Council and senate discussed expectations to the strategic plan and selection criteria for its focus areas

On 17 June, the University of Tartu council and senate held a joint session where one of the topics was drafting the new strategic plan. The council and senate members also discussed evaluation criteria for selecting the focus themes of the strategic plan.

At the session, the council and senate members approved the proposal to develop the next strategic plan for a period of ten years, during which it will be regularly reviewed and amended as necessary. The council and the senate supported the proposal that the new strategic plan should focus on three to five areas in which the university aims to make progress.

In addition, the council and senate members approved the strategic planning committee’s proposal on the selection criteria of the focus themes. Based on these, the focus themes must

1. have a positive influence on the development of Estonian society and contribute to increasing the university’s impact on society;
2. ensure the international competitiveness of the university’s core activities;
3. represent the true nature of the university, incl. the university’s values, mission and vision; demonstrate the university’s strengths and unique features;
4. support cooperation within the university, incl. interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary cooperation;
5. give a development boost, incl. make the university bigger and enable to attract more funding and people;
6. enhance the attractiveness of the university, incl. ensuring academic sustainability and freedom; retain people; improve the image of the university; ensure a modern learning and working environment;
7. be flexible and adaptable, incl. being in line with development trends;
8. be plausible and inspiring, incl. realistic and feasible.

Members of the strategic planning committee, the senate and the council consider it important to maintain transparency and involve all relevant stakeholders in defining the focus themes. In the autumn, university members will be invited to have their say in selecting the focus areas via faculty councils, support units and institutions. These discussions will be based on the gathering of ideas from the university community, ideas of the strategic planning committee, the senate and the council, and an analysis of trends in society. The strategic planning committee will analyse feedback from the university members and present it to the council for discussion. There will also be a public vision conference, where public, third and private-sector partners share their views on the university’s development needs.

All university members are invited to discuss and make proposals on the selected focus areas at thematic seminars. These will concentrate on identifying the challenges related to the focus themes, formulating objectives and planning the actions needed to achieve them.