{"id":6176,"date":"2014-12-04T10:00:07","date_gmt":"2014-12-04T10:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/?p=6176"},"modified":"2014-12-04T10:00:07","modified_gmt":"2014-12-04T10:00:07","slug":"comment-on-hefces-draft-business-plan-2015-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/2014\/12\/04\/comment-on-hefces-draft-business-plan-2015-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Comment on HEFCE's draft Business Plan 2015 \u2013 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

HEFCE<\/a> has a draft business plan \u2013 2015 to 2015. \u00a0Pretty disappointing stuff, but typical of HEFCE's new narrow view of the world. \u00a0It is obviously settling into its new role of \u00a0just handing out the cash. \u00a0ELSA<\/a>, the English Learning and Sustainability Alliance, has offered the following comments:<\/p>\n

Question 1:<\/strong> This draft plan sets out the vision and broad strategic direction for HEFCE over the next five years. Do you agree with the focus of the plan? If not, what do you feel should be the focus?<\/em><\/p>\n

ELSA Response:<\/strong><\/p>\n

We think that there is insufficient focus on sustainability in the document.\u00a0 A number of the points that we shall make will relate to this, but here are two specific examples from the teaching & learning section of the draft business plan.<\/p>\n

Section #5 of the draft plan says: \u201cWe will also pilot new approaches to measure students\u2019 learning, and we will explore how we might measure any increases in their social capital and social agency.\u201d\u00a0 We strongly urge you to relate these measures more explicitly to aspects of sustainability, since students and graduates are clearly increasingly interested in making a difference in the world.\u00a0 We would like you to spell this out clearly in your Plan, in order to help institutions make the linkage, and encourage their students to take appropriate action in their personal, professional and civic lives after graduation.<\/p>\n

Section #6 of the draft says that the Council will make appropriate changes to the National Student Survey after consultation and careful piloting.\u00a0 We are very supportive of the Council\u2019s doing that. \u00a0In particular, we think you should be responding to the findings of the research that NUS, HEA and Change Agents UK has been doing for a number of years now on students\u2019 attitudes towards sustainability, as reflected in their experience of tuition and the wider activities of their institution.\u00a0 We would like you to commit to introducing an element to the NSS that focuses on the growing evidence that students want their university courses to include sustainability because this would further stimulate institutional interest.<\/p>\n

NB, see also #55g where the NSS is also mentioned.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Question 2:\u00a0<\/strong>Are any areas not covered that you would have expected to see identified as priorities or commitments?<\/em><\/p>\n

ELSA Response:<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are disappointed to find so little mention of sustainability in the document.\u00a0 In particular, that there is no mention of sustainability in the Education: Teaching & learning section of the draft.\u00a0 We actually find it doubly surprising given, [i] the considerable amount of money and other resource that Hefce has provided over the last few years to support a focus on sustainability within teaching and learning provision; and [ii] the way that this commitment is supported in the Council\u2019s sustainable development framework and action plan that is soon to be published.\u00a0 It is almost as if the business plan had been written without reference to the action plan.<\/p>\n

We express similar disappointment not to see sustainability featured in the Knowledge Exchange section, given how much of universities\u2019 activities (carbon reduction; energy efficiency measures; curriculum initiatives etc) now focus, one way or another, on sustainability.\u00a0 Sustainability is also a key element of the knowledge exchange activities of BIS, as represented in the work of Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network, which underpins the UK\u2019s action to increase the level of innovation in industry and business through open innovation between universities and industry. \u00a0It remains critically important that students in all disciplines are given a clear steer on this.<\/p>\n

