FXP-14-49

A 5 YEAR PLAN FOR FALMOUTH EXETER PLUS

(FX PLUS)

TO PROVIDE WORLD-CLASS

CAMPUS FACILITIES AND SERVICES

TO STUDENTS AND STAFF

For approval at the Falmouth Exeter Plus Board, 9 July 2014

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CONTENTS

Purpose of this Plan 3

Context 3

The visions of our University Partners 4

Falmouth University 4

The University of Exeter 5

The changing environment, drivers for change and impact on FX Plus 6

What our University Partners are planning over the next 5 years 9

FX Plus positioning 11

What we do 11

How we do it - our working culture 12

Our long term strategic objectives 13

Translating our strategic objectives into delivered services for 2014/15 14

Board level key performance indicators (KPIs) 16

Appendices

Appendix 1 Financial Plan 2014/15 to 2017/18

Appendix 2 Risk Register linked KPIs

Please note: the plans for each Directorate and their KPIs for 2014/15 are available as

a separate document: FX Plus Service Plans, 2014/15 and beyond

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PARTNERSHIP CONTEXT

Falmouth University and The University of Exeter deliver world-class Higher Education

(HE) in Cornwall.

The shared services for the two universities (in Cornwall), spanning a wide spectrum

from academic services and student support to the delivery of major estates

developments, are provided by FX Plus. This Plan outlines how we intend to deliver

those services over the next five years, and includes the changing HE environment,

our long-term strategic objectives, how we translate those into delivered services and

how we measure our performance.

Our two university partners’ plans set the agenda for FX Plus and therefore, when

planning services, we concentrate firstly on what the universities have said they plan

to do. Therefore we start by looking at these strategies more specifically.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN

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THE VISIONS OF OUR UNIVERSITY PARTNERS

FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY

As outlined in its strategic plan, Falmouth University’s vision is:

TO BE A WORLD-CLASS ARTS UNIVERSITY THAT GIVES

CREATIVE MINDS INSPIRING FUTURES

Its values are:

Creative Connected Courageous

Falmouth University is striving to achieve Research Degree Awarding Powers in

2014 and to be in the top 5 specialist arts universities internationally by 2017.

Falmouth University aims to grow, particularly in flexible learning and international

students, with strong emphasis on employability and research in sustainable design

and the digital economy. Its ambition is firmly associated with the regeneration of

Cornwall.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

Note: the University of Exeter expected to have completed a review of its vision

and strategy for Cornwall by September 2014

The University of Exeter is in the top 10 of universities in the UK and joined the

elite Russell Group of Universities in 2012.

Its mission is:

WE TRANSFORM LIVES

THROUGH THE POWER OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

A LEADING INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY,

WE UNDERTAKE GROUND BREAKING RESEARCH AND

DELIVER A WORLD-CLASS STUDENT EXPERIENCE

IN A CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT OF

OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

Its values include:

EXCELLENCE PERSONAL LEADERSHIP PARTNERSHIP AMBITION

SUSTAINABILITY ADAPTABILITY CREATIVITY TRUTH

INCLUSIVITY

Building upon this success it aspires to enter into the top 100 of universities

worldwide.

Its vision for Cornwall includes:

TO GROW WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH, PARTICULARLY IN THE

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE IN CORNWALL

In the future it plans to differentiate the Cornwall Campus experience from the

Streatham one: a smaller campus, providing more personalised support and with a

strong environmental influence across the provision - all under a strong University

of Exeter brand.

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THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, DRIVERS FOR CHANGE AND THE

IMPACT ON FX PLUS

Both Falmouth University (Falmouth) and the University of Exeter (UoE) operate in a

sector which is undergoing the most dramatic change seen in the last 50 years,

primarily linked to the UK Government’s decision in 2010 to shift most of the funding

for teaching in Higher Education (HE) from direct subsidy to student loans.

The most relevant factors and their impacts on FX Plus are:

1. Student Fees and expectations

All Home / EU undergraduate students (for both universities) are paying fees of

£9,000 per year. The student number controls, introduced in 2012 to cap government

exposure to the student loan book, will be lifted completely from 2015/16. This is

expected to heighten the level of competition and dynamism in the HE market.

