The Institutional Context
Gaining an understanding of the key elements of the Institution’s corporate plan will put in context the relative importance of teaching space management for the next plan period. The Estates and Teaching and Learning Strategies will also document strategic initiatives affecting teaching space management such as:
- Consolidation/expansion of campuses
- Increasing/decreasing student numbers
- Curriculum changes
- Teaching period changes i.e. terms to semesters or vice-versa.
It is very important to understand the relative priorities of the drivers for change in your Institution and who is championing change. Common drivers are:
- To improve student service it is desirable to present students (and staff) with their own information portal including personal timetables
- Greater student choice is used to "sell" some courses and Institutions and it is imperative to ensure that the student’s timetable can accommodate their choices; otherwise the Institution could be in breach of contract
- Institutions need to utilise space better and will need to demonstrate to HEFCE, when applying for capital funding, that maximum use has been made of their existing teaching space.