Strategic Development Fund
The Strategic Development Fund was launched in 2005 to complement the Reconfiguration and Collaboration Fund.
The purpose of the Strategic Development Fund is to drive strategic change by supporting collaborative initiatives and initiatives within individual higher education institutions. These initiatives would significantly address the Reaching Higher agenda and other relevant Welsh Government priorities, but at a lower level than, or of a charter different from, that which would be appropriate for the Reconfiguration and Collaboration Fund. Examples (by no means exhaustive) of potential uses of the fund include:
- developing management capability shared between institutions (eg to address procurement, HR and sustainability issues)
- collaborating in teaching and learning, including pedagogical innovation (eg technology enhanced learning)
- subject rationalisation
- developing third mission activity between institutions and with external partners
- 'pump priming' (increasing expenditure to increase output) the development of research infrastructure between institutions
- contributing to funding proposals involving other parties such as Welsh Government partners, the Research Councils and major charities, or other UK-wide agendas - particularly where a small investment by HEFCW could help secure a much larger investment from other, especially UK-wide sources
Reflecting the intention that the Strategic Development Fund will be a fund for strategic developments, HEFCW will invite proposals in the light of issues emerging from dialogue with heads of institutions and other partners in Wales or the wider UK. The Strategic Development Fund will also be used to support strategic developments agreed by HEFCW's Council (e.g. Matched Funding Scheme for Voluntary Giving), which may not always be subject to the proposal process.
The arrangements for the Strategic Development Fund were revised in September 2009 to take account of issues raised by the Wales Audit Office report on Collaboration Between Higher Education Institutions.
Reconfiguration and Collaboration: Circular W09/32HE informs institutions of amendments to the application procedures and assessment processes for proposals to the reconfiguration and Collaboration Fund and Strategic Development Fund, which are to operate from September 2009 until further notice.
Reconfiguration and Collaboration: Circular W09/32HE
