People Power at the University of Derby Buxton
1 December 2008
University of Derby, Buxton has been awarded the Investors in People award.
Gaining the standard means that the University is not only a good place to study, it’s also an excellent place to work
”John Nutt, Acting Head of Further Education, at Buxton.
The University of Derby Buxton is delighted to announce it has been awarded the Investors in People (IIP) award.
In order to achieve the award the University, based at the Devonshire Campus in Buxton, had to prove that through a process of business planning, action against objectives and review of the impact of change that continuous improvement was achieved.
The University has a well structured staff development programme, which focuses on both the needs of individuals and the ongoing development of the institution.
University of Derby Buxton staff also completed analysis of their own training needs and attended staff development days with workshops ranging from Ensuring Excellence in Teaching and Learning right through to opportunities to engage in a range of health and wellbeing sessions, including Thai cookery, Tai Chi and Pilates.
The Investors in People award is a national standard designed to advance an organisation's performance through its people. The standard is based on three key principles:
- Plan – to develop strategies which improve the performance of the organisation
- Do – to take action to improve the performance of the organisation
- Review – to evaluate the impact on the performance of the organisation.
John Nutt, Acting Head of Further Education, at Buxton says: “This award clearly demonstrates that the University recognises that it’s our staff that really makes the difference to our students and employers. We realise that providing continuous professional and personal development for individuals is key to achieving our objectives. We are very proud of our people.
“Gaining the standard means that the University is not only a good place to study, it’s also an excellent place to work. We are one of the largest employers in Derbyshire and it’s important that we can demonstrate our commitment to our staff and our belief in their value to the organisation.”
Bev Carter, FE Quality and Staff Development Manager at the University in Buxton said: “The process was developed using the Valuing People criteria, part of the University’s five core values.
“The assessor was really impressed with how genuine our staff were when interviewed explaining how proud they were to work for the University, how well supported they felt and how they appreciated the time invested in their personal development.”
The University has recently launched its new employer engagement initiative, University of Derby Corporate, the aim of which is to provide flexible higher level training and development into the workplace. Achieving the Investors in People award has particular significance at this time because the University is committed not only to providing excellence to its external clients but also to its own workforce.
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For further media information please contact Annabel Harvey on 01332 593004 or email: a.harvey@derby.ac.uk.
