The start of the new programme manager for organisational change marks the next phase of the approach to make the UT financially healthy again. In phase 2, all the different change processes and organisational changes are combined into an integrated approach. The Building Blocks are clustered around 5 themes.
The twenty Building Blocks were created to contribute to a financially healthier UT. In the past period, all Building Blocks have taken steps to realise their assignment, ranging from management of registration of vacation days to advice on effective decision-making. Several of them have made substantial progress, some have already transferred to the existing organisation. Time for the next phase, in which the experiences from phase 1 and the commitment of all those involved ensure a clearer and more effective joint approach. Part of this is the clustering of Building Blocks around five themes, given the substantive coherence of these Building Blocks. These are the following themes:
- Future proof Education
- Future proof Research & Innovation
- Towards an effective and efficient research infrastructure
- Innovation ecosystem
- Effective support processes
Some of the results
Several Building Blocks have already achieved the first results. Herewith a first impression.
BB 1: Increasing inflow
In order to increase the influx, interdisciplinary work has been done on rapid improvements, such as changes during the upcoming Open Days on 25 and 26 October, optimisation of the recruitment sites and improving the pre-boarding process. We are also working on an overview of possibilities where you, as a colleague, can also help to increase the influx. More information will follow soon.
BB 2: Futureproof education
In this Building Block, we are working on a future-proof educational offer from an operational perspective. To this end, the cost structure of our education was first mapped out and then the possibilities to achieve more efficient education without loss of quality and identity. Discussions are currently underway with the UCOW and the UCB about these possibilities. Main goal of these conversations is to come up with recommendations for the Executive Board and faculties. We expect that from 2025 onwards, these will have an impact on the processes by which we will budget for our education.
BB 12: Optimisation of administrative processes
This Building Block started with rapid improvements in processes that were already in sight. For example, ET tested whether a different way of managing staff in AFAS leads to better forecasts. The evaluation will be completed in October. If the result is positive, we will proceed to a UT-wide implementation.
BB 17: Optimising leave registration
Good progress has been made in optimising the registration of leave hours. All colleagues have been asked by managers to take leave hours and register them in myhr.utwente.nl and to reduce existing leave reservoirs. An important contribution that you can make yourself: because for every day of vacation not taken, UT must keep a financial reserve. Before the call, 420 employees had not filled in anything. That had a total value of 623.000 euros. Money that we as UT cannot use in any other way. Meanwhile, the number of colleagues who have not registered leave has, at this moment, fallen to 190. A great first step, but the call remains; plan ahead and, above all, register your leave hours in MyHR.
Prinsjesdag
The government's budget plans were presented yesterday during 'Prinsjesdag'. In the coming period, the impact of the plans on our university will be mapped out. See the previously posted post on this subject ‘Major concerns over announced budget cuts to higher education and science’.
More information on the topic page Towards financial resilience.
