Continuously improving how we work and manage change

We need to change to accommodate shifts in student, learner and colleague needs and behaviour, to adopt new findings from research, to adapt to technological developments, and to respond to new external factors such as changes in government policies, funding priorities, competition, demography or economic conditions. We will change in ways that stay aligned to our mission, vision and values.

Our success, as the largest university in the UK, has been based on offering high-quality supported distance learning at scale. This makes it particularly important to achieve streamlined and efficient ways of working; a few minutes saved with the administration for each student adds up quickly to a big improvement.

We are open to new technologies which will help us address our organisational needs and work more efficiently and to higher standards. However, we recognise that technology will succeed only if it is supported by a professional business change approach which is user-led and augments our human expertise in the services being supported by new technology.

We are open to ideas about change from everyone. All change that the University takes forward will be based on engagement with stakeholders affected by and intended to benefit from the change, with agreed benefits clearly articulated as a common purpose, realistic expectations, strong delivery teams with the right people, and clear accountability. Change may not go to plan despite best efforts, and we will learn and grow from setbacks. We will look to multiple channels for feedback and make rapid corrections if things go wrong.