Institutional Context
Summary
The University of West London (UWL), the Career University, is integral to our local economy and community. The past three years have produced remarkable success that reflect the breadth and quality of our Teaching, Research and Knowledge Exchange activity.
Our partnerships with industry and community provides students with skills, expertise and networks to create a talent pipeline that supports the local economy. We provide business and community with support, intellectual expertise and access to resources to help turn sparks of innovation and entrepreneurship into flourishing business.
In everything we do, we endeavour to involve local communities and play an active part in the educational, cultural and economic life of our region.
Institutional context
The University of West London (UWL) draws on a heritage of over 150 years in teaching and professional education. As the Career University, connection to local business communities is at the heart of our mission. Based in the centre of one of the UK’s most successful business regions, the University has a wealth of experience and strong connections with key industries.
UWL have entered the top 100 for the first time in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) with 76% of our publications rated as world leading or internationally excellent. We were named as University of the Year for Teaching Quality, and University of the Year for Student Experience by the Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023, a feat never achieved in the history of the Guide. In the recent National Student Survey, the University was ranked 7th in the UK for overall satisfaction and first in the UK for the average score across all questions. We were also 13th in the UK for social inclusion and in the Guardian University Guide, we were placed 23rd in the UK
From the outset, the UWL has played a significant role in the educational, cultural, and economic life of the region. This knowledge exchange (KE) mission remains at our core and inspires our students to become innovative and creative professionals connecting them to exciting and rewarding careers. All our students have a guarantee of experiencing the world of work which directly connects our teaching to the needs of economy and society, translating into high levels of employability and integration with local industry. Our vision is simple and continues to define UWL as an innovative, inclusive, and meritocratic community committed to making the country and our local community prosperous, healthy, open, and just.
At the heart of our strategic plan is a series of commitments, which form the bond between UWL, our students, stakeholders, and partners. Our Strategic Plan (Achievement 2023) commits the University to making a positive impact on the economy and civil society by:
-Offering a transformative educational experience linking our students to the local economy to enhance their earning, employability and provide talent to enable local businesses to survive and thrive.
-Being a model for quality, affordable higher education, widening participation and access to career-relevant education, building higher levels of aspiration across all communities.
-Producing impactful research leading to positive social and economic benefits for our communities.
-Being an engine of innovation and enterprise, supporting business start-ups in our local community.
This impact is achieved through our vocation-focussed portfolio of activity, manged through 9 academic schools/colleges, namely: London College of Music; London School of Film, Media and Design; The Claude Littner Business School; London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism; School of Law; College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare; School of Human and Social Sciences; School of Computing and Engineering; Institute of Policing Studies; School of Biomedical Sciences which will shortly join a new School of Medicine at UWL adding to an expanded STEM offer.
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/about-us/facts-and-achievements
For further information, please send queries to employer@uwl.ac.uk
Local Growth and Regeneration
Summary of approach
The University of West London (UWL) is at the heart of economic growth in our local community and beyond. Long established relationships with industry and business translates innovative ideas into practice and ensures access to talent. We harness our knowledge to empower business communities. In delivering innovation that addresses the most pressing problems in our society, we support businesses to grow, thereby enriching the economy. As the ‘Career University’ working in partnership with businesses, local authorities, and community groups, we are creating a rich pipeline of skilled individuals for businesses to drive economic growth and regeneration. UWL are a connector between higher education and a career, providing a vital link that strengthens opportunity, skills for employers and the local economy.
Aspect 1: Strategy
UWL continues to play a supporting role in local growth and regeneration, recognised in our strategic plan (Achievement 2023) to “produce the sorts of graduates, research and enterprise that will enhance the local, regional, national and international communities we serve”. Meeting skills requirements and labour shortages within the UK economy is now a vital currency of Knowledge Exchange and UWL has continued to support business’ needs for talent, skills and labour. As the ‘Career University’, connection to business to inform the development of their current and future employees is core to our mission. UWL recognises our role to support local growth and the ongoing post-pandemic economic challenges. UWL is not a lone actor working collaboratively with partners is at the heart of our approach.
