all

students and all staff

• Enable staff to manage effectively and deliver in their areas of

responsibility

• Actively and effectively promote the University and its

staff and students, disseminating discoveries, celebrating

individual and collective successes and promoting achievements to internal and external audiences.


Goal

Our stakeholders will trust us to

deliver on our promises.

Measure

We will recognise our success by the

extent to which independent surveysevidence a high degree of satisfaction

amongst our stakeholders and

partners with the quality of the

services we deliver.

DeliveringOnOurPromises.




TheImpactOf Innovation.

The

SenseOf Belonging.

TheAchievementOf

Excellence.

TheFrontiers

Of Knowledge.

ThePowerOf People.

Each year we will review progress towards each of seven

goals and will publish a short summary for staff and other

stakeholders.

Our 2020 promise

Our goals

1 We will produce Sheffield Graduates who demonstrate

impact, excellence and distinctiveness in their chosen

field.

2 We will be in the top five research universities in the UK

based on peer assessment of our research performance.

3 We will achieve a high global impact through innovation

and through applying our entrepreneurial skills in

teaching and research.

4 Our staff will be committed to excellence in all they

do and ha ve a strong sense of contribution and

achievement.

5 We will have a reputation for the highest standards

of education and research skills to attract the best

students.

6 We will actively contribute to the success and prosperity

of the city and region through partnerships and support

for local industry, commerce, public services, schools

and colleges, the international quality of the staff we

attract, and the impact of our staff’s engagement with

the city.

7 Our stakeholders will trust us to deliver on our promises.

Building on the consultation process that influenced

the creation of this plan, we will consult staff and other

University stakeholders on important issues relating to our

progress towards turning Our Shared Vision into reality.

Finally, here again are our mission, vision and goals. They

are our promise to our students, our staff and our other

stakeholders.

Our mission: why we are here

To discover and understand

Our University works to improve the world by seeking to

understand it.

Our vision: where we aspire to be

The University will be firmly positioned amongst the world’s

leading universities, recognised for the impact, excellence

and distinctiveness of its graduates and research activities.

Documents

Our Shared Vision