newslink 81

Issue Number 81 Summer 2015

INSIDE THIS ISSUEAUA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2015A tribute to Professor Sir David WatsonChanges to student fundingBeing an AUA Trustee2015 AUA Poland Study Tour

Newslink Summer 2015 - 1

EDITORrsquoS INTRODUCTION

Dr Giles H Brown FAUA Editor Newslink

The AUA exists to advance and promote the professional recognition and development of all who

work in professional services roles in higher education and to be an authoritative advocate and

champion for the sector

Our Chair Tessa Harrison reminded attendees of this tenet at the

Annual General Meeting of the Association at this yearrsquos AUA

Annual Conference and Exhibition at Nottingham Trent University

(NTU) and this also seems an appropriate opening to this issue

of Newslink which reports on Conference and reaches all the

Associationrsquos members With something for everyone the Annual

Conference offers a great balance of networking and CPD opportunities

underpinned by the AUA Professional Behaviours Framework as

well as allowing our contributions to be celebrated and our role in

the sector to be questioned and challenged

Rather than adopting my usual tendency to pass comment on an

article or articles I thought in this issue I would simply present a

few of the observations views and opinions of speakers from the

2015 Annual Conference for you to consider and reflect upon While

interesting these do not necessarily reflect my views and I take no

responsibility for or side with them the diversity of roles embraced

by our Association means you will have your own views and I hope

you will set aside a few minutes to reflect on some of these issues

Conference speakers (and Editors of publications) sometimes

aim to provoke as well as inform and your opinions count both in

forming the future direction of the Association your institution and

role and the HE sector more widely Conference offers attendees

the opportunity to reflect on a wide range of issues and I hope if

you didnrsquot attend this year you will find time to do the same ndash who

knows what might emerge to prompt change

I thought in this issue I would simply present a few of the observations views and opinions of

speakers from the 2015 Annual Conference

Dr Giles H Brown

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

Editorrsquos introduction

Page 3Chairrsquos column

Page 4University governance and the

(interesting) role of a staff governor

Page 6Reflections on my career and

being an AUA member

AUA Good Practice Guides

Page 8Focus on Efficiency Exchange

Page 9Changes to student funding

Page 10AUA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2015

Page 16 A tribute to Professor Sir David Watson

Page 18Introduction to the 2015 AUA Poland Study Tour

Page 20Being an AUA trustee

The introduction of research

Page 22Perspectives

Page 23A journey with the passport to

administrative excellence

Page 26Upcoming AUA events

The Development Conference and 18th Annual Lecture

Page 27AUA news

Page 29The AUA John Smith Essay Prize 2015

Fro

nt

Co

ver

Imag

e b

y Fr

ank

Du

mb

leto

n


CHAIRrsquoS COLUMN

Tessa Harrison FAUA Chair of AUA and Director of Students and Education Kings College London

Welcome to this edition of Newslink The 2015 Annual Conference was a triumph ndash thank you

to all of you who contributed to running sessions and to our colleagues in the National Office

for pulling it all together It was fantastic to be based at Nottingham Trent University who as

many of you will be aware are also our new PgCert validating partner There was tremendous

energy and engagement throughout the entire conference and informal feedback received so

far suggests a very high level of satisfaction with what the conference had to offer

What next for the AUA For those of you who attended the

Annual General Meeting you will have heard me outline our

refreshed strategy and next steps We have returned to financial

sustainability after a difficult period for us and this places us in

a great position to focus and prioritise We need to maintain

our financial sustainability of course and will do this through a

strategy of growth through relevance and engagement

The AUA occupies a special place in the HE sector Regardless

of your professional specialism the AUA provides the contextual

understanding of what it means to work in HE We do this

through our portfolio of events publications and networks

As part of our strategy-refresh we want to look at what AUA

Digital looks like to understand what services our members

would like to see on-line to supplement our events calendar I

even heard at Conference some excited conversations about

the development of an AUA MOOC Ideas like this are a

fundamental part of driving the AUA forward and I am always

keen to hear from members your ideas for how we can keep

improving our services to you

Our networks are the real powerhouse behind what makes

the AUA relevant and engaged We have members doing great

work through local regional and thematic networks on areas

of importance and interest to us as professionals - I will at this

point exploit this opportunity to thank all of our co-ordinators

personally I have been fortunate to visit several institutions

since I became Chair to speak at network re-launches and

other events and have been blown away by the commitment

passion and enthusiasm of people who want to make their AUA

experience and that of others a truly transformative one

Our CPD Framework is unique developed in partnership with

sector bodies and increasingly being used to provide a means

for individual team and institutional reflection and planning In

each Newslink I aim to reflect on an aspect of the Framework

The lsquomanaging changersquo bubble in the Framework is probably

the most resonant for most of us right now Change is difficult

it can be threatening and scary but in reality it canrsquot be resisted

Everything around us is changing ndash from the political landscape

to things that may be happening in our institutions and to you as

individuals How we cope with change is I think what defines

us Change can bring out the worst and it can bring out the

very best in people Periods of change create opportunities and

can sometimes be the catalyst that makes us take some risks

to change direction or to have the courage to do something

different Being really honest with ourselves about our

responses to change is fundamental to how we cope with it - if

we understand the real emotions behind our responses we can

take control of a situation and make it work for us

At the risk of sounding horribly cheesy I will end this by loosely

quoting John F Kennedy ndash ask not what the AUA can do for

you but what you can do for the AUA It is your professional

association and we will become stronger and grow through

each and every one of us taking personal responsibility for

making it happen This week we reached 3650 members - how

about if every single person made a personal commitment to

getting one colleague to join ndash now that really would be change

ndash a good change

Regardless of your professional specialism the AUA provides the contextual understanding of

what it means to work in HE

Tessa Harrison

2 - Newslink Summer 2015

NTU is looking to change the existing and pervasive HE culture whereby administrators largely implement policies made by

academics by running the University more as a social enterprise (ie an organisation that applies commercial strategies to

maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being rather than maximizing profits for external shareholders

[Wikipedia 2015]) Thus academics donrsquot make decisions in isolation and there is a more effective partnership between academics

and administrators (Professor Edward Peck Vice-Chancellor NTU [Introduction to Opening Plenary])

There are seven presumptions of academic life in search of administrative solutions which underpin the (sometimes poor) working

relationship between academics and their administrative colleagues (Professor Laurie Taylor Emeritus Professor of Sociology

[University of York] Fellow of Birkbeck College [University of London] Times Higher Education [Opening Plenary])

I The great intellectual presumption (an academic expert in

the field of x can run any area of university administration

expertly too)

II The university management presumption (all academics

react badly to the word manager and even more badly to

the word management)

III The great unhappiness presumption (characterises all

academics who enjoy nothing more than an opportunity

to moan)

IV The great linguistic presumption (all administrators use

jargon whereas academics use plain English)

V The great critical presumption (academics have no allegiance

to their institution and are simply allied to global ideals which

means their lsquoacademic freedomrsquo is always being impinged upon)

VI The great evaluative presumption (the belief that academic

staff are constantly being evaluated whereas administrative

staff are never tested and appraised)

VIIThe great ownership of the university presumption

(academics are the university)

Supposedly liberal institutions run by [slightly] left leaning academics act illiberally [at best] towards anyone who isnrsquot one of

lsquothemrsquordquo (Professor Laurie Taylor [Opening Plenary])

This House believes that little progress will be made on the diversity of senior leadership in HE

without the introduction of quotas and targets (Plenary Debate)

FORbull Need disruption as change is taking too long

bull Lots of lsquoinitiativesrsquo but little lsquoimpactrsquo

bull We wish to be seen as more business-like but are not

seeing the effects that are being seen in the FTSE 100

companies (25 versus three [125 by my calculation Ed]

female VCs in the Russell Group)

bull Unconscious bias needs to be recognised and addressed

bull Three times more likely to be a man in senior management

78 of professors are men (yet 60 of students are

female) of the c 20000 professors only 85 are black and 17

are black women

bull Action does work (ATHENA Swan with university leaders

following the money [not a sanction you simply donrsquot get

the cash])

bull Why does merit always look white and male

AGAINSTbull How do we define quotas and what will be the sanctions

bull How do we actually define diversity (not just gender)

bull It doesnrsquot feel good to have been appointed to a quota position

bull Canrsquot always appoint the best person

bull How do you evaluate priorities in quota places (whose

diversity is the most important)

bull Danger of simply introducing a different glass ceiling

bull Problems with tokenism

There are now significant market challenges ndash changes in government support increased student expectations increased

competition increased scepticism as to the value of a degree emerging technology Technologies evolve and financial climate

shifts and universities therefore have to deploy new strategies to attract new students cut costs and increase revenue (Jon

Baldwin Tribal Group)

And finally four more comments from Jon on which to finish

bull It shouldnrsquot have taken the introduction of a pound9k fee for the

student experience to become important

bull You can lead or you can follow ndash too much following with

everyone trying to do the same thing

bull Make good decisions (well just actually make decisions)

bull Laugh (you donrsquot do your job better by being miserable ndash you

might feel it but donrsquot show it)