This strategy has seen the University playing a central role in shaping a set of relations that bring new levels of innovation, co-operation, and business activity aimed at unearthing and improving the quality of entrepreneurial talent wherever it resides. Our core mission to address the barriers to success in higher education explicitly addresses the barriers to employment, providing the knowledge, skills and attributes that are valued by employers. Overcoming these structural challenges demands impactful activity with businesses, public sector and the wider civil society, making UWL a levelling up university.
Our comprehensive involvement in the development of the new Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) supported the consultation to this draft, including hosting events that collate industry feedback. Active engagement enables UWL to ensure our activity meets local skills needs as they evolve, such as tackling technical skills shortages through our apprenticeship portfolio. Together with West London Business and West London Alliance, this represents the sub-region's “annex” to the London LSIP. An employer-led, data driven plan to help better match skills and training provision to employer needs locally. Sectors in focus for the creation of the LSIP include: Health & Social Care, Creative/ media/ screen, Hospitality and Retail, Transport & Logistics and Manufacturing, including Food. UWL support all these sectors regionally through our diverse coverage of academic schools and colleges, and the resulting graduate recruitment and industry partnerships they produce.
We support local business and have developed positive relationships with the local business community, in part through active membership of networking groups such as West London Business, West London Chamber of Commerce, the Logistics Skills Alliance, and Heathrow Skills Partnership. Developments such as the West London Food Innovation Centre, the Westmont Enterprise Hub, alongside a growing apprenticeship portfolio are helping local business to grow and thrive. As part of its business courses, the Claude Littner Business School includes consultancy as part of student projects. The initiative Fresh Minds for Business was recognised by the 2021 Levelling Up Universities Award for Extending Enterprise. UWL also participates actively in the West London Business’ commission on education and skills, highlighting the role of links with business and Apprenticeships in developing and enhancing regional skills. This has further influenced our approach and explicitly underpins our Apprenticeship Strategy.
In addition to our overarching institutional strategy, the implementation of our University Knowledge Exchange Strategy, (2021-2024) is a key part our commitment to having a positive impact on the economy and society. The outputs from this strategy include a range of activities that support our ability to contribute to regeneration and local growth. It falls into four broad categories:
Business Support such as staff-led or student-led initiatives; live briefs from industry that supports student’s employability but gives credible results for businesses to implement; academic consultancy, and sector-specific support such as new product development for the food industry. Through the development of a dedicated space and infrastructure to support the creation and development of new businesses (the Westmont Innovation Hub) in part through substantial private donation; support to new food-beverage businesses through the West London Food Innovation Centre, launched with ERDF funding; refocussing the business school’s central mission on entrepreneurship and business start-up; building on our track-record in the creative sectors; developing and sustaining partnership with our local Boroughs in economic regeneration, and business start-up support through careers support, Westmont Enterprise Hub and the West London Food Innovation Centre.
Providing academic insights or expertise to support local businesses, professional communities, or policy makers. Through drawing on the full range of resources at the University and aligning them with specific business needs in the West London economy. Leveraging our physical and intellectual resource for benefit of local economy. Maintaining credibility as a University through knowledge creation, but with clear and documented routes to turn knowledge transfer into commercial avenues that advantage the economy or society.
Skills and talent development such as CPD, short courses, employer-focussed curricula, and apprenticeships targeted at key local sectors (hospitality, logistics, creative industries, digital, healthcare). Activities include: developing students as source of talent for local business (recruitment, internship, etc); guarantees to all our students of experience of the world of work; growing and developing our Higher and Degree Apprenticeship offer to local businesses; providing expert professional programmes (Levels 7-8); and providing CPD and CE opportunities clearly linked to business need.
The University of West London has a wide regional, national and international role and defines its local area for the purposes of Regeneration and Local Growth as the London Councils (Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow) that form the West London Alliance (WLA). Within this region, we see ourselves as highly embedded in the two boroughs in which our campus sits, Ealing and Hounslow. Our reach extends along the Thames Valley through our healthcare related work, and globally through educational partnerships.
