JISC

Overview

The University of Greenwich has recognised the importance of developing greater responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of individual learners and the skills needs of employers.

The UG- Flex project represents a significant opportunity for the University to analyse and model its current design and delivery and to explore ways to build on and deliver greater systems flexibility in order to meets its strategic aim to significantly increase its part time and flexible learning provision.

Our stakeholders are academics, administrators, managers and students, employers, partner organisations, professional bodies, JISC and the wider HE sector.

Aims and objectives

UG-Flex aims to work with a range of stakeholders to identify the key requirements for the implementation of more flexible curriculum design and to use this information to support the re-engineering of business processes and information systems required to be agile and responsive to demand for flexible learning.

The project’s objectives can be summarised as the achievement of slick and sophisticated systems and processes that can support flexible high quality curricula that will appeal to, and be widely adopted by, stakeholders.

Project methodology

The project is organised into five phases

• Phase 1 (from Sept 08) establishes project management infrastructure and baseline
• Phase 2 (from May 09) involves stakeholders identifying critical drivers and inhibitors to flexible curriculum design and delivery
• Phase 3 (from July 09) analyses stakeholder feedback to identify improvements, followed by systems redesign as necessary
• Phase 4 (from Jan 10) selected flexible curriculum models will be piloted using re-engineered systems and associated processes
• Phase 5 (from March 11) will apply lessons learned from the pilot to facilitate wider roll out of systems and processes, combined with wider dissemination

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

• Redesigned systems that are fit for purpose and that secure support and widespread adoption
• Web based guides to curriculum design
• A project website and blog
• Project Documentation
• Greater awareness of the value of the contributions different stakeholders make to the successful delivery of the University’s mission
• Wider recognition of the significant role a flexible curriculum can play in meeting the widening participation agenda
• Opportunities to share good practice
• Improved institutional capability to be agile in a changing marketplace
• Stimulate positive and informed change in curriculum design processes across the sector more widely

Technology / Standards used

• SunGard Higher Education student system (Banner)