aminder k nijjar - evidencing impact and showing value for money - agcas heads of service conference...
TRANSCRIPT
Aminder K [email protected]
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AGCAS Heads of Service Conference 2011Workshop H – Evidencing Impact and Showing Value for Money
Thursday 6 January 201111.15am - 12.15pm
Aim
Share an ‘added value’ exercise devised for & used by HE CS colleagues
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Role• HE, FE, Schools, IAG Providers• Support CSs & Student Services in realising their own
potential (practice what we preach!)
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Background• Asked to evaluate individual HE CSs• In each, found:
– CS working very hard– CS made many improvements– CS staff feeling their work matters but not respected (within CS, academic
departments, senior managers)
– Very mixed views of CS across institution– Employability high on agenda– Difficulty articulating & evidencing value of work
• Created exercise (tool) to help CS recognise strengths (& identify areas for improvement)
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Tool Devised• Evaluation theory & practices
– e.g. Kirkpatrick Evaluation Framework, Logic Model, CIPP
• Management tools– e.g. cost-benefit analysis, project management, TQM
• Means of gathering evidence for actual reviews• Practical tool & guide for future
– incorporate into existing processes
• Focus: often overlooked yet time-consuming: networks– Map CS networks / contacts– Reflect & articulate purpose & outcomes– Relate these to institution’s aims & objectives
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Opportunity
What was the
opportunity?
Origin
How did the
opportunity come
about?
Theme
What area of work was
this in relation to?
Impact
What has happened
since?
Outcome
What was gained?
Value for money
Was it a good
investment of staff
time, effort and
money?
If you copy, use or adapt this tool please include acknowledgement of the creator: Aminder K Nijjar, 2010
Purpose and Performance Pathway
Reactions• “I don’t have time to do this”• “I don’t know how to answer these questions”• “It was quite frightening to see what came out of this compilation”• “I have a very large range of networks the University has benefitted
from”• “It is demonstrating that our reach and impact is greater than we
thought”• “We will return to this activity and do a more thorough job after the
review”• “It is definitely worthwhile in a range of ways”
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Results (so far) in CSs• Dedicating time & effort to consider activities & impact• Explicitly referring to underlying purpose, cost, gains of activities• Reporting benefits of activities• Collecting evidence• Relating benefits to University’s aims & objectives• Greater understanding & transparency
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• Image from: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Charts_and_Graphs_g197-Graphic2_p13494.html
Purpose and Performance PathwayThe questions in the top half of the ‘Pathway ‘can be used in relation to any activity. The examples given focus on one aspect (networks and contacts) and are oversimplified for illustrative purposes only).
Opportunity
What was the opportunity?
E.g. 1:Regional employer meeting with ‘x’ in Oct 2010,
E.g. 2:AGCAS Heads of Service Conference in Jan 2011
Origin
How did the opportunity come
about?
E.g. 1: Through developing links via regional HEIs, Marketing Department, CS Vacancy Service
E.g. 2:Through membership of AGCAS & regional HEI CS Group
Theme
What area of work was this in relation
to?
E.g. 1:Employer Liaison, which relates to institution’s objective to increase employer engagement
E.g. 2: Development of CS & employability in HE
Impact
What has happened since?
E.g. 1:Methods of tracking students devised, patterns identified, interventions with employers & academic departments made
E.g. 2:Adapted technique ‘x’ used in 3 other CSs, resulting in greater efficiency (less time spent doing ‘y’)
Outcome
What was gained?
E.g.1:Agreement to share regional information about student application numbers & outcomes
E.g. 2:An insight into CS trends nationally, helping to position our CS & HEI
Value for money
Was it a good investment of staff
time, effort and money?
Based on opinion such as discursive analysis and calculation, such as ROI, SROI (i.e.
Apply monetary terms as well as other gains)
E.g. 2:Costs: Conference, staff timeBenefits: Price on knowledge gained and how it has since been used
If you copy, use or adapt this tool please include acknowledgement of the creator: Aminder K Nijjar, 2010 [email protected]