Higher Education Strategy

Establishing a New University in Southeast Asia (2019–2020)

Lib · Jul 30, 2021 ·

Challenge:

A client with extensive interests in retail, consumer-goods manufacturing, automotive manufacturing, and real estate sought to create a new world-class university in Southeast Asia. It wished to do so for social benefit and to fill gaps in the current Higher Education provision.

The Oracle’s Solution:

The Oracle drew on its specialist Higher Education Strategy team to deliver this project which is necessarily elaborate. Several initial on-the-ground fact finding and stakeholder assessment visits were held in-country to define success. A detailed feasibility study and risk analysis was then undertaken over a nine-month period. The client and the national government were furnished with this information and, after minor changes, the proposed initial plans for the university were approved.

Our fellows then contacted tens of potential international partner universities. These institutions were interviewed and shortlisted. Shortlisted partners were then visited and details of the practical and financial models that might underlie an academic partnership between our universities were discussed in detail. The client was provided with detail as well as frank counsel and, based on this information, a decision was made to partner with a leading US university.

Oxford Oracle then went about creating the following key elements of the new university:

a management structure
a staff recruitment strategy (and undertaking the first six rounds of recruitment)
a student recruitment strategy
architectural and learning spaces plans (in partnership with a specialist construction consultancy)
validated and accredited curricula for both undergraduate and graduate degree programmes
a research strategy and policy
a commercialisation and knowledge exchange policy
financial models and sensitivity analyses for the university’s first ten years

Consequential Impact:

The university was built on time and within the advised budget. It is thriving and is a source of pride to both the client and the nation. Oxford Oracle continues to work with the client and the university.

Benchmarking Best Practice and Horizon Scanning for a Public Science and Technology Centre (2014–2016)

Lib · Jan 14, 2019 ·

Challenge:

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, a national science and technology centre sought to benchmark against other interactive centres from around the world which are also dedicated to improving the public understanding of science. This client sought to appreciate and consolidate its strengths, identify and remedy any shortcomings, and gain intelligence such that it was a leader throughout its next quarter of a century.

The Oracle’s Solution:

Specialist fellows from six disciplines spanning physical sciences, life sciences, engineering, medicine, mathematics and chemistry led within their spheres of competence. These fellows consulted colleagues in schools, universities and industry to identify current and future priorities for applied science and technology. With client agreement, eleven leading international interactive sciences were subjected to detailed assessment. These included the following entities:

Exploratorium (San Francisco, US),
La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (Paris, France),
Explore (now called “We the Curious” in Bristol, UK),
Science World (Vancouver Canada),
Museo Participativo de Ciencias (Buenos Aires, Argentina),
Science Centre Singapore, and
Arizona Science Center (Phoenix, US).

Interviews were conducted with key leaders and thorough exhibit assessments were undertaken. Gap analyses were combined synergistically with the findings from horizon-scanning activities to provide guidance on the future creation of unique, successful and innovative exhibits.

Consequential Impact:

The client centre performed exceptionally well throughout benchmarking activity and thus benefited from the reassurance that its ongoing quest for excellence is warranted. Where areas for potential improvement were identified, these were successfully implemented with the Oracle’s assistance provided that they were in alignment with the centre’s key priorities. Excellent networks with other leading interactive science centres were initiated and these remain active to the present day. Numerous new exhibitits providing hand-on experience of key issues in fields ranging from biotechnology to data analytics and encryption to psychology are now in place for the enjoyment and education of all.

University Rankings Enhancement and Degree Accreditation for Emerging Middle East Institution (2016–2018)

Lib · Apr 28, 2018 ·

Challenge:

An excellent Middle Eastern university that had recently attained its 30 year milestone sought to further improve its standing within the international university rankings. Furthermore, it sought to diversify its offerings by establishing new, internationally-recognised degree programmes in Biology. The client university had the particular aim of entering the top 10 within the QS Arab Region University Rankings.

The Oracle’s Solution:

The Oracle advised that it would be most efficient to seek to concomitantly ascend all three of the three most renowned university rankings:

Times Higher Education Rankings
Shanghai Rankings (ARWU; Academic Ranking of World Universities)
QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings.

Eight of the Oracle’s fellows presented to the client institution during an intensive two-day workshop in which the characteristics of the three rankings systems were elaborated in detail. The university subsequently agreed that its resources would be best spent by focusing on improvements to three key elements of quality:

Teaching Quality
Research Quality
Student Recruitment

Over a two-year period, the Oracle’s expert HE practitioners then went about devising and implementing action plans to persistently improve teaching provision. Improved incentives were simultaneously embedded within university procedures to encourage excellent research and commensurate publications of international standard. Successful recruitment of 12 high-profile research experts was also undertaken. Rigorous systems for Foundation programmes and for direct-access admissions to undergraduate programmes were also designed to ensure initial student quality.

Working with international accreditation organisations including the Royal Society of Biology, two degree programmes in the biological sciences were designed and five initial members of academic staff were appointed from a large, global pool of applicants. The curricula were validated internally and by the Ministry of Education and were primed for International Degree Accreditation after three years.

Consequential Impact:

As a result of this initiative, the client was successful in entering the top 10 of the QS Arab Region University Rankings and, happily, it has remained there ever since. Marked and sustained improvements (in excess of 90 positions) were also recorded in the ARWU and THE leagues tables. A virtuous circle of HE quality was thus set in motion.

The degree offerings in biology were oversubscribed in their first year and they continue from strength to strength. They have been incorporated into a department of Bioengineering and student cohorts continue to increase in size.