We cannot help but note that we are making this response in the week when the Alliance has received a letter from the Rt. Hon. Greg Clark MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science.\u00a0 In this, he invites us to share his delight \u201cin the recent favourable verdict on HEFCE\u2019s work in the area of sustainability\u201d by UNESCO in its report Shaping the Future we Want.\u00a0 This concluded that \u201c\u2026 HEFCE has provided leadership, resources and targets for whole-institutional change towards sustainability \u2026\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0We acknowledge that this has been the case, and we are appreciative of it.\u00a0 Our point, however, is that the Minister could not write so positively about what HEFCE is now doing, and proposes to do, through this plan as currently set out.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Question 3:\u00a0<\/strong>Do you think the priorities set out in this draft plan will enable HEFCE to respond sensibly and effectively to changes during the next five years?<\/em><\/p>\n

ELSA Response:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Up to a point, yes.\u00a0 There is much here that is both sensible and expected.\u00a0 Our \u2018point\u2019, of course, is that the draft plan brings little focus to bear on sustainability.\u00a0 We are aware of how much the Council is going to focus on sustainability over the coming period, and that it will encourage institutions to do so, because we have seen what we believe to be near final drafts of your sustainable development framework and action plan.\u00a0 It is, therefore, difficult to understand why so little of the latter finds its way into this document.\u00a0 How is it, we wonder, that what is in an action plan can feature so little in a business plan?<\/p>\n

We are aware, of course, that you do focus on this in section #42, but what you say there is poorly focused.\u00a0 There is a commitment \u201cto maintain strong relationships\u201d with a host of other bodies, and \u201cto support further investment, sharing of good practice, and innovative activity\u201d.\u00a0 We think it unfortunate that you do not spell out in here your links with universities themselves, and how you are going to support them, and encourage them to collaborate for sectoral and societal benefit.\u00a0 Again, this is where some detail from the sustainable development framework and action plan could be introduced to add substance to the text.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Question 4:\u00a0<\/strong>Have we appropriately covered the key partnership dimensions in the \u2018working in partnership\u2019 section of this draft plan?<\/em><\/p>\n

No ELSA Response<\/p>\n

Question 5:\u00a0<\/strong>Do you have any comments on the draft objectives for: finance and funding \/ research, education and knowledge exchange \/ institutions \/ analytical services \/ regulation and assurance?<\/em><\/p>\n

ELSA Response:<\/strong><\/p>\n

In section #55e, you say: \u201cWithin all of the objectives above [ie, 55a to 55d], to secure the value of higher education for the economy and society, supporting economic growth and cultural and social prosperity.\u201d\u00a0 In 2014, to highlight these aspects without mentioning sustainability seems, at best short-sighted.\u00a0 Indeed, the Department of Business Innovation and Skills policy on the green economy specifically mentions the important role that universities can play in supporting research, innovation and skills development for this potentially important contribution to the UK\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n

Section #57 says: \u201cThe Institutions Directorate aims to develop trusted, professional relationships with higher education providers and their stakeholders. \u00a0It gathers \u2018rich\u2019 intelligence, knowledge and insight into higher education providers, shares good practice appropriately across the sector, and offers specialist expertise in estates management, equality and diversity, sustainable development, and governance.\u201d<\/p>\n

This \u2018aim\u2019 is obviously laudable, but in relation to sustainable development, does the Council\u2019s Institutions Directorate really have the \u201cspecialist expertise\u201d to offer to institutions?\u00a0 Isn\u2019t it the case, that it is the institutions which may well have this expertise?\u00a0 And should not the Council be setting out to enable institutions to share this rather than asserting it can do this on its own?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Question 6:<\/strong> Do you have any comments on the draft performance indicators\u00a0for: finance and funding \/ research, education and knowledge exchange \/ institutions \/ analytical services \/ regulation and assurance?<\/em><\/p>\n

ELSA Response:<\/strong><\/p>\n

We note that section #57f says: \u201cSupport the continuing development and sharing of leading practice in relation to sustainable development in the sector, equality and diversity, and an efficient and effective higher education workforce.\u201d\u00a0 Whilst we applaud this, we also note that the metrics set out in the \u201cWe will know we are succeeding when \u2026\u201d section are limited.\u00a0 They currently are:\u00a0 \u201c#57g The fourth Revolving Green Fund [RGF] is allocated in full and subsequently evaluated positively. \u00a0The progress the HE sector has made towards its carbon reduction goals is maintained, with a target of 43 per cent further reduction by 2020 compared with a 2005 baseline.\u201d<\/p>\n

