Committed to Excellence:

our quality enhancement plan

2005-06
Contents

Introduction 5

The EFQM Excellence Model: what we aim to 9

do in 2005-06.

How to read our plan 11

Enhancement priorities: enhancement actions 13

Our key business processes: what we aim to do 21

in 2005-06
Committed to Excellence: our quality enhancement plan

Introduction
1 This document contains the Scottish Funding Councils’ quality
enhancement plan: it sets out the priorities for developing our staff -
our most important asset - and for improving the quality of our
organisation; and it highlights the specific actions that we intend to
take in Academic Year (AY) 2005-06.

Background
2 The Scottish Funding Councils for Further and Higher Education are
committed to being an open and transparent organisation that operates
to the highest standards of public sector administration and
management and achieves best value.

3 In our joint corporate plan 2003-06, we gave the following

commitment:

“By the end of March 2004, we will identify a quality framework for our
operations - to include periodic surveys of our stakeholders and our staff - and
establish priorities for improvement.”

4 We established a small working group - with membership from across

the organisation and one external member - to evaluate the various
quality frameworks and identify a suitable framework for the Councils.
We selected the EFQM Excellence Model.

What is the EFQM Excellence Model?

5 The Excellence Model is a comprehensive framework for assessing the
strengths and areas for improvement of an organisation across all of its
activities. It is based on the practical experience of public, private and
voluntary sector organisations across Europe. The Model is promoted
in Europe by the European Foundation for Quality Management
(EFQM) and in Scotland by their national partner organisation:
Quality Scotland.

5
6 The Excellence Model consists of nine criteria which are divided into
Enablers (the how’s) and Results (the what’s). These are shown on
Page 9 of this document. The Enabler criteria are concerned with how
an organisation conducts itself, how it manages its staff and resources,
how it plans its strategy, and how it reviews and monitors key
processes.

7 An organisation’s results are what it achieves. These encompass the

level of satisfaction among an organisation’s employees and
stakeholders, its impact on the wider community and key performance
indicators.

Self-evaluation: strengths and weaknesses

8 The starting point for most organisations is to gather evidence relevant
to performance against the nine criteria of the Excellence Model. We
undertook a staff attitude survey and commissioned a professional
survey/research company - Partners in Evaluation - to undertake a survey
of our stakeholders and gather evidence.

9 We also established an internal group to steer and monitor our work to

improve the quality of our operations. The group is broadly
representative of the Directorates and grades in our organisation, and
also has representation from the trades union.

10 The Quality Steering Group undertook an evaluation of the

organisation’s strengths and weaknesses, drawing on the evidence from
the staff and stakeholder surveys. The self-evaluation was facilitated by
the Quality Scotland organisation and involved the completion of a
detailed questionnaire-type booklet on the organisation’s performance
against the nine criteria of the EFQM Excellence Model.

11 The result of the self-assessment was a score for the organisation of

between 450 and 500 (out of a total of 1000). This is a relatively high
score for an organisation which has only recently decided to implement
the EFQM Excellence Model.

Quality enhancement plan

12 The outcomes of the self-evaluation process were used by the Quality
Steering Group to develop a quality enhancement action plan. The
plan sets out the priorities for the organisation during 2005-06 and the
actions that we intend to take to address these priorities. The plan can
be found on Page 13 of this document.

6
13 We have also shown how the actions will help to improve the
Councils’ ten key business processes. This is shown on Page 21.

How we will monitor the plan

14 We have established an ambitious quality enhancement plan for 2005-
06. Many of the actions that we have identified are being driven by the
merger of the funding councils, which will take place in October 2005.
Our aim is to achieve over 75 per cent of the actions by the end of the
2005-06 academic year.

15 We will monitor progress with our plan at regular meetings of our

Quality Steering Group, and at meetings of our Senior Management
Team and the Councils’ Joint Co-ordinating Committee (or whatever
committee carries out its functions under the new council).

Committed to Excellence
16 Good organisations become excellent organisations by taking account
of what others think and by being self-critical. We recognise that we
must continue to look at our processes and our aspirations as
individuals so that we can identify areas where we can continue to
improve and achieve best value.

