To sink or swim: Nottingham Trent University

The Golden Age (1990s) One department: Languages, EFL, and language centre One department: Languages, EFL, and language centre Two campuses, two cultures Two campuses, two cultures Successful IWLP and languages degree Successful IWLP and languages degree Small-scale EFL Small-scale EFL Strong research culture Strong research culture

Work as a hobby (1990s) Amateur budgeting and information systems Amateur budgeting and information systems Light staff timetables Light staff timetables Supply-led Supply-led Staff expertise not aligned with demand Staff expertise not aligned with demand

Chilly winds (new millennium) Overspending faculty Overspending faculty Overstaffing Overstaffing Need for cost-effective provision Need for cost-effective provision National situation in languages National situation in languages University restructuring University restructuring Subject review Subject review

We live in a rational world, don’t we? Responses (Pre-university restructuring) Develop research profile Develop research profile Add new languages and subjects Add new languages and subjects Personal touch in admissions Personal touch in admissions Develop EFL Develop EFL

Woke up this morning, baby, my dept was gone….. Total culture change Total culture change Schools instead of Faculties Schools instead of Faculties Teams instead of Departments Teams instead of Departments Languages and EFL split Languages and EFL split Change in research culture Change in research culture Separation of administrative from academic Separation of administrative from academic

OK, they’re serious! Responses (Post-university restructuring) Develop research profile Develop research profile but research imperatives now changing Add new languages and subjects Add new languages and subjects but national decline in all languages Personal touch in admissions Personal touch in admissions but centralisation of admissions Develop EFL Develop EFL but separation of FL and MFL

Brave new world New systems of budget management New systems of budget management Auditing of staff workloads Auditing of staff workloads Need for cost-effective provision Need for cost-effective provision Transparency of recruitment statistics Transparency of recruitment statistics Close scrutiny Close scrutiny Competing priorities Competing priorities “Less administration” (ho-ho-ho) “Less administration” (ho-ho-ho)

Good job we did that then! Develop research profile Develop research profile Enables transfer to other teams Add new languages and subjects Add new languages and subjects Needed by IWLP Centralised admissions Centralised admissions More staff time freed up Develop EFL Develop EFL Basis of commercial EFL questioned

Was it just an accident? Action responses Networking Networking Internal redeployment Internal redeployment Brain-drain Brain-drain Self-reprofiling Self-reprofiling Skill changes Skill changes Efficiency gains Efficiency gains

We’re all human! Staff responses Leading by example Leading by example Denial of situation Denial of situation Resentment Resentment Opportunism Opportunism Realism Realism Engagement Engagement

So everything’s alright then? Challenges remaining Square pegs in round holes Square pegs in round holes Academic profiles OK, but who does the admin-related jobs no-one wants to do? Academic profiles OK, but who does the admin-related jobs no-one wants to do? Non-replacement of core skills Non-replacement of core skills

Navel-gazing Manager’s role Advocate for realistic speed of change Advocate for realistic speed of change Advocate against short-term fixes Advocate against short-term fixes Mediating with other teams Mediating with other teams Getting out of the silo Getting out of the silo Seizing moments Seizing moments Silver linings Silver linings