Double Delight For University On National Stage
18 June 2010
I have never felt so proud of my University. We will use this award to give us confidence to continue our development.
”University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Coyne
The University of Derby has won the Outstanding Leadership and Management Team category at this year's Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards.
The prestigious national award, presented last night (June 17) at a ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London, officially recognises the University's excellence in leadership and management in the current economic climate.
It's been a week to remember for the University of Derby which has also won the Sustainable Construction and Refurbishment category in the 2010 Green Gown national awards, which highlights the steps UK universities and colleges are taking to be more environmentally friendly.
Speaking after last night's THE Leadership and Management Awards, University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Coyne said: "I am delighted. It is a real privilege to have our peers recognise the journey we have been on and the quality of talent that we have, so broadly and deeply in our University.
"I have never felt so proud of my University. We will use this award to give us confidence to continue our development."
Derby's values-led approach to leadership and management has served the institution well in challenging economic times and, despite the recession, the University delivered its best ever year in 2009 in terms of success.
The institution's adopted values are Quality, Valuing People, Customer Focus, Challenge and Innovation, and Opportunity and Openness.
Professor Coyne added: "It's an endorsement of the approach that our leadership team brings to the University of Derby. We are enjoying a period of unprecedented success. This has not happened by accident but is the result of high quality, professional and motivated staff throughout the University delivering first class performance.
"The management team plays its part in setting direction and creating the environment in which our excellent staff can prosper."
THE magazine editor Ann Mroz said: "When we launched the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards last year amid the gloom of a deep recession, we were taken aback by the magnificent response and heartened by the sense of immense pride in the work being carried out, often in challenging circumstances.
"These awards are designed to celebrate the HE sector's leadership, management, financial and business skills. They showcase the extraordinary innovation, teamwork and commercial acumen of UK higher education institutions."
Last night's announcement follows on from the 2009 awards when the University of Derby won the Outstanding Finance Team category in the very first Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards.
On Wednesday (June 16) the University of Derby was at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London, to also receive a Green Gown award for its two year project to refurbish the three main towers at its Kedleston Road site, in Derby. The work has vastly improved the towers' appearance and energy efficiency.
Hari Punchihewa, Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director at the University of Derby, said: "The refenestration of the three 1960s-built towers at the Kedleston Road site was a key project for the University. It substantially extended the life of these buildings and at the same time enhanced their energy efficiency.
"As a University we take our responsibility towards a 'greener' agenda seriously, working to reduce our carbon footprint, and the refurbished towers will certainly do that, whilst also saving on our energy bills. The Green Gown award is a fitting testament to all the hard work the University team and the contractors put into this project."
The University, which officially opened its new look Kedleston Road towers at a ceremony last week, also won a Green Gown Award in 2006 for its waste management.
Over the last 12 months, several of Derby's departments won or were shortlisted for national awards recognising excellence and the University enjoyed its largest, best qualified student entry. Employment has increased, staff to student ratios have improved and staff engagement measures, in terms of feedback, were much higher than the average in the sector.
Substantial ongoing investment in our Derby and Buxton Campuses and the acquisition of the Derby Theatre has further boosted the student experience, and University of Derby Corporate has been launched to provide innovative support for businesses.
Derby's achievement has been driven by a cohesive high quality leadership team committed to improving the University. The comprehensive and integrated approach reaches from the Vice-Chancellor to each section head within the institution, which emphasises and champions the leadership role.
Other areas of Derby's leadership approach include:
- an annual leadership conference which brings all those in leadership together around common strategic themes;
- an emphasis on good governance and a highly effective and engaged Governing Council, strong leadership from the chair and a high level of accountability by the Governing Council on Executive;
- Vice-Chancellor Professor John Coyne holds a dozen public sessions each year where he presents the University's performance and takes questions and challenges;
- the key strategic meeting of the year is effectively a 'summit' - a two day conference off site involving the Governing Council, Senior Management Team and Academic Board as equal partners, with full involvement of our students;
- the Executive is also held accountable to the student body through the annual student representatives' conference where members of the leadership are publicly quizzed on matters of importance to students.
