The lived experience: driving transformational change within higher education during and beyond the pandemic

Power, EJ; Whitnall, DC; West, ML; Grogan, S

Abstract

The University of Salford is on a journey of adaptive change, redefining its strategy for the next 5 years. In recent history the HE sector has experienced seismic shifts in policy, expectation, and operation as well as the world-wide adaption to life and learning post-pandemic. These factors mean that change must take place to reflect the new landscape. This change at Salford affects our vision, our people and our approach. This paper explores a case study through an institutional lived experience perspective to provide insights into the challenges of understanding, enabling and supporting an inclusive culture. We build on a strategic institutional priority called Enabling Student Success (ESS) which aimed to drive a cultural shift in the consistency of business-as-usual operations which support the student learning journey to achieve improvement in sustainable outcomes for students, and to position the university to effectively respond to the governmental agenda around value for money in HE. Reflecting on this work and how ESS has been implemented, embedded and transformed the culture at Salford, we discuss the key learning, intersections of transformation, and indicators of impact through this case study.

Through the Advance HE Inclusive Institutions: enabling and supporting culture change project, the case study delivers insight into the approach to research. How this served to strengthen the teaching and research nexus within the newly established University of Salford’s Learning and Teaching Enhancement Centre, representing a new mode of knowledge transfer, supporting pedagogic enquiry and blueprint for wider academic citizenship beyond the pandemic.

Citation

Power, E., Whitnall, D., West, M., & Grogan, S. (2022, September). The lived experience: driving transformational change within higher education during and beyond the pandemic. Presented at IFNTF “Symposathon” REshaping Teaching Excellence: Pandemic and the New Now, Virtual

• Presentation Conference Type: Other
• Conference Name: IFNTF “Symposathon” REshaping Teaching Excellence: Pandemic and the New Now
• Conference Location: Virtual
• Start Date: Sep 19, 2022
• End Date: Sep 20, 2022
• Publication Date: Sep 20, 2022
• Deposit Date: Apr 19, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 10, 2023
• Publisher URL: https://www.ifntf.org/
• Additional Information: Event Type : Conference; Funders : AdvanceHE; Projects : 2021-2022 Collaborative Development Fund; Grant Number: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/university-salford-inclusive-structures-driving-transformational-change-project