FLAMES is an inter-university doctoral training network involving all five Flemish universities. It provides a structural, accessible, broad and high-quality course offer for young researchers needing methodological and statistical insight and skills. By taking advantage of complementary expertise, it builds synergies and turns competition into collaboration to optimise training for a future generation of researchers.
Three major conditions that have contributed to the success of FLAMES: (i) sustainable funding from the regional government; (ii) an existing institutional structure to implement the network; and (iii) bottom-up support from the universities.
The Flemish regional government provides sustainable funding for FLAMES, which can be spent on research support, career training, and internationalisation of early stage researchers, as well as joint “interuniversity” activities. These regulations provided a strong incentive for all five Flemish universities to join forces and give rise to FLAMES.
At the institutional level, universities can take advantage of complementary expertise within the interuniversity team. FLAMES has built a dynamic group of experts in research methodology and statistics dedicated to the methodological training of early stage researchers. The team focuses on the development of training materials, it provides training sessions at the different universities in Flanders, it maintains a website designed to disseminate up-to-date information on available courses, it participates in the organisation of several training activities (colloquia, summer schools, etc.).
For more details, see https://eua-cde.org/the-doctoral-debate/5:inter-university-collaboration-the-case-of-flames.html
EUA is an important actor helping universities to pool knowledge and efforts at European level. The Association is actively involved in promoting better funding conditions for higher education and research. Its “EU funding for universities” campaign aims to improve conditions for university funding at European level. The campaign focuses on achieving a decision in the EU’s post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework favourable to investment in higher education, research and innovation. EUA is specifically advocating for higher 9th Framework Programme (Horizon Europe) and Erasmus+ programme budgets. Activities in this campaign focus on two areas: (a) the critical value of investment in research, education and innovation at EU and national levels and (b) the need to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, notably by implementing impactful simplification.
EUA also promotes university involvement in such important topics as smart specialisation and Open Science through its Expert Groups on Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation and on Science 2.0/Open Science as well as the EUA High-Level Group on Big Deals, comprising university leaders and scientific publishing specialists. The EUA Learning and Teaching Steering Committee shapes the learning and teaching agenda, using peer learning and benchmarking to enhance the quality and relevance of higher education provision
Pan-European leadership training for senior university mangers can be offered in formats like the Residential School Programmes run by HUMANE (Heads of University Management and Administration Network in Europe), which are international professional development programmes aimed at developing senior higher education service manager careers. For more details, see www.humane.eu
The University of Latvia and Riga Technical University launched a joint procurement project to buy energy. This initiative helped the two universities to save approx. 100,000 euros per year and to optimise the related internal processes.
Clusterings in France are driven by recent reforms aimed at consolidating universities and restructuring the higher education landscape (2007 law on autonomy and responsibilities of universities, followed by 2013 law on higher education and research). Over the period 2000-2019, nine full mergers took place in France while 20 “communities” were set up, gather universities, other HEIs as well as research centres. In some cases, clusterings (comUEs) prepared ground for a full merger or served as a vehicle towards more in-depth collaboration among French universities, while also structuring cooperation with other types of institutions. Merger and clustering activity continue in recent years up to 2020, but the general regrouping of the educational system seems under consolidation.
The HRK's Research Map ("Forschungslandkarte") presents key research priorities of German universities in an interactive way. Universities taking part in the initiative jointly inform international audience about their research priorities in layman's terms. The Research Map database is available in English and German. It supports the universities' marketing and internationalisation strategies. For more details, see www.forschungslandkarte.de
Universities Norway established a strategic objective to “further develop and strengthen leadership training for member institutions in conjunction with institutions’ own research management and institutional leadership programmes”. One such leadership programme: Dean School, is offered to university and university college deans, as well as department heads at the largest institutions. This programme is designed to enhance participants’ skills and to develop their leadership role.
The Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions runs its Leadership and Organisational Development programme to serve senior executives at Swedish higher education institutions. Network members meet once a year and undertake study visits to foreign institutions. They also engage in common training and certification courses.
Universities UK and GuildHE set up a company – AdvanceHE (previously known as the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education) to jointly develop and improve the management, governance and leadership skills of existing and future higher education leaders in the United Kingdom. For more details, see www.advance-he.ac.uk
Belgian universities, represented by VLIR and CRef, issued a brochure showcasing how they use European research funds to create impact. Together with other partners, the sector wrote to Belgian Prime Minister to underline the importance of placing research, innovation and education at the heart of new EU programmes. VLIR also commissioned an impact study to quantify the economic contribution generated by five Flemish universities (The Economic Contribution of the Flemish Universities, 2017).