The west London (WL) area has a population of over 2 million people, and 120,000 businesses and estimated regional gross value added (GVA) of £73bn. Our defined geographical area consists of the London Boroughs of Brent, Harrow, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow and the Richmond upon Thames. It represents a significant proportion of the UK economy, being larger than Glasgow, Leeds and Birmingham combined. The west London economy is home to a mix of multinationals (Sky, Heathrow etc), small businesses and creative talent. West London Alliance’s ‘Vision for Growth’, refreshed in 2020, provided the core identification of local need. This set out the vision and priorities for the member councils: Sustainability & the circular economy; social and economic inclusion; data and digital innovation; global connection, work & productivity; growth sectors (clean tech, logistics, hospitality, education & research, digital & creative sectors, and healthcare). UWL has mapped its activity to these to better understand our part in local growth.
Aspect 2: Activity
Over the past three years our approach to regeneration has resulted in significant levels of activity for UWL. We continue to achieve year-on-year growth across HEIF qualifying and KE metrics such as collaborative research, contract research, consultancy, CPD and regeneration income. Our KEF2 comparative performance against both clusters M and J is also an indicator of success in our approach to Local Growth and Regeneration.
We facilitate engagement with industry through local, national and international activities. This included participation and supporting businesses at the local Business Exhibitions and presenting to businesses at the London ‘Business Show’ Exhibition, delivering the seminar on how UWL is a commercial and social asset to exploit. We have also developed a Business and Community Engagement Working Group for 2021-22 creating a joined-up approach, so that resulting KE activities are effectively managed. UWL regularly hosts local business events, such as the Ealing Business Expo facilitating multiple opportunities to engage with our local business community.
Engagement with partners has grown further over the last three years, with representation on several bodies, partnerships and initiatives. Some of this activity is long standing, such as UWL’s representation on the Board of Action West London (a regeneration charity), or membership of West London Business and local chambers of commerce. Other more recent initiatives include Great West Creatives, a GLA funded Creative Enterprise Zone, overseen by consortia of local businesses and creative organisations, and chaired by UWL. UWL is a core member of the Heathrow Skills Partnership (HSP), working collaboratively with Heathrow and its supply chain to both ensure and develop pipeline of skills to a key sector in West London and to provide programme of skills development for existing employees.
We work with industry to develop future talent and support businesses to grow and for ideas to flourish. Our industry-led education offer is growing across Degree Apprenticeships, CPD activities and employer-focused modules. Our provision involves close alignment with employer demands, with facilities designed to simulated work environments to ensure job readiness. Our approach is characterised by being literate to recruitment needs. UWL have lobbied as the only university partner alongside major national recruiters for successful government changes to right to work practises. Examples include:
Partnering with Ealing Council Business growth and net zero team hosting workshop for business hub for local businesses and find the ways to create new jobs.
Workshops for the Heathrow innovation unit to co-design ways to innovate and support worker resilience and adaptation to automation and innovation.
Enabling public agencies, police and communities to respond to evolution of gang crime
Supporting the roll out of dementia friendly business practices by the Geller Institute for Ageing & Memory.
Support to hospitality industry through the work of International Centre for Hospitality and Aviation Resilience Management.
New product design and testing for food and beverages companies. Driving best practice in preventing healthcare associated infection by informing policy.
KE initiatives include projects aspiring to resolve workforce issues across skills, recruitment and productivity. Including the development of a CPD course on challenges and opportunities when implementing service design projects in large organisations and piloting industry-led project management CPD to support organisational training requirements. Other CPD initiatives include addressing teacher training and retainment challenges in the secondary and FE sector. 2021-22 marked the start of a new phase of how our university seeks to build its capability and capacity for Knowledge Exchange. Developing new initiatives to support UWL in its KE Mission. 16 Projects were approved under a KE-specific initiative, with project examples including:
Developing a CPD learning for teachers at local schools to support emotional intelligence and assist with teacher retention.
The development of a ‘safety initiative and language tool for operating theatres arising from the principle of “sterile cockpit” in aviation’.
Partnering and informing industry how to use microbiome metagenomics as part of food safety management.
Partnering with local government authorities on a novel technical solution to improve public safety by developing a mobile app on wearable devices’.