Oh and watch out for the private providershellip


Irsquom also interested in lay governance and have some experience

as a School Governor and a trustee of small local charities Irsquod

like to develop that in future so the role of a staff governor in an

organisation with an income of pound550 million is excellent experience

The role of a staff governor is also challenging There can

be conflicts of interest and it is important to step back from

personal or parochial concerns and take an overall view on

behalf of the university It can also be difficult to act as a

lsquocritical friendrsquo to the University executive when they ultimately

manage and determine your everyday job I also find that I

frequently have to think how or why I know something about

an element of the Universities business before I contribute

to discussions at work For example I knew who had been

appointed as our new Vice-Chancellor before the official

announcement was made

Why should you consider getting involved in University Governance

Itrsquos great career development Itrsquos not uncommon for staff to

be reluctant to stand for office sometimes leaving vacancies

unfilled or leading to candidates being elected uncontested or

voted in by a small electorate Administrative and managerial

staff often have the type of experience and knowledge

(financial planning human resources and academic) that is

required for knowledgeable and effective governance

Even if you donrsquot want to get involved personally you should

ensure you know how your organisation is governed who the

governors are and make sure you participate in any elections


FEATURE ARTICLE

UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE AND THE (INTERESTING) ROLE OF A STAFF GOVERNOR

Dr Helen Billington FAUA Faculty Education Service Manager University of Leeds

what is a staff governor

Most UK universities are governed by a university council or

board of governors which also functions as a board of trustees

if the university is a registered charity The governing body

is the ultimate decision-making authority of the university

and typically will have a chair a secretary and independent

external or lsquolayrsquo members It will also have internal members

who represent staff and students Internal members can be

lsquoex officiorsquo (ie they are there because of the position they

hold within the organisation such as deans or the president

of the student union or they are representatives of different

staff groupings) At the University of Leeds there are 14 lay

members of Council a representative of the Clothworkersrsquo

Company of London two student representatives and six

staff representatives Two of the staff members are appointed

by the University Senate two are elected by support staff

(clerical technical and ancillary) and two are elected by lsquofacultyrsquo

members which includes all academic academic-related and

professional and management staff I have been one of the

elected lsquofacultyrsquo members of the University of Leeds Council

for a three years and have just been elected for a second term

What do staff governors do

The University Council has six formal meetings and two

away days a year and in that makes decisions on a wide

range of issues from the approval of all projects or proposals

with a value of over pound3 million to the conferment of the

title of Emeritus Professor During my time as a University

Council member Irsquove been involved in decisions about capital

investment in the campus including our new pound30 million

undergraduate library a review of the Leeds Pension and

Assurance scheme the launch of the University strategic action

plan and changes to staff car parking arrangements

Why am I a staff governor

One of the reasons I enjoy the role of staff governor so much

is that the business is so varied and it gives me a much broader

view of the whole University rather than just the parts Irsquom

involved in through my work

Irsquom also passionate about employee engagement and the

role of lsquoemployee voicersquo for reinforcing and challenging

organisational strategy and views In the same way that

universities value student engagement and student voice

employee engagement is an indicator of the health of the

organisation The Macleod Report lsquoEngage for Successrsquo

proposes that the productivity and performance of organisations

is directly correlated with employee engagement This is

measured in terms of profit (in public sector organisations)

staff advocacy of their organisation levels of innovation and

efficiency including health and safety reduced staff turnover

and absenteeism and increased customer satisfaction

More information

Engage for Success (MacLeod Report) wwwengageforsuccessorgideas-toolsemployee-engagement-the-macleod-report

Leadership Foundationwwwlfheacukengovernance-newWhat-is-governanceindexcfm

Committee of University Chairs (CUC) The Higher Education Code of Governance (2014)wwwuniversitychairsacuk

Administrative and managerial staff often have the type of experience and knowledge that is required for

knowledgeable and effective governanceDr Helen Billington

Available nowhellipGood Practice Guide 39 Negotiating by Gerry Webber

This guide will consider three general schools of negotiating the

hard-bargaining approach negotiate everything the win-win approach

getting to yes and the contingent approach ndash improvise learn and

adapt The Art of Negotiation It will also reference BATNA ie the

best alternative to a negotiated agreement as a way of establishing a

lsquowalk-awayrsquo position The purpose of this guide is to build confidence

in negotiating agreements particularly those on a smalllocal scale

which are more commonly experienced on a daily basis


Things obviously have changed in the HE sector over the last

twenty years or so and I think one of the main changes that

particularly strikes me has been the shift from being generalist

administrators to specialist managers For example I started

as a Faculty Administrative Assistant moving across a whole

range of roles to my last post of Head of the Student Conduct

and Appeals Office It was this ability to grow with the job that I

have valued the most

I didnrsquot get any training when I first arrived at the University unless

you count the page of A4 handwritten notes left by the previous

post holder Now new staff get a full induction package plus

opportunities for work shadowing development programmes and

leadership courses to name but a few Fortunately what I did have

were some mentors from the old school who instilled in me the

basic principles of university administration and a culture of putting

students first whatever the circumstances

I remember at the time feeling frustrated that there didnrsquot

seem to be any bespoke training for administrators something

which has definitely changed over the years largely due to the

professional development work done by the AUA

The main things that I think have changed most dramatically

over the last 21 years in HE are

bull The arrival of email PowerPoint web sites scanning online

registration plasma TV screens iPads shared electronic

documents social media electronic calendars E-File

systems and the shift towards paperless offices

bull The decline of old fashioned job titles like Administrative

Assistant Academic Secretary and Academic Registrar

letter writing faxes free car parking and exclusive lunch

clubs for academic members of staff

bull The breaking down of barrierssilos within institutions

bull More flexibility in work patterns

bull Better opportunities for women

bull Improved working relationships between administrative and

academic staff

bull Semesterisation and modularisation

bull The move from small class-based teaching to mass education

often delivered via new teaching methods across disciplines

bull Flexible teaching and work spaces hot desking

And what will I miss most Companionship and the buzz of

academic life To some extent I will miss the challenges and

time pressures the opportunities to grow and develop in a career

I didnrsquot purposely choose but which has worked for me I have

a new job now (with very flexible hours) but rather poorly paid

Networking has made a big difference to my working life


FEATURE ARTICLE

REFLECTIONS ON MY CAREER AND BEING AN AUA MEMBER

Liz Buckton MAUA Formerly Head of the Student Conduct and Appeals Office University of Sheffield

When I retired in early April I had worked at Sheffield

University for 21 years and for most of that time I had been a

member of the AUA What follows might sound a bit like an

advert but AUA has definitely ticked all the right boxes for me

over the years I remember getting into a University minibus

to Bristol for my first annual conference never having met half

of the people on that bus even though they were theoretically

my own colleagues It was therefore a great opportunity to get

to know people from Sheffield let alone all the new friends I

made at the conference I came back fizzing full of ideas and

aware for the first time that I had not just taken up a new job

but had embarked on a new career

I remember looking round the crowded hall during a plenary

session at a later conference and thinking yes these are all my

colleagues and we all belong to the same profession That was

quite a moment Networking has made a big difference to my

working life as a platform for sharing ideas for benchmarking

and for getting support with new experiences

I like to think that I have taken full advantage of what has been

on offer through the AUA over and above annual conferences

and local branch meetings including

bull A yearrsquos exchange opportunity at the University of Sydney

facilitated by the AUA Whilst over there I met up with two

other AUA members who were doing similar exchanges

and that companionship made a big difference to my

experiences Down Under

bull Studying for the PgCert which forced me to research

the literature and really think about the context of HE

something I perhaps wouldnrsquot have made time for otherwise

bull Mentoring other PgCert participants

bull Acting as Branch Co-ordinator for Sheffield University for

several years creating a branch team setting up a dedicated

web site helping grow the membership and seeing new

members develop their careers We won an award too

bull Writing Articles for Newslink Perspectives and contributing

a chapter on complaints and appeals to the AUA sponsored

publication lsquoA Practical Guide for University and College

Managementrsquo

bull Proof reading AUA publications

bull Attending and presenting at conferences

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTAUA GOOD PRACTICE GUIDES

The Good Practice Guides are an invaluable

collection of short practical guides on specific

areas of Higher Education administration

and management Since the first one in

1986 (ldquoCan I quote you on thatrdquo) wersquove

covered a wide range of topics including

communication coaching chairing

meetings managing change mentoring and

departmental administration - to mention a

few We are delighted to have been able to

reintroduce the Guides this year and have

some exceptionally useful handbooks being

produced for the benefit of AUA members

over the coming months

Our first Good Practice Guide

of 2015 Structural Change

by Kathryn Fowler and Dr

Christopher Sarchet was

published back in February

This Guide offers advice from

experienced practitioners on

the key elements to achieve

successful restructuring

whist emphasising that there

is no magic wand to wave to instantly achieve results

but rather that it is the result of hard work perseverance

good communication and adhering to a transparent plan It

includes some helpful case study material which aims to

deliver guidance to the reader These are based upon real

life scenarios from individuals in the sector and reflect both

successful and less successful initiatives

AUA has definitely ticked all the right boxes for me over the years

A wealth of information from the full back catalogue of Good Practices Guides is available on the membersrsquo area of the AUA

website (membersauaacuk) so if you didnrsquot know they existed or would like a refresher of previous editions nowrsquos the time

to take a look

We are always on the lookout for new authors of the Guides if you have a wealth of practical experience that yoursquod like

to share with the AUA community authoring a Good Practice Guide could be for you If you are interested please contact

