Our Strategy
We provide people from all backgrounds with the opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge and experience to succeed at whatever they choose to do. As one of the UK’s largest and most progressive universities, our teaching, research and partnerships are characterised by a focus on real world impact – addressing the health, economic and social challenges facing society today.
Our mission
We transform lives. We shape our students’ futures, preparing them for whatever they choose to do, and create knowledge that provides practical solutions to real world challenges.
Our vision
We will be the world’s leading applied university, achieving outstanding outcomes for our students and society, showing the world what a university genuinely focused on transforming lives can achieve.
We want to be known for innovative teaching and learning. We want to be known for research which makes a real difference. We want to be known for our engagement with our city and region, linking both to the world beyond. And we want to be known for our professionalism and the quality of our services.
Our strategy
These aspirations – to shape futures, to create knowledge, to lead locally and engage globally, to be a truly great university – underpin our ambitious Transforming Lives strategy which we adopted in 2017, and which has reshaped the way the University thinks, works, and acts.
In 2020, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, we did something few other universities were confident, or engaged enough to do: we stress-tested and reshaped our strategy whilst responding to the pandemic. We reviewed Transforming Lives through an inclusive process which engaged staff and students throughout the University.
We committed to a radical programme of change which will streamline our offer, focus our impact and embed agile and collaborative working in every aspect of the University. All of this is underpinned by an expansive vision of an ‘extended campus’ fusing the physical and digital. At the heart of the next phase of our strategy is a commitment to growth and diversification. This includes development of a more comprehensive online provision, which we expect to launch in 2024.
We also announced in November that Sheffield Hallam will be the anchor higher education provider in Brent Cross Town in the north-west of London. The Brent Cross Town development is a £7bn regeneration project that will see significant new office and community spaces and homes, directly connected to central London via its own new railway station.
The London campus will provide a new teaching and research base for the University, offering subjects and skills that are in demand in the area. It will be an integrated part of the Hallam offer, meaning we can enhance our provision with dual locations for teaching, learning, work-based activities, consultancy and research and development. The key areas of focus are likely to include health and social care, sport, business, digital and technological skills. We’re aiming to open the campus during 2025/26, and to have up to 5,000 students by 2030.
Our strategic priorities
Our University Plan translates our Transforming Lives strategy into a tangible plan for the next 3-5 years. It sets out nine strategic priorities with clear outcomes aligned to our mission and vision for the next 3-5 years.
Student Experience Across the Lifecycle
Students with a strong sense of belonging from the Sheffield Hallam experience, who are supported to engage, thrive and collaborate, helping them to succeed. We will reimagine and re-build our community and recover student engagement following the pandemic.
Taught portfolio & Recruitment
A high quality and sustainable portfolio or taught courses that perform well in the market, attract a diverse student base and deliver good outcomes for students. We will deliver strong undergraduate recruitment and conversion performance.
We want to be known for innovative teaching and learning. We want to be known for research which makes a real difference. We want to be known for our engagement with our city and region, linking both to the world beyond. And we want to be known for our professionalism and the quality of our services.
Learning, Teaching & Assessment
Excellent inclusive learning, teaching and assessment delivered consistently and efficiently, producing excellent outcomes for all students and preparing them for life after university. We will simplify the way we deliver our courses.
Research & Innovation
Growing, thriving, inclusive research and innovation evidenced through increased PGR supervision, funding success and external collaborations.
Values, People & Organisation
An inclusive and responsive University culture with its people and values at the heart of decision-making. We will maintain positive staff engagement and deliver organisational structures, workforce flexibility and enabling tools to drive forward our strategy.
We want to be known for innovative teaching and learning. We want to be known for research which makes a real difference. We want to be known for our engagement with our city and region, linking both to the world beyond. And we want to be known for our professionalism and the quality of our services.
Infrastructure
A digital and physical infrastructure which delivers a positive learning, working and social environment that allows staff and students to flourish, with efficient and sustainable operations. We will make demonstrable progress towards creating excellent spaces for learning, working and social engagement that are attractive to students, staff and the wider community. We will invest in a sustainable, innovative and net zero campus through our ambitious Campus Plan development.
Place and Profile
Taking a proactive partnership approach to engage with and provide impact to our region and place, modelling civic leadership locally, nationally and globally. We will be an exemplar civic university, with a strong sense of place and our role in the region.
Environment, Social Responsibility & Corporate Governance
A sustainable university with social value which contributes to internationally recognised sustainable development goals and preserves and enhances university experiences for future generations. We will define and begin delivery of a whole-institution strategy for climate action and sustainability.
Financial Sustainability
A sustainable surplus and consistent financial performance that we can invest in our offer and ensure ongoing future stability and performance.
Our performance
In 2021 we agreed a variation to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that we use to monitor progress, to better align with our Transforming Lives strategy and priorities, as described in our University Plan.