Engaging the local community around sustainable food/waste, using micro-anaerobic digestion processes to tackle net-zero carbon targets.
Core to our approach is UWL’s focus on employability and business start-up, which allows UWL to contribute in ways that align with our core mission and strengths. Many business support activities are student-led (but with guidance and support from UWL academics) include a wide range of ‘live briefs’ designed to provide insight and employability skills for students while creating implementable solutions for business challenges. Examples include:
London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism delivering cooking classes to local residents with type 2 diabetes.
A business enterprise expo led by our Claude Littner Business School for West London.
College of Health, Nursing and Midwifery Industry Partnership Board to understand workforce needs and consider changes to meet the needs of employers.
Fresh Minds for Business, a student-based consultancy service that provides fresh and innovative solutions to business issues while developing key student employability skills.
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/study/business/fresh-minds-businessOur role is further demonstrated through our membership of the Borough of Ealing Local Strategic Partnership which is supporting economic regeneration, working alongside the West London Business and West London Alliance on how Universities collectively communicate what we do to support local regeneration, growth and social mobility. By working in partnership with businesses, local authorities and community groups, we are creating a pipeline of skills for the future, developing the businesses that will drive economic growth and find the solutions that will deliver regeneration in our region.
Aspect 3: Results
The overarching approach is that the University of West London reviews the range of activities it undertakes and their performance on an ongoing basis, always focusing on core strengths. The key challenge with local growth and regeneration in a region like west London is disaggregating the impact of UWL as one amongst many partners (including 3 other HEIs).
By collating our resources we have strengthened our working relationship with local government, other HEIs and business and optimised outcomes. We have worked more closely in this area over the past three years, including benchmarking and trying to capture the net positive impact on job creation and business start-up (as well as other economic metrics).
At a local level, UWL’s input into engagement activities is evaluated on the basis of: engaging in the impactful networks and partnerships; ensuring our voice is heard at these; and ensuring and reflecting on whether our contribution is valued.
Examples of specific measures of achievement:
Up-to 100 business have been supported by the Fresh Minds for Business initiative,
Our West London Food Innovation Centre which has supported 40 SMEs, of which 21 were start-ups and 27 new products were developed. During 2021-22, the University moved the Centre from a fully funded European Union project to a commercially sustainable business unit.
Our Westmont Enterprise Hub https://www.uwl.ac.uk/business-services/westmont-enterprise-hubcontinues to grow a number of spin-outs incubated over the past three year. This focused on UWL’s support to student, staff and the local community seeking to be innovative and establish their own businesses.
During 2021-22 we delivered activities such as business scale up support, internship recruitment match-funding and regional business networking sessions supporting many local businesses. By collating our resources across academic schools and professional business-facing services we have strengthened our working relationship with local government and regional business to optimise outcomes.
Apprenticeship strategic targets (set in the apprenticeship strategy) are on track, with the overarching KPI on apprenticeships in the University Strategic Plan (Achievement 2023) having already been met.
Regeneration income as measured by HESA HE-Business-Community interactions survey increasing by 53% over the past three years.
These achievements are disseminated through social media, the University’s website and within our annual financial reports, all as part of our broad-based communications strategy.
For further information, please send queries to anthony.woodman@uwl.ac.uk
https://wla.london/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Winning-in-the-new-economy-final.pdf
WL Education Skills Policy Commission September 2018
https://wla.london/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2020-September-Build-and-Recover-Plan.pdf
University of West London Knowledge Exchange Strategy 2021-2024
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/study/business/fresh-minds-business
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/business-services/westmont-enterprise-hub
Public & Community Engagement
Summary of approach
As a multi-mission University, our Knowledge Exchange (KE) and Public and Community engagement (PCE) is vital to our institutional culture and creating economic and societal benefit.
The volume and impact of our PCE activities demonstrate the benefits of the University of West London (UWL) as a partner. Producing impactful research, exceptional work-related carers opportunities to students, acting as a regional engine of innovation and enterprise.
We offer fair and equal access to education as levelling-up university, connecting with communities to drive social mobility. Our students learn immensely from our local community, and we engage those around us in developing and translating research and knowledge into practice for impact. Collectively, we host over 14,000 people in the university community.