17 Therefore, we plan to undertake a further self-evaluation of our

strengths and weaknesses in 2006 and aim to achieve recognition as an
organisation that is Committed to Excellence during Academic Year 2006-
07.

7
8

1 LEADERSHIP
• Develop and implement a
Communication strategy for the new
council. (Action 1)
• Develop an action plan setting out the
priority actions for the new council.
(Action 4)
• Develop appropriate methods of
communicating with staff and with
stakeholders on the preparations to
establish the new council. (Action 3)
POLICY & STRATEGY PROCESSES CUSTOMER RESULTS
3 5 7
• Develop a new policy for the new council • Develop a scheme of delegated authority
covering the operations of the organisation
setting out its approach to openness and
as a whole. (Action 16)
transparency. (Action 5) •
Enhance team/directorate meetings.
• Developing a new corporate plan for the new (Action 10)
Council. (Action 9) • Identify the Councils’ key business
processes and develop a timetable of
review and evaluation. (Actions 18 & 19)
• Give greater attention to internal business
processes. (Action 20)

1 2 People
5 6 People
9
Results
Key
Leadership 3 Policy Processes Performance
& Strategy 7 Customer
Results Results

4 Partnerships
& Resources 8 Society
Results

Enablers Results

Enablers are how we achieve our results Results are what we achieve

PEOPLE PARTNERSHIP & RESOURCES PEOPLE RESULTS SOCIETY RESULTS KEY PERFORMANCE RESULTS
2 4 6 8 9
• Implement the actions arising from the • Develop an external relations strategy for
staff attitude survey. (Action 13) the new council. (Action 6)
• Implement the recommendations of • Establish a new web-site for the new
the equal opportunities task group council. (Action 2)
established by the Councils. (Action • Modernise the Councils’ management of
17) information. (Action 7)
• Develop the appraisal guidance for all • Make more management information
staff. (Actions 14 & 15)) available to all staff. (Action 8)
• Take initiatives to improve cross-
directorate working. (Actions 9, 11 & 12)
9
10
Committed to Excellence: example of how to read our plan

This box tells you what our

enhancement priority is and what
action we plan to take to improve the
quality of what we do.

Modernising communications with colleges, HEIs and stakeholders:

Develop a communications strategy for the new Council. The strategy should set out
proposals for modernising our communications in ways that address the outcomes
from our stakeholder surveys. (Action 1)

The communications A discussion paper setting out options and ideas for
strategy should help to the strategy was considered by the Senior
develop awareness of the Management Team (SMT) on 27 April. Work is now
new council and an being taken forward to develop the strategy and its
understanding of its actions.
responsibilities and role; and
facilitate direct, effective and
relevant channels of
communication.

This box tells you how we think

the quality of our organisation
will improve as a result of the
action that we plan to take.
This box tells you what progress we
have made towards addressing our
enhancement priority and the action.

11
12
Committed to Excellence: enhancement actions

Modernising our communications with colleges, HEIs and stakeholders:

Develop a communications strategy for the new Council by 30 September 2005. The
strategy should set out proposals for modernising our communications in ways that
address the outcomes from our stakeholder surveys. The strategy should recognise
that all staff have a role to play in the success of the strategy. (Action 1)

The communications A discussion paper setting out options and ideas for
strategy should help to the strategy was considered by the Senior
develop awareness of the Management Team (SMT) on 27 April. Work is now
new Council and an being taken forward to develop the strategy and its
understanding of its actions.
responsibilities and role; and
facilitate direct, effective and
relevant channels of
communication.

Modernising our communications with colleges, HEIs and stakeholders:

Establish a new web-site for the new Council by 3 October 2005. This web-site
should address the outcomes from our stakeholder surveys. (Action 2)

This should make it easier Work is underway to develop a new site for the
for stakeholders and the Council.
wider public to find
information about the new
Council.

Managing change:

Develop appropriate methods of communicating with the Councils’ staff and with
colleges, HEIs and stakeholders on the preparations to establish the new council.
(Action 3)

This will ensure that council
staff and other stakeholders
are kept informed of the
developments.
The Chief Executive’s Group at an awayday on 3
May 2005 considered ideas for communications and
these are now being taken forward. Our staff
continue to be informed regularly about progress with
the preparations to establish a new Council.

