Vice-Chancellor Appointment Brief - October 2018 - Saxton Bampfylde
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Vice-Chancellor Appointment Brief October 2018
Contents
1. Swansea University / Prifygol Abertawe
2. University Structure
3. The City of Swansea
4. The Role
5. The Person
6. Terms of appointment “Swansea was identified by
7. How to apply the Times Higher Education
as one of the four best
universities in the UK for
balancing excellence in
research with excellence in
teaching.”
Swansea University
Swansea University is a research-led institution that thrives on exploration and discovery, and
offers a compelling balance of excellent teaching and research, matched by an enviable quality of
life. It has contributed to the transformation of Swansea as a city of distinction since 1920.
With more than 20,000 students, the University has enjoyed a period of tremendous growth, and we have achieved
our ambition to be a top thirty research University, soaring up the 2014 Research Excellence Framework league
table from 52nd in 2008 to 26th in the UK in 2014. Welsh University of the Year and Runner-Up UK University of the
Year (Good University Guide 2019), Swansea University is now in the top 30 UK Universities.
We have also achieved a gold rating, the highest rating possible, in the national
Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF), and are ranked top 5
in the UK for overall student satisfaction by the National Student Survey (NSS). Our
graduates enjoy excellent opportunities after leaving, evidenced by our ranking in
the top 10 in the UK (and number one ranking in Wales) for graduate prospects. The University was awarded the
Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year Award in 2017.
Swansea's multicultural dual-campus community provides a global perspective and opportunities to gain skills that
last a lifetime. True to the vision of its industrial founders in 1920 Swansea University will:
Provide an environment of research excellence, with research that is world-leading, globally collaborative
and internationally recognised;
Deliver an outstanding student experience, with research-led and practice-driven teaching of the highest
quality that produces global graduates educated and equipped for distinguished personal and professional
achievement;
Use its research strength, collaboration with industry and global reach, to drive economic growth, foster
prosperity, enrich the community and cultural life of Wales and, contribute to the health, leisure and
wellbeing of its citizens.
Swansea University is committed to promoting gender equality, and has been a proud member of the Athena SWAN Charter since 2008. We are proud to hold a Silver Institutional Award - one of only 13 Universities in the UK, and the only non- Russell Group University to achieve this. Campus Transformation Swansea University is the home of the largest knowledge economy project in the UK, the Bay Campus, one of the top five major infrastructure investments in Europe. This brand new £450 million development on the eastern approach to the city, together with the £60m transformation of our existing Singleton Park Campus, signals our intention to be one of the finest places to live, teach, research and collaborate in Europe. Research Excellence Swansea University was founded by industry in 1920 to deliver for industry so we have long been known for our Science and Engineering research but now we are among UK leaders for Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences. We lead Wales in research areas critical to economic growth and population well-being including Environmental Sciences, Medicine and Social Work. In recognition of the university’s importance to the Swansea Bay City Region, we and Swansea Council have pledged to work more closely to create more jobs, improve education and promote a culture of enterprise and innovation. In REF 2014 the quality of Swansea’s research was put on a par with or out-performed six Russell Group universities. We were also ranked 22nd for the impact of that research. To achieve this we had doubled our world-leading academic researchers over the previous six years, something that has proved central to the stimulating and enriching teaching and student experience provided at Swansea. But it does not stop there. Research and teaching capacity doubled when the Bay Campus opened in 2015. This year saw the opening of the £31m Computational Foundry, housing more than 150 computer science researchers. First Minister of Wales described the Foundry "as a beacon for pioneering collaborations with researchers and industry, attracting further research funding and establishing Wales as a world-leading centre for computer science and innovation”. Teaching Excellence Swansea University is one of four institutions in the UK that is recognised for its excellence in both teaching and research. We are an ambitious institution providing an outstanding and balanced academic environment that enables students and staff to excel. Commitment to diversity, combined with our ability to take students with low entry tariffs whilst achieving sector-leading graduate employability, demonstrates the value that is added by the University’s rich student experience and teaching quality. This is evidenced by Swansea being in the UK top 10 for graduate employability / further study, as well as top 15 for overall student satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2019). We are committed to working with students to enhance the student experience, creating an environment of openness and willingness to involve students for the benefit of all. Staff at Swansea are committed to professional development, continually providing innovative, inspirational and transformative learning, which is working at the leading edge of teaching activities. The University is one of the UK’s leading HEIs for learning gain, with graduate employment at the heart of our provision. We are dedicated to engaging with a wide range of students and pride ourselves on inspiring and supporting all students to achieve positive outcomes that exceed sector norms.
Ambition
Swansea has become a UK top 30-ranked institution. As
the university nears its centenary year in 2020, we have
three further goals:
Becoming a global top 200 university
Extend our Continue our ambitious
international reach expansion plans
University Structure The University is organised into seven academic Colleges. It is led by a Senior Management Team consisting of the following seven individuals: Vice-Chancellor To be appointed Registrar & Chief Operating Officer Mr Andrew Rhodes Pro-Vice Chancellor (Estate & Internationalisation) Professor Iwan Davies Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) Professor Martin Stringer Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott Pro-Vice Chancellor (Student Experience) Professor Steve Wilks Director of Finance Mr Rob Brelsford-Smith The seven colleges are based across two campuses, the Bay Campus and the Singleton Park Campus, and each is led by a Head of College: College of Arts and Humanities Professor John Spurr College of Science Professor Matt Jones College of Engineering Professor Stephen Brown College of Human and Health Sciences Professor Ceri Phillips Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law Professor Elwen Evans QC School of Management Professor Marc Clement Swansea University Medical School Professor Keith Lloyd The work of the University is supported by eleven Professional Service Directorates. Each Director reports to the Chief Operating Officer and is responsible for ensuring efficient and effective professional services across the range of the University's activities. These include: Academic Services Marketing, Recruitment, Internationalisation and Estates and Facilities Management Development Finance Planning and Strategic Projects Unit Legal and Governance Services Research, Engagement and Innovation Services Human Resources Student Services Information Services and Systems Academic Partnerships You can read more about the University's history, ambitions, and management.
