Durham University receive the first ever AUA Mark of Excellence (L-R) Andrew Unwin (AUA Advocate), Claire Tindale (Training Officer), Sophie Sowerby (Training and Development Manager), Professor Madeleine Atkins CBE (Chief Executive, HEFCE)

Durham University presented with first ever AUA Mark of Excellence

Representatives from Durham University were presented with the first ever AUA Mark of Excellence during the Association’s Annual Lecture at the Royal Society on 1 December 2016.

Sophie Sowerby (Training and Development Manager, Durham University) and Claire Tindale (Training Officer, Durham University) accepted the AUA Mark of Excellence from Professor Madeleine Atkins CBE, Chief Executive of HEFCE.

Launched at the Association of University Administrators’ 2016 Annual Conference, the AUA Mark of Excellence is a new award for HE institutions that recognises a demonstrated commitment to working with and embedding the AUA CPD Framework and Statement of Values into the provision of organisational development. Durham University were awarded their Mark of Excellence on 1 September 2016.

AUA Head of Professional Development, Amanda Shilton Godwin, said:-
“Sophie and Claire have been the tireless champions of the Framework and of the Approach, and have driven this process through the whole University over almost three years.  They have also been very generous in giving their time to the AUA to help us as the very first pilot Mark and we too owe them our thanks.”

Durham University’s Training and Development Team used the AUA CPD Framework to establish and develop their own Framework which they call Realising your Potential, which they then cascaded across the University following wide consultation.

Over time they have used the Framework for developing the provision of professional services staff development in many innovative ways across the whole University. It has even been used in their apprenticeship schemes; in the Estates department as the basis for an SLA with sub-contractors, and in the Catering department for improving customer service and in recruitment, where it had a real impact on staff turnover levels.

The  AUA Assessment Panel was very impressed with the work that Durham staff done to build upon the Framework to develop the University’s Realising Your Potential Approach.

The panel felt that criterion B ‘The organisation provides CPD opportunities for all professional services staff aligned with the AUA Framework of Behaviours’  was an area of strength for the University and the evidence was particularly robust. The panel also applauded as an area of exceptional practice, the University’s engagement with and recognition of CPD for their professional services staff.