Minutes 1. The Strategic Plan Development and Monitoring Committee

Date: 13th September 2022, 11.30am
Location: meeting room of the Executive Council. Son Lledó

Call

Attendees

Dr Marc Nadal Roberts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Planning, Internationalisation and Cooperation, acting as chair by delegation of the Vice Chancellor
Ms M. Consolación Hernández Guerra, Head of Administration
Dr Víctor Homar Santaner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Scientific Policy and Innovation
Dr Antoni Bordoy Fernández, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Research Staff
Mr Josep Lluís Pons Hinojosa, General Director for Universities
Dr Francesca Garcias Gomila, Social Council representative
Dr M. Dolores Tirado Bennàssar, undergraduate centres representative
Dr Neus Piña Capó, postgraduate centres representative
Dr M. Teresa Adame Obrador, heads of department representative
Dr Gemma Isabel Turnes Palomino, heads of department representative
Dr Eva Aguilar Mediavilla, university research institutes representative
Mr Enrique Llompart Rigo, admin and services staff (PAS) representative
Dr Guillem Xavier Pons Buades, teaching and research staff (PDI) representative
Dr Irene Nadal Gómez, Secretary General, as secretary to the committee
Mr Francisco J. Bastida López, Head of the Office for Strategic Planning, as a guest
Ms Isabel Masià Cuesta, as a guest

The Vice Chancellor and Dr Lorenza Carrasco Martorell, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation and Digital Transformation, offer their apologies for their absence.

Items discussed at the meeting

1. Establishment of the Strategic Plan Development and Monitoring Committee for the 2023-27 Period

Dr Marc Nadal Roberts welcomes the members of the Strategic Plan Development and Monitoring Committee for the 2023-27 period, and reminds them that, pursuant to Resolution 14535/2022 of the Vice Chancellor, the committee shall comprise the following members:

Dr Jaume Carot Giner, Vice Chancellor, as chair
Dr Víctor Homar Santaner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Scientific Policy and Innovation
Dr Antoni Bordoy Fernández, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Research Staff
Dr Lorenza Carrasco Martorell, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation and Digital Transformation
Dr Marc Nadal Roberts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Planning, Internationalisation and Cooperation
Ms M. Consolación Hernández Guerra, Head of Administration
Mr Josep Lluís Pons Hinojosa, General Director for Universities
Dr Francesca Garcias Gomila, Social Council representative
Dr M. Dolores Tirado Bennàssar, undergraduate centres representative
Dr Neus Piña Capó, postgraduate centres representative
Dr M. Teresa Adame Obrador, heads of department representative
Dr Gemma Isabel Turnes Palomino, heads of department representative
Dr Eva Aguilar Mediavilla, university research institutes representative
Mr Guillem Coll Garcia, student representative
Mr Enrique Llompart Rigo, admin and services staff (PAS) representative
Dr Guillem Xavier Pons Buades, teaching and research staff (PDI) representative
Dr Irene Nadal Gómez, Secretary General, as secretary to the committee

Dr Marc Nadal Roberts informs those present that the main objective of this committee is drafting a Strategic Plan for the 2023-2027 period, which shall subsequently be approved by the Governing Council. He then explains that the functions of this committee are those set out in article 4 of Regulatory Agreement 14529/2022 of 15th June which regulates the production of the UIB Strategic Plan for the 2023-2027 period:

Drawing up the mission, vision and values proposal for the university.
Undertaking an analysis of the current situation.
Producing a proposal of objectives, success indicators and actions.
Monitoring the implementation process for the plan.
Monitoring the objectives set out in the strategic plan throughout the implementation stage.

He goes on to explain the committee will be supported by the Office for Strategic Planning, the Office's working groups and the university community participation channels.

2. Transparency in the Strategic Plan Drafting and Monitoring Processes

The entire drafting and monitoring processes for the strategic plan shall be fully transparent. To this end, the committee agrees:

To create a specific website for the Strategic Plan (https://pla.uib.cat).
That all the minutes containing the agreements reached by the Strategic Plan Development and Monitoring Committee, as well as those of its working groups, shall be made public on the website.
That all approved documents shall be published on the website.
That procedures to ensure the university community can take part shall be set in place.
That there shall be proper coordination with the Transparency Committee for a better flow of information.

