Significant developments and challenges for 2013
As we approach the end of our first 12-week teaching term at Sussex, I am pleased to see that the new academic structure is bedding in.
Professor Michael Farthing, Vice-Chancellor
I realise this is down to many months of planning and preparation and I want to thank academic and professional services colleagues in schools and in central teams for their hard work and effort.
I hope our students are indeed experiencing the improvements that are embodied in the revised curriculum that is in place for all schools. I certainly know that our students are working harder than ever, as the Library is the busiest it’s ever been, at all hours of the day and night.
The revised curriculum is one example of the efforts to bring about structural change that are needed to deliver improvements in the long term. It is precisely to these kind of focused initiatives that I think we should be devoting much of our efforts.
I am also pleased to see that our student societies are thriving, as events this term such as Diwali and Sussex RAG week have proved. I will be taking the opportunity to reflect with our Students’ Union officers at our regular meeting next week on how this first term has gone.
The University will start the year with another new experience – as the first mid-year assessment takes place prior to the start of the teaching term. I hope that this development further improves the assessment and feedback that we offer our students, with results to students by the end of the first week in February.
Strengthening assessment is important, as we know from previous years’ National Student Surveys - and we know that major structural improvements such as this can make a significant difference to the student experience. We saw, for example, from our NSS scores how significant investment and redevelopment has bolstered students’ experience of the Library.
Next term also sees a visit from the Quality Assurance Agency, for which academic and professional services staff have been making preparations this term. I am confident that Sussex can show itself to be providing teaching of an excellent quality.
In the spring, we will also continue with the hard work needed to ensure that we continue to attract and convert high-quality students to start their studies at Sussex in 2013. In a higher education environment that is more competitive than ever, giving potential students a great experience when they visit campus and engage with us is more important than ever.
As well as this student-focused work, we will also be building on work this term to conduct our trial run of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) - looking at the findings from that and ensuring that we are in the best possible shape for the REF proper in autumn 2013.
And work on identifying external partners for catering and for facilities management moves forward, to support growth and further improve the quality of these services, as we identify preferred partners and start the TUPE consultation process.
One of the main activities for me will be continuing work with colleagues on the development of the University’s new strategic plan for 2013-18. That will set out six or seven clear targets – with campaigns to ensure we drive them forward. Alongside that, we will continue to discuss the masterplan for the development of campus.
All in all, these are challenging and exciting times for Sussex, as we are seeing some of the most significant developments and challenges since the University was founded.
I was able to reflect with Asa Briggs as he looked back in his talk this week at the earliest years of the University: I was struck by his view that, because Sussex was then going through a period of massive growth and development, it allowed new ideas and new approaches to thrive.
I hope that all staff and students enjoy your break when this term finishes. And my especial thanks to all of those colleagues who will be working throughout this period to support our students living on campus.
Happy Christmas!