Bring on the benefits

A full day looking at the University Collaboration Improvement Programme today in relation to Benefits Realisation. Re-defined the objectives, and came up with some new benefits, as well a fresh look at some of the business changes that need to take place. Lots of debate about whether the programme is concerned with technology, or collaboration in general - general concensus that it has to be about the exchange of information facilitated by technology. Other enablers are way out of scope, and our group doesn't have the resources to solve them. The next step is to develop a blueprint for what collaboration might look like in the future - a sort of day in the life of.

The three objectives we agreed for the programme are:

• To enable and encourage the university community to communicate and collaborate more effectively
• To promote inclusion, enhancing the sense of community for staff and students
• To enable and encourage collaboration between the university community and external partners

Yesterday I spoke to our new University Executive Board about how they might be more open and transparent in terms of release of Board agendas, minutes and papers, and how Freedom of Information and Data Protection Legislation might impact what is and isn't released. I must say, I'm really glad to see a change in culture with this move towards more transparent governance - it can only be a good thing.