We would make a number of points about all this:<\/p>\n

[i] the 2020 target figure falls at the end of this reporting period, and so little sensible will be said about it until that time.\u00a0 Therefore that only leaves the revolving green fund [RGF].<\/p>\n

[ii] We are surprised that the RGF is the only carbon focused initiative mentioned.\u00a0 Is there nothing else to be said here?<\/p>\n

[iii] In relation to the RGF, we applaud the focus on evaluation, and would wish that this condition had been applied in the past to all sustainability-related funding supplied by Hefce.<\/p>\n

[iv] a wider point here is that, looking ahead, and more widely than the RGF, we think that the Council should make evaluation a key part of all its sustainability-focused funding.\u00a0 Indeed the HEFCE\u2019s Catalyst Fund which prioritises innovation in sustainable development including aspects of new curriculum provision \u2013 should be evaluated as a matter of urgency \u2013 since this has a particular significance in disseminating the way universities respond to the sustainability agenda.\u00a0 V Metrics, which capture the way universities are contributing towards the green economy, would support national policy and provide empirical evidence for successive governments to assess its effectiveness.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Question 7:<\/strong> Do you have any other comments on the draft plan?<\/em><\/p>\n

ELSA Response<\/strong>:\u00a0No.<\/p>\n

Question 8:<\/strong> Alongside this draft plan we have also published a draft impact assessment. Please provide any comment on whether we have sufficiently considered the impact of this draft plan.<\/em><\/p>\n

We have two points here:<\/p>\n

1. In terms of sustainable development, you say no more here than you do elsewhere; you just repeat what is in the main document.\u00a0 That may well be your purpose, but it does not help the reader understand the issues.\u00a0 For example, you write: \u201cWe are committed in this plan to continue to support best practice in estates management, sustainable development and carbon reduction.\u201d\u00a0 We think, however, that the phrase \u201cbest practice in \u2026 sustainable development\u201d is far too vague to be useful.\u00a0 It would be better for everyone if you were to exemplify what you mean.<\/p>\n

2. We are astonished to find these two paragraphs next to each other in the Impact statement:<\/p>\n

[i] We have judged that this draft Business Plan will impact positively on sustainability. \u00a0We are committed in this plan to continue to support best practice in estates management, sustainable development and carbon reduction. \u00a0We will continue to maintain strong relationships with the relevant sector bodies and with third-party funders, to support further investment, sharing of good practice, and innovative activity.<\/p>\n

[ii] A primary aim of this Business Plan, and therefore of the work of the organisation over the next five years, is to support an economically sustainable world-leading sector. \u00a0Public finances are likely to remain stretched in the period of this Business Plan, and correspondingly there will be a sharpening focus on evidencing the efficiencies delivered by the sector. \u00a0We are committing in this Business Plan to working with sector organisations to support the delivery of further sustainable efficiency savings. \u00a0This work will seek to enhance the financial viability of institutions and the sector as a whole.<\/p>\n

The first is about sustainability in the sustainable development sense.\u00a0 The second is not; it\u2019s about sustainability in the enduring \/ continuing sense.\u00a0 Our point is that it is crass to use \u201csustainability\u201d in this way in a document that focuses on sustainable development; they are different concepts. \u00a0We think you might mean \u201ceconomically viable\u201d in the second paragraph, although we do not understand the phrase \u201csustainable efficiency savings\u201d.<\/p>\n

The third paragraph, on research, also uses \u201csustainability\u201d in this enduring \/ continuing sense.\u00a0 We think you need to draft this document much more carefully.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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