Subject Network Leadership

Business and Leisure

Dr Rob MacphersonNorth Highland College UHI

20th April 2010

“the aim of subject networks is to improve collaboration and enhance the student experience”

At inception:

UHI

Faculty of Business, Leisure

& Management

Faculty of

Health

Faculty of

Science & Technology

Faculty of

Arts & Humanities

Computing and IT SN

Argyll

North Highland

LochaberLews CastleInverness

ShetlandPerthOrkney

Management School

Business & Leisure SN

The network

How to engage effectively with the

subject network

Through: communication

strategic and operational planning

organisation

management

leadership

team building and staff development

motivation

COMMUNICATION

engaged

open

responsive

respectful

courteous

trusted

internal first

timely

accurate

honest

consistent

positive

NETWORK STRATEGY

planned

participative

purposeful

prioritised pragmatic (when it needs to be)

ORGANISATION

experienced

administratively competent

known to new network staff

good relationship with Dean

visible

approachable

MANAGEMENT

forecasting the future

planning for that future

organising activity/opportunities

directing activity

co-ordinating staff teams

monitoring and “controlling”

LEADERSHIP

recognising UHI’s future path

planning for change, growth and risk

organising responses to challenges

directing innovative approaches

co-ordinating network effectively

monitoring and controlling quality

TEAMWORK

responsive to needs instruction/training

mentoring/buddying

group “brown bags” (e.g. HEA)

non-threatening

flexible and adaptable recognise the need for cultural shift to develop comfort with UHI’s context

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

scholarship at the heart

student experience will benefit

teaching and learning pedagogy

sharing existing good practice

comfort with blended learning

qualifications upgrading

research valued and encouraged

MOTIVATION

interesting work

involvement/responsibility

recognition of effort

pride in achievement

professional development

personal development

How to progress the Faculty Plan

1. DEFINE GOALS

For the network, these should be:

clear

apparent

relevant

achievable

challenging

fulfilling

Achieve this by:

regular, effective communication

inclusion of all network members subject network meetings (not committees)

(micro-)network development days

working groups

engagement with LEARN & others

2. PLAN TARGETS

For the network, these will relate to: curriculum flexibility (not called consolidation)

sustainability

student access and progression

local/regional/national relevance

short-/medium-/long-term awareness

distinctiveness

Achieve this by:

curriculum knowledge

partner knowledge

financial awareness

student consciousness

political antennae

originality and innovation

3. KEY PEOPLE

Engage with key internals/externals:

early adopters are powerful allies

collaboration = clarity of purpose

can persuade fence-sitters

can help combat “foes”

vital in communication chain

Achieve this by:

listening

regular, effective communication

academic & industry collaborations

value of scholarship/research

engaged with external environment

promotion and marketing

4. MONITOR, ENHANCE & REPEAT/CHANGEFor the network, these will relate to:

never forgetting the student

quality assurance

quality enhancement

risks can be worth taking

cost/price must not be the sole factor

not afraid to say “we were wrong”

Achieve this by:

annual monitoring process

regular quality testing

sharing best practice

managing risk

building staff confidence

promoting reflection and flexibility

BENEFITS

With a clear network operational plan, strongly linked to the faculty and UHI strategic plans (and aware of the needs of different academic partners and communities) it would be hoped that the following would benefit:

students

staff

academic partners

businesses

Highlands & Islands communities

My contribution

PERSONALITY competent

energetic

decisive

reliable

persistent

flexible

knowledgeable

BACKGROUND research active – tourism, business viability

teaching active (SCQF 6-12)

“hard” networker inter-faculty

PGT mentor

Research/Dissertation supervisor

Cross-faculty experience

Future teaching? – SQCF 9-12 – Management & Leadership

PERSONAL GOALS Provide a clear focus on key issues and concerns on the right things Get the whole network involved through effective communication Act consistently over time, to embed trust Demonstrate - through actions - care, respect and awareness of issues Create empowering opportunities that can involve all network members

Thank You