Members of staff from across the university met on 18 March to discuss forming the basis for an alternative vision for City University London in a meeting convened by the City UCU branch. The senior management of the university had invited staff to attend workshops on what the university has achieved and to input into City’s journey over the coming decade. In preparation for these workshops staff members met to start putting together our views on what direction the university should take in the future, and the core principles it should espouse.
Do these ideas match what you would suggest for City’s alternative vision? What principles or values would you like to see the university follow? We look forward to discussing a new way forward with the senior management of the university.
As a place to work, City should
- Make staff feel valued in an inclusive and collaborative environment
- Have a sense of community, encouraging staff to meet and socialise
- Be more collegiate, with a flatter structure, open and transparent communication, and more collaborative, less top-down management
- Develop its staff with mentoring opportunities, staff events, and fora for discussion
- Pursue a mission with substantive objectives, not aiming for a number or a percentage
As a place to study, City should
- Reflect the community it serves
- Restate its mission as the university for the professions, preparing students for the careers they will embark on in the future
- Provide opportunities for students to excel
- Invest in staff and services to add value to the education of its students, whatever their background and previous educational attainment
As an academic institution, City should
- Recognise the value in all levels and types of research, including research for practitioners as well as four-star research in high-impact journals
- Give equal value to teaching and research
CityUCU 