Our mission is to be a distinctive teaching intensive and research informed university known for the quality of our staff, our facilities and our links to employment sectors.

We will provide

Intensive support for learners by highly qualified and experienced staff
first class facilities in which to learn
strong links to employment sectors

Origins

190 years of learning

The University of Bolton traces its history back to the foundation in 1825, of the Bolton Mechanics' Institute, one of the first to be established in the UK. Throughout its history and in its various incarnations, this institution's primary purpose has been to provide educational opportunities for those who wish to better their situation and their prospects.

The University of Bolton continues, in 2015, to offer programmes with a strong vocational, professionally focused orientation and it has a strong vocational, professionally focused, orientation and it has a strong applied research profile, which informs teaching.

Bolton One is home to the Centre for Research for Health and Wellbeing at the University of Bolton

The University of Bolton is in a strong position to capitalise on the challenges and opportunities of the current and future higher education environment. The University has implemented major academic initiatives and made recent investments in infrastructure development, including the £31m Bolton One building. This is part of the £150m transformation project which has been completed on campus to give effect to the Bolton Education Zone. A £10m University Technical College on campus is currently underway, contributing further to the growth of the University. The University continues to invest in and further develop its estate and has ambitious plans for its future.

These include

The new £10m National Centre for Motorsport Engineering
The new Queens campus offering subjects allied to Dentistry and Biomedical Science
The newly created Northern School of Theatre and Dramatic Arts
Our new law school in the iconic Le Mans Crescent

Our Vision

By 2020 the University of Bolton will be a teaching intensive, research informed higher education institution whose distinctive high quality, student-focused, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes attract applications from all over the world.

It will offer an exciting and challenging student experience with high levels of proactive student support and with excellent facilities which match the quality of its academic provision. It will be a local resource, a regional asset and a national and international centre of excellence as well as a byword for exemplary vocationally focused undergraduate and postgraduate programmes delivered in Bolton and across the world. Where appropriate, our students will study in an environment which reflects as closely as possible, the working environment which they are likely to enter; with industry standard equipment. All students will be offered work-based learning through placements, internships or 'sandwich' gap years.

Strategic Aim

We will capitalise on our regional strength to build a national and international brand by enhancing the quality, reputation and perception of the organisation. This aim will be achieved through consolidation, focus, differentiation and the creation of the value through learning, teaching and knowledge exchange. The University and and all its programmes will present a distinctive competence and unique excellence. As an organisation striving for the highest quality in all we do, we will offer our students the very best teaching-intensive experience underpinned and informed by high-quality research which is directly linked to teaching.

Key Objectives

Continuously improve the student experience
Develop the brand and our reputation
Improve recruitment and retention data
Develop applied research and knowledge exchange
Create a network of partner employers and improve the employability of our graduates
Develop appropriate off-campus provision
Invest in new facilities and continuously improve the estate
Be financially sustainable
Be outstanding in all aspects of provision

Key Priorities

The student experience and student satisfaction
Focusing upon an intensity supportive teaching and learning environment
Investment in staff - developing our existing staff as well as making new appointments
Investment in IT infrastructure
Robust and well-developed communications strategy
A robust planning cycle to design, implement and monitor local plans which will deliver the main strategic plan
Strong quality assurance processes and procedures

Students outside Senate House at the University of Bolton

Student Success

Create a network of partner employers and continue to improve employer engagement
Increate the range and quality of work-related learning opportunities
Focus, both within and outside the curriculum on enterprise education
Offer high quality placements and internships both in the University and in association with partner employers
Deliver the 'Bolton Award'; accreditation and recognition of extra-curricular employability, related learning and experience.

Student Engagement

We will aim to help students meet their learning and development needs and will provide opportunities for them to engage with educational enhancement and quality assurance to ensure we have students' achievement and wellbeing at the heart of our work.
We will provide opportunities for our students to participate and take leading roles, in innovative projects and satisfaction
We will develop and support our students so that their active engagement is facilitated and will recognise and reward their engagement (e.g, via the Higher Education Achievement Report)
We will monitor student satisfaction in respect of all student-facing activities undertaken by the University and take steps to improve satisfaction aiming for excellence.
Offer a portfolio of dynamic and stimulating courses that are attractive and accessible to a diverse range of students from different educational and cultural backgrounds. Our courses will be teaching intensive and research informed and will provide sector-relevant knowledge and skills to ensure our graduates gain employment. Students will learn in modern and well-equipped facilities that are amongst the best in the UK. We will work with schools, colleges, communities, and other organisations to continue our excellent track record in raising aspiration and attainment throughout our region
Students will be supported throughout their study by pro-active personal tutors, academic and professional staff to ensure our students achieve their potential. Leading edge technology will be used to identify those who are at risk of underachieving and targeted with supportive interventions

Learning, Teaching and Assessment

As a teaching intensive, research informed higher education institution, we aim to provide, excellence in teaching, supporting our students' learning and in our assessment practices. Through the process of teaching and assessment, we will facilitate students' personal and professional development to help them achieve their goals and enjoy successful careers.

We aim to:

Develop and deliver unique programmes which are fit for purpose.
Provide students with stimulating learning environments and opportunities to develop and apply higher level skills and knowledge.
Help students develop, recognize and use their potential, and make positive contributions to society, developing as global citizens
Support all students in their learning goals
Develop students to become critical and forward thinkers with inquiring minds and the ability to undertake rigorous research
Inspire, interest and motivate students]Use technologies for teaching, learning and assessment and to helo meet the needs of individual students
Enhance our already robust quality assurance processes for our teaching, support of learning and assessment to ensure the very best student experience

"Students' achievement and wellbeing is at the heart of our work"

Staff are at the heart of what we do

We aim to help our staff, through development, training and continuous dialogue on best practice to be outstanding professionals in support of excellent learning, teaching and applied research. To this end we will focus on our efforts on staff and organisational development in the following areas:

The development of new forms of ways of teaching and innovative assessment
Working with female and alternative modes of delivery
Effective management and leadership
Research and research student supervisory capacity
The creation of a customer service ethos
Enhancing the student experience

Financial Sustainability

For the past few years, the University has generated both revenue reserves and cash from its operations every year. The University aims to continue to maintain its financial health through:

Making strategic use of the reserves and cash to invest in the quality of academic and infrastructure provision required to deliver this strategy, whilst maintaining and, where possible, growing accumulated reserves
A conservative approach to budgeting and forecasting processes which will ensure the University will generate both revenue reserves and cash for the year
Ensuring the University continues to attract and retain students on our campus and develop other income, in a highly competitive and rapidly changing international market place for higher education