In Ireland, the higher education sector closely collaborates with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation to communicate value for money to funders by demonstrating employers’ satisfaction with graduate outcomes. The Irish Universities Association (IUA) developed the Save Our Spark campaign calling for meaningful higher education funding reform, as recommended by a Government-appointed expert group. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of the crisis and encourage people to sign a petition urging their local TD or Senator to act now. The IUA also commissioned a rigorous socio-economic impact assessment of the Irish university sector from an independent economic research consultancy (Delivering for Ireland: An Impact Assessment of Irish Universities, 2019). For more details, see www.iua.ie
British universities maintain a dialogue with the Government and other stakeholders and jointly communicate about the value for money they generate and sustainable investment in teaching and research quality through robust resource management. The sector issued a series of reports on national higher education efficiency and effectiveness and several impact studies to steer the debate and ensure these topics remain a government priority (The Impact of Universities on the UK Economy, 2014; Why Invest in Universities, 2015).
For more details, see www.universitiesuk.ac.uk
The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education is the national body responsible for leading and advising on the enhancement of teaching and learning in Irish higher education. In partnership with students, staff and leaders in Irish higher education, the National Forum works to develop an inclusive, collaborative and innovative culture that maximises learning impact for the success of all students.
The National Forum team is comprised of experienced academic, research and administrative staff and students, drawn from across Irish higher education institutions. The team is united by a desire to connect, support and inform all those involved in the enhancement of teaching and learning in Irish higher education.
For more details, see www.teachingandlearning.ie
The Programme Beveridge of the University of London supports smarter working on campus. The project aimed to provide an effective workplace for staff, enable them to work in a way that meets their own needs and those of the organisation, encourage staff to work together by breaking down physical barriers, provide efficient and effective storage facilities and increase space for academic and commercial events. Each aim is geared towards supporting the University's overall strategy and towards greater efficiency.
The University's total average desk occupancy was estimated at 43% compared to the perceived figure of 71%. The outcomes included a 45% increase in workspaces, 450 m2 increase in social spaces, 25% increase in capacity for academic events, and £800,000 increase in annual lease/hire revenue. Key factors for this success included commitment by leaders who started implementing the open plan (no desk – no office) and “smart working training” for staff.
The Irish Survey of Student Engagement initiative is a collaborative partnership co-sponsored by the Higher Education Authority, institutions' representative bodies (the Irish Universities Association and the Technological Higher Education Association) and the Union of Students in Ireland.
The main purpose of the initiative is to provide benefits to each institution and its students by helping to improve feedback and appropriate follow up action. This survey also helps in increasing transparency in relation to the student experience, enable direct student input, assist institutions to identify issues and challenges and facilitate comparison with other higher education systems internationally.
The NTU Student Dashboard is a learning analytics resource for students and relevant staff at NTU. It has been developed to help students engage more effectively with their studies. The dashboard measures students’ interactions with various resources to present an overall picture about each student’s engagement with their course. Each student then receives an engagement rating from high to low. It has been established that having high engagement is a far more powerful predictor of academic success than any background characteristic or entry qualification.
The dashboard has been a collaborative development between academics, IS specialists, educational developers, the Students’ Union other University experts working with an external provider.
The institution-wide rollout of the NTU Student Dashboard to facilitate dialogue between students, their personal tutors and support staff has seen widespread uptake, positive impacts on student engagement, and a change in organisational culture towards a more data driven approach across the University’s business. Drop out was reduced 50% using data on student engagement with university. The initiative was awarded the 2014 Times Higher Education award for Outstanding Student Support.
Source: www4.ntu.ac.uk/adq/running_a_course/student-success/ntu-student-dashboard/index.html
The Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) has a strong focus on strategic planning as a tool for improving efficiency and achieving goals. The strategy has become a focal point for all institutional processes (e.g. rules for promotion). Thanks to this approach, the University has successfully transformed over the years as a result of planning and execution. Strategic planning at SGGW is embedded into all management processes. A Balanced Scorecard tool is used for monitoring and assessment of progress based on measurable indicators for different areas.
Technology plays a major role at Silesian Medical University to increase efficiency in the professional and academic contexts. It is used to streamline support services including administrative management through the use of e-document workflow and electronic staff cards. In the academic context, communication with the dean is organised through the virtual Dean’s Office. Students can prepare for exams online and use a mobile application designed to enhance efficiency of the exam system. The University also established a medical simulation centre to improve practical skills of medical students. The center's facilities are shared with other organisations on a regional and country-wide level.
Poland’s integrated information system POL-on is the largest repository of data on Polish science and higher education. This system was launched by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to support more effective public spending on science and education. The system has the following applications: offering data for public statistics, electronic reporting for higher education institutions and scientific institutions, a repository of dissertations and theses, assessment of quality in education, data on science and higher education for students, scientists and entrepreneurs, and assessment of scientific capacity and rational management of resources for science and higher education. For more details, see https://polon.nauka.gov.pl
Poland has embarked on a new path in which efficient and effective higher education is directly linked to greater institutional autonomy and more efficient governance. Policy makers supported this change with a new, comprehensive, higher education reform. The main drivers for the reform and its key pillars are directly related to university autonomy, strategic governance, leadership, management and operational efficiency. In the context of the reform, this mostly involves reductions in the administrative and legislative burden, greater organisational and financial autonomy and a shift towards a more strategic university governance model. The new law particularly foresees greater opportunities for higher education institutions to determine their internal governance and organisational structures - universities will be able to develop and adopt more tailored institutional statutes. It also significantly strengthens the role of the rector, who takes on some of the senate and faculty decision-making powers.
