This document outlines how to effectively engage with and progress a subject network in business and leisure. It discusses communication, organization, leadership, team building and staff development as key aspects. It recommends defining clear and achievable goals through regular communication and collaboration. Targets should relate to curriculum flexibility, sustainability, and relevance. Monitoring progress and enhancing the network through quality assurance is also important. The benefits of an operational plan linked to overall strategies include improved outcomes for students, staff, partners, and communities.

1. Subject Network
Leadership
Business and Leisure
Dr Rob Macpherson
North Highland College UHI
20th
April 2010

2. “the aim of subject
networks is to improve
collaboration and
enhance the student
experience”
At inception:

3. UHI
Faculty of
Business, Leisure
& Management
Faculty of
Health
Faculty of
Science & Technology
Faculty of
Arts & Humanities
Computing and IT
SN
Argyll
NorthHighland
LochaberLews CastleInverness
ShetlandPerthOrkney
Management
School
Business & Leisure SN
The network

4. How to engage
effectively with the
subject network

5. Through:
 communication
 strategic and operational planning
 organisation
 management
 leadership
 team building and staff development
 motivation

6. COMMUNICATION
 engaged
 open
 responsive
 respectful
 courteous
 trusted
 internal first
 timely
 accurate
 honest
 consistent
 positive

7. NETWORK STRATEGY
 planned
 participative
 purposeful
 prioritised
 pragmatic (when it needs to be)

8. ORGANISATION
 experienced
 administratively competent
 known to new network staff
 good relationship with Dean
 visible
 approachable

9. MANAGEMENT
 forecasting the future
 planning for that future
 organising activity/opportunities
 directing activity
 co-ordinating staff teams
 monitoring and “controlling”

10. LEADERSHIP
 recognising UHI’s future path
 planning for change, growth and risk
 organising responses to challenges
 directing innovative approaches
 co-ordinating network effectively
 monitoring and controlling quality

11. TEAMWORK
 responsive to needs
 instruction/training
 mentoring/buddying
 group “brown bags” (e.g. HEA)
 non-threatening
 flexible and adaptable
 recognise the need for cultural shift
to develop comfort with UHI’s context

12. STAFF DEVELOPMENT
 scholarship at the heart
 student experience will benefit
 teaching and learning pedagogy
 sharing existing good practice
 comfort with blended learning
 qualifications upgrading
 research valued and encouraged

13. MOTIVATION
 interesting work
 involvement/responsibility
 recognition of effort
 pride in achievement
 professional development
 personal development

14. How to progress the
Faculty Plan

15. 1. DEFINE GOALS
For the network, these should be:
 clear
 apparent
 relevant
 achievable
 challenging
 fulfilling

16. Achieve this by:
 regular, effective communication
 inclusion of all network members
 subject network meetings (not committees)
 (micro-)network development days
 working groups
 engagement with LEARN & others

17. 2. PLAN TARGETS
For the network, these will relate to:
 curriculum flexibility (not called consolidation)
 sustainability
 student access and progression
 local/regional/national relevance
 short-/medium-/long-term awareness
 distinctiveness

18. Achieve this by:
 curriculum knowledge
 partner knowledge
 financial awareness
 student consciousness
 political antennae
 originality and innovation

19. 3. KEY PEOPLE
Engage with key internals/externals:
 early adopters are powerful allies
 collaboration = clarity of purpose
 can persuade fence-sitters
 can help combat “foes”
 vital in communication chain

20. Achieve this by:
 listening
 regular, effective communication
 academic & industry collaborations
 value of scholarship/research
 engaged with external environment
 promotion and marketing

21. 4. MONITOR, ENHANCE
& REPEAT/CHANGEFor the network, these will relate to:
 never forgetting the student
 quality assurance
 quality enhancement
 risks can be worth taking
 cost/price must not be the sole factor
 not afraid to say “we were wrong”

22. Achieve this by:
 annual monitoring process
 regular quality testing
 sharing best practice
 managing risk
 building staff confidence
 promoting reflection and flexibility

23. BENEFITS
With a clear network operational plan, strongly linked to
the faculty and UHI strategic plans (and aware of the
needs of different academic partners and communities)
it would be hoped that the following would benefit:
 students
 staff
 academic partners
 businesses
 Highlands & Islands communities

24. My contribution

25. PERSONALITY
 competent
 energetic
 decisive
 reliable
 persistent
 flexible
 knowledgeable

26. BACKGROUND
 research active – tourism, business viability
 teaching active (SCQF 6-12)
 “hard” networker inter-faculty
 PGT mentor
 Research/Dissertation supervisor
 Cross-faculty experience
 Future teaching? – SQCF 9-12
– Management & Leadership

27. PERSONAL GOALS
 Provide a clear focus on key issues
and concerns on the right things
 Get the whole network involved
through effective communication
 Act consistently over time, to embed
trust
 Demonstrate - through actions - care,
respect and awareness of issues
 Create empowering opportunities that
can involve all network members

28. Thank You