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The UK’s European university

UNIVERSITY PLAN 2015-2020

This plan is formulated in the wake of the University’s 50thanniversary. The celebration of this event has given usreason to reflect on our heritage and our founding principlesand values. The University’s motto, ‘Cui Servire RegnareEst’ (‘Whose service is perfect freedom’), informs thecommitments in the University’s Charter: ‘The objects of the University are to advance education and disseminateknowledge by teaching, scholarship and research for publicbenefit.’

In developing our strategic imperatives we are guided by our fundamental purpose, common to all research-ledinstitutions, to create and disseminate knowledge. We are also committed to the advancement of that knowledgethrough the leadership, guidance and inspiration of ourcommunity of scholars and educators.

Our values enshrine academic freedom, integrity andaccountability, sustainability, critical thinking andintellectual creativity. As the UK’s European university, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive and welcominginternational community.

1The UK’s European university

OBJECTIVE

The University of Kent, the UK’sEuropean university, will secure itsposition as a top 20 UK university andbe a globally recognised researchinstitution by 2020.

We will achieve this through:

• The delivery of research of the highest quality,meeting international standards of excellenceacross the full range of our subjects

• The provision of an excellent education to ourstudents, delivered by world-class researchers

• Strengthening our reputation for excellence,regionally, nationally and internationally,through effective engagement andcommunication with our communities and the wider world

2 University Plan 2015-2020

FOREWORD

The University of Kent is a forward-thinking researchinstitution, committed to the transformative power ofeducation and research and to the development and support of its students and staff.

This plan has been drawn up after consultation with theuniversity community, including academic and professionalservices staff, Kent Union, and Senate. It is endorsed bythe University’s Council, its governing body.

The plan was written as we celebrated our 50thanniversary, giving us the opportunity to reflect on ourpast, to re-examine our origins and to re-discover what it is that sets the University apart. When our first studentscame on to campus in 1965, The Times newspapercommented that, Kent was “setting out to be different”.Fifty years later, the enthusiasm with which the anniversaryslogan “We Are Kent” was seized upon by students andstaff demonstrated that pride in our distinctiveness is asstrong as ever.

Obviously, much has changed since the mid-60s. Ourstudent body has grown and diversified, and there hasbeen considerable expansion in our subject range. Thethree original Faculties – Humanities, Sciences and SocialSciences – continue to flourish and our academic schoolsnow include disciplines such as Psychology, Drama, Filmand Criminology as well as professional-facing subjectssuch as Architecture, Journalism, Forensic Science andSports and Exercise Science.

So, what has remained constant? Research, of course,remains central to the University’s purpose, but the abidingcommitment of the University over five decades has beento its collegial environment. Our college system allows usto retain the feel of a small friendly community despite ourgrowth. This ethos and culture has enabled Kent to


Professor Dame Julia GoodfellowVice-Chancellor

preserve its character as a university with genuinely openinquiry and debate that has fostered strength in both ourresearch and our teaching – a testament to the importanceof academic autonomy. That our academics conductoutstanding research owes much to their motivation,fuelled by their interest and curiosity in their chosensubject – enthusiasm which fires their passion to impart to our students enjoyment in, and engagement with,knowledge. Kent’s commitment to its students has neverwavered, ensuring they are inspired, challenged andeducated in the broadest sense, an achievement reflectedin the University’s sustained presence in the top tennationally for student satisfaction.

With national recognition for research intensity and theprovision of an exceptional student experience, theUniversity approaches the next 50 years with confidenceand with ambition. Not just to be different, but to make adifference through the relevance and impact of ourresearch in addressing the world’s major challenges, andto the lives and life-chances of our students through theopportunities we offer them.

The last decade has been one of great turmoil. We haveseen the introduction of tuition fees and the growingmarketisation of higher education; a major economic crisis;constraints in research funding; national policies whichimpacted significantly on our operations at home andabroad; and increasingly volatile global events. Thepressures were huge, but Kent’s staff proved resilient and adaptable, responding with agility and imagination

to succeed in the face of these challenges. Externalpressures will continue and others, possibly even moreunpredictable, may arise. They make it even more essentialthat Kent keeps its eye on its goals, identifies its prioritiesand makes the bold, often difficult, decisions to ensure ourfuture success.

