HESPA Award Winners 2019

Huge congratulations to all of our winners this time, and to everyone else to took part. 

Award Winners

1. Data Award

Edinburgh Napier University

"We are a team that is a passionate about making data useful.  Edinburgh Napier University has transformed its Business Intelligence capability that is enhancing the way that we report, forecast and embed data driven decision-making across the University.  It is a programme of work that has been driven by the Planning and Business Intelligence team and its impact can be seen across all areas of the University.  We have developed Business Intelligence solutions that harness data from corporate systems including student, finance, research and workforce and other sources including student surveys and benchmarking data.

"The information is easy to use and through innovative data visualisations is available to view and in different ways.  More people than ever are using the information from the Business Intelligence system to report, embed and action change within the University and drive the objectives of the University Strategy."

2. Strategic Planning Team Award

Cardiff University

"Cardiff Data Professionals has won many friends within Cardiff University for the Strategic Planning and Governance Department.  The benefit of this in helping Strategic Planning ‘do business’ within the University cannot be underestimated.

"It is a cross-departmental network supported by Strategic Planning and Governance. We’re not the only planning office to lead on data management, but the work we have put in to develop a comprehensive framework of values and behaviours (‘professionalisation’) and ‘make it stick’ within the institution is sector-leading.

"There is innovation in taking the ‘professional’ model, and bringing it into the area of data.  Data is decades behind, for example, ‘finance’ in how it is understood in the University sector as something that needs to be treated as an asset, in a systemic way, by trained and valued staff. 

"The benefits are already clear.  Our data activity is more resilient, we are able to promote and share good practice effectively, and new staff are brought up to speed quickly through peer-to-peer learning and support. This has reduced wasteful duplication, reduced errors, improved the maturity of our data culture and strengthened our strategic planning."

3. Strategy Award

Sheffield Hallam University

"For almost two centuries, Sheffield Hallam - and its predecessor institutions - has exercised a powerful impact on the city, region, nation and world. In January 2016, the University decided that it needed a new strategy for rapidly changing times, where the demands on universities are multiplying. The world needs universities to respond quickly, applying academic excellence, innovative research and open-minded engagement in new ways to meet society’s needs.

"Over the following twelve months, the University engaged in a thorough-going review of its strategy, re-examining its vision, values, mission, and plans; asking, and answering, fundamental questions about the University, its impact and the way it works. The result was the Transforming Lives strategy.

"The strategy was designed and implementing holistically, leading to fundamental changes in every aspect of University business, from its teaching and learning, to its organisational structure, its buildings and its relationship with its staff.

"Two years on, the impact is beginning to be seen, both inside the university, with improvements made across key indicators of performance such as student satisfaction and employability, and in the region, through ground-breaking programmes such as South Yorkshire Futures."

4. Performance Management Award

De Montfort University

"Matrix of Metrics (MoM) is a performance framework and support service to ensure that DMU is able to clearly:

• Understand why the University has specific key performance targets and how these are met;
• Define what metrics contribute to performance;
• Understand the definition and reporting of these metrics and performance requirements - giving one version of the truth;
• Articulate if the University is heading towards strategic objectives;
• Identify performance strengths and weaknesses, and; 
• Understand how corporate, local and operational activity all link to a common view of performance.

"Not only has the University seen improvements in the way academics engage with metrics and performance management in general, a better understanding of the types of support needed, initiatives developed and resources aligned has been established.  Benefits management now plays a strong role in the development of University-wide projects and programmes, and risk and enterprise resilience is becoming an increasing priority as a result."

5. Contribution to HESPA Award

Olivia Kew Fickus - University of Birmingham

"Even prior to her joining the HESPA Executive Committee, Olivia was always an actiove and well engaged member. She has continued to be heavily involved via the TRAC Development Group, UCAS qualifications group and HESPA training committee, as Chair.

"Olivia is moving back to the States to take the position of Assistant Provost and Executive Director of Institutional Research at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. We wish her all the best ion her new role and will miss her very much."