Kimberley Mellor at kimberleymellorauaacuk to express your interest


I would also welcome your suggestions for stories about

examples of innovation and good practice at your university

This is an unrivalled opportunity to showcase your work and

build your network I look forward to working together to share

stories about how universities are continuing to advance the

efficiency agenda

Efficiency Exchange helps you discover and share ideas good

practice and resources for a smarter stronger university It offers

the opportunity for sharing your work and building your network

and contributions are widely shared with content partners

Rosie can be contacted on rosienivenuniversitiesukacuk

1 httpowlyO1k83 (YouTube link)2 wwwuniversitiesukacukhighereducationPagesEfficiencyEffectivenessValueForMoneyaspxVSuLV1yDTwy3 wwwuniversitiesukacukhighereducationPagesEfficiencyinHigherEducationaspxVSuMC1yDTwy


FEATURE ARTICLE

FOCUS ON EFFICIENCY EXCHANGE

Rosie Niven Content Editor Efficiency Exchange

EfficientUnis save pound1bn - Itrsquos time to tell the story

Most people working in higher education would probably agree about the importance of being

efficient and effective in what they do We heard recently from Professor Sir Ian Diamond that

as a sector we achieved efficiencies estimated at pound1bn over the past three years And yet ndash do

you ever get the feeling that your initiatives can go unnoticed

As Sir Ian has repeatedly emphasised being efficient is not

enough ldquoI believe fundamentally that we have been using

every pound wisely but we need to be seen to be doing sordquo he

said at the launch of the Efficiency Effectiveness and Value for

Money report in February 2015 1

What he is saying is that we should all get the message out

there about our achievements be they about collaborations to

support better research improved systems for managing office

space or giving students a better learning experience using

digital technologies This is particularly important given that an

incoming government will have to make some hard choices in

the forthcoming spending review

Right now administrators and managers are working out their

responses to the challenges set out in Sir Ianrsquos report 2 based

on his second review of efficiency in the sector but how many

think about raising the profile of their work and sharing good

ideas with their peers

That is where the Efficiency Exchange (wwwefficiency

exchangeacuk) comes in We exist to enable people working

in higher education to discover and share ideas good practice

and resources to help create smarter stronger universities

The service was set up following the original Diamond report 3

which recommended the establishment of a digital lsquoefficiency

hubrsquo to signpost good practice on efficiency and highlight

innovative developments Building upon this Universities UK

and Jisc worked together to launch Efficiency Exchange in

partnership with HEFCE and the Leadership Foundation who

provided funding via the Innovation and Transformation Fund

In the two years since launch we have highlighted a wide range

of projects to advance efficiency in the sector ranging from

procurement lsquohealth checksrsquo to the development of services shared

by several institutions such as high performance computing

Administrators and managers across many institutions have

contributed to the efficiency gains of the past few years

in a range of areas including estates human resources

procurement and scientific research All of these themes

plus newer areas of interest such as open data and sharing

laboratory equipment have featured on Efficiency Exchange

and will continue to be covered over the coming months

But we are only as good as our contributors - and that is where

you come in

The higher education workforce has an important role to play in

delivering the recommendations of the latest Diamond review and

also in communicating how they are making a difference I would

like to invite AUA members to join our network where they can

discover information about best practice at other institutions

and organisations and share their work by writing blogposts

To keep up to date with developments in higher educationrsquos

efficiency programme you are welcome to subscribe (www

efficiencyexchangeacuksubscribe) for updates ndash and donrsquot

forget to follow us on TwitterEfficiencyEx

Administrators and managers across many institutions have contributed to the efficiency

gains of the past few years

Rosie Niven

CHANGES TO STUDENT FUNDING

Funding for disabled students at UK higher education institutions has been cut by the

Department for Business Innovation amp Skills (BIS) starting in 2015 ndash 16 HEIs will be

expected to cover some of the funding shortfall and to make significant changes to

course and service delivery to reduce the impact on disabled students The students

themselves may also incur additional costs because of these changes

Mind the (funding) gapThe changes announced by BIS concern the Disabled Studentsrsquo Allowance (DSA) The main changes for 2015 ndash 16

bull DSA will no longer fund the difference between the cost

of standard and more specialist accommodation This

may include adapted rooms en-suites etc

bull DSA will no longer fund study-related ergonomic

furniture required within the institution This may include

beds adjustable height desks and ergonomic chairs

bull Institutions will be expected to provide (individual)

fridges for students whose disabilities require the

storage of medication This is especially relevant for

those with diabetes

bull From 2015 ndash 16 students with disabilities will be expected

to pay the first pound200 of the cost of a computer themselves

bull Funding for scanners and printers will be withdrawn in

most cases The average allowance previously given

through the DSA was pound300

Making your course delivery more accessibleAll institutions are being encouraged to think about maximising the accessibility of their course delivery to avoid the need

for (funded) alternative arrangements For example

bull If electronic formats for set texts or lecture notes were

always available there would be no need for additional

scanning costs

bull If all work could be submitted electronically no

additional funding for printing would be required

bull If all lectures were available as podcasts students would

not need specialist equipment to record them

Further guidance is available from BIS on the Student Finance England website

wwwpractitionersslccoukmedia847636guidance_document_-_second_draft_for_publication_16102014doc

Further changes are anticipated for 2016-7 with details to be confirmed by BIS Watch this space for further news

Did you knowIf you work in student services or a student funding role make sure your

colleagues are aware of these changes and that you are thinking about

how to implement them These changes will affect your new intake of

students in October 2015

Newslink Summer 2015 - 1110 - Newslink Summer 2015

The 2015 Conference (my fourth) passed in a blur of chocolate

biscuits and high winds I enjoyed the themes of this yearrsquos

Conference and felt that the Programme reflected those

themes really well I especially enjoyed the Opening and Middle

Plenaries Laurie Taylor was a real highlight This yearrsquos AGM

was a really valuable opportunity for members to share ideas

about the future of the AUA with the Trustees Itrsquos great to see

how the Association operates and to celebrate our successes too

Gillian Hamnett AAUA Senior Tutor Wolfson College University of Oxford

Informative fun and empowering Would recommend that

any professional staff sign up and come along It is definitely

an experience

Rachel Cavalier MAUA Senior Administration Coordinator SAE London

This was my ninth Annual Conference and my first as substantive

Joint Midlands Regional Co-ordinator a role I assumed in August

2014 As Network Co-ordinator I was pleased to welcome the

Annual Conference to the Midlands and specifically to Nottingham

Trent University I came away refreshed having spent three days

engaged in constructive dialogue with colleagues from across

the UK and international higher education sectors I am looking

forward to the 2016 Annual Conference in Leeds

Nick Allen MAUA Executive Officer The University of Northampton

Nottingham was my first experience of the Conference Fringe ndash

Meet the Networks and I felt this worked very well I met a

number of colleagues interested in the Network and we shared

ideas about how to develop the Network going forward As an

AUA member from Scotland I was pleased to meet colleagues

from Wales and Ireland looking to engage with the activities of

the Network

Katie Allan MAUA Senior Administrator School of Philosophical Anthropological amp Film Studies University of St Andrews

AUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE amp EXHIBITION 2015

Nottingham Trent University 30 March ndash 1 April 2015

The AUA Conference amp Exhibition 2015 was held in the historic city of Nottingham and the

theme of Disruption Diversity and Devolution ran through its core The Sunday evening social

began with a special guest appearance by Robin Hood Maid Marian and the guests tested their

precision and accuracy skills in an archery competition The Opening Plenary with Laurie Taylor

and Plenary Debate hosted in the Albert Hall presented a wonderful and thought-provoking

opening to the Conference

The programme allowed delegates to explore a full range of interesting and current topics in

higher education especially in light of the general election and how this may throw a new light

on higher education This was addressed by Nick Hillman Higher Education Policy Institute

(HEPI) and the internationalisation and diversification of HE was discussed in the closing

plenary with Professor Sir David Greenaway Vice-Chancellor University of Nottingham

This yearrsquos Conference attracted over 700 delegates across the three days with representatives

from over 13 countries including Nigeria New Zealand Qatar Saudi Arabia Russia South

Africa USA The West Indies and Australia

We hope everyone who was able to attend took back to the office an invigorated and refreshed

approach and also some key new thoughts to share with colleagues Here are some comments

from various attendees to provide you with a flavour of their experience and if you werenrsquot able

to attend in 2015 hopefully the messages will give you inspiration of what to expect and we

look forward to seeing you in 2016 in Leeds

A sense of happy anticipation always precedes an AUA National

Conference and I can guarantee my return to work will be

rejuvenated by renewed motivation a sense of perspective

and memories of some lovely people old friends and new

Nottingham kept up the very high standard of previous years if

not exceeding them This year was the second conference at

which lsquoMeet the Networksrsquo sessions were held during some of

the breaks and it was encouraging to meet so many new faces

from the South Wales and South West region

Angela Pater MAUA Network Coordinator - South Wales and South West region and Head of Secretariat University of Bath