This plan is a stepping stone to the University’s future andsets a path for success, over the next five years. It is achallenging vision, but with the support of the Universitycommunity and its stakeholders, it is undoubtedlyachievable.


THE VISION

By 2020, the University of Kent will havesecured its position as a UK top 20 universityand be a globally recognised researchinstitution. We will build on our distinctiveposition as the UK’s European university toextend our reach and impact and become abeacon of excellence in education and researchin our region, the UK and internationally. Our global reputation will be built on theapplication of our knowledge and expertise to find solutions to some of the world’s majorchallenges.

ContextThe University Plan 2015-20 expresses acollective ambition to drive the Universityforward in a defined and measurable way. Itestablishes challenging objectives and buildson existing strengths to ensure increasedsuccess in a rapidly-changing globalenvironment.

It commences at a time when there have beensignificant step-changes in Kent’s nationalstanding and research achievements, andsets the framework for further developmentand progress, confirming the University as anacademic, economic and cultural force in theUK, Europe and internationally.

It builds on the achievements of the previousUniversity Plan 2012-15. During that time wesecured a top 20 position in the UK based onthe quality of both our research and studentexperience. These have been demonstratedby our performance in the ResearchExcellence Framework (REF) 2014, ourconsistently high scores in the NationalStudent Survey (NSS) and our steady climb up the UK university league tables.

We have been awarded a second Queen’sAnniversary Prize for Higher and FurtherEducation; acknowledgement at the highestlevel of world-class achievement. Morerecently, we have been shortlisted for theTimes Higher Education’s University of theYear Award 2015 and the Times and SundayTimes’ University of the Year 2016.

Kent was placed 17th in the UK for researchintensity by the REF, with 97% of our researchjudged as being of international quality. Theresults demonstrated excellence in researchand impact across all disciplines.

We continued to develop our collaborativeresearch partnerships and, together with theuniversities of East Anglia and Essex, welaunched the Eastern Academic ResearchConsortium (Eastern ARC) to respondcreatively to key drivers in research andresearch training in the UK. We are a leadingpartner in the Economic and Social ResearchCouncil South East Doctoral Training Centreand a member of the Consortium forHumanities and the Arts South-East England(CHASE), funded by the Arts and HumanitiesResearch Council. Kent & Medway HealthPartners is a recently established consortiumwhich brings together stakeholders in healthand social care research. Together with otherhigher education institutions in Kent, Surreyand Sussex, we support a health educationtraining collaboration. In addition, we are aproject partner for an Engineering andPhysical Sciences Research Councilequipment award with University CollegeLondon with whom we have a memorandumof understanding to co-ordinate and co-locateadvanced level equipment purchases.


We have strengthened and embedded ourinternational activities; 26% of our studentbody and 41% of our academic and researchstaff come from outside the UK. We continuedto build on long-standing relationships inEurope and remain the only UK university tolead two European Commission fundedErasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral programmeswhich support over 70 PhD students.

Kent is ranked among the top 20 in the UKuniversity league tables and our performancein the 2015 National Student Survey saw Kentachieve the fifth highest score for ‘overallsatisfaction’. These achievements demonstrateKent’s continued commitment to providing itsstudents with an excellent education deliveredby world-class researchers.

Although undergraduate fees rose to £9,000 a year, our student numbers have grown toover 15,500 undergraduates and 3,700postgraduates. The increase in the number ofAAA+ students registered in each of the lastthree years reflects the rising quality of ourentrants while our focus on employability hasensured that 6 months after graduation in2014 less than 6% of undergraduates werewithout a job or further study opportunity.

