John Burke and Clive Alderson Embedding Business & Community Engagement

Slide 2  To promote the Business and Community Engagement (BCE) agenda  To give an overview of others’ activity in the Business and Community Engagement (BCE) arena  To identify the BCE Landscape – what activities are YOU involved in?  To introduce the Embedding BCE resource  To discuss a methodology for reviewing supporting functions  To report some of the common findings of interest to the sector in general  To show the benefits of undertaking a review of BCE activity in FE and HE Aims of Today’s Event

The BCE Landscape Example Activities Identifying our own Landscape The Nature of Embedded Is it core to what the organisation does? Is it acknowledged as other activity is? A Structure for Review The 6 Headings Review Methodology The Self- Evaluation Workbook Exercise The Workbook Facilitating Discussion Development Planning Prioritising Embedding with Organisational Development Embedding BCE

What activities are you aware of that your college or university engages in with the business, or wider communities? The BCE Landscape

 Employer Engagement  CPD Courses  Work-Based Learning  Knowledge Transfer Partnerships  Student Placement  Knowledge Exchange Forum  Public lectures  Conferences  Public performance and Festivals  Museums  Consultancies  Bespoke training  Applied Research  Public services e.g. hair & beauty  Shared resources or facilities  Community learning  Community surveys  Clinical trials  Business incubation  Spin-out companies  Knowledge licensing  Collaborative working  Staff placements  Voluntary work  Raising aspirations  Partnerships

Supporting The BCE Landscape  Central co-ordinating units  Finance  HR  IT and Information Systems  Facilities Management  Libraries

Case Studies  Presentation

The BCE Landscape Example Activities Identifying our own Landscape The Nature of Embedded Is it core to what the organisation does? Is it acknowledged as other activity is? A Structure for Review The 6 Headings Review Methodology The Self- Evaluation Workbook Exercise The Workbook Facilitating Discussion Development Planning Prioritising Embedding with Organisational Development Embedding BCE

 What would demonstrate that Business & Community Engagement activities were valued and that they were embedded as a normal way of working? The Nature of Embedded

 Any necessary alternative ways of working have been identified  BCE processes are not seen as unnecessary or an annoyance  BCE work and practitioners are valued as much as T&L and Pure Research  BCE practitioners have clear routes to progression The Nature of Embedded

 identifying the key business processes and system implications  developing the level and nature of engagement between central functions and BCE operations  identifying areas for process improvement and existing pockets of good practice Aims of a Review

 One-to-one interviews  Impartial, open and frank discussion  How BCE is supported by core business functions and processes  Balance of agenda  Perceptions not necessarily reality  Case study production Stakeholder Interviews

The BCE Landscape Example Activities Identifying our own Landscape The Nature of Embedded Is it core to what the organisation does? Is it acknowledged as other activity is? A Structure for Review The 6 Headings Review Methodology The Self- Evaluation Workbook Exercise The Workbook Facilitating Discussion Development Planning Prioritising Embedding with Organisational Development Embedding BCE

 Policy and Strategy  Processes and Systems  Partnerships and Resources  Roles and Skills  Customer Perceptions  Key Performance Results The Review Structure

 Strategies exist or are being written  Lots of activity is taking place  Planning is undertaken at middle or lower level, with an eye to strategic direction  Senior Management are given overall responsibility  Not all areas perceive themselves involved Policy and Strategy

 Central co-ordinating units  Finance  HR  IT and Information Systems  Facilities Management  Libraries Processes and Systems

 Academics did not mention IT until prompted  Access to systems off campus  The IP issue  Information Systems  Little or no use of Web2  Little or no differentiation between core and BCE within IT teams (same as HR & Finance) IT – Specific Issues

 Funding Partnerships  Strategic Partnerships  Commercial Partnerships  Knowledge Exchange Partnerships  Knowledge Transfer Partnerships  CPD Partnerships  Collaborative Training Partnerships  The Public Partnerships and Resources

 Language and The Fear Factor  Attitudes to Commercialism  Marketing is 2-way  Internal Communications and Engagement  Placing a Value on Knowledge Roles and Skills

 Measuring Participation Rates  Qualitative Measurement  Who did you say you were...? Customer Perceptions

 Statutory Returns  Problems of Measuring Impact  External Benchmarking and Evaluation  Working to Standards  Setting the Targets Performance Measurement

The BCE Landscape Example Activities Identifying our own Landscape The Nature of Embedded Is it core to what the organisation does? Is it acknowledged as other activity is? A Structure for Review The 6 Headings Review Methodology The Self- Evaluation Workbook Exercise The Workbook Facilitating Discussion Development Planning Prioritising Embedding with Organisational Development Embedding BCE

 Half-Day discussion-based workshop  Workbook tool based on EFQM Beta Model  A managed conversation  Scoring - dealing with pockets of good and less good practice  Strengths, weaknesses, areas for improvement Self-Evaluation Workshop

The BCE Landscape Example Activities Identifying our own Landscape The Nature of Embedded Is it core to what the organisation does? Is it acknowledged as other activity is? A Structure for Review The 6 Headings Review Methodology The Self- Evaluation Workbook Exercise The Workbook Facilitating Discussion Development Planning Prioritising Embedding with Organisational Development Embedding BCE

 Prioritisation of Areas for Improvement  Identifying resources and risks  Setting the timescale  Meshing with existing development work Development Planning

Links and Contacts follow johnburke1 at Twitter (John Burke’s Education Project blog) Slide 26