I found the Conference programme diverse and interesting

this year and lots of exciting ideas were being generated by

the excellent range of speakers both at the keynotes and

at the smaller workshops I was also delighted by the level

of engagement by the audience at the sessions I delivered -

thanks to all of you who came along

Sam Bayley FAUA AUA Trustee Network Coordinator Yorkshire amp the North East Network Timetabling Manager University of York

The conference was an excellent introduction to the AUA and a great opportunity to meet so many of its members all with much

energy and enthusiasm I left with a very positive impression and am looking forward to progressing many of the ideas that arose

from these productive few days

Amy Wright Project Officer Membership amp Networks AUA National Office

The programme of events at Annual Conference is always a highlight and it is difficult to choose from so many great workshops

and plenary options Twelve days of training in three days is my lsquocall to future participantsrsquo My own highlights this year must go

to both of Kenton Lewisrsquos sessions lsquoTricks of the Tradersquo on becoming a more confident presenter and lsquoLearn to Jugglersquo ndash Here I

have a long way to gohellip

Wendy Cairney MAUA Finance Coordinator Edinburgh Napier University


Meet the Networks at the Annual Conference A success

Many thanks to all the networks and

members that came out in force to make

this yearrsquos Conference Fringe a success

it was a great opportunity to meet each

other and discuss ideas and collaborations

As a result there are plans to host a cross-

themed network one day conference and

lots of new members joined a themed

network If you didnrsquot get chance to catch

up with a Coordinator you can contact them

by accessing their contact details via the

Geographic and Themed network pages on

our website or email auanetworksupportacuk and we can put you into contact

My First AUA Conference Zoe Slater Scholarships Administrator Edge Hill University

Edge Hill University is very supportive of the AUA and are keen

for staff members to attend After leaving teaching four years ago

and joining Edge Hill nearly two years ago I felt it was time to start

carving a career in a sector I am passionate about Education

I was surprised by the number of sessions that were running

and the variety of topics it coveredhellipthis made it difficult to

select the sessions I wanted to attend

The morning of the conference arrived and we made our way to

Nottingham we arrived and both being new to the conference

were quite nervous However our nerves quickly disappeared

by the warm welcome that we received on the registration

desk That day we attended the Opening Plenary from Laurie

Taylor which was very entertaining and set the Conference

off to a great start I thoroughly enjoyed the debate and was

probably one of my highlights That evening we attend the

lsquoMonday Night Quiz and Dinnerrsquo which as expected did get

lsquopassionatersquo Having this social event enabled us to meet others

(everyone was very welcoming and friendly) and subsequently

I felt more comfortable confident and at ease which was

needed as on Tuesday both I and my colleague split up to

attend different sessions

Tuesday and Wednesday were busy days we attended various

working session and keynote presentations covering a range of

topics from lsquoComplementary agendas between academics and

professional administratorsrsquo lsquoGlobal Sectorial Changersquo lsquoSeizing

leadership opportunities of the new HE contextrsquo lsquoHigher

Education and the 2015 General Electionrsquo lsquoInitial passion the

ditch of doubt and butterfliesrsquo lsquoCommunicating the value in the

student experiencersquo They all raised very interesting points but I

found the lsquoseizing leadership opportunitiesrsquo working session the

most beneficial as one of my main motivators in attending the

conference was for professional development and ideas on how

to progress in the sector and this session provided a good insight

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the AUA conference I left aware

of the benefits of AUA membership with improved knowledge

on topical subjects as well as hearing first hand experiences

of how the association has helped others I am confident that

participating in this has and will continue with my professional

development I would advise anybody who is thinking about

attending to go not only will you enjoy it but you will find it

very beneficial and I am also thankful to Edge Hill University for

supporting my attendance


Annual AwardsCongratulations to this yearrsquos Annual Award winners The winners were presented with their

awards during the Gala Dinner at the Nottingham Belfry Hotel by Adam Alexander from sponsors

Electric Paper Ltd Additional awards were made to John Edward Baker and Chris Ince for their

successful fundraising efforts for the AUA and also to Matthew Andrews

who will step down as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees in July

Individual Contribution

Lynn Neville was recognised for her active and successful

role in reviving and rejuvenating the St Andrews branch She

has been proactive in liaising with the National Office on ways

to increase membership and has had a good success rate in

attracting new members She has also been heavily involved

in the Passport to Administrative Excellence programme at the

branch which has been a very positive and popular programme

and has also fostered a culture of collegiality within the branch

run lsquofor its members by its membersrsquo

Network Contribution

The South East Midlands Sub-Network has displayed an

excellent example of how to create genuine benefit through

partnership and collaborative working They have made a clear

and positive use of the AUA CPD Framework and actively

promote the benefits of AUA Membership As a result of their

hard work they have successfully created a peer-support

network available for all institutional advocates and have

developed an efficient Network model which draws on a range

of expertise and opportunities to share practice

Lifetime Achievement

John Ryan has dedicated his time to many aspects of the AUArsquos

activities over the years and continues to tirelessly support the

AUA in a number of formal roles

He was significantly involved in the development and launch

of the PgCert Programme and has continued to support the

programme serving as a Mentor and as the Chair of the Board of

Studies John also served as the AUA Chair between 2002 and

2004 and is a current Trustee on the Board of Trustees through

his role as the Chair of the Board of Studies

John has continued to contribute extensively to the AUA CPD

and events leading workshops on a broad range of topics and

has presented sessions and delivered Keynote speeches at

both national and international conferences

The truly national and transformational role that John has played

in higher education was recognised in 2014 with an MBE for

Services to Higher Education and demonstrates the level at

which John has contributed to supporting developing and

celebrating the work of the sector Throughout his career he has

particularly ensured that the AUArsquos values of professionalism

and excellence in higher education leadership and management

have remained central to his activities and ethos John has

demonstrated an inspirational lasting and genuine commitment

to the AUA and has publicly and personally promoted this during

his distinguished career in higher education

Congratulations to recent graduatesWell done to everyone who graduated and received their AUA Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice (higher education

administration and management) Bronagh Clarke Taweisha Gordon and Susan Sheehan-Watson were presented with their

certificates by Laurie Taylor during the Opening Plenary

Graduates in attendance

Bronagh Clarke University College Cork

Taweisha Gordon Aston University

Susan Sheehan-Watson Newcastle University

Graduates in absentia Jennifer Crotty University of Exeter

Judith Davison University of Huddersfield

Suzanne Hearne University of Chester

Lindsey Jones Cardiff University

Claire McDonald Durham University

Paula Peckham Bournemouth University

Sarah Jane Wright Sheffield Hallam University

Lynn Neville

Dawn Turpin and Nick Allen John Ryan

Matthew Andrews John Edward Baker and Chris Ince

Bronagh Clarke

Susan Sheehan-WatsonTaweisha Gordon


He clearly welcomed the opportunity to step back for a time

from day-to-day CEO headaches

In 2010 David was appointed to what would be the last of his

ldquofive jobs in 35 yearsrdquo Principal of Green Templeton College

University of Oxford

David was a man who represented the coming together of

academic practice (teaching and research) and academic

management not as a unity of opposites but as a synthesis

of talent A few years ago David wrote about the lasting

satisfaction of being the author of two books (1988 1992) on

the history of ideas (Brown 2011 21) He stated in the same

piece and this can be seen in his articles for Perspectives

that his ldquodisciplinary training and experiencerdquo had been

applied to how he analysed HE policy and practice (Brown

2011 22) ldquoWhat I do believe in is trying to understand how

the present has emerged from the past and how it might

be modestly extrapolatedrdquo (Watson 2003 2) (But he also

frequently joked using Glen Hoddlersquos words ldquoI donrsquot make

predictions and I never willrdquo [for example Watson 2009 71])

Over several years but especially in his last book The

Question of Conscience Higher Education and Personal

Responsibility (Watson 2014) Professor Watson developed a

kind of lsquoHippocratic Oathrsquo for the academic profession a lsquoten

commandmentsrsquo for HE colleagues We should remember

David as a lsquoman of his wordrsquo

bull Strive to tell the truth

bull Take care in establishing the truth

bull Be fair

bull Always be ready to explain

bull Do no harm

bull Keep your promises

bull Respect your colleagues (and especially your opponents)

bull Sustain the community

bull Guard your treasure

bull Never be satisfied

A longer version of this tribute is published in the latest issue (192) of Perspectives together with articles by Janet Beer (lsquoDiversity

in Leadershiprsquo) Craig Gaskell and Elizabeth Hayton (lsquoDistance Administrationrsquo) Emma Sabzalieva (lsquoChallenges in Contemporary HE

in Kyrgyzstanrsquo) and John Canning (lsquoA New Measurement and Ranking System for the NSSrsquo)

References

Brown T (2011) Ten Years of National Teaching Fellowships four stories from Education Bristol Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Education

Watson D (1988) Margaret Fuller an American Romantic Oxford Berg

Watson D (1992) Arendt London Fontana Press

Watson D (2000) lsquoThe new attack on higher educationrsquo Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education 4 90-94

Watson D (2002) lsquoIs UK HE fit for purposersquo Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education 6 63-72

Watson D (2003) lsquoUK HE facing the futurersquo Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education 7 2-8

