Challenging, distinctive and head-turning: Imperial develops Academic Strategy

An undergraduate student works on her research project in the Molecular Sciences Research Hub

Imperial is developing a new Academic Strategy to drive world-leading teaching and authoritative research.

The new Academic Strategy will articulate how Imperial will fulfil the goals laid out in the College Strategy 2015-2020. It will outline the commitments and priorities that departments, faculties and the College are making - which build on particular strengths in research, education and engagement in which Imperial can support, or initiate, world-leading capability within the next five years.

The strategy development process is being led by Professor Ian Walmsley, Imperial's Provost. Writing to staff, Professor Walmsley said: "The Imperial community rightly sees itself making sure the College is the go-to place for creative thinking, world-leading teaching, authoritative research, and bold action.

"The new Academic Strategy will enable for each of us a bigger reach that can only be attained by working at scale. It will help our vision to be articulated in challenging, distinctive, and, I hope, head-turning, terms, encouraging new partners to engage with us and new people to help us deliver our ambitions."

Engaging staff 

The Academic Strategy will be based on themes that are emerging as common areas of interest for the faculties. The Faculty Deans have each presented their own strategies at Provost’s Board, and the Board has spent time at each meeting discussing shared ambitions and vision, laying the ground work for the Academic Strategy.

Staff are encouraged to feed back their thoughts to Heads of Department, and there will also be opportunities for staff to engage in the formulation of the strategy through open meetings and a web-based ideas forum in the coming months.