Practical Planning – the OPP at School / Section Level A Presentation to the University’s Managers’ Group Robert McCormack, Director, Planning Services Luke Minchin, Principal Information Analyst 17 August 2006

Overview Overview of the OPP Relationship of Faculty Plans to OPP How to Develop Faculty and School OPPs Sources of Information / Assistance Interactive Session to Share Ideas

Why have an Operational Priorities Plan? To translate the Strategic Plan into priorities and meaningful strategies for the triennium To advance the University’s vision of Achieving International Excellence in a coordinated manner To improve the resources available and allocate those resources appropriately

How will the OPP Work? The OPP is part of an overall planning framework to translate overall strategy into specific actions at local level Planning-budget nexus- budget model has substantial performance component Cycle of Planning and Accountability specifies annual timetable of events to monitor progress and refine plans

How was the OPP Developed? Extensive consultation across the University involving: –Senate –OPP Coordinating Group plus four working parties –Faculty consultations –Open Forums –Senior Managers Group –Faculty and School Visits by DVC and Registrar

What is the Operational Priorities Plan? The OPP identifies a focused and selective set of objectives that are to be given the highest priority across the University over the triennium. For each priority (strategic and operational) objective, we have: –key implementation strategies –performance indicators and associated targets –executive responsibility

What is in the OPP for ? The OPP documents comprise: –The OPP document –The Performance Indicators / Targets Schedule –The Faculty Performance Indicators / Targets Schedule –Implementation Schedules (under development) See intranet.uwa.edu.au/planning/PlanServ/OPP_2006_2008 It is deliberately more quantitative than previous OPP

OPP Strategic Priorities To improve the quality of the student learning experience To improve the quality and impact, and productivity of research and research training To improve the University’s positioning, reputation and strategic relationships To increase and diversify the University’s income, with particular emphasis on general purpose income To recruit, develop and retain the highest quality staff, supporting development of their full potential, within a ‘one staff-one University’ philosophy To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the management of the University

Teaching and Learning Operational Objectives To extend good teaching approaches and improve learning outcomes To diversify the experience of UWA students To improve access to and participation in UWA courses To further develop the links between teaching, learning and research To improve the student learning environment and provision of facilities and services both within and beyond the classroom

Implementation Strategies Operational Objective: To extend good teaching approaches and improve learning outcomes Further develop international benchmarking and quality assurance processes in teaching and learning … Implement an eLearning Strategy … Increase opportunities for teaching development, including –Teaching Fellowships/Scholarships –Expand and improve offerings for new and sessional teachers –Facilitate access to formal qualifications in tertiary teaching and learning –Develop an approach to peer review of teaching practice Etc…

Performance Indicator Schedule Provides Strategic Objective Operational Objectives Executive Responsibility OPP performance indicators and Associated targets set after analysis of current trends in consultation with relevant parties

Performance Indicators Operational Objective: To extend good teaching approaches and improve learning outcomes Improvement in CEQ results on: –Overall Satisfaction Index- % Agreement –Good Teaching Scale- % Agreement –Generic Skills Scale- % Agreement –Learning Communities Scale- % Agreement Improvement in: –SURF Q6- % Agreement –NSSE Q14- % Excellent or Good –Completions per Separation –Student Progress (% load passed) Etc…

Characteristics of a Good Performance Indicator It should: measure progress towards achievement of stated objective relate as directly as possible to the desired objective focus on outcomes not processes undertaken to further the objective Note: Performance indicators are imperfect instruments designed to measure progress Deviation from a target should be followed by a careful examination of the underlying factors influencing the result

Performance Indicators and Targets Example: CEQ Overall Satisfaction Index- % Agreement % % % % %

Faculty Performance Indicators and Targets Example: CEQ Overall Satisfaction Index- % Agreement Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences % % % % % Derived after examination of Go8 performance in corresponding fields of education.

What should be in Faculty Plans? Faculty plans should: Mirror the structure used in the University’s OPP Include relevant objectives from the University’s OPP with specific faculty targets and strategies Also include Faculty-specific objectives, targets and strategies

Presentation of Faculty Plans Deans to present their faculty OPPs for on September 2006 Format –Dean’s presentation (30 minutes) –Discussion of issues arising (30 minutes) –Discussion with Heads of School on implications for School OPPs

Information / Assistance Available Overall & Performance Indicators / Targets – Robert McCormack Teaching and Learning - Sue Smurthwaite Research and Research Training - Campbell Thomson Staffing - Bob Farrelly Resourcing - Scott Logan Community Relations - Doug Durack Executive Information System – Luke Minchin

Interactive Session