3. Objectives and Defining Features for a Strategic Plan

Dr Marc Nadal Roberts explains the objectives and defining features of a strategic plan, placing special emphasis on the following aspects:

Why do we need a strategic plan?
- The last general strategic plan we had was the one covering the 2002-2006 period
- 60 per cent of all public universities have an ongoing strategic plan, whereas only 30 per cent have a plan that is obsolete (the UIB is included in the latter category)
- The strategic plan is a fundamental element to ensure institutional transparency
- Quality assurance programmes such as Docentia and Audit require a strategic plan
- New curricula must be fitted into the strategic plan
- The Balearic Islands Government requires it in order to enable variable funding
What is the use of a strategic plan?
- Providing a channel through which to systematise key reflections such as 'where do we want to go from here?'
- Making informed decisions
- Assessing the extent to which the objectives set are achieved
Strategic plans at other universities:
- 72 universities have been analysed (48 public and 24 private)
- There are great discrepancies between them: some are statements of good intentions, others seem to focus on a single subject, etc.
- All plans set strategic lines, although they use different names for them: pillars, areas, etc., and each plan has a number between three and eleven lines, with an average of six.
- We have compiled a set of suitable characteristics, which are as follows:
  - Precise objectives
  - A reduced number of objectives
  - Measurable objectives
  - Objectives are aligned with other strategic plans of the context at hand
  - Monitoring and follow-up mechanisms are in place
  - Flexible and amendable
  - Produced in a participative way
  - A dissemination and communication system for the plan is in place
- Interviews have been conducted with the universities that best fulfill these characteristics:
  - Polytechnic University of Cartagena
  - University of Salamanca
  - Open University of Catalonia
  - University of A Coruña
Strategic plan content:
- Mission, vision and values
- Analysis of the current situation
- Strategic goals
- Success indicators
- Proposed actions
Pillars: these are the areas around which the plan is organised
- Key pillars:
  - Teaching
  - Research
  - Transfer and Culture
- Support pillars:
  - Management
- Cross-cutting pillars:
  - Social commitment
  - Institutional promotion
  - Digitalisation
  - Good governance and human resources

4. Methodology and Work Schedule

Mr Francisco J. Bastida López explains that the raison d'être of the Strategic Planning Office is to provide all the necessary support for the development of the Strategic Plan. He also explains that:

In order to undertake the tasks entrusted to it, the Strategic Plan Development and Monitoring Committee shall rely on:
- Community participation techniques
- Meetings with stakeholders
- Wiki space for collaborative work (https://wiki.uib.es; off-campus access is only possible via VPN)
- An email alias comprising all committee members which has been created to facilitate communication: <comissio.pla@uib.cat>
- Assistance from the Office for Strategic Planning
- Assistance from the working groups to undertake the necessary fieldwork
In turn, the working groups shall rely on:
- Guidelines set by the committee
- The wiki space mentioned above
- Telematic forums to discuss issues
- Meetings to reach agreements
- Coordination with the committee

Last but not least, Mr Francisco J. Bastida López presents a proposal with the main goals to pursue:

September 2022: establishment of the Strategic Plan Development and Monitoring Committee
October 2022: appointment of the working groups
March 2023: first draft of the plan to be debated
May 2023: public display
July 2023: approval of the plan by the Governing Council
September 2023: implementation of the Strategic Plan

5. Other Strategic Plans as Benchmarks

Mr Francisco J. Bastida López explains that the Office for Strategic Planning has compiled information on other strategic plans that may be of interest and/or serve as a point of reference to produce the UIB Strategic Plan:

6. Current Situation

Mr Francisco J. Bastida López explains that, within the scope of the strategic plan, it is necessary to undertake an analysis of the current situation at the UIB. In turn, he points out that a substantial amount of information that could be useful to this end is readily available, including:

Regarding the sections to be included in this analysis, these are, amongst others:

An analysis of the institution's roots (history of the UIB)
An analysis of the environment: social and economic spheres
Identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) at the UIB
List of distinctive features that define the UIB
Key indicators by area
Position in rankings

7. Community participation

Mr Francisco J. Bastida López explains that, in accordance with the abovementioned regulatory agreement, the strategic plan must be participative. In light of this, the Office for Strategic Planning has drawn up a report on participation techniques for strategic plans (available in Catalan) which can serve as a starting point.

Dr Irene Nadal Gómez proposes that:

If a suggestion box is set up, all suggestions received should be forwarded from the Office for Strategic Planning to the different working groups.
Official representation channels for each group, such as the Academic Committee and the Student Council, be used to the greatest possible extent.
Given that the student body is the most difficult group to motivate and engage, a Strategic Plan Conference should be held, comprising different activities such as round tables, debates, talks, etc.

