University of Oxford

In a changing Higher Education world – following the global pandemic, with increasing constraints on funding, and a shifting competitive landscape – the University of Surrey was on a journey to refresh its strategy to being a leading global university. To make this happen, they recognised the part for leaders to play in role modelling the values, nurturing an inclusive culture, developing high-performing teams, thinking strategically, leading the change agenda and driving results. So Q5 were invited to co-design and delivery the Surrey Senior Leadership Programme for 90 leaders across Academic and Professional Services departments, to equip and enable them to fulfil this role.

Facing challenging student recruitment targets, the University has ambitious goals to its non-student fee income. The Director of Commercial Development had envisioned an ‘Innovation Ecosystem’ to enable the swift identification of potential commercial opportunities and then to provide them with the necessary support to get them growing sustainably and generating income. To achieve this, effective links were needed between the Commercial Department and faculties. Further, staff across the University needed to be ‘bought in’ to the Innovation Ecosystem. Building on other work for the University, the Director of Commercial Development asked for our support to energise people and therefore enable the Innovation Ecosystem.

Q5 was asked to develop and facilitate a capability uplift program for the Culture Champions that equipped them to find ways to shift the daily habits/behaviours of their teams, embody the ways of working in their day-to-day roles, and improve their capabilities in supporting cultural change.