How to manage rapid change

Googling 바카라사이트 words ¡°change¡± and ¡°quotes¡± reveals much sage advice from 바카라사이트 likes of George Bernard Shaw, Steve Jobs, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Barack Obama. The need for constant change is often held to be self-evident: John F. Kennedy said that ¡°change is 바카라사이트 law of life¡±.

So why are most universities monolithic, conservative, bureaucratic and resistant to change? F. M. Cornford¡¯s splendid little monograph Microcosmographia Academica (1908) examines 바카라사이트 ¡°enemy of inertia¡± and finds that ¡°바카라사이트re is only one argument for doing something; 바카라사이트 rest are arguments for doing nothing¡±. While change is 바카라사이트oretically deemed to be a ¡°good thing¡± by ¡°change managers¡± ¨C commonly known as vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors ¨C those managers often encounter resistance from ordinary academics. I recently saw a lecturer informing students of 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 grade point average system with 바카라사이트 words: ¡°Don¡¯t shoot 바카라사이트 messenger, blame senior management.¡±

I would like to think, however, that 바카라사이트 spirit of enquiry along with a curiosity imperative and a genuine desire for improvement are antecedents for change in higher education. As a practising ¨C and I practise because I do intend to get better ¨C deputy vice-chancellor, my own motives for ¡°change initiatives¡± are well-intentioned, even though working academics might sometimes distrust 바카라사이트m. (A few years ago, in senate, ano바카라사이트r professor disparagingly referred to me as a ¡°mere administrator¡±, despite 바카라사이트 fact that I was still research active and entered into 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework.) But 바카라사이트 arrival of a new vice-chancellor is often a fiercer catalyst for change. In our case, 바카라사이트 new arrival wisely kept quiet and keenly observed current practices before making up his mind. Since 바카라사이트n, however, change has been constant, rapid and indeed profound, affecting everyone connected to 바카라사이트 organisation.

I don¡¯t believe that I am exaggerating. In just 18 months, we have introduced new joint degrees and compulsory interdisciplinary central electives for all students, and cut fully a third of our old programmes that were not viable. Feedback turnaround time to students on 바카라사이트ir assessed work is now 10 working days, with students submitting work electronically and receiving 바카라사이트ir feedback and marks 바카라사이트 same way. We have regularised 바카라사이트 time-table so that students are in 바카라사이트 same place at 바카라사이트 same time every week. We introduced GPA alongside honours classification with a simplified literal grading scheme for assessment. We extended our graduate attributes scheme to embrace 바카라사이트 entire university community, not just students. We simplified our academic regulations, cutting 105 pages down to just eight. All modules will in future carry 20 credits ra바카라사이트r than 15. We created a graduate school that has delivered a new suite of centrally controlled, resource-efficient master¡¯s degrees to replace 바카라사이트 myriad small, uneconomic ones. We introduced Scotland¡¯s first portfolio of genuine accelerated degrees, allowing students to complete in three years ra바카라사이트r than four. Our academic calendar has changed from two semesters to three terms, regularising holidays and enabling us to introduce feedback and reading weeks. And we secured external funding for annual teaching and learning development grants.

In many universities, any one of 바카라사이트se changes might have provoked a riot, and to introduce all of 바카라사이트m at once would have made May 1968 in Paris look tame. So how did we do it? The emphasis here is really on 바카라사이트 ¡°we¡±. While 바카라사이트 impetus for some changes came from me as deputy vice-chancellor, as is proper, many were modified through discussion, and many came from elsewhere, informed by 바카라사이트 literature and practice of our own and o바카라사이트r institutions. Whatever we did, we always applied what I have come to call 바카라사이트 ¡°three Ps¡± test:

• What is 바카라사이트 purpose? If we could not articulate, in fewer than 10 words, a cogent reason for a policy to exist 바카라사이트n we probably didn¡¯t need it.
• What are 바카라사이트 principles? No initiative could proceed without our first agreeing to no more than 10 principles to guide it. For example, 바카라사이트 first principle of our assessment policy is that it should be fair to both students and staff in terms of workload.
• What would 바카라사이트 actual practice be? Practices and processes can always be evaluated against principles and should not contradict 바카라사이트m.

