December 2009 will see the launch of JISC’s next three-year strategy and the organisation is seeking feedback on its first draft.

Professor Sir Tim O’Shea, chair of JISC’s Board says,

“Our core activity of supporting colleges and universities in delivering their missions through the effective use of digital technologies remains unchanged.

“However, in light of the changing environment, we are keen to know if our planned future investment priorities are focused on the areas of greatest importance to those in education and research.”

Dr Malcolm Read OBE, JISC’s executive secretary, says,

“We would welcome comments on our draft strategy as these are vital if we are to deliver a digital infrastructure that improves the quality and productivity of education and research.”

To take this opportunity to provide feedback please visit the strategy section of JISC’s website.

Originally planned to take place on what turned out to be the snowiest day in London for nearly twenty years, this event was rescheduled and finally went ahead in April, not far from where the G20 summit was in full swing.

Unperturbed by these portents, presenters and delegates enjoyed a productive day.  A report and more photographs from this event are now available on the RSC London website’s Recent Event page.

HEFCE have published on their website a request for higher education strategies from further education colleges.This document requests further education colleges to submit higher education strategies. It provides guidance that sets out HEFCE’s expectations of a college’s higher education strategy. Strategies should be submitted to HEFCE by noon on Monday 11 January 2010. 

Key  points:

HE strategies should be developed by all FECs, directly and indirectly funded, and documentation submitted to HEFCE. The strategy and the process of developing it will be valuable to the college itself and will:

- form evidence for the college’s Integrated Quality Enhancement and Review

- support and inform the development of the widening participation strategic assessment

- help colleges in discussions with HEFCE institutional teams

- when developing an HE strategy, colleges should take account our view of the role of HE in FECs and of the distinctive contribution that FECs can make to the overall provision of HE

- the context for the colleges’ HE should be described, taking account of non-HEFCE funded provision alongside that funded directly or indirectly by HEFCE.

The strategy is expected to cover:

- a high-level statement explaining what the strategy is about

- a rationale for the strategy

- elaboration about specific objectives showing they have the potential to be realised

- assessment of high-level risks

Strategy documentation may be provided in different ways, and it is for colleges to decide on the preferred format. The documentation provides several options and guidance for this. Further details available at:

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_13/

The Excellence Gateway has just published a case study based on the experience of Sutton College of Learning for Adults (SCOLA) in translating elearning strategy to practice.
SCOLA has used its planning processes including the self-assessment report (SAR) and the e-Learning Positioning Statement (e-LPS), to take the whole college forward with an evolutionary approach to embedding e-learning.

Read the full story here: SCOLA Case Study: Strategy to Practice

Jenny Sims of SCOLA video clip