We have invested substantially in ourinfrastructure with the extension of theTempleman Library and the establishment ofTuring College on the Canterbury campus, the development of the School of Music andFine Art on the Medway campus, and theexpansion of our European centres to includea site in Rome. A generous charitable donationenabled us to build the Colyer-Fergussonmusic building and concert hall. We plan tomake further capital investments of £238mover the next five years that will ensure ourteaching and research facilities remain of thehighest quality.

We are firmly committed to equality, diversityand inclusivity in all our activities. All schools in the Faculty of Science now hold an AthenaSWAN Bronze Award and in 2014, the awardwas gained at institutional level. In addition,the Stonewall Workplace Equality Indexranked Kent 15th among the UK’s highereducation institutions and, for two yearsrunning, we were ranked in the top five in theTimes Higher Education’s Best UniversityWorkplace survey.

Kent is on an upward trajectory. We arerecognised for the excellence of oureducation, we have significantly improved our research performance and we haveestablished a distinctive identity. We now need to work towards even greater success,increasing the volume and quality of ourresearch and renewing our commitment to theeducation of our students. We must sustainour ethos and reputation as a collegial placeto work and study, and project and protect ourdistinctiveness, further raising our national andinternational profile.

The plan focuses on three main strategicobjectives: Research, Education andEngagement. Within each strategic objectivewe have set ambitious, but quantifiable,targets against which we and others canjudge our progress. Our success in meetingthese goals will depend on the contributionand engagement of our community of staff,students, alumni, Council, and supporters andfriends. With this support, our ambition to be aglobally recognised research university isachievable.

The international standard for EnvironmentalManagement was awarded to the University in 2012 and, in 2014, we revised ourEnvironment Policy committing to theimplementation and operation of ISO 14001Environmental Management standard.

We have achieved all this, and more, against a challenging external backdrop. There is nodoubt that the challenges will intensify as thepressures on UK public funding increase,competition for high quality studentsescalates, and there are further expectationsfor universities to improve standards in bothteaching and research.

As a well-managed university with robustfinances and an effective governancestructure, we are well placed to evaluatecritically current activities against our vision.We will need to prioritise goals and associatedresources, ceasing activities that do notcontribute to our longer term strategicobjectives, and focusing on those that do.

Our leadership will be informed andcommitted while remaining agile andresponsive. Staff will be encouragedand empowered to deliver this plan.


STRATEGIC OBJECTIVERESEARCH

Kent provides solutions to global challengesthrough the delivery of world-class research. The Research Excellence Framework (REF)2014 ranked Kent 17th in the UK for researchintensity with world-leading research in allsubjects. Overall, 97% of our research wasjudged to be of international quality. Theresults showed that our academic schoolsprovide an environment that producesinternationally excellent research that hasdemonstrable impact. We submitted 85% ofour research staff to the REF, the 13th highestproportion submitted overall, and saw 15 outof our 23 submissions ranked in their subject’stop 20 for research intensity.

Kent has made significant progress since itwas assessed by the forerunner of the REF(the RAE) in 2008. There has been a 10%increase in research classified as being ofinternational quality, an 18% increase inresearch that is world-leading or internationallyexcellent, a 40% increase in the number ofresearch active staff and the score forresearch power increased by 59%,representing the third largest increase of the top 50 research intensive universities.

We are beginning to see the impact of ourachievements in the international leaguetables. The 2015 QS World UniversityRankings by Subject placed Kent among theworld’s elite institutions in eight of the 36featured subjects and in the Times HigherEducationWorld University Rankings Kentappeared in the top 10% for internationaloutlook and in the top 30% overall. However,Kent needs to do more to secure a place ata global level.

We need to deliver more of the highest qualityoutputs across all our subjects, identifyingareas of specialism where we will berecognised as global leaders. Our ability to do this relies on the quality and visibility of ourresearch in an increasingly competitive globallandscape. We will need to establish high-calibre international partnerships and ensureour academic networks are strong andeffective, building on our national activities asmembers of the Eastern Academic ResearchConsortium, the South East Doctoral TrainingCentre, the Consortium for the Humanities andArts in the South East and the Kent & MedwayHealth Partners.