FX Plus Impact: The financial commitment by students and their families

means expectations have risen and the future success of campus based

provision is dependent upon having a world-class environment and services

and giving students life changing experiences and attaining high levels of

satisfaction. Experience on the ground and our surveys also tell us that cost

and value for money are priority issues for students in particular. Meeting

these expectations is reflected in the ambition of our service objectives and

plans.

2. Political uncertainty and funding pressures

There is much political uncertainty, with a general election next year, and very

different political views on who should carry the burden of the cost of HE. This

combined with the increasingly pessimistic projections on the level of unpaid student

loans is raising questions about the sustainability and equity of the current system for

tax payers and students. From the perspective of the partnership, a move to reduced

fees without grants to compensate would have a profound impact. Whatever happens

in the future the immediate issue is the freezing in cash terms of fees in the face of

rising inflationary cost pressures and from 2015/16 the announced reduction in

Disabled Students’ Allowance.

FX Plus Impact: The need to absorb volume increases of 9%, as well as

inflation and pension increases, requires a strategic response. One major

initiative is the pursuit of better alignment of our professional services within

FX Plus and its interfaces with our universities to minimise duplication and

overlap and leveraging capacity and expertise across the partnership. Other

projects involve technical innovations and improved use of our estate to

improve user experience and absorb growth.

From 2015/16 we are concerned that Disabled Students’ Allowance,

currently benefitting about a quarter of our students, is expected to fall

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significantly. As details emerge we will flesh out our plans to tackle this with

our partners.

3. Research and Innovation opportunities and growth

With growing activity in the Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI), the

approval of the Science and Engineering Research Facility, and the Academy for

Innovation & Research (AIR), the rise in research and innovation at the Penryn

Campus is apparent. The outcome of the current Research Excellence Framework in

December 2014 will confirm the HEFCE funding for quality rated research for the next

6 years. At the same time the Structural Investment Fund proposals for Cornwall and

the Isles of Scilly European Structural Funding programme from 2014 to 2020 strongly

support sectors our universities are active in.

FX Plus Impact: We are developing a 2020 Campus Wide Plan to address

campus needs over that period (including research and innovation) but also

looking longer term to ensure there will be sufficient land and infrastructure

to support the universities’ research and innovation ambitions well into the

future. For that reason we are actively engaged with Cornwall Council

Planning and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as key partners.

4. Increased range and flexibility of teaching offer

With the costs to students rising so high, distance learning and more flexible forms of

HE are gaining popularity. Falmouth University is diversifying its markets through a

broader range of course options including Alacrity Falmouth and E-MU (distance

learning music courses). New programme developments, such as Digital Gaming, align

with growing sectors and career opportunities. The University of Exeter is developing a

small number of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) and online content is

expanding rapidly across all its provision.

FX Plus Impact: All of the above emphasises the critical nature of having ICT

infrastructure and services which meet the needs of all students and staff

and the imperative of being agile and resilient.

5. Internationalisation

To strengthen global reach and diversify income streams, our universities like many in

the sector have strong internationalisation agendas. Although UKBA have tightened

visa controls, applications from international students to our universities are gradually

rising.

FX Plus impact: A new Language Support Unit has been established and our

Living Support Unit has been strengthened to provide dedicated support for

international students among a range of initiatives. There is a lot more to do

to ensure students and staff of all cultures feel welcomed and supported.

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6. Investment in Campus Infrastructure

It is 10 years since the partnership began and over that period there has been

expansion beyond expectations and investment in excess of £200M. However over

that period, capital grant funding for estates development in the HE sector has

dwindled while the pressures for investment to support the infrastructure and campus

presentation have risen.

FX Plus Impact: While all the recent fantastic additions exemplify the best of

contemporary university buildings, they highlight the many other parts of the

estate which are definitely not world-class and will need significant

investment over the next 5 years in terms of maintenance and presentation.

The arrivals’ experience is currently the most disappointing and is being

tackled by a scaled down Heart project. We are also investigating other ways

of raising capital to address the rising gap in capital needed to develop the

Penryn Campus to its full potential.