Aspect 1: Strategy
UWL nears the end of its current Strategic Plan: ‘Achievement 2023’, a five-year plan which aimed to make the University a lynchpin of community interactions and to play a central role in shaping relations that bring new levels of innovation, co-operation and activity to unearth and develop entrepreneurial talent. As a result of this plan, our PCE activity has become increasingly culturally embedded in both student learning and staff working practices. UWL have been intertwined with the locality for residents, businesses, charities and other groups to better understand and exploit the benefits we bring. Collaboration and partnerships have never been stronger, driven by our university-wide strategy and implementing a KE Strategy including commitment to undertake effective PCE that creates mutual benefit.
These two strategies, and their underlying implementation plans, help ensure governance arrangements are in place through shared responsibilities across academic and professional service managers, overseen by a senior management structure to support, scrutinise and direct. Because our strategic approach to PCE has been led by both institution-wide and KE specific strategies, the impact of our PCE activity has therefore enabled wider institutional objectives, including our Research Excellence Framework (REF) results demonstrating how we help communities locally, nationally, and internationally. Currently UWL is the “University of the Year for Teaching Quality” and “University of the Year for Student Experience” in the prestigious The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023 and it is in the top 30 universities in the UK, ranking No.23 in the 2023 Guardian University Guide. Many factors have contributed to these successes including a purposeful, well supported and adequately resourced approach for effective PCE.
Our strategic approach is demonstrated by a clear commitment for our PCE activity being innovative and inclusive. This represents our broader commitment to make the country more prosperous, open and just. Priorities include: playing an active and leading civic role; engaging with the wider civil society; and playing a role in regional and national economic development, creating international impact from our research activities. What makes our approach distinctive is our institutional approach being underpinned through successfully addressing social mobility in some of the most deprived areas of London and our impactful PCE offering mutual benefits to our diverse student and community populations.
Addressing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is important to UWL. We enjoy excellent student and staff diversity, leading the way in promoting equality of opportunity for both staff and students and more than playing our part in social mobility. We compare well to the sector in recruiting and supporting one of the most diverse student populations in the UK. Linked to this work we have opened the Centre for Inequalities and Levelling Up, focussing on solutions to inequality. These translate into the PCE activities and impact made in the local and regional community.
Our research and Scholarship strategy statement (2021-25) includes commitments to PCE activity, to strengthen links between our research and KE activities to support various stakeholders and community groups and help drive regional and national priorities.
As a teaching-focussed institution much of what we do links back to how we support the local community through access to education. Our strategy for access focuses on raising student attainment and aspirations from primary school through to mature learners. This portfolio of support and activities offered is constantly developing based on the main aims, embedded in our Access and Participation Plan. We have adopted an evidence-led approach to access and participation work. Over the last few years, we have measured and monitored using analytics, key performance measures (KPMs) and indicators (KPIs), milestones, as well as quantitative and qualitative data to guide our approach.
University Research Excellence Framework achievements- https://www.uwl.ac.uk/research/research-impact
University Teaching Quality and Student Experience achievements -https://www.uwl.ac.uk/news/university-west-london-tops-rankings-teaching-quality-and-student-experience
University Research and Scholarships Strategy statement - https://www.uwl.ac.uk/media/4398/download
University Access and participation plan - https://www.uwl.ac.uk/media/6182/download
Aspect 2: Support
Oversight and co-ordination of public engagement is through designated KE committees and working groups, and our university strategic plan has strengthened the research culture across the institution to give greater recognition for published outputs and creative work. A framework is in place that supports and rewards innovation and excellence in teaching and scholarship, which feeds into how PCE and research dissemination is delivered. The strength of our KE activity results in UWL being awarded recurrent KE funding such as HEIF, ensuring we have appropriate funding that empowers academic staff and students to engage in impactful PCE aligned to these priorities. Evidence of how PCE is recognised and rewarded includes the roles of KE Champions to identify and promote good PCE practise, and our Volunteering and Civic Engagement awards, demonstrating the ongoing support from academic schools, students and staff. We have also enhanced and improved understanding of KE within academic job descriptions and promotion criteria.