STRATEGIC AIMSTo attain the highest standards of research,judged by international comparators, acrossour range of subjects; to raise Kent’s researchstanding and visibility worldwide and embeda research culture in our academic andinnovation activities.

We will achieve this by:

1 Building on our research activities toensure delivery of high quality andimpactful outputs and enhancing ourknowledge exchange activities• We will identify and invest in those areaswhich have the potential to becomeworld-leading ‘pinnacles of excellence’

• We will increase world-leading researchand innovation across all disciplines

• We will increase research grant andcontracts income to levels that improveour ranking and global recognition

• We will improve our internal mechanismsto promote collaboration and sharing ofgood practice

Citation data, the quality of our networks bothwithin the university sector and elsewhere,and demonstrations of impact are allindicators of success, as is a rise in researchand contracts income. These are areas inwhich we need to focus and to devote energyand resource.

We have had considerable success in growing our postgraduate student population,both taught and research, and we have tocontinue to increase their numbers. We haveto ensure we develop and retain early careerresearchers who have the potential to becomeworld leaders in their fields.

Inevitably, we will have to make some difficultdecisions, particularly around resourceallocation, but we are committed to sustainingthe supportive and collegial environment thatsets Kent apart from many other leadinguniversities.


• We will ensure the quality of our researchis reflected in our knowledge exchangeactivities

• We will increase our engagement withbusiness and industry

• We will increase our Higher EducationInnovation Fund (HEIF) related innovationactivities

2 Ensuring research and innovation areintegral to academic excellence, nurturingthose who have the potential to becomeworld leaders in their fields• We will recruit academic staff withexceptional research and innovationportfolios and those who demonstrateexcellent potential

• We will support academic staff who havethe potential to become world leaders intheir fields through training, mentoringand effective performance review

• We will increase the level of innovationactivity and output

PERFORMANCE INDICATORSAND TARGETS

• We will secure increased externalfunding to support an increase in thenumber of postgraduate students

• We will increase the numbers of post-doctoral researchers and researchfellows

3 Developing our reputation and increasingour visibility as an outstanding researchinstitution• We will maximise the visibility andimpact of research through, for example,effective use of digital technologies andpublishing our output in high-calibreoutlets

• We will extend our networks ofinternational collaborations and increasethe volume and level of productiveengagement with high-calibre individuals

Subjects which excelled in each REF 2014 category:

Research intensitySeven of our subject areas are in the topten for research intensity: architecture;biological sciences; English language andliterature; history; law; pharmacy; socialwork and social policy. An additional eightsubjects are in the top 20: anthropology;classics; computer science; modernlanguages and linguistics; philosophy;psychology; sports and exercisesciences; theology and religious studies.

Research impactFour of our subject areas are in the topten for research impact: classics; physics;social work and social policy; theologyand religious studies. An additional foursubjects are in the top 20: anthropology;modern languages and linguistics;philosophy; politics and internationalstudies.

Research powerFour of our subject areas are in the topten for research power: anthropology;law; music, drama and performing arts;social work and social policy. Anadditional six subjects are in the top 20:classics; English language and literature;history; modern languages and linguistics;philosophy; politics and internationalstudies.

Research quality (GPA)Three of our subject areas are in the topten for overall quality: modern languagesand linguistics; social work and socialpolicy; theology and religious studies.Furthermore, our modern languages andlinguistics submission was the highest-ranked nationally to include modernlanguages – a testament to our positionas the UK’s European university.

Research outputThree of our subject areas are in the topten for research output: architecture;modern languages and linguistics; socialwork and social policy. An additional foursubjects are in the top 20: biologicalsciences; classics; law; theology andreligious studies.