Commercial income generation is growing (through Cornwall Plus) and will

provide one source of funding for the sustainable development of the campus

and its services.

7. University of Exeter Medical School, Truro Campus

With the establishment of the University of Exeter Medical School at its Truro Campus,

the first EMS medical students will arrive in 2015/16. Research activity is also growing

at the European Centre for the Environment and Human Health.

FX Plus Impact: Discussions are beginning on the services UoE will want FX

Plus to provide. Clearly there should be economies of scale and service

improvements possible through alignment of services.

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STUDENT AND STAFF NUMBERS BY UNIVERSITY TO 2017/18

TOTAL STUDENT AND STAFF NUMBERS TO 2017/18

WHAT OUR UNIVERSITY PARTNERS ARE PLANNING OVER THE

NEXT 5 YEARS

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STAFF PROFILE ACROSS THE PARTNERSHIP TO 2017/18 (FALMOUTH,

PENRYN AND TRURO CAMPUSES)

Note: the University of Exeter figures are for the Penryn and Truro Campuses; the

Falmouth University and FX Plus figures are for the Penryn and Falmouth

Campuses.

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WHAT WE DO

FX PLUS POSITIONING

We provide world class university campus

facilities and services to students and staff in

supporting Falmouth University and the

University of Exeter to achieve their global

ambitions

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HOW WE DO IT – OUR WORKING CULTURE

We have high expectations of our staff in the context of supporting life changing

student and staff experiences. In particular we promote the following:

Engagement of all staff

To understand why and what we are aiming to achieve, and the needs of university

staff and students, to support scholarship and personal development and to appreciate

the impact we have on all activities and campus users, through:

Empowerment, communication, team building and respect

Identifying with our users, empathising and supporting them with a strong

service ethic

Cross-team engagement (Management Forum, Project Groups) in FX Plus and

across our partnership

Supporting our staff to achieve their full potential within the organisation

Celebrating and recognising success and strong performance

Transparency

Clear communication and expectations in relation to respect and dignity at

work

Openness regarding decision making

Minimal overlap and duplication

Clear lines of accountability

Clarity of information, budgets and reporting

Enhancement

We treat every action as an opportunity to support learning, improve user

experience and add value

Always learning and being reflective of our practice

Innovating within a shared professional services environment Agile, reacting quickly to opportunities, learning fast and moving on

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OUR LONG TERM STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Our strategic objectives are drawn from the long term expectations of our university

partners and set the overall direction for FX Plus (see Changing environment and

drivers for change). They form the backdrop to the following major delivery plans:

Academic Services, Campus Services, Estates Services, Information Technology

Services, Student Support Services.

Our objectives are to:

1. Create a resilient, confident, high performing professional services organisation

providing quality services which are focused on the needs of students and staff,

in support of world-class teaching, research and innovation;

2. Deliver new estates projects and maintain a physical university campus

environment of quality which has its own distinctive character, reflecting the

meeting of sciences and arts education, research and innovation with a strong

creative presence and Cornish identity;

3. In partnership with our university partners, deliver environmentally pro-active

and responsible campus operations;

4. Utilise all the campus facilities and our staff capacity to add value to the

partnership (through commercial income) and reinvest in campus

enhancements and services;

5. Establish and maintain positive relationships with the local community.

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TRANSLATING OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES INTO DELIVERED

SERVICES FOR 2014/15

Following consultation with our partners and reflecting their specific priorities and all

the drivers for change, the following service objectives have been agreed. These are

consistent with the long term strategic objectives but more specifically relate to

2014/15 and the foreseeable period thereafter. They will be reviewed annually.

1. To provide the highest

quality services to support

student recruitment, retention

and satisfaction

Respond proactively to the FXU’s Big 14 (and

subsequent) Priorities

Achieve strong NSS results in all areas (targets

previously agreed by the Board)

Meet welfare needs of increasingly diverse

student community with our partners

Improve Sports & Recreation facilities

2. To support and facilitate all

research and knowledge

transfer

Provide research focused library, moving towards

digitisation, and strengthen research collections,

services and environment

Improve ICT connectivity and resilience

Ensure estates compliance with Home Office

licences to support research operations

All services positioned to respond to growing

support needs, e.g. accommodation service to

support short residencies etc.

