A Review of 2012-2018 was presented to the BU Board at their February meeting to highlight the journey BU has made since the start of our BU2018 strategic plan. At the heart of BU’s approach over this period has been the concept of Fusion, bringing together research, education and professional practice to create something that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Since 2012, we have invested substantially in our staff, our students and our environment.
Attracting, retaining and developing our staff has been a key focus and now over 70% of staff have teaching qualifications or Higher Education Academy fellowships – a massive increase from 25% in 2012. Our investment in buildings, IT and facilities will reach £250 million by 2020, creating an environment for promoting excellence. In 2016 we supported 7,797 students to find jobs and placements, while in its fifth year, our Festival of Learning, connecting our research with the public in our local communities, expanded globally in 2017 with events running in China, India, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Higher student numbers, both undergraduate and postgraduate, and an increase in our staff levels since 2012 make a significant economic impact in the region - the BU Regional Impact Study in 2013 found that BU contributes over £1 million a day to the South West region. But we have impact much more widely than this.
Teams across BU have been leading the way in research and informing practice in diverse fields, including health, online security and archaeology. We have been at the forefront in the development of 3D software, which is now being used in fighting crime, as well as providing expert support to reduce the risk of cyber threats, improving patients’ recovery from hip replacements, creating education programmes for healthcare professionals supporting people with dementia, and helping ex-service volunteers to learn new skills through marine archaeology.
We achieved a Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) silver award for the quality of our undergraduate teaching and were ranked for the first time in the top 150 young universities in the world. Nearly 30,000 students have graduated from BU in the six years since 2012 with the latest figures showing 92.3% of Bournemouth University students are in work or further study six months after graduating (Higher Education Statistics Agency Destination of Leavers in Higher Education Survey 2016).
Bournemouth University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Vinney, said, “We have made great progress since 2012 towards achieving our BU2018 strategic vision and our Fusion approach has helped to strengthen our reputation and our impact on society. This Review showcases some of the outstanding work that BU staff have undertaken and how BU has developed since 2012. We are really excited to be building on the achievements of the last 6 years with our new strategy for BU2025, which builds on our Fusion approach and sets out how we will inspire education, advance knowledge and enrich society.”
Read the BU 2012-2018 Review:
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