Improve the quality of our research

• Raise REF GPA by increasing theproportion of 4* outputs (or equivalent)to 25%

• Increase the number of highly cited (top 1% field weighted) articles by 25%

• Increase the proportion of researchstaff by 20%

• Increase research grant and contractincome by 100%

• Increase the proportion of staff withexternally funded research projectsto 50%

• Establish doctoral training centres in all faculties

• Increase the proportion of 4*environment statements to the upperquartile boundary value

Higher university rankings reported by independent organisations • Achieve a top 250 position ininternational league tables

• Increase the proportion of publicationsco-authored with internationalacademics by 10%

• Increase the number of visitingacademics from overseas by 25%

Strengthen the University’s research andinnovation culture and environment

• All Schools in the Faculty of Science to achieve a silver level, and all otherSchools a bronze level, Athena SWAN

• Increase the number of papers co-authored outside of academia by 25%

• All schools to include externalprofessionals, appropriate to their subject area, on their research andinnovation boards

• Increase the level of innovation income by 50%

• Increase the numbers of PhDs awardedby published work and/or professionaldoctorates by 25%

• Increase the volume of externally sourced funding for postgraduateresearch scholarships by 25%

• Improve the quality and availability of space for research students

• Increase the number of postdoctoralresearchers and research fellows by 25%


STRATEGIC OBJECTIVEEDUCATION

Kent provides anexcellent education,delivered by world-class researchers. The provision of an excellent education is oneof our primary functions. We are committed tothe dissemination of new knowledge acrossour subject range, the delivery of corecompetencies and the development ofattributes that ensure our graduates canaddress the complex challenges of our globaland changing environment.

Our objectives, while simple, are challenging:to attract excellent students ambitious to learn,to ensure an excellent educational experience,both curricular and extra-curricular, and toproduce graduates equipped for personal and professional success.

Kent has expanded rapidly in recent years,increasing significantly the enrolment ofundergraduates and postgraduates to create a learning community of almost 20,000students. This planned growth allowed

us to secure a student base and tuition feeincome that have supported investment instaff and infrastructure. The very considerableincrease in postgraduate students, bothtaught and research, has resulted in a morebalanced student body, critical to a researchuniversity.

In line with our improved league table position,we have attracted more students with AAA+ atA level (or equivalent), but we need to ensurethat we attract good quality students acrossthe board; engaged and engaging studentswho are rewarding to teach. We remaincommitted to the provision of education toall those who could benefit and our outreachprogrammes are nationally recognised; theUniversity’s success in procuring HEFCEfunding for the Higher Education AccessTracker project and the award of one thelargest allocations in the 2015 UKPostgraduate Scholarship Scheme aretestaments to our excellence in this area.

Our curriculum and its delivery will reflect ourexpertise and be responsive to the needs anddemands of our students and society. Weneed to engage with appropriate teachingand learning techniques and technologies

and enable our students to develop the skillsand attributes necessary to be among themost employable graduates, influential in theirspheres of expertise and in their widercommunities. We will ensure a quality learningexperience for our students wherever they arebased, exploiting the specialist facilities andresources of each of our study sites andensure, in accordance with our values, that ourstudents are instilled with a sense of purposeand responsibility, prepared to live productiveand creative lives.

Kent is just one of a small number ofuniversities that consistently scores well foroverall student satisfaction in the NationalStudent Survey (NSS). Yet we need to ensurethat students are satisfied with all aspects oftheir educational experience and we arecommitted to improvements so that all ourstudents, in all our Schools, rank us in the top 20 across all areas in the survey. We aresimilarly committed to improvements in ourpostgraduate offer so that we rank in the top20 in the Postgraduate Research/TeachExperience Survey (PRES and PTES).Similarly, we need to prepare for the nationalteaching excellence exercise to ensure weperform at the highest possible level.


STRATEGIC AIMSTo provide an excellent education, deliveredby world-class researchers and accomplishededucators, to all those who have the abilityand are ambitious and motivated to learn. We will do this through the provision ofprogrammes informed by our research,designed to address global needs andchallenges and which take full advantageof the facilities and resources at all our studylocations.

