RSC End of Year event report: Thriving in times of change

June 25th 2010
at Goodenough College

“It helps your understanding of where you are and where you need to get to.”
“A refocus at a time of despair.”
“Well structured time to feedback and reflect.”
“I always come away from these events with something I feel I can use.”

More photos, videos and other resources from the event here

Thriving and Surviving

Delegates from colleges, training organisations and partner agencies from all across London came together to focus on how to face the future.

From discussion groups across the event the message was clear:
Learning provider organisations must do more than just survive - but aim to thrive through adapting and collaborating.

Bob Powell set the challenge for a new road map that identifies success in new ways: Do you just keep your head above the water at whatever cost or continue to serve your client group well and do a job that is needed.

It is clear that all organisations must be ready to stop some activities and respond to new demands.

Discussion focussed on the role of technology, ILT and elearning in a successful future. Feedback was captured via multiple sources.

What does success look like?

Technology will be critical to delivering education and running the organisation but we must be clear about what is needed and what/ where it can contribute, can convince decision-makers, and deliver what works.
Saving money by delaying infrastructure investment will rapidly store up problems
Sustainability will depend on the capacity to form new partnerships quickly – with flexible, sharable resources and processes.

Adapting to changes

Need to increase the pace of considering shared services for IT – taking advantage of the Cloud, virtualisation, shared helpdesks, procurement consortia.
Using the ICT infrastructure to attract and deliver/ manage quantity of numbers and to ensure quality of outcome.
Exploit the ability of ICT in reducing staff time requirements for teaching and admin. More front line/ less back-office/ fewer intermediaries.

developing new responses

Boosting demand and delivery through creative partnerships with local business, charging full economic costing and developing international interest all are strengthened with strong, responsive and uptodate technology.
21st century learners expect technology to interact and participate and expect to drive how and when learning is delivered, mange their learning and use their own technology.
ILT helps business teams exploit their talent for creating local partnerships with rapid, flexible responses.
Core values are strengthened with good learning technology and business processes - responding efficiently to community need, widening participation, inclusivity and keeping learners safe and supported.

thriving as a learning community

sharing best practice is vital – get out of our comfort zone and share with other sectors.
sharing resources, expertise and experience will save costly mistakes, increase procurement power and influence the direction of change.

: Delegates in a break out group al-fresco, feed into conference via text wall

RSC London as an enabler for sharing and strategic development

1 Responding together to create choices

Regional forums and partnerships have been brought together to enable learning providers to respond to priority agendas to build an organisational ability to be proactive in the face of challenges. The outcome has been to create choices – rather than just take hits

2 Changing the organisation

Management teams have valued the opportunity for bespoke external support at key moments to improve the quality and confidence of the decision making process.

3 Institutional peer support

Peer support, brokered to fit a provider’s needs has strengthened strategy development. This draws on specific knowledge of available experience around the region brought to bear on the specific improvement aims.

4 National support

National agencies continue to provide organisation and focus, build consensus and bring resources to bear on key issues. The RSC keeps pace with providers needs and current developments and national resources and drivers in order to bring a best fit.

5 Event showcases

RSC events help set the agenda, respond to local needs and they strengthen the network. The achievements of London providers have been showcased widely to help all colleagues set strategy through being informed of possibilities – and the wider context in which they exist.

Summary / Final thoughts:

Strategy – being a change capable organisation is the most vital thing that is needed
The funding shortage has led to a greater need for innovation, sharing and making best use of London's existing ILT investment.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to RSC-facilitated activities in London this year.

All the team
JISC RSC London

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