Watson D (2006) lsquoNew Labour and higher educationrsquo Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education 10 63-67 and 92-96

Watson D (2009) lsquoThe dark side of institutional researchrsquo Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education 13 71-71

Watson D (2012) lsquoWho runs our universitiesrsquo Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education 16 41-45

Watson D (2014) The Question of Conscience Higher Education and Personal Responsibility London Institute of Education Press

Professor Sir David Watson


A TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR SIR DAVID WATSON (1949-2015)

Dr David Law MAUA Principle Editor Perspectives

Many AUA members will like the HE community at large have been shocked and greatly saddened by the news of Professor

Sir David Watsonrsquos death in February All at AUA would like Davidrsquos family to know that we grieve with you Our loss cannot

compare to yours but we would like you to know that very many of our members had their lives touched invariably for the

better by contact with David

Professor Watson was a great friend to the Association of

University Administrators and to its journal Perspectives

Policy and Practice in Higher Education He was generous with

his time and unfailingly inclusive in debate He wrote many

pieces for Perspectives as listed below (and all available

on-line to AUA members) and was a very popular speaker

at our events We remember him as an inspiration and as a

diamond-sharp intellect What better role model could there

be for our membership

David reflecting on his own career wrote five years ago that

from the time he was a History undergraduate at Cambridge

(1968 ndash 1971) he ldquowanted to be a teacher in HErdquo Fortunately

for us all he achieved that and very much more His piece

for a 2011 publication by ESCalate the former HEA Subject

Centre for Education summarises his own career as ldquofive jobs

over 35 years in five very different English institutionsrdquo Most

of us would be delighted to have achieved in one role during

a whole career a quarter of what David achieved in each of

these five posts

Characteristically modest in his piece for ESCalate David

puts the focus on teaching and learning when he refers to

the additional roles he has undertaken on sector-wide bodies

(his time on committees of the Council for National Academic

Awards 1977 ndash 1993 at the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding

Council 1988 ndash 1992 and HEFCE 1992-1996 not to mention his

work with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation the Dearing Committee

of Enquiry the ESRC Teaching and Learning Programme and the

Longer Term Strategy Group of Universities UK)

Following completion of his PhD at the University of

Pennsylvania in 1975 David became a lecturer at the Crewe

and Alsager College of Higher Education for six years David

then went to Oxford Polytechnic to run the undergraduate

Modular Course before becoming Assistant Director

(Academic) After a decade at Oxford Polytechnic David

went to Brighton for fifteen years In 1998 whilst still at the

University of Brighton Professor Watson was knighted for

services to higher education

After Brighton following a highly successful tenure as Vice-

Chancellor David spent no time lsquoin retirementrsquo he was actually

working on a book about civic engagement by universities in

varying cultural contexts In 2005 David was appointed as a

Professor at the Institute of Education University of London

David was a man who represented the coming together of academic practice and academic management not as a unity of opposites but as a synthesis of talent

Dr David Law

Meet the Team

We received applications from a strong and committed team with a diverse range of perspectives skills and experience in

university administration

bull Sheila Adamson is the Partnership Development Manager at

Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh

bull Marie Holmes is the Quality Secretary for the Faculty of Arts

amp Social Sciences at the University of Hull

bull Angela Pater is Head of Secretariat at the University of Bath

bull Emily Morrison is on the lsquoAmbitious Futuresrsquo Higher

Education Graduate Trainee Programme at University

College London

bull Andrew Tuson the Study Tour Coordinator is an

independent consultant and interim manager

Our Aims

The objectives of each study tour are generally similar but vary in detail according to each trip The 2015 Poland Study Tour had the

following objectives

bull To undertake a fact finding mission and produce a report

on the Polish HE system which incorporates analysis of

similarities and differences and considers ways of sharing

best practice

bull To enable participants to gain an international perspective on

aspects of HE decision making policy and practice

bull To allow tour participants the opportunity to challenge their

existing notions about HE and undertake research in a non-

UK environment

The team decided on the following three overarching themes

bull Quality assurance

bull Growing student demand including internationalisation and the rise of the Private Sector

bull Governance including the student voice

The AUA Poland Study Tour and the dissemination activities allowed AUA members the opportunity to experience this vibrant and

fascinating education sector

Our Programme

Given the duration of the Tour we decided to focus our efforts

on three Polish cities Warsaw Poznan and Krakow

Apart from visiting a selection of Polish public universities we

also arranged visits with the Polish private HE sector and lined

up visits to other HE-related bodies in Poland

Pre-Tour Preparations

The team held their pre-tour meeting at the Nottingham

AUA Conference We also received immeasurably valuable

advice and support from both Mr Maciej Kolasinski from TEB-

Academia and Professor Marek Kwiek from the University of

Poznan a renowned scholar in Higher Education Management

Findings

Thanks to the generous support of the Leadership Foundation

for Higher Education (wwwlfheacuk) we will be publishing

a report on the findings of the Study Tour in mid-2015 and

we are excited about the possibility of working with the

Leadership Foundation on future AUA Study Tours In the

meantime why not read our tour blog which can be found at

auapoland2015blogspotcouk


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION TO THE 2015 AUA POLAND STUDY TOUR

Dr Andrew Tuson MAUA Study Tour Coordinator Consultant and Interim Manager

I was delighted to coordinate this yearrsquos AUA Study

Tour which ran between the 10 and 17 May 2015 and

which was the first time I have visited Poland It is a

country I have wanted to go to for a long time given its

often understated influence on European history I enjoy

both travel and challenging work in HE broadening the

mind and bringing perspectives on how higher education

transforms lives and societies

Poland is a hidden gem in Europe with more history

science and culture on offer than is commonly realised

For example Polish mathematicians originally broke the

Enigma cipher work that shortened the war and saved countless lives (Bletchley Park in the UK

extended their work to later versions of the cipher and made it work on an industrial scale)

Initial desk research revealed a number of interesting and distinctive features of Polish HE

For example Polish HE has a large recent private HE sector that has played an important

role in widening participation Further Polandrsquos Higher Education System has also undergone

vast change in recent years and the HE system has played a key role in supporting Polandrsquos

transition towards democracy entry to the EU and alignment with the Bologna Process

As such Poland had much for the Study Tour team to learn from and share with the university