We will achieve this through:

1 The provision of a curriculum that isinternationally attuned and attractive tohigh quality students who are rewarding to teach• We will offer a portfolio of subjectsacross a range of disciplines (traditionalas well as professional) which reflect ourresearch activity and our globalengagement

• We will adapt our curriculum to theneeds and best interests of our students and ensure its relevance tocontemporary societal and technologicalissues

• We will recruit a diverse student bodycomposed of those who have a passionfor learning and who will benefit from allKent has to offer

• We will ensure our staff body remainsdiverse so that our curriculum reflectsand addresses a range of perspectives

• We will encourage our staff and studentsto exploit the facilities and resources we have at all our locations in order toenhance the educational andinternational opportunities we provide

• We will develop further postgraduateopportunities especially at Medwayand our European Centres

2 The delivery of a student experience thatis the best in the sector • We will embrace and engage withinnovative teaching that is of uniformlyhigh standard across subject andcampuses

ATTRIBUTES• Curiosity – to have a passion for

learning and to be intellectuallycurious, creative and resilient; to thinkcritically and to continue to advanceand disseminate knowledge

• Integrity and accountability – totake responsibility for one’s ideas andactions; to be responsible citizenswho engage proactively with issuesfor public benefit; to be committed toethical thinking in decision making,the ideals of sustainability and toachieving the highest standards inall endeavours

• Global awareness – to understandthe impact of cultural, political andeconomic systems on society; to beinterculturally aware, engaging withdifferent attitudes and approaches

• We will utilise technology to provide anenvironment that optimises learning

• We will promote the concept of ‘inclusiveinternationalisation’ in order to encourageour community to share and benefit fromthe full range of international andintercultural experiences andopportunities available

3 Equipping graduates for personal andprofessional success• We will develop those attributes in ourgraduates which will make them not justhighly employable but which will enablethem to gain influence and respect intheir interactions with the wider world

• We will add value by embeddingelements of employability in ourcurriculum and increase and broadenthe employment opportunities availableto our students

• We will develop and deliver, inconjunction with the Students’ Union, a range of extra-curricular activities that support a vibrant and inclusiveenvironment in which students canbroaden their ‘cultural capital’


PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND TARGETSProvide a relevant, attractive and viableportfolio of programmes

• Review annually our programmeportfolio and respond to changingstudent, societal and employer needs

• Ensure the viability of programmesand modules by implementingrecruitment norms

• Simplify Kent’s offer by reducing thenumber of programmes while retainingflexibility and breadth of curriculumwithin programmes

• Identify synergies in subject andlocation to expand the number ofEuropean centres and develop relevantprogrammes and opportunities,including summer schools, conferences,placements and internships

• Provide flexible modes of learning andteaching that meet the needs of part-time learners and, whenever feasible,address the needs of students withdisabilities

• Ensure every degree programme, UGand PG, includes an internationalisedelement - All new, and 50% of existing,modules to include an elementof internationalisation

- Increase European Doctoralcollaborations by 100%

- Increase study abroad opportunitiesby 25%

- Extend selected cross institutionalcollaboration and teaching

Manage our student population

• Increase the number of students at theMedway campus by 1000 full-timeequivalents

• Increase the number of PGT students to 15% of our population

• Increase the number of PGR students to 7.5% of our population

• Increase the number of students at ourEuropean Centres by 50%

• Increase the number of students from the EU to 15% of our population

• Increase the number of overseas studentto 25% of our population

• Improve the diversity of our studentbody by monitoring and progressivelyincreasing the percentage of studentsfrom lower participation neighbourhoodsand from non-traditional backgrounds

Provide a student experience that is thebest in the sector

• In the NSS, achieve top 20 scores acrossQ1-23 at institutional and subject level

• Achieve top quartile in the PTES andPRES

• Achieve top 20 scores in the teachingexcellence framework

• Ensure and recognise excellence andinnovation in teaching; 80% of staff tohold a teaching qualification

• Support the Students’ Union in attaining a top 20 position in Q 23 in the NSS

• Continue to enhance mechanisms thatallow teaching spaces, learningresources, student accommodation,social and sporting facilities andrestaurant, eateries and shops to beresponsive to student needs

