Building resilient organisations – new ways of working

18 January 2011
Inmarsat Conference Centre, London

Enrolment is open for this conference, which aims to “challenge your thinking and enable you to steer your way to greater personal and organisational resilience”.

Further details and link to enrol can be accessed at:
www.lsis.org.uk/Services/Events/Pages/LSISLeadershipandManagementConference2011.aspx

LSIS is inviting bids from learning providers for project grants of £5,000 that explore and demonstrate the effective use of the LSIS Leadership Toolkits as part of organisational improvement.

The Toolkits are a free suite of interactive learning resources including downloadable and saveable tools tailored to meet the specific needs of leaders and managers in the ACL, ISC and WBL sectors. The new Offender Learning Toolkit will be launched this summer.

Last year’s sector review, highlighted that users found the Toolkits very helpful for their individual CPD, but challenging to use effectively in terms of organisational development. In response, this grant is designed to support innovative use of the Leadership Toolkits to share and support significant improvements in sector practice and performance.

Applications can be made using the following forms:
Grant Guidance Form (PDF, 134KB)
Grant Application Form (Word, 216KB)

Closing Date: 15 June 2010 5:00pm

Please see the LSIS Website for further information or contact

The JISC and Leadership Foundation partnership have published interactive guidance to highlight the characteristics of an agile university and articulate how a dynamic business environment can be achieved through the use of technology.

Ewart Woodridge CBE, Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, says, “The ‘Agile University’ is about the capacity to innovate, particularly in new business or operating models. It requires a creativity in how an institution is structured and people are equipped to lead and manage it. It also requires a strategic and entrepreneurial approach to the use of technology.”   Louisa Dale, JISC’s partnership manager adds, “This guide shows how everyday business issues can be solved by universities adopting an integrated IT strategy across the whole university and highlights case studies on how a simple solution can have a large benefit.”

The guidance covers five areas that are of relevance to all HEIs:

· Strategies for agile institutions: scenario planning

· Relationship management and business intelligence

· Research rigour, accessibility and impact

· Alternative business models for higher education

· Enhancing the student and staff experience

Further information and access to the guidance materials is here: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/stories/2010/02/leadership.aspx

Becta’s  Harnessing Technology Review 2009: The role of technology in further education and skills was published earlier this week on the 1st February 2010.

In this review Becta brings together a range of research evidence and data from England (mostly collected during 2009).

Emphasis is given to the  importance of e-mature providers realising the efficiency premium – by integrating systems  that can support and streamline a range of processes, including assessment processes.

The review also stresses the role of leaders and managers in achieving changes in practice to achieve benefits:

“However, as yet the issue of technology-related cashable efficiencies is not high on the agenda of most institutional leadership teams. Thus it is likely, where there is a good degree of technological maturity, that opportunities are being missed to reduce energy and printing costs, save on space, reduce administrative overheads and realise efficiencies in delivering learning.”

The strength of leadership in e-mature colleges rather than the strength of the e-maturity overall, is also seen as the key predictor of better Ofsted results.

Some other key points from the Review:

• Steady increase in FE Colleges classed as e-mature since 2003 with now around one third of FE Colleges e-mature.

• Use of VLEs has risen steadily since 2003. Now in use in 92% colleges and 36% WBL providers.

• Indications that problems around the  integration of management and learner systems are reducing with the proportion of learning platforms which integrate with their MIS  rising in one year from 47% to 63%

• Identifies that still a need around learner experience of technology at the transition points between sectors, and between stage, especially secondary and college.

(more…)

LSIS is piloting these new programmes:

• Independent Specialist College Leadership and the Use of Technology Pilot
• Offender Learning – Embracing Technology Pilot
• Collaborative Leadership Skills and Technology

Dates start in January.

For more information on each of these programmes:

http://www.lsis.org.uk/Libraries/Enews/Dec09enewsElearning.sflb

The LSIS  Leadership  Toolkits are now accessible for free to support LSIS in reaching and impacting as many as possible across the sector.

The  Leadership Toolkits  are online, interactive resources tailored to meet the needs of managers and leaders within three key sectors:

• Adult and Community Learning

• Work-based Learning (BETT Award Winner 2009)

• Independent Specialist Colleges

They help leaders to address a range of issues, such as preparing for inspection, keeping up to date with policy and funding issues, strategic planning and focusing staff development for organisational improvement.

The new reflective log and notepad functions allow for team members to record evidence of their learning, which can contribute towards their 30 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

“The feedback we have received from providers has been overwhelmingly positive,” said David Collins, “at LSIS we believe anything which helps drive up standards in teaching and learning across further education should be made available to all.”

LSIS is hoping free access to these resources will encourage more managers and aspiring managers to take advantage of the tools available to them for personal as well as organisational development.

To sign up for your free access:
www.lsis.org.uk/leadershiplearning – self registration is now available.

In addition – new online resources are being added regularly to www.leadershiplearning.org.uk beginning with Safeguarding this month.

Drawing on findings from a recent survey of all delegates who have participated on the e-leadership programmes, LSIS has published an impact study that has revealed a series of positive effects of the programmes on leadership practice, culture and learners.

Impact report – executive summary