Evidence of the practical support we provide for public and community engagement includes the KE Seed fund for 2021-22, marking the start of a new phase of how our university seeks to build its capability and capacity for KE and PCE more specifically. This developed new initiatives to support UWL in its KE mission. 16 Projects were approved, and our underpinning resource ensured the sound management of PCE initiatives under this scheme. The success of the first round of KE Seed fund have meant it is now an annual programme (with 20 new projects supported in 2022-23). As part of this, we deliver application workshops which includes best practise and desired outputs for staff wishing to undertake PCE. Two examples of PCE initiatives funded include:
Future Noise: an artist development initiative with engagement with College and High School students resulting in 8 high quality recordings, and four music videos.
Addiction Recovery-Arts Network Launch Curating and facilitating of a PCE event, representing leading UK arts organisations that specialise in arts practices with people in recovery from addiction and associated mental wellbeing issues.
Supporting student participation in PCE activities is of vital importance to UWL. Some of the initiatives designed to support our student population in this regard include:
UWL support student and staff volunteers to donate their time to do good deeds in the community, marking Student Volunteering Week and other annual events to support charity partners and good causes that make an impact. The university volunteering team also help students through a leadership award scheme and find or create volunteering opportunities in the community.
The university student liaison committee acts as a means of formal communication on the student experience between the board of governors and the SU, and acts as an important location to receive and consider regular reports on the services of the SU to their community. Our university student charter also includes the commitment of the student union to support active student/community engagement.
Aspect 3: Activity
Our strategic approach has four themes and key examples of activities are detailed below:
Outreach - building a better understanding of UWL as a resource for the whole community:
Building children’s confidence, improving their coping skills and helping in raising attainment through delivering after-School clubs.
Outreach Healthcare Discovery Days for local secondary schools children with an interest in healthcare professions.
Hosting the ‘Heathrow Exhibition and Archives’ at UWL.
Providing cooking classes to people with type 2 diabetes tailored to the BAME community within Ealing and Southall.
Enhancing the Student Learning Experience through connections to community
Running our own record label, for students and the local community.
Music students delivering performances open to the public, to showcase artists to industry, and taking place at a variety of venues across London.
Partnering with a local sports club to produce a 2-hour workshop on creating a podcast.
UWL’s Blast Radio studios and showcasing the University’s industry-standard facilities and interviewing Music students.
UWL virtual reality accessibility start-up CeeSound which won the Judge's Award at Santander Awards Sound for virtual reality streaming platform aimed at visually impaired people.
UWL’s Drama Studio London students put on a record number of productions for schoolchildren across Ealing.
Our ‘Fresh Minds for Business’ student-led not-for profit consultancy services delivered to a wide range of organisations. Recognised in the Levelling Up Awards 2021 for Extending Enterprise.
Public engagement with research and science:
Our Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory delivering research and education in partnership with local organisations, informing experiences and support for people living with dementia and health and social staff.
The College of Health, Nursing and Midwifery collaborating and local industry partners, co-creating solutions such as methods to improve patient and visitor safety.
Our research Centre for Inequality and Levelling-Up bringing together leading thinkers to address inequality.
A UWL Gang Research specialist helping influence crime policy for better outcomes and presenting across several national media outlets.
Supporting local growth, regeneration, and community building:
Our West London Food Innovation Centre working with companies to develop new food products using expert facilities for development and testing. Creating prototypes for public consumption at local business events.
UWL hosting the International Police Education Conference.
UWL collaborating with our Students’ Union, and local partners to support underrepresented minority ethnic groups.
Hosting events that cater for audience of both students and local residents.
Supporting and hosting local business events and facilitating access for community to experience our main university campus.
UWL exhibiting and speaking at ‘The Business Show’ delivering seminar session on universities as commercial and social assets.
Aspect 4: Enhancing practice
UWL recognises its approach to PCE continues to develop over time and is yet to be fully embedded within a PCE specific strategy with fully linked measures. We do however host a range of outcome frameworks and KPIs that include and evaluate PCE activity.