Improve the success of student andgraduate performance

• Raise average entry qualification tariff to top quintile of UK universities

• Embed the values and attributes of theKent brand throughout the culture of theUniversity

• Increase sandwich year opportunities by 50%

• Ensure credit based employability skillsmodules can be combined with alldisciplines

• Develop internship modules at EuropeanCentres

• Monitor progression to postgraduatestudy to ascertain the impact of the feeincrease on student participation from2015

• Monitor and progressively eliminatedisparities in attainment related to BMEstatus, postcode indicators, and mentalhealth and disability indicators

• Improve employment outcomes ofstudents with disabilities by 5%

• Improve employability options byextending and raising the profile of thework-study scheme and by creatingtargeted internships for students fromlower participation neighbourhoods

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVEEDUCATION


STRATEGIC OBJECTIVEENGAGEMENT

Kent’s establishedpresence acrossEurope, distinctiveidentity and academicprofile provide a basisfrom which to secureglobal recognition asthe UK’s Europeanuniversity.A reputation for excellence is fundamental tobecoming a globally recognised institution,serving to attract the highest quality students,staff and researchers. Kent’s internationalreputation is supported by its partnershipsand exchanges with over 350 universitiesworldwide, engagement with global researchinitiatives and its international alumnicommunity. Our 50th anniversary provided a vehicle from which to launch our globalesteem programme which has taken us fromChina and Malaysia to the USA and SouthAmerica, with initiatives designed to raiseawareness of Kent’s distinctive identity.

We need to build on this activity to ensure theKent brand is synonymous with excellence.Effective communications and stakeholderengagement have a crucial role to play andwe will develop strategies to convey theUniversity’s work and its impact, and whichdemonstrate our distinctiveness, quality,ambitions and global reach.

Our increased international engagement andour enduring commitment to Europe, creates a dynamic and stimulating environment.Students, staff and alumni benefit from aconstant exchange of people and ideas and they can be strong advocates for theUniversity. Celebrating personal achievementis a powerful way to engage and we willcontinue to develop initiatives which engendera sense of pride among the University andwider community.

An informed and engaged workforce is crucialto the positioning of the University. We areproud to be recognised as an outstandingemployer by the Times Higher Education andwe need to ensure we attract staff who arebest able to deliver our ambitions. We areproud of the high standards that typify all ourprofessional service departments. Nearly 100

members of staff were recognised in 2015Learning and Development Awards in a range of categories from the Association ofUniversity Administrators and ContinuousProfessional Development to Kent Hospitality’s‘Consistent Excellence in Customer Services’.

Through outstanding leadership and aneffective and supportive governancestructure, we will protect our collegial cultureand enable our staff to thrive in a globalenvironment; we will support them to makebold, sometimes difficult, decisions.

We will develop a more strategic approachin our transactions with external stakeholders,and will strengthen our engagement withopinion formers and decision makers,focusing on those who can make a positivecontribution to and for the University. We nowhave more than 145,000 alumni around theworld, many with the potential to be influentialadvocates and supporters. Through a rangeof initiatives, such as our digital mentoring andnetworking platform, we encourage our alumnito contribute personally and professionally toour academic community.

Enhancement of our reputation will allow us to grow our strategic networks of academic,public-sector and business partners in the

UK, as well as expand our networks inmainland Europe and overseas. Ourinternational focus directly benefits ourknowledge exchange and businessinteractions and, through collaboration with our partners, we will ensure our globalambitions have a positive impact on theregion’s academic, cultural, social andeconomic landscape.

We are proud to act as an internationalgateway for our region, attracting students and visitors to Kent and Medway, and to actas an ambassador for our region when we areoverseas. Similarly, our proximity to mainlandEurope and our centres in four of its capitalcities enable us to act as a gateway to Europefor our international community.