A circular letter was issued to colleges and

universities on 2 September 2005 about the
membership of the new Council and its launch. The
Chief Executive has also written to our key
stakeholder bodies about the launch.

13
Managing change:

Develop processes and action plans setting out:

• the preparations needed to establish the new Council; and

• the priority actions for the new council in its first year. To be agreed by the new
Council at its first meeting.

(Action 4)

The action plans should
ensure that the change and
transition to the new Council
is managed in a way that is
visible and achieves
continuity and stability,
where appropriate, as well
as demonstrating how
progress will be made.
An action plan setting out the timetable and
preparations needed to establish the new council has
been developed and is now reviewed at all meetings
of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and shared
with all staff.
An action plan setting out proposed priority actions
for the new council in its first year has also been
developed and was considered by the Chief
Executive’s Group at its awayday on 3 May 2005.
The new Council will be invited to agree to the action
plan at its meeting on 10 November 2005.

Our commitment to openness and transparency:

Develop a new policy for the new Council setting out its approach to openness and
transparency. To be published by 3 October 2005. (Action 5)

This should demonstrate the
Councils’ commitment to
openness and transparency
and increase confidence in
the organisation and its
policies and decisions.
Initial proposals for a revised policy were considered
by the Quality Steering Group at its meeting on 6
June 2005 and by the Senior Management Team on
30 August 2005.

Strengthening our relations with stakeholders and partners:

Develop an external relations strategy for the new council. To be agreed by the new
Council by the end of December 2005. (Action 6)

This should help us to
develop our relationships
with key stakeholder bodies
and thereby improve the
effectiveness of our
organisation in carrying out
our functions and achieving
best value.
A discussion paper setting out options and ideas for
the strategy was considered by the Senior
Management Team (SMT) on 28 February 2005.
Work is now being taken forward to develop the
strategy.

14
Improving the management of information:

Modernise the Council’s management of information - including the sharing of

information within the organisation - by developing a corporate file plan and
introducing an electronic document and records management system (EDRM
system), based around our intranet. The roll-out of the EDRM system across the
organisation to begin in 2005-06. (Action 7)

This should help to improve
the potential for cross-
directorate working by
making information more
accessible within the
organisation and should
allow us to demonstrate
good practice in records
management.
A new corporate file plan has been developed and
approved by SMT. An electronic document and
records management system is currently being
piloted in the Councils’ Learning and Teaching
branch, before it is implemented across the rest of
the organization.
A series of briefings for staff on the EDRM system
will be held during September 2005. The roll-out of
the EDRM system will commence in January 2006.

Better internal communication:

Further opportunities should be explored for making more management information,

which is disclosable, available on InSite to all staff. To be undertaken by 31
December 2005. (Action 8)

This should increase
understanding and
knowledge across the
organisation and improve
effectiveness of staff.
The Senior Management Team has agreed that most
of its papers should be made available to all staff on
InSite. We will look for further opportunities for
making more management information available to
all staff.

Better team-working:

Directors should take collective responsibility for the successful achievement of all
the targets in the corporate plan, and not just those on which their directorates are in
the lead. This should be undertaken immediately. (Action 9)

This will help to avoid a We will review the process of developing, monitoring
situation in which and reporting on targets in advance of the
directorates appear to be preparations to develop a new corporate plan for the
operating in ‘silos’ and new Council.
should aid cross-directorate
working to improve our
policy development and
decision-making.

15
Better team-working:

Team/directorate meetings could be enhanced by ensuring that staff from other

directorates are invited to participate, where this will add value. (Action 10)

This should help to develop This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
understanding across the
organisation and improve
cross-directorate working,
thereby increasing
organisational effectiveness.

Better team-working:

Project managers within the organisation should be encouraged, where appropriate,

to include staff from outside their own directorate in their projects, where this could
add value - such as through membership of internal project steering groups or
working groups. Such 'external' participation should be expected when projects are
being reviewed or evaluated. (Action 11)

This should help to develop This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
understanding across the
organisation and improve
cross-directorate working,
thereby increasing
organisational effectiveness.