UWL’s access & participation plan include targets for participants in collaborative outreach activities.
The monitoring of PCE activities through a University Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee (URKEC).
Public engagement data from events are measured through audit each year as part of the HEB-CI return.
Evaluation of activities led by academic schools through a Knowledge Exchange Growth Group (which reports to URKEC).
UWL monitors and reflects upon the range of external relationships it has as part of the annual cycle of reporting. Each report is scrutinised reviewed by Academic Board, highlighting areas for development and improvement. We also plan to refine our central support to deliver and evaluate PCE through our KE Team and by further development of KE Champion roles in each school.
Our People Strategy and Organisational Development Strategy outlines the people vision of ensuring ‘UWL people work within a diverse, enriching, engaging and healthy underpinned by a Continuous Professional Development Framework, to build requisite skills and knowledge profiles of all staff to enhance their performance, including the delivery of PCE activity.
The development and management of partnerships to support staff and achieve our goals is assisted through a Business and Community Engagement Working Group to allows for a more joined-up approach, so that resulting PCE activities are effectively managed with a location to evaluate and improve. Staff also have use of a Business and Community Engagement Toolkit, which includes further resources and tools to engage with partners and provide updates on events and other opportunities. We have developed a Knowledge Exchange and Research sharepoint site for staff, which includes guidance on effective Public and Community engagement, drawing on the examples of good practise from locations such as National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and The Culture Capital Exchange (TCCE).
The development of an institution-wide PCE strategy is viewed as the next stage of development and classified as at formative stage. Our existing activity is currently well supported through our KE strategy, enjoying broad coverage with a suite of KE KPIs and an implementation plan, to monitor progress. This includes an annual KE Staff Survey to review our engagement with the local community and the support available, and continuing to develop a KE and Research Portal to distribute relevant documents/strategies/policies/ and resources. In addition to building a PCE specific strategy, the next stage also includes the development of a clearly articulated statement of UWLs role in civic society and periodic formalised engagement surveys with external partners for evidence and consultation gathering purposes.
Aspect 5: Building on success
The quality and volume of PCE activity over the past three years have grown considerably, and meant we have been able to confidently contribute to HE sector PCE usability workshops, helping shape KE PCE Narrative statements with Research England and the NCCPE. Furthermore, we have partnered with TCCE as part of the KE and Impact forum presenting 'What makes a good KEF submission' sharing examples of good practise with a selection of industry and HE partners on how we undertake PCE.
Evidence of external reporting and involvement of public and the community in advisory or governance roles includes presenting to the local Ealing Council 'Recovery from the pandemic' scrutiny panels. Demonstrating the support available from UWL to businesses and how residents currently benefit from a local university partner. Proving a valuable opportunity to involve public and communities in the oversight and steering of our work. We also participate in local government-led industry and community roundtable events throughout the calendar year. Event themes span the inclusive economy, inward investment and other topics whereby we contribute as a local university partner with council cabinet members, directors and officers, as well as businesses, community groups and other stakeholders. UWL have supported the Ealing Culture Task Group, that was set up to co-develop the Cultural Manifesto, and are a key partner to support review and delivery as part of its overall Cultural Strategy Action Plan. We have connected with both the Ealing Master Plan and the Hounslow Regional Plan to make the University a lynchpin of community interaction.
Our Civic, Public and Community engagement activities are at the core of our KE institutional mission. Working with civil society organisations and local volunteer groups to develop community projects is critical to any activity we deliver in this space. Our partnership with the West London Alliance continued in supporting HE activities, and joint FE/HE groups on local skills need and provision for the digital, creative, health, and green/environment sectors. We also present on cross industry panel discussions annually at local business expo events to present and take questions on our place and offer as a local university partner. The UWL strategic approach has been developed in line with our values and strategies, staff and student regulations and policies, and with the commitment to continuous improvement based on good practice and empirical research. The next stage is development of a PCE strategy with KPIs to measure quality and effectiveness of institutional approach.
Note You are currently viewing the latest version of this narrative statement. View the previous version as published in previous iterations of the KEF (KEF1 and KEF2)