administration community

Poland is a hidden gem in Europe with more history science and culture on

offer than is commonly realised

Dr Andrew Tuson


accounts and forecasts We review management information

about membership progress with Conference and receive

regular reports from sub-groups and short life working groups

These are all critical elements of keeping the Board up to date

and able to meet our responsibilities and statutory requirements

as Trustees of a charity

I always look forward to the reports from the Regional and

Thematic Networks These are at the heart of the AUArsquos

activities and are dependent on the contribution energy and

enthusiasm of our members We have committed Network

Co-ordinators and Branch Advocates and itrsquos always great to

hear about the ideas innovations and activities that are being

taken forward Where we have strong branches and networks

the AUA can make real impact on membersrsquo development and

opportunities But we always need more members to step up

and take on these roles It does take time and commitment

from individuals but we should all remember that the AUA

is a membership organisation and is not solely a lsquoservicersquo

organisation What we put in as individual members to the AUA

reaps dividends for the collective membership

Much of the Board meeting is focused on future developments

with discussion and evaluation of ideas initiatives and strategies

for the AUA We are currently refreshing the overall strategy

and operational plan for the AUA with an increased focus on

enhancing our member services (including networks and

publications) and also considering new opportunities for services

drawing on the AUArsquos collective expertise The individual

Trustees making up the Board provide a good range of expertise

and experiences and there are always plenty of opinions on any

subject and some challenging debate We do not always agree

and sometimes we have to compromise There are always

AUA Professional Behaviours evident in the room

All Trustees make contributions to the AUA in a range of

different ways ndash whether as mentors chairs of Short Life

Working Groups running courses or contributing to the

PgCert We also all take an active part in Conference ndash leading

sessions and hosting speakers At the invitation of our sister

organisation the Canadian Association of University Business

Officers (CAUBO) I am also off to New Brunswick in June

representing the AUA and will be addressing the Vice-

Presidentrsquos forum on financial sustainability in the UK

One of the unexpected benefits of being a Trustee has been

getting to know my fellow Trustees and learning about their

backgrounds experiences and views I have learnt a lot from

them and built a new set of networks in the process Another

benefit is the insight into the complexity and issues of steering

and developing a membership organisation It has made me

reflect on the operation of my own Universityrsquos Council and

decision-making structures I have also enjoyed experiencing

Conference and other activities from a different perspective

as a Board member I get huge satisfaction in particular from

observing the lsquolightbulb momentrsquo in early career members

arising from a session or a discussion in a Network

I was amongst the last of the Trustees to be elected Since last

year we have been inviting applications and selecting Trustees

by interview One effect has been to bring forward applications

from a more diverse membership and we now have Trustees

from across the career stages of the administrative profession

ndash from early career to heads of university administration We

are just going through the process of appointing next yearrsquos

Trustees and I look forward to new faces joining the Board If

yoursquove been wondering about it for some time I encourage you

to put yourself forward ndash itrsquos an enriching experience

Although it is doubtful whether there is even a single provider

of higher education anywhere that doesnrsquot have some form

of research strategy the central importance of research to

the academic life of a university was not always accepted

The Royal Commission on the Scottish Universities in

the 1870s noted that lsquothe Scotch professor does not yet

consider research to be one of his duties with some marked

exceptions his half-yearrsquos holiday produces nothingrsquo It was

only a little earlier in the 1850s that perhaps the most famous

theorist of higher education John Henry Newman wrote the

series of essays published as the Idea of a University in which

he espoused the idea of a university as a teaching-only body ndash

a place resolutely without an interest in research The purpose

of a university for Newman was as a place to teach universal

knowledge to pass on rather than extend wisdom Like the

university itself the integration of research with teaching

was not a British development It started with the reforms of

Wilhelm von Humboldt in Prussia and the new University of

Berlin founded in 1810 By the start of the twentieth century

German universities were generally admired as the best in

the world and it was the Humboldtian model that shaped

the now-dominant research universities of the United States

This model eventually influenced British universities ndash even

Oxford and Cambridge where tutorial teaching loomed over

the Professorial model developed in Germany and Scotland

for decades after it became the accepted norm elsewhere

The union of teaching and research in the work of individual

academics as well as institutions which was once strongly

rejected is now seemingly unassailable in the UK Perhaps

the application of research and teaching to practical issues in

society and the economy will one day be accepted with equal

unanimity and prestige


FEATURE ARTICLE

BEING AN AUA TRUSTEE

Nicola Owen FAUA Chief Administrative Officer Lancaster University

Being a Trustee of the AUA is both hugely rewarding and interesting but comes with a large dose of a sense of responsibility

and legacy I am in my second year of my term as an AUA Trustee having been a member of the AUA for some 20 years

A large part of the motivation for me wanting to become a Trustee was to give back in some way to the organisation which

had played a significant part in my own early development and that had provided me with important opportunities to develop

networks and to share practice This remains one of the core benefits to AUA members but becoming a Trustee has opened my

eyes to just how much the AUA now has to offer to members at various points in their development

The experience as a Trustee of a member organisation is

very different to other Trustee roles I have held A large part

of our challenge as Trustees is to ensure that we sufficiently

reflect the needs of our diverse membership as we make

decisions about the future direction of AUA Prior to my

coming on to the Board Trustees had to navigate a very

challenging financial period for the AUA and to take some

difficult decisions to ensure the AUArsquos financial sustainability

This has provided a good basis for the future but the AUA

is still very dependent on being able to provide benefits and

services to its members on limited income streams We are

thinking very hard about what AUA membership should mean

at various career and development stages and how best to

reflect and engage our membership to get the most out of

their subscriptions

So what do we do Well we meet three times a year formally

as a Board with an additional meeting around the Annual

Conference and Exhibition At those meetings we regularly

consider a whole range of issues which relate to the day to day

AUA business such as reports on the activities and operation

of the AUA National Office the AUArsquos financial context and

What we put in as individual members to the AUA reaps dividends

for the collective membership

Nicola Owen

PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION

THE INTRODUCTION OF RESEARCH

Matthew Andrews FAUA Deputy Chair of AUA and Academic Registrar Oxford Brookes University

The central importance of research to the academic life of a university

was not always accepted

Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE

A JOURNEY WITH THE PASSPORT TO ADMINISTRATIVE EXCELLENCE

Lynn Neville MAUA Staff Developer in CAPOD University St Andrews

This journey began in 2010 when staff developers at the Centre for Academic Professional and

Organisational Development (CAPOD) were faced with the challenge of engaging staff in their

professional development with limited resources

Like a lot of other Universities at the time St Andrews offered

a broad range of courses on an open programme and staff

were encouraged to attend those which were relevant There

was no management development programme and this was

identified as something which was lacking We wanted to come

up with something imaginative which would really engage

people Using the metaphor of a development journey we

created the idea of using a learning log designed as a passport

This programme for new existing and aspiring managers

was named the lsquoPassport to Management Excellencersquo and

consisted of a range of core and optional courses as well

as opportunities for networking and action learning sets

The launch took place in November 2010 and the demand

for places soon outstripped the initial estimate of 30 Staff

really connected with the idea of having a physical passport

document in which they could collect passport stamps for

each course they attended The programme was accredited

by the Institute for Leadership and Management (ILM) and

graduates were awarded with certificates of completion

Once the lsquopassportrsquo programme was in place for managers

and running well it was realised that this model could provide

development pathways for other groups of staff Consequently in

early 2012 the lsquoPassport to Administrative Excellencersquo was launched

In keeping with the lsquopassportrsquo and lsquodevelopment journeyrsquo

concepts postcards were sent to all administrative staff

inviting them to launch events These were attended by 95

people with 60 signing up straight away filling all the available

places Within a few weeks there was a large waiting list

Although the waiting list is smaller now demand exceeding

available places has been a consistent feature of this and the

other programmes which have been developed (Cleaning

Housekeeping and Estates staff all now have their own

specific passport programmes) There are currently some

others at the planning stage for different groups of staff

Passport to Administrative Excellence aims to

bull Build on existing skills and knowledge

bull Raise awareness of administrative processes across

the University

bull Provide a structured development programme for

administrative staff

bull Develop new skills in a range of related areas

bull Experience a wide variety of development activities

bull Choose own direction by selecting a tailored learning

programme

We wanted to come up with something imaginative which would really engage people

Lynn Neville

Sarah Pollock CAPOD Administrator

FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES

David Law Principal Editor Perspectives

In the latest edition of Perspectives (192) now available online Janet Beerrsquos AUA Annual Lecture lsquoDiversity in Leadershiprsquo is

accompanied by articles on lsquoDistance Administrationrsquo (Craig Gaskell and Elizabeth Hayton) higher education in Kyrgyzstan (Emma

Sabzalieva) and a detailed study of the data produced by the National Student Survey (John Canning) What ties these disparate

topics together is that they are all examples of practitioner research They could only have been written by authors who know HE

lsquofrom the insidersquo

We need more submissions of this kind Perspectives is a forum for AUA members to disseminate the findings of their own

practice-based research We are looking for new authors who are able to speak to their peer community Two special issues are

forthcoming lsquoManagers and Marketsrsquo and lsquoWidening Participationrsquo It would be great to receive submissions written during what

used to be called ldquothe long vacationrdquo from those who rarely write anything longer than a committee paper


For information about writing an article preparing your manuscript and general guidance for authors please visit the Authors

Services section of the Taylor and Francis website wwwjournalauthorstandfcouk

Perspectives is a forum for AUA members to disseminate the findings of

their own practice-based research

David Law

perspectivesPOLICY AND PRACTICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Volume 19 Number 2 2015

ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS

EditorialA tribute to Professor Sir David Watson(1949ndash2015)David Law 35

PerspectiveDiversity in leadershipJanet Beer 40

PerspectiveDistance administration Multiple perspectives on multi-site institutionsCraig Gaskell and Elizabeth Hayton 43

PerspectiveChallenges in contemporary higher education in Kyrgyzstan Central AsiaEmma Sabzalieva 49A new measurement and ranking system for the UK National Student SurveyJohn Canning 56

IN THIS ISSUE

A tribute to Professor

Sir David Watson (1949ndash2015)

Diversity in leadership

Distance administration Multiple

perspectives on multi-site institutions

Challenges in contemporary

higher education in Kyrgyzstan

Central Asia

A new measurement and

ranking system for the UK

National Student Survey

TRIM SIZE 210 X 297 mmTPSP 19_2 Cover_TPSP_I_19_01_COVER 290415 218 PM Page 1


an accomplishment on completion An excellent varied and

thoroughly enjoyable packagerdquo

ldquoI thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and found it really

useful to build on my existing skills It was also good to meet

and network with other members of staff and to share processes

and knowledge with them in a relaxed and informal wayrdquo

The challenge moving forward ndash and how the AUA is helping to address this

The Passport to Administrative Excellence has supported an

increasing number of staff who are engaged and interested

in their own development The challenge this creates is that

at the end of the programme participants are awarded a

certificate and invited to the annual CAPOD recognition event

and then nothing further

The lack of any continuing development resulted in some

disappointment that individuals had reached the end of the

programme Participants were saying lsquoThat was great but

what will I do nowrsquo An answer to that came along when

Gillian Duncan one of our administrators won the AUA

Administrator of the Year award in 2014

Publicity about Gillianrsquos success brought awareness about

the impressive work the AUA had done in developing a CPD

framework which was identified as being of benefit to the

graduates of the passport programme The content of the St

Andrews programme maps well onto the nine professional

behaviours identified by the AUA However in 2014 there

were only three members of the AUA in St Andrews

The AUA were approached with the idea of working with St

Andrews to develop a block purchase so that we could offer a

year of free membership to the graduates of the Passport to

Administrative Excellence Scheme This idea was welcomed

and the team at Head Office were very helpful in setting this

up for our staff

This initiative has been enthusiastically received by those

who have completed their passport and we will soon have

50 members The local branch are working with the team in

CAPOD to develop relevant learning opportunities which tie

in with the AUA CPD framework and offer learning beyond

the scope of the passport programme These learning

opportunities currently take the form of lunchtime sessions

which have covered topics such as Finance and Wellbeing

The Branch are also taking the lead in organising cross-

institution events and one-day conferences and it is hoped

that our AUA members will contribute to these We are

actively looking for ideas to maintain this momentum and

are planning a lsquoSt Andrews Conferencersquo in the summer for

our members This will be based on the 2015 AUA Annual

Conference and Exhibition theme of Disruption Diversity and

Devolution Through this the national theme will be followed

through to local level to address specific issues in this area It

is also hoped that through the membership of the AUA some

of our staff may decide to pursue the Postgraduate Certificate

or apply for the Study Tours

We are looking forward to continued involvement with the

AUA to help inspire the development opportunities that we

provide in-house

Sarah Milne Finance Assistant and Laura McArthur Sub Honours Administrator Year Abroad Administrator