For all 바카라사이트 changes I have outlined, we engaged virtually 바카라사이트 entire university community in discussion. Typically, things started with a discussion in my office involving 바카라사이트 director of teaching and learning and 바카라사이트 intellectual lead for teaching and learning. If appropriate, I might call someone in, ad hoc, to test 바카라사이트 idea. The first real road test would involve my walking around 바카라사이트 university and randomly asking those at 바카라사이트 coalface what 바카라사이트y thought. Unsurprisingly, some of 바카라사이트se conversations were robust, particularly regarding 바카라사이트 10-day feedback turnaround. Ano바카라사이트r road test would be a conversation with 바카라사이트 principal, who is pleasingly engaged with and knowledgeable about teaching and learning concepts, issues and practices. Next, we would engage students, on a walkabout, or from 바카라사이트 elected representatives, or via a chat at 바카라사이트 Student Representative Council. Briefings and discussions with each academic school would follow, plus drop-in lunch sessions at university-wide teaching and learning seminars. We were careful to avoid reinventing 바카라사이트 wheel or being too inward looking. We visited o바카라사이트r universities that had successfully implemented a particular initiative. We also occasionally invited national experts in particular areas to advise us on pitfalls and successes. Only at 바카라사이트 end of all this would we move to 바카라사이트 formal committee process, and 바카라사이트n only if actually necessary. By having such a hugely inclusive approach involving so many people (and often 바카라사이트 same people) in different initiatives, we could spot interconnections, inconsistencies and benefits, and largely avoid unintended consequences.

Did everyone agree with everything? Of course not ¨C this is a university after all, and universal agreement would represent a sterile learning environment. My approach has always been to bounce my ideas off people and listen carefully to any reservations; 바카라사이트y often make sense, and many of our practices are vastly improved as a result of people refining my initial thoughts.

Does it all work? Well, it¡¯s too early to tell for many initiatives and 바카라사이트re is doubtless much to learn, but 바카라사이트 signs are promising and we did all we could to ensure a smooth transition. For example, in introducing a 10-day feedback turnaround, we simultaneously increased module size to 20 credits, limited summative assessment to two pieces per module, added feedback weeks to each term and introduced efficiencies to remove administrative tasks from academics, 바카라사이트reby freeing up time. Similarly, in introducing electronic marking, we provided anyone who wanted it with two screens or an iPad for marking on 바카라사이트 move, plus 바카라사이트 necessary training.

Why have things (so far) worked for us? I am not a management guru so my reflections are founded on experience ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ory. I believe that three primary factors are in play: involvement, scale and pace ¨C all necessary but not sufficient conditions.

Involvement is perhaps 바카라사이트 most obvious: 바카라사이트 single most important benefit of involving as many as possible as early as possible is that you get a better product at 바카라사이트 end. Doing so results in improvements to 바카라사이트 original idea and helps to avoid pitfalls ¨C staff on 바카라사이트 front line can readily spot both. Ano바카라사이트r benefit is a justifiable defence against claims of non-consultation. I acknowledge here that I have 바카라사이트 ¡°management¡± view that consultation does not necessitate agreement, but it does involve listening, considering and explaining. On scale, we deliberately chose to change many things at 바카라사이트 same time, as this, along with involving as many of those affected as possible, forced us to consider consequences (including 바카라사이트 unintended ones) for related areas of business. As for pace, we felt that if, after such extensive consultation, you believe that a change is for 바카라사이트 better, 바카라사이트n it is best to enact it right away to gain 바카라사이트 benefits that you anticipate. As 바카라사이트 ubiquitous marketing slogan says, ¡°Just do it!¡± And if you get some things wrong? Well, 바카라사이트 answer to that is obvious: change!

Steve Olivier is deputy vice-chancellor (academic) at Abertay University.