Corporate Plan2014-2019

One Univer

sity – sh

aping ou

r future

Learners

Partners

StaffAlum

ni

Foreword

The rapidly developing global higher education marketplace means that Cranfield Universitymust raise its ambitions to meet the challenges of the future.

The University has a valuable and distinguished heritage. Looking forward, we must buildfrom this foundation and re-assert our distinctive position in Higher Education as one of theworld’s most influential networks.

Our mission is clear:

To be an exclusively postgraduate university that is aglobal leader for education and transformationalresearch in technology and management.

This Corporate Plan, developed through extensive and positive engagement within theCranfield community and with our partners, identifies four strategic priorities which will be ourfocus over the next five years.

To provide a premier learning experience thatenhances the capabilities of individuals and theirorganisations.

To be recognised for outstanding transformationalresearch that meets the needs of business,government and wider society.

To grow an efficient, effective and sustainableenterprise.

To be renowned for our impact and influence -regionally, nationally and internationally.

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This is a simple Plan to which everyone can contribute. Its success depends on forging thefuture as ‘One University’. Our ethos is defined by our people: our staff, our learners, our alumniand friends. We value and respect your knowledge and skills, your confidence and integrity, yourambition and success. This Plan provides a focus for the effective engagement of the entireCranfield community towards a shared ambition.

Realising this vision to strengthen our position in Higher Education requires exceptionalperformance. We must measure our progress against agreed stretch targets, informed bynational and international benchmarking.

We commend this plan as the template for the development of our University over the comingfive years. We look forward to working with you all to realise our shared ambitions.

Dame Deirdre Hutton DBE Professor Sir Peter Gregson FREng MRIAPro-Chancellor Chief Executive and Vice-ChancellorChair of Council Chair of Senate

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Career enhancing

To provide a premier learningexperience that enhances thecapabilities of individuals andtheir organisations.

Cranfield has pioneered the development of education programmes that enhance the careersof our professional learners and the businesses sponsoring them. As the largest UK providerof Masters-level graduates in engineering with a flagship MBA and extensive customisedExecutive Education and Professional Development programmes, Cranfield’s educationportfolio is renowned for its relevance to business and government.

We will provide:

• world-class education for professional learners• outstanding employer engagement • exceptional experience at Cranfield and Shrivenham campuses• excellent staff-learner engagement.

We will monitor our performance against agreed targets for:

• providing a UK top 10 postgraduate learning experience• recruiting high-quality learners to all programmes• enhancing the careers of our alumni.

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“Cranfield is different because our focus is onprofessional learners and real business issues. Our aimis to enhance learners’ careers and transform theorganisations they work in.”Professor Lynette Ryals, Pro-Vice-Chancellor

“The Cranfield Students’ Association is fully committedto making Cranfield University an excellent place tolearn and experience the best student life.”Habeeb Ajimotokan, Cranfield Students’ Association President

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To be recognised for outstandingtransformational research thatmeets the needs of business,government and wider society.

Cranfield has a niche position which must be strengthened. Together with our partners, we must be recognised for cutting-edge thinking and for transforming knowledge to benefit society. Our research teams must enhance their leadership of peer-reviewed programmes and thedissemination of high-quality research, as well as transforming their work into commercialdevelopment.

We will provide:

• academic staff recognised as thought-leaders• critical intellectual mass• innovative business-engaged research• high impact and highly-cited research outputs.

We will monitor our performance against agreedtargets for:

• achieving 400 fully research active staff• increasing research income• improving citation rates • growing the impact of our research.

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“Our partnership with Cranfield provides a powerfuland unique way to tap into a knowledge base thatgives our company an edge.”Professor John Casey, Unilever Research and Development, Vice-President (Biological Sciences)

Creating and transforming knowledge

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“Our high-quality research spans the technologyreadiness levels from the generation of ideasthrough to their implementation.”Professor Tom Stephenson, Head of the School of Applied Sciences

‘‘My PhD at Cranfield University allows me to work in aworld-class research environment in partnership withleading organisations in an interdisciplinary andmulticultural environment.” Yadira Bajón Fernández, PhD Student, School of Applied Sciences

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To grow an efficient, effectiveand sustainable enterprise.

Cranfield must grow, and in a sustainable way. Our people are the University’s most valuableresource, and our future success depends on their high performance. We must ensure that allcontribute to the effective and efficient enhancement of our University. We must embed aculture of positive performance across the University, rewarding excellence and addressingunder-performance.