Graeme Fitchet Finance Assistant


Content

To be awarded the certificate the participants must complete

all the core courses plus at least two of the optional courses

within two years Some of the courses were already

delivered as part of the existing open programme However

by focusing on the needs of administrative staff some new

courses had to be developed specifically for the passport

The courses are delivered in-house where possible by staff

developers and other specialist staff A few external providers

deliver sessions where they can add value and bring a wider

perspective to the programme

CORE COURSES OPTIONAL COURSES

(minimum of two)

Customer Service Advanced Reception Skills

Dealing with Difficult

Behaviour 1

Budget Management

Effective Communication CV amp Interviewee Skills

Environment amp Culture Dealing with Difficult Behaviour 2

Information Matters Discover Your Team Role

IT - minimum of two IT Courses - additional to two core

Lean Problem Solving for

Administrators

Minute Taking

Money Matters Recruitment amp Selection

Time Management Writing in the Workplace Writing for the Web

Participants need to apply for the programme stating their

personal objectives and the application must be approved by

their manager

All the core courses must be attended but the range of

optional courses allows individuals to create a tailored

development programme based on their own role and

interests For example not everyone in an administrative role

will be involved in recruitment or write material for the web

The optional courses provide the opportunity to make the

programme really fit the needs of each individual participant

Benefits of the programme

The programme has brought benefits at both an individual and

institutional level

INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS INSTITUTION

Updating knowledge Increased engagement in learning activities

Networking Motivated staff sharing knowledge and best practice

Increased confidence Improved communication

Encouraged to learn Helps managers identify appropriate development for staff

Protected time for

development

Clear development pathway

The participants

There are now 55 graduates of the scheme with 60 current

participants and a waiting list of 10 Apart from the launch

events no further publicity activity has taken place A steady

stream of applications continue to come in from all areas of the

University Current participants are from a broad mix of Schools

and Units Admissions Biology CAPOD Chaplaincy Computer

Science Economics Finance Geography amp Geosciences

History HR International Relations Library Management

Modern Languages Office of the Principal Philosophy

Residential amp Business Services and Social Anthropology

Feedback

This has been very positive from both participants and their

managers Some representative quotes are

ldquoAs a relatively new member of staff I was really excited

not only with the variety of training opportunities but also the

high standard It has given me the opportunity to build on my

confidence as well as knowledgerdquo

ldquoThe Passport Programmes offered me an exciting and

engaging platform for expanding my inner self and improve

on my interaction with new and varied colleagues from all

areas of expertise at the University Many of the courses were

also transferable and helped with life out of my daily office

environmentrdquo

ldquoI found the Passport to Administrative Excellence a fantastic

way to network amongst other University Administrators and

put faces to namesldquo

ldquoEach session was entirely different in content and

presentation and I looked forward to that and meeting

members of staff I would never otherwise have met To attain

the certificate was something to work towards and felt like Lynn Hynd Archeacute Office Manager


AUA NEWS

WELCOME TO OUR NEW NETWORK COORDINATORS

We welcome Dr Bronagh Clarke to the position of Ireland Network Coordinator and Susanne Clayton who is taking over as the

Organisational Development Network Coordinator

Dr Bronagh Clarke

I am delighted to take on the role of Ireland Network Coordinator for the AUA The higher education

sector in Ireland is a vibrant and changing environment on both sides of the border and I hope to develop

a strong network of links between administrative and support staff at universities colleges and institutes

of technology so that we can learn from shared experiences and good practice

The aims of the Ireland Network are to

bull Raise awareness of the AUA and its benefits to potential members

bull Increasing interactions between administrators in Irelandrsquos higher education institutions so that we can share good practice and

create a supportive peer network for members

bull Organise events and activities to support the professional and personal development of higher education administrators

throughout the island

Sue Clayton

As the new Coordinator for the Organisational Development Network Irsquom looking forward to engaging

with many of you in this key area of higher education The opportunity to work with like-minded

colleagues and share good practice from both national and international HEIs will be a focus of the work

Irsquod like to see develop further within the AUA but especially within the OD network Irsquom keen that we all

share and disseminate information and learn from each other With over 20 yearsrsquo experience of working

in HE in both the UK and overseas I hope to be able to bring some of that back-ground knowledge and

working practices to this Network to encourage us all to continually develop professionally and enthusiastically

NETWORK NEWS PLYMOUTH AUA BRANCH DEVELOPMENT EVENT

Plymouth University branch has held a mini-development session to examine the

topical issue of the student journey and the challenges and opportunities faced

by different support services The event brought together members from two

branches ndash Plymouth University and Plymouth College of Art It was the result

of a successful bid sent by the branch Advocates (Ewa Thompson and Penny

Howard) to the AUA South West Network Coordinator to cover the cost of the

event Many thanks AUA

During short interactive sessions participants were able to exchange views on

their personal contribution to the student journey from various perspectives such

as enrolment planning data support and research administration The list of

challenges and opportunities faced by different services and different institutions

grew longer and longer as the lively discussion progressed over lunch The five

main issues identified included working in a constantly changing environment

dealing with a wide range of academic and professional services staff increased

demands on both staff and students interpreting data sets held in various electronic

systems and managing staff and studentsrsquo expectations Dealing with these

challenges requires excellent planning communication and collaboration skills and

further networking opportunities to enhance these skills will be organised in future


UPCOMING AUA EVENTS

Development Conference ndash Doing it Differently15 October 2015

University of York

We often need to change the way we do things to respond to the changing environment to make our processes leaner fitter

more efficient to achieve the outcomes we need more effectively But how can we do this well What can the Higher Education

sector learn from professionals in other sectors Attend the Development Conference 2015 and hear from people inside and

outside the sector about how theyrsquove gone about making major changes and done more with less You will also pick up tools and

tips to take back to the workplace from colleagues that are in the forefront of this agenda

Annual Lecture15 October 2015

University of York

Tying in with the Development Conference and also in York on 15 October this yearrsquos highly topical Annual Lecture will be given by

Professor Sir Ian Diamond FBA FRSE AcSS Chair of the UUK Efficiency Task Group which published its updated report Efficiency

Effectiveness and Value for money in February this year The Annual Lecture is an exclusive AUA member event

Professor Sir Ian Diamond is Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen

an appointment he has held since 1 April 2010 He was previously Chief Executive of the

Economic and Social Research Council He was also Chair of the Research Councils UK

Executive Group (2004 ndash 2009) the umbrella body that represents all seven UK Research

Councils Before joining the ESRC Sir Ian was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University

of Southampton where he had been for most of his career

Sir Ian is Chair of British Universities and Colleges Sport Chair of the Universities UK

Research Policy Network Committee Chair of the Universities UK Group on Efficiency

and Chair for the Welsh Assembly Government of the Higher Education Review for

Wales Sir Ian was elected to the UK Academy of Social Sciences in 1999 is a Fellow of

the British Academy (2005) a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2009) and holds

honorary degrees from the universities of Cardiff and Glasgow

Introduction to HE ndash A toolkit for new professionals10 ndash 11 December 2015

ETC Venues Paddington

Day 1 10 December

Introduction to Higher EducationWhether yoursquore new to working in HE or moving role or are

just bemused by how much the sector is changing there will

be something of interest in this programme which provides an

overview of the UK higher education sector There is a strong

emphasis on understanding how a range of social political

economic and academic considerations impact on the sector

and you will be encouraged to think about how your own role

and institution contribute to and is influenced by these factors

Pre dinner talk and evening dinner (Optional Extra)

Day 2 11 December

A toolkit for new professionalsDeveloping yourself when your time and resources are already

stretched to capacity can be challenging This practical and

hands-on workshop provides you with a framework to manage

your personal and career development It will concentrate on a

range of professional behaviours including working with others

in order to deliver a quality service We will also consider

steps that might be taken and resources that are available to

maximise opportunities for your career progression

For further information and to make a booking visit wwwauaacuk

THE AUA JOHN SMITH ESSAY PRIZE 2015In 2015 the Editorial Board of Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education will be launching a competition for the best essay submitted on the topic of lsquoManagers and Marketsrsquo with the closing date of Tuesday 1 September 2015

The pound1500 prize will be formally awarded at the AUArsquos Annual Conference in 2016 in Leeds

We are grateful to the John Smith Group for sponsorship of the prize This group of companies which includes campus bookshops is dedicated to meeting the information needs of the education and professional services sectors Further information about the John Smith Group can be found on their website at wwwjohnsmithgroupcom