3. To develop leadership,

capacity and resilience within

our teams to proactively

manage growing demands of

students and staff

New staff learning and development plan

Terms & conditions review agreed

Work with Investors In People (initially using IIP

as a framework for staff engagement)

Employee satisfaction survey implemented

4. To improve the users’

campus experience and overall

campus presentation

Improved NSS and Student and Staff

Satisfaction of Shared Services Survey scores in

campus satisfaction

New shop/reception (reduced Heart project) by

2015

Increasing access to childcare at the Penryn

Campus (Athena Swan)

Provide financially sustainable public transport to

meet staff & student travel needs

Develop the Sports Centre Plan

5. To improve the utilisation

and performance/condition of

buildings and grounds

Planned maintenance programme for all

academic and non-residential buildings

Improve resilience of data infrastructure

Future-proof power capacity supply

Develop a Penryn Campus strategic plan drawing

upon: the UoE Cornwall Review and Falmouth

Estates Strategy; a learning space strategy

developed with partners to improve the quality

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and capacity of learning spaces to meet future

growth in student numbers; improved employee

workspace policies e.g. The Blob and Chapel

Annex project.

Work with partners to achieve annual carbon

reduction targets

For each of our five directorates we have produced updates on achievements in

2013/14 and plans for 2014/15 as a separate document (FX Plus Service Plans,

2014/15 and beyond). The relevant sections form part of more detailed service plans

underpinned by Service Level Agreements.

BOARD LEVEL KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS LINKED TO STRATEGIC RISKS

REF DESCRIPTION HOW FREQUENCY OF

MEASUREMENT

LEAD NOTES

1

Measurement

of user

satisfaction/

meeting

expectations

1. Annual all staff

and student

satisfaction

surveys

2. NSS results

3. International

Student

Barometer

1. Annual

2. Annual

3. As

commissioned

by universities

FX Plus

Senior

Executive

Team (SET)

1. Staff/Student survey runs annually

each spring with results shared widely

and informs future plans and feedback

to users (You said, We did). Includes

all staff and students except third year

undergraduates who do the NSS

survey

2. NSS survey results UoE/Falmouth,

next due August 2014

3. ISB –Latest Falmouth results 2012

show language support, physical

library, learning support and online

library delivered through FX Plus rank

highly (98.1%, 97.8%, 94.2% and

93.8% respectively).

Campus environment, campus

buildings and accommodation also

feature strongly (97.8%, 90.1% and

90.3% respectively)

2

Measurement

of staff morale

and

engagement

FX Plus staff

satisfaction/

engagement

survey

BIENNIAL

SET

First survey to be undertaken in Autumn

2014

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REF DESCRIPTION HOW FREQUENCY OF

MEASUREMENT

LEAD NOTES

3

Reduction of

carbon

emissions in

line with our

agreed carbon

management

plan

% change from

2005 baseline,

reported quarterly

Quarterly

Tim

Brooksbank,

Director of

Estates

The measure of carbon footprint is kg of

CO2 per m2 of space.

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Measurement

of financial

performance

1. FX Plus annual

financial

surplus against

target

2. Overall average

net cost of FX

Plus per

student and

staff FTE (to HE

partners)

3. Annual external

net income

target

4. Investment in

infrastructure

by FX Plus

5. Completion of

capital projects

within overall

budgets

1. Monthly

2 Monthly

3. Monthly

4. Annually

5. Quarterly

Robert

Holmes,

Director of

Finance

1. to 5. Targets set by the FX Plus Board

annually in May. SET monitors

monthly and Board monitors quarterly

5. Joint Systems Committee and

Strategic Infrastructure Group monitor

quarterly

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APPENDIX 1A: FINANCIAL PLAN 2014/15 TO 2017/18: REVENUE

APPENDIX 1B: FINANCIAL PLAN 2014/15 TO 2017/18: CAPITAL

APPENDIX 2: RISK REGISTER LINKED TO KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

(Available as separate documents)

APPENDICES