Better team-working:

The forward job plan process should be used creatively by all line managers to
ensure that staff have the opportunity, where appropriate, to participate in projects or
activities outside of their own directorate. (Action 12)

This should help to develop This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
understanding across the
organisation and improve
cross-directorate working,
thereby increasing
organisational effectiveness.
It should also increase job
satisfaction by providing
more varied work for staff.

16
Developing our staff:

Implement the actions arising from the staff attitude survey by 31 March 2006.
(Action 13)

This action will ensure that
there is clarity for all staff on
our HR procedures and will
demonstrate that
management are acting on
the views of staff. This
should reinforce the
Councils’ commitment to
good employment practice
and make SFC an attractive
place to work.
There are various actions now underway. These
include:
• a review of procedures for future salary
determination in consultation with the trade
union;
• clarification and dissemination of key HR
procedures for example, equal pay audit, equal
opportunities monitoring, flexible working,
maternity and adoption leave, absence
reporting; and

• the Staff Benefits Working Group (SBAG)

established by the CEO to identify non-pay
benefits for staff – staff survey conducted,
report from Group considered by CEO and the
outcomes reported to staff.

Developing our staff:

Line managers should use the appraisal process and forward job plans to agree with
staff the scope of their responsibilities. The level of responsibility should always be
commensurate with the post. This action may require further development of the
appraisal guidance issued by HR, by 31 December 2005. (Action 14)

This will give all staff a This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
clearer understanding of the
scope of their responsibilities
(the range of work for which
an individual is personally
responsible) and the level of
authority that they have in
relation to the work that they
undertake.

17
Developing our staff:

The guidance on appraisals for line managers should be revised for 2006-07 to
encourage more consistent development of staff within the organisation, which
develops individuals' potential and creativity; and the guidance should highlight
examples of good practice in this regard. The appraisal guidance should also be
revised to encourage line managers to reflect on their own performance in managing
their staff. Revised guidance will be issued before 31 March 2006. (Action 15)

This will ensure that, This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
wherever appropriate, staff
will be given specific tasks
that will develop their
potential, encourage
creativity and provide better
job satisfaction.

Developing our staff:

A scheme of delegated authority should be developed covering the Council through

the Chief Executive to directorates and the operations of the organisation as a whole.
This should be developed by 31 October 2005. (Action 16)

This will give all staff a This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
clearer understanding of the
level of authority that they
have in relation to the work
that they undertake.

Promoting equal opportunities:

Implement the recommendations of the equal opportunities task group established by

the Councils. Implementation timescales for each of the recommendations are
contained in the report. (Action 17)

This will demonstrate in The report was considered by the Senior

practice the Councils’
commitment to equal
opportunities and should
make SFC an attractive
place to work for people of
all backgrounds.
Management Team on 21 December 2004, which
agreed a process for taking forward each of the
recommendations. The report was endorsed
formally by SFEFC and SHEFC at their meetings on
10 February and 25 February 2005. The
recommendations are now being taken forward.

18
Strengthening our key business processes:

The executive should identify the Councils’ key business processes; and ensure that
all staff are aware of these processes. This should be done by 31 March 2006.
(Action 18)

This will ensure that there is This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
a clear understanding of the
core processes that are
essential to the effective
functioning of the
organisation and the
achievement of its
objectives.

Strengthening our key business processes:

A timetable of review and evaluation should be developed for all the Councils' key
business processes. Such reviews will be different in purpose from internal audits in
that they will consider whether the processes remain 'fit-for-purpose'; and the reviews
should be built into the Councils' corporate and operational planning cycles.

Every review should normally include an 'external' perspective, which may be

provided by a stakeholder or from expertise in other directorates within the
organisation. The timetable should be developed by 31 March 2006. (Action 19)

This will ensure that the This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
Councils’ key business
processes remain effective
and ‘fit-for-purpose’.

Strengthening our key business processes:

The organisation should give greater priority to the successful operation of its key
internal business processes. (Action 20)

A greater focus on the This is a new action that we will address in 2005-06.
operation of our key internal
business processes will help
to ensure the effectiveness
of our external business
processes. For example, a
greater focus on training and
development will ensure that
staff have the appropriate
skills to undertake their jobs.

