In order to support our University Strategy 2021-2026 to drive excellence in education and high-impact research, over the past few years benefitting from our learning through the pandemic, we have been seeking to introduce longer term planning processes able to deliver major academic, professional service and infrastructure projects of critical mass. Alongside changes to planning, the Strategic Projects Office was developed to support this.
With the coming to fruition of major projects such as curriculum transformation, the development of major new programmes of work such as the Digital Transformation Programme and the development of major institutes, it has been decided to draw together strategic planning, business insights and project delivery functions into a new department reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. This in turn will strengthen his work on academic-led, strategic planning.
Key changes in structure
A Department of Planning, Performance and Strategic Change has therefore been formed by bringing together elements of the Planning and Policy teams and the Strategic Projects Office. Led by Sharon Street as Director of Planning, Performance and Strategic Change, this department will combine strategic and business planning, informed by analysis and insight, together with the end-to-end monitoring and delivery of strategic projects.
Pulling these elements together will integrate our approaches and focus our resources and investment on the realisation of our University Strategy. This strategic coordination will be complemented by the continuous improvement of our planning processes alongside effective project and change delivery.
Professor Phil Allmendinger, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: “Thank you to everyone involved in informing, designing and implementing the new department. Bringing together this strategic capability enables us to make evidence-based, strategic investments and deliver on our goals to sustain our growth and excellence into the future.”
Sharon Street said: “I am pleased and privileged to take on this new role. As a proud Bath alumna, having gained my bachelor's degree and master's in Electrical and Electronic Engineering here, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the University’s future success. I look forward to working across the University community as we develop a more integrated approach to strategy management.”
Website pages are in the process of being updated to reflect the new organisation.