AN OVERVIEW OF NUL's TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
3.7 STRATE GIC PLAN F ORMULATION AT NUL
University. These Issues have been stated In the Strategic Plan Report (200212007) as follows:
3.7.1 Mission Statement
NUL will employ innovative teaching and learning methods, research professional services to continuously develop human resources capable of leading and managing development processes in a world increasingly driven by knowledge, science and technology.
3.7.2 Vision 2020
NUL's vision is to be a leading African tertiary institution for lifelong learning and relevant research in order to provide innovative solutions to societal needs.
3.7.3 Core Values
In achieving the vision and mission NUL pledges to:
• Be dedicated to quality teaching, learning and research as basic services to students.
• Promote and support the use of relevant technology in teaching, learning and research.
• Encourage originality and scholarship as the guiding principles in our research and in our public engagement.
• Ensure equity and social justice for all in respect to University education to all groups including people with disabilities and social disadvantages.
• Provide a non-sexist, gender sensitive environment to allow people to develop their potential to the best of their capabilities.
• Subscribe to the highest moral and ethical standards of conduct in the delivery of our services and corporate governance.
• Anchor the future in a diverse cultural heritage inspired by positive values from history and traditions.
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Become an environmentally aware and sensitive institution dedicated to environmentally sustainable development.• Uphold the principles of democracy, transparency and accountability in the conduct of activities.
• Optimize the use of resources in fulfilling core functions of the University and to ensure competitiveness, quality and professionalism in the conduct of all responsibilities.
• Uphold institutional autonomy and safeguard academic freedom.
3.7.4 Strategic Goals
In line with the mission, the strategic issues and in context with the transformation, NUL aims to pursue the following goals:
• Teaching and learning: To foster innovativeness in teaching and learning, to improve the quality of graduates, to optimize the utilization of teaching resources, to enhance the quality of teaching support services and to increase student enrolment in the University.
• Research: To initiate and sustain the academic staff research skills and output, to improve quality of research, to optimize the utilization of research resources and to enhance the quality of research support systems.
• Management and governance: To improve human resources management, Improve support and general services and nurture the University autonomy.
• Niche development: To establish a centre for water and environmental management, tourism and cultural studies and international relations, diplomacy and conflict resolution.
• Income generation and cost containment: Expand the mcome base by increasing enrolment, contract research and consultancy services, fundraising, outsource non- essential support services, decentralize decision-making and eliminate overlaps and duplications in programmes and services.
• Institutional restructuring to realize the strategic thrust.
3.7.5 Situational Analysis
The Strategic Plan task team went further to identify a plethora of internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats (SWOT) as driving forces for the transformational change.
3. 7.5.1 Internal Analysis
An analysis of the internal environmental scan shows that weaknesses of the current structure organized around departments and disciplines, far outnumber the strengths. The University's major weaknesses included: a decline in the relevance of academic programmes, lack of interfaculty cooperation, low staff morale, poor human resources management, poor institutional culture, an unclear definition of the powers and functions of the Pro-Vice Chancellor, a centralized management structure, poor facilities management and lack of marketing. Ironically, while the strengths are comparatively fewer in these areas, they are substantial if suitably exploited to meet the objectives of the mission. The approach is therefore to address weaknesses by reconfiguring existing resources to facilitate a more efficient delivery of core businesses. The alternative being to deploy resources against weaknesses. In either case the structures will have to be revamped to meet new and emerging demands.
3.7.5.2 External Analysis
The external situational analysis reveals a University whose opportunities are balanced by its threats. This situation assures the University of a definite chance for survival provided it aggressively works to attain its mission. Among the threats identified were: a decline in Government funding, globalization of markets, loss of autonomy, a growing number of institutions nationally, dwindling financial resources, low research output and quality, political instability and competition from regional and overseas educational institutions as well as the impact of RIV / AIDS. The logical conclusion is that NUL is in a situation which it lacks the capacity to effectively exploit available opportunities to deal with the threats posed by the changing external environment. This situation will therefore have to change if NUL is to accomplish its mission and to move towards a state of renaissance or re-awakening of its
VISIOn.
3.7.6 Strategic Options
On the basis of the identified threats and weaknesses, the strategic team concluded that NUL needed to respond effectively to the needs of stakeholders, become more effective and efficient in the resource mobilization and utilization, enhance its competitiveness and strive to safeguard its autonomy in relation to its governing strategic goals. To accomplish the above, NUL needs to:
• Review its academic structure.
• Promote interdisciplinary, intra and inter-faculty academic programmes.
• Review the cost effectiveness and relevance of its academic programmes to avoid duplication of programmes and to realize teaching capacity and full utilization of resources.
• Enhance inter-faculty co-operation.
• Devolve resources, responsibilities, and accountability and decision-making powers to academic units.
• Structures should have the capacity to explore strategic academic partnerships with other universities.
3.7.7 Strategic Thrust
The thrust of the strategy, as informed by the situational analysis requires the University to transform in order to:
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Respond effectively to the needs of stakeholders.
Be efficient in the mobilization and utilization of financial resources.
Become more competitive.
Maintain and safeguard its autonomy.
To foster accountability and transparency at all managerial levels.
Consolidate teaching and support services to improve the focus and quality of programmes.
• Foster the competence of academic, non-academic and administrative staff.