Under-investment in the estate at Cranfield must be addressed through substantial investmentin a capital plan which supports our core mission of education and research. We must build onour ISO accreditations to ensure the safe and sustainable development and operation of ourUniversity. We will work with the Defence Academy to ensure that we enhance the experiencefor our staff and learners at Shrivenham.

Investment in our people and in our infrastructure requiressustained resourcing. We must grow both our operatingsurplus and our income, based on high quality educationand research. We will ensure that our activities are alignedto our mission and the strategic priorities set out in thisPlan, and that they are delivered with greater efficiencyand effectiveness.

We will:

• develop a Performance EnhancementFramework

• enhance organisational efficiency andeffectiveness

• grow our income base• develop our estate sustainably.

We will monitor our performance against agreedtargets for:

• highly-performing and well-rewarded staff • generating 5% operating surplus• ensuring stakeholder satisfaction• committing investment in the estate.

8 Sustainable growth

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“Sustainable growth depends on increasing our incomeand enhancing our efficiency and effectiveness.”Philip Aspinall, Group Director of Finance and Resources

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“Attracting, nurturing and retaining the best people isvital to achieving our ambitions.”Lesley Broughton, Director of Human Resources and Development

To be renowned for our impactand influence - regionally,nationally and internationally.

Cranfield’s business-engaged education and research programmes have a disproportionateimpact and influence on society. We support technological and organisational innovation in globalcorporates and their supply chains. We need to be recognised as ‘closest to business’.

We must develop an internationalisation strategy and establish a co-ordinated professionalmarketing function to widen our international presence. We must work together to provide the mosteffective engagement with our stakeholders – learners, alumni, government and business. Alumnihave a crucial role to play; they are our best ambassadors, they contribute to the exceptionalexperience of today’s learners, and they can support the development of our University.

We will:

• achieve impact and influence on society• host national facilities• provide a creative environment for innovation • deliver global opportunities for our people.

We will monitor our performance against agreed targets for:

• enhancing our impact on the economy, the environment and society• increasing our contribution to innovation• improving alumni engagement• strengthening our relationships with global partners.

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“Our graduate programmes allow learners to enhancetheir careers and make an impact on society.”Melvyn Peters, Director of Graduate Programmes, School of Management

“Organisations and governments turn toCranfield with its deep knowledge of aviation.”Professor Graham Braithwaite, Head of Transport and Safety Engineering

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Plan 415i

This Corporate Plan presents four strategic priorities that strengthen Cranfield’s distinctiveposition in Higher Education.

Each priority includes a core goal resulting in Plan 415i.

Towards 400 fully research active staff

Towards a UK top 10 postgraduate learning experience

5% Operating surplus

Impact, influence, internationalisation

400

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“As an environmental services engineer, my learningexperience at Cranfield University challenged my way ofthinking and has had a positive impact on my career.”Yewande Akinola, Cranfield alumna, Institution of Engineering andTechnology (IET) Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2012

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“Our alumni are our greatest advocates and ambassadorsand we must nurture our relations with them. Alumni andfriends of Cranfield will have a substantial role in the futuresuccess of the University.”Benedicta Morrow-Slason, Director of Alumni Relations and Development

To deliver on this Plan we must raise our ambitions and move beyond incremental change. Wemust set clear and benchmarked targets, be focused on outcomes and openly assess ourprogress.

To realise our ambitions we must work together as ‘One University’. Excellent leadership of our academicprovision and professional support services is required,with clear responsibilities for all our staff.

We will make substantial investments in people, servicesand sustainable infrastructure. We will achieve this throughgrowth in our education and research portfolio and throughgreater leverage of external funds.

We will foster an environment for transparent decision-making and effective implementation.

We will engage effectively with the whole Cranfieldcommunity – giving us all the opportunity to play our full part.

“Our themes pull together the breadth of the talent andexperience across our University enabling us to workin a truly multidisciplinary way.”Professor Rajkumar Roy, Head of Manufacturing and MaterialsDepartment and Manufacturing Theme Leader

Delivering the Plan

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“It is very important that we act as ‘One University’.We must be as consistent as we can be and onlyas different as we need to be.”Professor Phil John, Head of the School of Engineering

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“Every member of the Cranfield Community cancontribute to Plan 415i; together we will shape thefuture of our very distinctive University.”Professor Sir Peter Gregson, Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor.

Cranfield UniversityBedfordshire MK43 0ALT: +44 (0)1234 750111E: corporateplan@cranfield.ac.uk

www.cranfield.ac.uk