PAS Review: update on T&L Student Support Centres

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

Dear Colleagues, 

As we move forward in implementing our plans for the new T&L Student Support Centres, I wanted to provide you with an update on progress and reiterate our rationale, vision and aims for this project. 

The University Executive Board (UEB) approved the proposals for the new T&L Student Support Centres after considering the following three options:

1. Remain as we are and not change anything. UEB did not consider this a viable option as it would leave us with inconsistent practices and processes across the University and varying levels of student satisfaction, as evidenced by the NSS;
2. Operate a single support centre for Reading-based campuses. This option was dismissed on grounds of not meeting our ambitions for student and staff experience;
3. Create a number of Support Centres linked to academic schools in locations that are close to students and staff. This solution provides consistent and excellent service, realises economies of scale and enables the delivery of harmonised processes. 

After consultation, Option 3 was agreed and further information about how this will function and be implemented is available here.

The new T&L Student Support Centres will harness and develop the excellent best practice that is evident in many areas across the University and will bring an enhanced experience for our students. Combining our processes and reviewing our operating systems in a collaborative environment will allow us to provide a consistent and high level of service to all our students and staff. 

Numerous colleagues, including all Heads of Schools, have provided helpful suggestions and input into the future requirements and the design of these Centres. 

Of course, T&L Support Centres are not new to us at Reading; indeed, the Support Centre within the Henley Business School has been operating with considerable success since 2011. We also have recognised and considered similar successful models that operate at other institutions when developing our plan. 

The new T&L Support Centres have been proposed as part of the wider PAS review.  However, I strongly believe these Centres would have been developed regardless of whether or not we needed to make efficiency savings. The introduction of these new T&L Support Centres will provide an ideal opportunity for us to create an environment at Reading that offers the best experience for all of our students. 

Kind regards,

Professor Gavin Brooks

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)