To be considered for the prize essays must be no longer than 4000 words and must meet the standards for publication by Perspectives Essays must be the original work of the author and must not be re-presentations of work that has already been published in any form Only submissions that are exclusively for consideration by Perspectives will be valid For further information about Perspectives please consult the AUA website

There are no restrictions on who may submit for this prize Whilst we expect to see a focus on the challenges faced by either the UK HE sector or one of its member institutions including related organisations we invite all comers and all kinds of approaches to the topic Multiple authorship is acceptable but please note that the prize is given for the essay if there is more than one named author the prize would be split equally

Any questions about this competition should be sent to the Principal Editor of Perspectives davidlawedgehillacuk


AUA NATIONAL OFFICE - NEW STARTERS

Amy Wright Project Officer (Membership amp Networks)

I am the latest addition to the AUA team as the Networks and Membership Project

Officer having joined in February 2015 I have worked for several HEIrsquos across the

North West in a variety of roles over the last eight years with projects including crime

reduction and online learning as well as managing the finances and delivery for a

portfolio of externally-funded projects My previous role was to implement a paperless

environment (or paper-light) within the Recruitment and Admissions department at

Manchester Metropolitan University

I am enjoying how busy and varied the role at the AUA is I am responsible for supporting

the networks specifically the network coordinators and advocates in their activities to

engage with members more effectively I am looking forward to implementing new ideas

and suggestions to support the networks to increase membership benefits I was able

to be part of the 2015 Annual Conference which was an excellent opportunity to meet many members and helped put faces to

names ndash it was also a great place to discuss ideas as to how to achieve an improved membership experience

Outside of work I am an active member of various sports clubs including running and rounderrsquos I am a keen traveller and an avid

music fan

Fiona Ramsay Administrative Assistant

Hello I started work with the AUA in February 2015 as the Administrative Assistant

supporting the PgCert Programme This is my first role in Higher Education having spent

the main part of my career to date in Local Government In many ways there are a lot of

cross overs between the sectors so it doesnrsquot feel too alien to me I have been made to

feel very welcome by all the AUA team for which I am very grateful

When Irsquom not working my main hobbies are textile and craft related and I sew knit and

crochet I also love teaching these skills and have already had a few requests from the

AUA team for crochet lessons I love to travel especially within the UK and I particularly

enjoy visiting the coast and historical properties Irsquom from Glasgow originally and spend

many of my breaks from work visiting my family there

FAREWELL TO OUR ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK COORDINATORS

It is with regret that we say goodbye to our

Organisational Development (OD) Themed

Network Coordinators Melissa Bradley FAUA

and Dr Rachel Birds FAUA who are stepping

down after five yearsrsquo service We would like

to express our appreciation and thanks to

them both for being such an integral part of

our activity and we wish them well in their

future activities

Melissa Bradley Dr Rachel Birds

Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey

The views and opinions expressed in Newslink are those of

the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of their

institutions or of the Editor nor should they be considered as

expressions of opinion or official policy of the Association of

the University Administrators (AUA)

AUA National Office

The University of Manchester Sackville Street Building

Sackville Street Manchester M60 1QD

+44 (0)161 275 2063

auaauaacuk Design and layout coppermediacouk

The AUA exists to advance and promote the professional recognition and development of all who work in professional services roles in higher education and to be an authoritative advocate and champion for the sector

As an organisation we exist for our members We offer support to help you enhance careers boost your job prospects and create valuable networking opportunities In short we empower our members to take control of their career development

Feeling inspired If you would like to submit an article for future issues of Newslink or recommend areas you would like to see covered please get in touch with us at auaauaacuk

Follow The_AUA on Twitter and join our members group on LinkedIn for all our latest news

We appreciate your thoughts and feedback on Newslink and your comments help us to develop future issues If you would like to provide any comments or feedback please send to auaauaacuk


EDITORrsquoS INTRODUCTION

Dr Giles H Brown FAUA Editor Newslink

The AUA exists to advance and promote the professional recognition and development of all who

work in professional services roles in higher education and to be an authoritative advocate and

champion for the sector

Our Chair Tessa Harrison reminded attendees of this tenet at the

Annual General Meeting of the Association at this yearrsquos AUA

Annual Conference and Exhibition at Nottingham Trent University

(NTU) and this also seems an appropriate opening to this issue

of Newslink which reports on Conference and reaches all the

Associationrsquos members With something for everyone the Annual

Conference offers a great balance of networking and CPD opportunities

underpinned by the AUA Professional Behaviours Framework as

well as allowing our contributions to be celebrated and our role in

the sector to be questioned and challenged

Rather than adopting my usual tendency to pass comment on an

article or articles I thought in this issue I would simply present a

few of the observations views and opinions of speakers from the

2015 Annual Conference for you to consider and reflect upon While

interesting these do not necessarily reflect my views and I take no

responsibility for or side with them the diversity of roles embraced

by our Association means you will have your own views and I hope

you will set aside a few minutes to reflect on some of these issues

Conference speakers (and Editors of publications) sometimes

aim to provoke as well as inform and your opinions count both in

forming the future direction of the Association your institution and

role and the HE sector more widely Conference offers attendees

the opportunity to reflect on a wide range of issues and I hope if

you didnrsquot attend this year you will find time to do the same ndash who

knows what might emerge to prompt change

I thought in this issue I would simply present a few of the observations views and opinions of

speakers from the 2015 Annual Conference

Dr Giles H Brown

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

Page 1Editorrsquos introduction

Page 3Chairrsquos column

Page 4University governance and the

(interesting) role of a staff governor

Page 6Reflections on my career and

being an AUA member

AUA Good Practice Guides

Page 8Focus on Efficiency Exchange

Page 9Changes to student funding

Page 10AUA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2015

Page 16 A tribute to Professor Sir David Watson

Page 18Introduction to the 2015 AUA Poland Study Tour

0Being an AUA trustee

The introduction of research

Page 22Perspectives

Page 23A journey with the passport to

administrative excellence

Page 26Upcoming AUA events

The Development Conference and 18th Annual Lecture

Page 27AUA news

Page 29The AUA John Smith Essay Prize 2015

Fro

nt

Co

ver

Imag

e b

y Fr

ank

Du

mb

leto

n


CHAIRrsquoS COLUMN































































ndash a good change



Tessa Harrison












expertly too)






to moan)

























are black women



the cash])



















































FEATURE ARTICLE




















































More information


















































academic staff












FEATURE ARTICLE








































Managementrsquo






































to take a look










efficiency agenda








FEATURE ARTICLE
















































you come in













Rosie Niven

















those with diabetes










scanning costs
























an experience

















the Network












































































































































































Lynn Neville



Bronagh Clarke






























bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063








CHAIRrsquoS COLUMN































































ndash a good change



Tessa Harrison












expertly too)






to moan)

























are black women



the cash])



















































FEATURE ARTICLE




















































More information


















































academic staff












FEATURE ARTICLE








































Managementrsquo






































to take a look










efficiency agenda








FEATURE ARTICLE
















































you come in













Rosie Niven

















those with diabetes










scanning costs
























an experience

















the Network












































































































































































Lynn Neville



Bronagh Clarke






























bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063



































FEATURE ARTICLE




















































More information


















































academic staff












FEATURE ARTICLE








































Managementrsquo






































to take a look










efficiency agenda








FEATURE ARTICLE
















































you come in













Rosie Niven

















those with diabetes










scanning costs
























an experience

















the Network












































































































































































Lynn Neville



Bronagh Clarke






























bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063



















































academic staff












FEATURE ARTICLE








































Managementrsquo






































to take a look










efficiency agenda








FEATURE ARTICLE
















































you come in













Rosie Niven

















those with diabetes










scanning costs
























an experience

















the Network












































































































































































Lynn Neville



Bronagh Clarke






























bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063













efficiency agenda








FEATURE ARTICLE
















































you come in













Rosie Niven

















those with diabetes










scanning costs
























an experience

















the Network












































































































































































Lynn Neville



Bronagh Clarke






























bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063



















an experience

















the Network












































































































































































Lynn Neville



Bronagh Clarke






























bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063




























































































































































Lynn Neville



Bronagh Clarke






























bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063



































bull Be fair


bull Do no harm









References





































these five posts

























Dr David Law

Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063







Meet the Team










College London



Our Aims






best practice





UK environment







Our Programme












Findings


































Dr Andrew Tuson


































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063








































































































FEATURE ARTICLE























their subscriptions









Nicola Owen






Matthew Andrews


FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063








FEATURE ARTICLE











































the University






programme


Lynn Neville


FEATURE ARTICLE

PERSPECTIVES
















David Law



ISSN 1360-3108



CONTENTS





IN THIS ISSUE








Central Asia





































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063







































up for our staff























provide in-house




Content












(minimum of two)



Behaviour 1

Budget Management






Administrators

Minute Taking





their manager










institutional level






Protected time for

development


The participants











Feedback












environmentrdquo









AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063








AUA NEWS




Dr Bronagh Clarke











Sue Clayton




























UPCOMING AUA EVENTS


University of York







University of York


















Day 1 10 December










Day 2 11 December

































music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063






























music fan





















future activities


Amy Wright

Fiona Ramsey






AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063












AUA National Office



+44 (0)161 275 2063







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