19
20
Our key business processes: what we aim to do in 2005-06
Key business processes
Allocating and distributing
funding to colleges and HEIs.
(1)
Developing policies and
guidelines. (2)
Implementing policies and
guidelines. (3)
Monitoring and regulation. (4)
Obtaining information using
best available evidence. (5)
Enhancement actions
• Develop a new policy for the new council setting out its approach to openness and transparency.
To be published by 3 October 2005. (Action 5)
• Directors should take collective responsibility for the successful achievement of all the targets in
the corporate plan, and not just those on which their directorates are in the lead. This should be
undertaken immediately. (Action 9)
• A timetable of review and evaluation should be developed for all the Councils' key business
processes. Such reviews will be different in purpose from internal audits in that they will
consider whether the processes remain 'fit-for-purpose'; and the reviews should be built into the
Councils' corporate and operational planning cycles. Every review should normally include an
'external' perspective, which may be provided by a stakeholder or from expertise in other
directorates within the organisation. The timetable should be developed by 31 March 2006.
(Action 19)
21
Providing information and
advice to Ministers and to
stakeholders. (6)

Communicating information. • Develop a communications strategy for the new council by 30 September 2005. The strategy
(7) should set out proposals for modernising our communications in ways that address the outcomes
from our stakeholder surveys. (Action 1)

• Establish a new web-site for the new council by 3 October 2005. This web-site should address
the outcomes from our stakeholder surveys. (Action 2)

• Develop appropriate methods of communicating with the Councils’ staff and with colleges, HEIs
and stakeholders on the preparations to establish the new council. (Action 3)

• Further opportunities should be explored for making more management information which is
disclosable available on InSite to all staff. To be undertaken by 31 December 2005. (Action 8)

Working with partners and • Develop an external relations strategy for the new council. To be agreed by the new council by
stakeholders. (8) the end of December 2005. (Action 6)

Managing organisational • Develop processes and action plans setting out:

resources to achieve goals. (9)
− the preparations needed to establish the new council; and

− the priority actions for the new council in its first year. To be agreed by the new council at its
meeting in November 2005. (Action 4)

22
• Modernise the Council’s management of information - including the sharing of information
within the organisation - by developing a corporate file plan and introducing an electronic
document and records management system, based around our intranet. The roll-out of the
EDRM system across the organisation to begin in 2005-06. (Action 7)

• Team/directorate meetings could be enhanced by ensuring that, where appropriate, staff from
other directorates are invited to participate, where this will add value. (Action 10)

• Project managers within the organisation should be encouraged, where appropriate, to include
staff from outside their own directorate in their projects, where this could add value - such as
through membership of internal project steering groups or working groups. Such 'external'
participation should be expected when projects are being reviewed or evaluated. (Action 11)

• The forward job plan process should be used creatively by all line managers to ensure that staff
have the opportunity, where appropriate, to participate in projects or activities outside of their
own directorate. (Action 12)

• Implement the actions arising from the staff attitude survey by 31 March 2006. (Action 13)

• Line managers should always use the appraisal process and forward job plans to agree with staff
the scope of their responsibilities. The level of responsibility should always be commensurate
with the post. This action may require further development of the appraisal guidance issued by
HR, by 31 December 2005. (Action 14)

23
 • The guidance on appraisals for line managers should be revised for 2006-07 to encourage more
consistent development of staff within the organisation, which develops individuals' potential and
creativity; and the guidance should highlight examples of good practice in this regard. The
appraisal guidance should also be revised to encourage line managers to reflect on their own
performance in managing their staff. Revised guidance will be issued before 31 March 2006.
(Action 15)

• A scheme of delegated authority should be developed covering the Council through the Chief
Executive to directorates and the operations of the organisation as a whole. This should be
developed by 30 September 2005. (Action 16)

• Implement the recommendations of the equal opportunities task group established by the
Councils. Implementation timescales for each of the recommendations are contained in the
report. (Action 17)

• The executive should identify the Councils’ key business processes; and ensure that all staff are
aware of these processes. This action should be done by 31 March 2006. (Action 18)

• The organisation should give greater priority to the successful operation of its key internal
business processes. (Action 20)

Procurement or purchasing of
services from third-parties. (10)

24
25