University life
Introduction
Other sections of this Roadmap address, in turn, the central purposes of the University. However, all those purposes are pursued by people who study, teach, do research and work as a part of the University community. Much, but not all, of their activity takes place on our campuses.
Cultivating a diverse, stimulating and supportive shared physical, virtual and social environment provides the foundation for achieving our substantive goals and a positive sense of belonging for our students and staff. We aim to engage our students not only with student life, but with life as part of a university. Our Roadmap therefore addresses how life as part of this University community is constantly renewed in a way that is both personally fulfilling and fuels our continued success.
Our principles
- The following principles help us maintain our focus on a positive and rich university experience for all our students and staff.
- Diversity within our community adds to the richness of the university experience and is vital to the growth and development of staff and students.
- The health and well-being of students and staff is of paramount importance. We are committed to providing the highest quality services to students, to underpin and support their wider experience across our campus.
- Our commitment to the overall quality of the environment is evident on our campus. University life centres on the campus and we are committed to preserve, refresh and expand this environment.
- Students and staff from different backgrounds and with different circumstances may have particular needs and we will embed in all our practices particular regard for these needs.
To ensure fairness and equality, it is essential we can ensure that all staff and students are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential throughout the University, from the admission of undergraduates to the retirement of staff.
Our purpose
To create a shared purpose and positive sense of belonging to a unique university community uniting campuses in three countries, many scholarly disciplines and professions, and including people from a huge range of cultures and backgrounds. We aim to offer the best possible student experience, at all levels of study and produce the best
possible graduates.
Background
Recent accomplishments
Since 2005, The University of Nottingham has operated from a purpose-built, 125 acre campus at Semenyih, which provides the base for most of the University’s teaching and is currently home to some 4,800 students. There is on-campus accommodation for 2,400 students and a wide range of off-campus accommodation. High quality sporting and recreational facilities are provided on the campus and a regular bus service links the campus to local towns and to the nearby capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
Challenges
Many original facilities are now close to capacity and there will be a need to continue to develop provision for a growing and increasingly diverse student body while retaining the overall quality of the living environment.
Aims and objectives
Below are our major aims. Beneath each are the main objectives and activities we will focus on to ensure we achieve our aims by 2020.
- Improve health and well-being:
- Maintain the highest quality support systems to students and staff
- Increase participation and provide the opportunity for students to achieve their sporting potential by developing our facilities, providing organised, quality-driven sporting experience, and responding to user feedback
- Develop a more inclusive sporting programme, drawing under-represented populations into regular sporting activity
- Maintain and enhance health and safety provision for students and staff
- Enhance student, staff and alumni support and development:
- Enhance support for our students’ personal development and employability, via internships, graduate trainee schemes, and through participation in the Nottingham Advantage Award (NAA)
- Institute programmes that develop mutually beneficial, life-long engagement with our alumni, for example by tapping into their talents to inspire, enable and support current students via mentoring and career development
- Ensure that campus life provides a diverse range of social and cultural opportunities for our students and staff
- Enhance support for international mobility of students and staff:
- Encourage and support rising levels of student mobility, by providing more flexible accommodation units, both for visiting staff and to facilitate students swapping accommodation at any campus for space at another campus
- Cultivate a supportive and diverse student and staff community:
- Maintain and enhance the international character of the campus through the recruitment of the best students and staff from around the world
- Raise the profile of the University’s commitment to student and staff equality and diversity through targeted awareness, communication and training
- Provide a campus infrastructure essential for a vibrant university community:
- Increase the quality of on-campus accommodation for students
- Expand and enhance sporting facilities
- Continue to develop social and cultural spaces to enhance the quality of the campus experience
Responsibility
Lead
Mr Patrick Joseph, Director of Academic Services, UNMC
Support
To be appointed, Director of Student Experience, UNMC
Professor Stephen Doughty, Vice-Provost for Teaching and
Learning, UNMC
Professor Ian Harrison, Dean of Engineering, UNMC
Ms Sandy Loke, Director of Estates, UNMC
Mr Stephen Dudderidge, Director of Student Operations
and Support
Mr Chris Jagger, Chief Estates and Facilities Officer
UNMC Management Board Owner
Mr Patrick Joseph, Director of Academic Services, UNMC
Measuring success
Performance targets