The City of Swansea Swansea is a coastal city that is both picturesque and cosmopolitan, offering an excellent quality of life. Wales' City by the Sea and birthplace of Dylan Thomas, it is a lively and vibrant maritime city and regional shopping centre with a population of 240,000 people. Swansea University boasts strong ties with the city, as recent sponsors of Swansea City Football Club and having an academic base within the city Civic Centre. The 2014 – 2017 Vibrant and Viable Places Scheme, a joint venture between the Welsh Government and private investors, has brought a total of £10.2 million of investment into the city centre and resulted in regeneration of some of the city’s key buildings. The project has generated hundreds of jobs as well as the redevelopment of 58,000 square feet of commercial space. Only a stone's throw away, the Victorian resort of Mumbles offers a fantastic array of attractions, including a pier, traditional boutiques, craft shops and ice-cream parlours. The city has direct links to both London and Manchester and is a short train journey from the city of Cardiff. Mumbles is known as the 'Gateway to Gower', designated as Britain's first 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'. The Gower Peninsula extends West of Mumbles in a succession of stunning coastal and rural sceneries. To the East, the 'Waterfall Country' at Afan and the Vale of Neath is a haven for walkers and bikers alike.
The Role
Shape and articulate the vision
• Build the vision of an ambitious, confident and internationally engaged academic institution unequivocally
committed to excellence in education, research and industry collaboration.
• Lead the development of strategic plans to deliver the vision, establishing confidence in and building on the
trust and contributions of staff, students and external stakeholders.
Deliver excellence
• Ensure provision of the highest quality teaching and learning environment, responding innovatively to the
changing needs of students from all backgrounds.
• Develop research excellence to the highest international standards underpinned by a commitment to
innovation, impact and commercialisation.
• Engage strongly with the community, focusing particularly on building excellence in the University’s
contribution locally in Swansea, across Wales, nationally and internationally.
Lead a large and growing university
• Promote an aspirational, diverse and modern learning culture by ensuring a positive and equitable approach
to staff and students, as well as bringing an exceptional focus and interest in on our alumni community.
• Work with, and maintain the confidence of the University Council and other governance bodies to achieve the
highest standards in leadership and management.
• Ensure that collegiate, transparent governance and management arrangements are in place to achieve our
strategic goals.
• Ensure that risk management and compliance programs across the University’s activities and entities meet
the highest standards of ethics, financial probity and corporate governance.
• Develop and manage the resources of the University, including the people, infrastructure (physical and
digital) and financial to meet its strategic goals.
Manage external relationships
• Foster and develop strategic alliances and partnerships both nationally and internationally, including
strengthening key alliances with other academic institutions, employers, industry, public and third sector
organisations.
• Lead effective engagement with government at all levels, and with other external stakeholders in the political,
business, education and philanthropic communities.
• Maintain and enhance the University’s reputation through effective communication and advocacy, directly
and through the media, to all relevant stakeholders and the general public.
• Actively participate, setting standards in national policy development and implementation in the higher
education sector.
The Person
Values
• Commitment to excellence in higher education across teaching and research.
• Strong public service principles, focussing on the good of society.
• Dedication to the development of people from all backgrounds.
• Integrity, high personal standards of accountability, justice and fairness.
Attributes & behaviours
• Displays a broad strategic vision forming, developing and influencing regional, national and international
networks with external stakeholders.
• Capacity to motivate and inspire students and staff, create high-performing, empowered teams through
significant leadership ability.
• Ambition, with an ability to convey the excellence, values and commitment to high quality as exemplified by
Swansea University.
• Approachable; visible in the University community, an ability to build rapport with individuals throughout all
areas of the University.
• An enthusiasm to learn the Welsh language, at least to a basic level.
• An instinctive understanding of the strength of partnership with others, bringing this aspect to the areas of
negotiation and influence when making decisions of behalf of the university.
• An innovative and entrepreneurial approach, and evidence of addressing challenges in a changing
environment.
Skills & experience
• Successful leadership of a large, complex organisation.
• Ability to develop a distinctive strategic vision.
• Demonstrable understanding of the importance of the student experience in delivering success.
• Credibility with the international academic community.
• An understanding of high-quality research, its translation, commercialisation, and its ability to create societal
impact both locally, nationally and internationally.
• Significant experience of developing teams at a senior level to maximise their potential and grow talented
individuals as future leaders.
• Track record of representation, building collaboration and shaping opinion at the highest level – with
governments, industry, charities and other academic institutions.
• Experience of good governance and management, showing an ability to work with University Council and
other bodies in leading the organisation.
Terms of Appointment The salary on offer will be commensurate with university leadership roles at this level The role will be offered on the basis of a 5 year contract, with the option to extend for a further period at the discretion of the University Council. The appointed candidate will be expected to learn the Welsh language, at least to a basic level. The role is based in Swansea and will require national and international travel. How to Apply Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Swansea University on this appointment. Candidates should apply for this role through our website at www.saxbam.com/jobs using code WASYE. Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter. The closing date for applications is 5pm on Thursday 15 November 2018.
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