Kent’s distinctiveness owes much to manythings: our collegial approach, our long-heldcommitment to social responsibility, ourproactive approach to sustainability and to equality, diversity and inclusivity. In anincreasingly volatile world in which the UK is in danger of becoming insular, retaining ourethos will be of particular importance toensuring the University remains true to itsvision, enabling us to fulfil our obligationsto our communities.


STRATEGIC AIMSTo build a clear and distinctive reputation forexcellence through strategic engagement andcommunication with our regional, national andinternational communities, and to increase theengagement of our students, staff, alumni andstakeholders in support of our ambition tobecome recognised as an institution ofinternational calibre.

We will achieve this by:

1 Developing and conveying a strongnarrative about the University to inform our engagement and communicationsactivities • We will protect and project ourdistinctiveness through a range ofengagement and communicationstrategies

• We will ensure the Kent brand becomessynonymous with excellence

• We will engage our staff in the collectiveinstitutional vision, enabling them todeliver our ambitions while safeguardingour collegial culture

• We will engage and mobilise ourstudents, our alumni and ourstakeholders as advocates andambassadors for the University

• We will strengthen our commitment tosocial responsibility

2 Contributing to the broader educational,employment, social and cultural objectivesof our communities and our region• We will embed and enhance ourEuropean and international engagementactivities for the benefit of the institutionas well as the region

• We will increase engagement withbusiness and industry beyond the regionto improve our offer to students and staff as well as develop our innovationactivities

• We will create and make available arange of social and cultural experiencesfor our communities

• We will reaffirm our commitment to widen access and provide educationalopportunities to all those who have ability and will benefit

3 Promoting the University as a centre ofexcellence to national, international and influential audiences• We will identify and develop strategicpartnerships that enhance oureffectiveness and visibility

• We will develop a more strategicapproach in our interactions with externalstakeholders with a focus on opinionformers and decision makers

• We will engage further with alumni asprofessional partners and potentialfundraisers in support of our ambitions

• We will increase our presence in theinternational press with a particular focus on research and impact

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND TARGETSEnhance the reputation and raise theprofile of the University

• Protect and enhance our Europeanreputation by- Increasing the number of EU researchgrants and contracts

- Increasing staff mobility to Europe and overseas

- Exploiting opportunities availablethrough our European Centres

• Use more effectively a portfolio ofpublicity including reputation surveys,polls, media coverage and league tables

• Establish a system to encourage,facilitate and support staff in promotingthe University

• Develop, implement and evaluate theimpact of our external communicationsand engagement strategies

• Develop, implement and evaluate aninstitution-wide sustainability strategy

• Increase the number of alumni engagingwith the University

• Support academic staff in the expansionof their professional and internationalnetworks

• Increase and deepen interactions with business - Build on existing, and increase thenumber of, employer links to supportenterprise activity

- Broaden our links with the NHS• Contribute to the educational and lifechances for those in our local/regionalcommunities- As a major employer, expandapprenticeship and similar internshipopportunities

- Deliver a nationally recognised wideningparticipation strategy informed bypractice-based research

- Build on existing provision to increaseCPD, part-time and flexible learningopportunities

• Develop and evaluate the impact of a range of strategies to increaseengagement with city, county and regionalbodies, including our Euro-region

• Increase influence and participationwithin the Local Enterprise Partnershipframework

Develop and empower staff to deliver theUniversity’s ambitions

• Engage staff with the University’s visionand mission

• Regularly undertake staff surveys to gaininsight into changing views/expectations

• Provide training in cross-culturalcommunication, networking andrelationship building

• Link appraisal mechanism to successionand recognition opportunities

• Embed an equality, diversity and inclusivityculture throughout the institution

• Encourage a culture that rewards initiative• Develop an equitable work allocation model• Regularly review administrative processesand procedures to ensure they aretransparent, flexible and appropriate toneed

• Develop engaged and effective governancewith effective and ambitious leadership

Improve external engagement

• Develop and evaluate strategies to increaseengagement with a range of nationalsectors including cultural and creativeindustries, life sciences and health andsocial care

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