Under a new funding model, funds will be awarded to universities, instead of, as previously, to their organisational units (for example faculties). Universities will receive one combined subsidy for teaching and research instead of two separate allocations and are free to internally allocate the respective grant shares in a more flexible way. Dedicated funding schemes were introduced to support excellence initiatives and emerging world-class universities.
Act 2.0 is expected to offer more room for managerial decisions, create new dynamics and stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship. With this new approach, the government hopes to encourage and stimulate more business partnerships, more innovation and greater entrepreneurship, while maintaining an academic ethos.
The Planning and Intelligence team at Cardiff University has been collecting data about the distribution of all university support services as part of a review of professional services under a comprehensive activity framework since 2016. The team uses the UniForum benchmarking service, which applies a well-tested methodology to capture data. The University has managed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its professional services, share best practice and identify where it needs to invest in and structure its professional services.
The University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS) in Warsaw focuses on three key areas to enhance efficiency:
(1) Governance: SWPS introduced a system that balances university decision-making and academic autonomy by introducing the figure of a ‘Founder’. This position directly appoints the Rector and Director-General and controls strategic financial decisions, leaving the Senate to retain control of key academic decisions.
(2) Management: Faculties are managed like ‘business units’ and assigned with enrollment, revenue and profit
margin targets to increase efficiency and the student-centered approach. These targets are negotiated with deans who are responsible for the quality of the programmes and cost of delivery as well as for research outcomes.
(3) Finance & IT systems: IT supports planning and analysis with appropriate data management systems, increased process efficiency and, increasingly importantly, by enhancing staff and student user experience through proper system design.
Some of the lessons learned show that a business-like attitude to faculty management is not at odds with
academic values, as long as it is recognised that universities are not-for-profit organisations and that any profits generated by operations are invested in developing the institution.
In 2004, the Technical University of Graz and the University of Graz established a strategic partnership for natural sciences (NAWI Graz). As part of this collaboration, the partners developed six joint Bachelor’s and 15 Master’s (including seven English-language) programmes in Bioscience, Chemistry, Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences, Mathematics and Physics, which enrol ca. 5500 students. NAWI Graz curricula are developed by an inter-university committee and approved by the senates of both universities. The universities agreed how to share teaching load for each programme. NAWI Graz students are enrolled at the university of their choice and automatically co-enrolled at the partner university. They receive training at both universities and can choose supervisors from either university. For more details, see www.nawigraz.at
In 2016, eleven institutions of the Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) launched a common library
management system (LMS) and discovery interface, Ex Libris’s Alma and Primo applications. The initiative was
supported by a Joint Information Systems Committee (Jisc) feasibility study, which anticipated benefits from
pursuing the procurement, implementation and operation of a single LMS.
WHELF achieved lower supplier costs by ca. £76,000 in 2015/16 and £150,000 in 2016/17, compared to the
estimated purchasing costs. Core subscription costs are also expected to drop from operating as a consortium.
By sharing one procurement office, cost savings of ca. £55,000 were achieved through procuring as a consortium, compared to predicted costs. For more details, see http://whelf.ac.uk/
BioTechMed-Graz is a research alliance of the University of Graz, the Medical University of Graz, and Graz University of Technology that integrates research activities in basic biomedical science, technological developments and medical/clinical applications. This strategic cooperation enables the partners to address highly complex topics with interdisciplinary teams, apply a broad range of methods, share research infrastructure, align the appointment of professors and jointly promote young researchers. The three universities pool competences in four research areas: Molecular Biomedicine, Neurosciences, Pharmaceutical and Medical Technology, Quantitative Biomedicine and Modeling. For more details, see https://biotechmedgraz.at
Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), Karl-Franzens University Graz and FH JOANNEUM jointly implement the MINKT–Initiative (mathematics, information and communication technologies). Supported by the State of Styria, this initiative aims to attract young people to these areas and train highly skilled workforce for the region. Ten-eighteen year old students participate in various workshops, where modern didactical and technology/game-based learning concepts and tools are used to raise their interest about mathematics and information and communication technologies.
The institutional strategy of FH JOANNEUM called “HANDS ON 2022” puts forward several strategic goals for “Education and Research”, “Organisation and Communication”, “Employees” and “Finance and Infrastructure”. Two specific goals are aimed to foster effectiveness and efficiency: “A modern and flexible organisational structure ensuring efficiency and effectiveness of all processes” (goal 1) and “An effective governance structure supporting effective management” (goal 2). As part of this framework, the University launched a career development scheme for all employees and improved the organisational structure and communication between different stakeholder groups. Digitalisation is another challenge that will be addressed in the updated strategy, together with the effectiveness and efficiency goals. Two specific activities planned in this respect include “The digital transformation of FH JOANNEUM” and “Developing a lean organisational and process structure at FH JOANNEUM”. The latter involves a range of measures to promote benchmarking, reduce the administrative burden, improve services and integrate management and information systems in order to support knowledge management and organisational learning.