8. Mission, Vision and Values

Dr Marc Nadal Roberts explains that this committee is responsible for drafting information on the UIB's mission, vision and values. In light of this, the Office for Strategic Planning has drawn up a document compiling mission, vision and values sections at other Spanish universities (available in Catalan). Based on the information gathered, the following proposal for the production of initial texts from which to start the debate is put forward:

Mission:
- Generating and transferring knowledge to transform the people who make up the university and the Balearic communities, and society at large (developing, improving and stimulating growth and progress in their lives).
Vision:
- No proposals are made for the time being.
Values:
- UIB-specific values
  - A commitment to excellence: this involves striving to achieve the highest quality possible in the areas of teaching, research, transfer, culture and management. It manifests itself in the form of rigour, thoroughness and ongoing improvement.
  - Plurality as an asset: it implies conceiving diversity as an enriching value across all university areas. It manifests itself in the form of inclusion, coexistence and diversity.
  - A commitment to sustainability: this means meeting current environmental, economic and social needs without putting those of the future at stake. It is manifested as efficiency, conservation, durability and equity.
  - Social commitment: this entails fostering personal and professional growth within the university community, as well as promoting the social and economic development of the Balearic Islands. It is expressed by building an active and participative citizenship with strong bonds with the community, whilst promoting healthy lifestyles, cooperation and solidarity.
  - Our deep roots in the region: this means enhancing our community's unique geographical, historical and cultural hallmarks as a basis to project the UIB internationally. It involves acknowledging the challenges and opportunities unique to Mediterranean insularity whilst preserving and promoting Balearic traditions, language and culture in a global context.
- Fundamental values
  - Human rights: respect, tolerance, equality, dignity, opportunity, justice, health.
  - Academic commitment: innovation, independence, internationalisation, knowledge, critical thinking, academic freedom.
  - Good Governance: integrity, transparency, honesty, merit, ability, a vocation for public service, adaptability and flexibility.

A set of wiki pages will be created where the mission, vision and values will be drafted in a collaborative way. All committee members are asked to make their contributions by editing the page or making comments so that we can produce a draft to be approved at the next meeting.

9. Calendar of Meetings and Agenda Items

Dr Marc Nadal Roberts proposes the following calendar of meetings with their corresponding agenda items:

25th October 2022
- Approve the mission, vision and values proposal to submit it to the Governing Council
- Set the initial guidelines for the working groups
- Set the community participation strategy
- Report on the current situation
- Note: The mission, vision and values proposal shall be brought to the next Governing Council session for approval
17th January 2023
- First impressions / queries by the working groups
- Outcome of the participatory community consultation
- Report on the current situation
21th March 2023
- Presentation and discussion of proposals of the working groups
- Approval of the current situation report
4th April 2023
- Contributions to the strategic plan proposal by interest groups, provided by the corresponding representatives at the committee
16th May 2023
- Approval for the public display of the first strategic plan proposal
13th June 2023
- Drafting responses to any complaints received
- Approve the final strategic plan proposal
- Note: This document shall be brought to the Governing Council session in July

In addition, Dr Marc Nadal Roberts proposes the following action items to be undertaken autonomously by committee members:

All members have to make their contributions to mission, vision and values, even where they only want to pronounce their support for the draft content
All members must reflect on how the community participation plan should be, and contribute their comments on the relevant page
All members must consider what elements should be included in the current situation report.

10. Round of Questions

Ms M. Consolación Hernández Guerra enquires how this committee will be coordinated with the Transparency Committee.
- Dr Irene Nadal Gómez explains that a meeting to enable said coordination is already scheduled.
Dr Francesca Garcias Gomila asks whether it is convenient to involve all the groups represented by each committee member in the production of the mission, vision and values proposal. In particular, she asks whether she may discuss the proposal with the Social Council, which she represents, to give them the chance to voice their views.
- Dr Marc Nadal Roberts states that it is convenient that all represented groups should be involved.
Dr Gemma Isabel Turnes Palomino enquires whwther the document presented may be provided.
- Mr Francisco J. Bastida López explains that, in order to ease the information dissemination process, these reports shall be published on the Strategic Plan website.
- The Secretary General points out that appropriate channels shall be set in each phase to ensure the relevant bodies can participate. Therefore, participation must now be aimed at contributing constructive ideas.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting is declared closed at 12.30pm.

Universitat de les Illes Balears