Successfully completed project RADAR

Customer: Grants Office, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, SLU, Swedish Agricultural University

An internal strategic review of SLU’s standing regarding external funding compared with other universities in Sweden revealed that its performance had stagnated. This gave rise to concern not only with respect to the funding situation, but also what this potentially meant in terms of missed opportunities for collaboration, particularly at the international level. It was decided that measures should be initiated from the Grants Office to address this in a strategic manner.

The foundation for the assignment was laid during an informal one-day exploratory workshop held with representatives of the Grants Office and others from the university management level. During this discussion it became clear that simply trying to improve performance in Horizon 2020 through the usual set of workshops was not likely to yield the strategic transformation desired. Further consultations, including with the university rector and management board, resulted in acceptance of Tutech’s proposal for a more integrated approach, with measures addressed at the level of researchers, research team leaders, support functions and the university leadership.

Seven of SLU’s 34 departments were selected for a pilot cycle of consultations. Following a common kick-off meeting, each department participated in two individual rounds of consultations based on a SWOT analysis. During the consultations, advice and tips were given on how to address the challenges faced specifically by that department and individual researchers. The emphasis was on how to develop better team working. Each department was then free to choose one or two measures to be implemented and followed up during the Radar process, which ran for 12 months. Experiences were then shared.

A Framework for Action was developed, cataloguing measures to be undertaken at different levels of management of the university from central PR to individual researcher level, reflecting the design of the integrated approach.

The breadth of SLU’s research is exceptional and there was also a huge variety in the issues faced with regard to acquiring grants.

Legacy

Even before the end of the Radar process pilot it had been deemed so successful that it was agreed to run it a second time. There was a waiting list among departments wishing to participate. Feedback at all levels has been extremely positive.