Becoming Leeds Beckett University: Fostering a community of change

Victoria Sanderson, Head of the Strategic Planning Support Service &

Clare Jackson, Planning & Projects ManagerStrategic Planning Support Service

Name change quiz

Test your brand knowledge - Can you fill in the blanks in our name change and brand quiz?

Name change & brand quiz answers

1. Lloyds pharmacy

2. John Lewis

Name change & brand quiz answers3. Snickers

4. Starburst

5. Pepsi

6. Google

Name change & brand quiz answers

Other institutions have braved this before us…

7a. University of Central England (changed to Birmingham City University in 2007)

7b. Thames Valley University (changed to University of West London in 2010)

Name change & brand quiz answers

Brand confusion…

8. Ferrari

9. Costa Coffee

10. Lego

PART B: Discussion point (5mins)

How do brand changes make us feel?

What behaviour or concerns might this spark in customers/stakeholders?

Community

Who are we to our

stakeholders?

Business

Social commentators

Charity

Enterprise hub

Knowledge generator

Voluntary support

Personal support

Advisor

Service user

Publisher

Creator/producer

HomePeer

SponsorProfessional practitioners Experts

Service provider

Research institute

Competitor

Customer

Employer

Trainer

Partner

Sports Centre

Economic contributor

Support network

Experience provider

Social enterprise

Dependent

Funder

ProprietorTennant Consumer

Friend

Client

Neighbour

Educator

Social hub

What concerns may our stakeholders have?

Will employers recognise our awards?

Will our business processes remain the same?

Will quality change?

Will we still be the same organisation?

Will they have a say in the choice of name?

Will contractual arrangements remain the same?

Becoming Leeds Beckett University: Fostering a community of change

How we engaged all of our stakeholders in our name change journey…

Becoming Leeds Beckett University: Fostering a community of change

• Why change our name?• Stakeholder consultation• Taking our stakeholders with us• What difference has it made?• What next?

Why now?Institutional reasons

Strong progress against our Strategic Plan and KPIs

Out grown our current name Completed curriculum reviews and

rationalised our portfolio Embedded graduate attributes Increased international applicants Increased our tariff One of three Leeds Universities Seeking Customer Service

Excellence & Investors in People Gold accreditations

Why now?External environment New fee regime ‘Market competition’ and need for

distinction Distinctive names have been used by

other post-92 Universities e.g. Sheffield Hallam, Nottingham Trent and Oxford Brookes amongst others

Why?The rationale for the name change

The message we shared with our stakeholders during and after our the name transition:

We are one of the most popular universities in the UK and we would like a name which is distinctive

(i.e. there are four other metropolitans) and reflects our ambition in a competitive global market.

Stakeholder consultationWhy did we engage stakeholders in the choice of name?

To develop our relationships with them To support our application To capture & listen to both positive

and negative feedback Answer questions & minimise

confusion To start a significant

journey of change

– & bring everyone

with us!

Stakeholder consultationName suggestions from our stakeholders

100Potential names

Geographic Northern People

ShortlistLeeds Headingley UniversityLeeds Beckett UniversityLeeds Ridings University

Lowest risk and highest opportunity combinations.

Title Risk Opportunity level

Aire High Very low

Beckett Mid High

Headingley Low High

Ridings Mid High

Rose Very High High

Students

Staff

Applicants

Alumni

Honorary Graduates

Funding Bodies

Charities Commission

HE & FE Institutions

Partners, schools, colleges & organisations

Professional, statutory & regulatory bodies

Local MPs

Leeds City Council

Other affected by name change

Stakeholder consultationReviewing our shortlist

3.2%Response

rate

Formal consultation28 May – 28 June 201345450 Stakeholders

contacted

Stakeholder consultationThe favoured choice

Board approval 19 July 2013

Most positive & least negative

comments

Winner!

Stakeholder consultationGetting the green light!

Privy Council approval granted November 2013

Leeds Metropolitan University

to become

Leeds Beckett University

on 22 September 2014

Key successes in our consultation process

Visible leadership from our Vice Chancellor and senior management;

staff & student focus groups; fluent staff and student communications on

progress; a long lead time helped to decrease costs; logging stakeholder concerns to address in

name migration project; gaining Privy council approval to provide

awards that reference both names during the transition phase – in response to student feedback!

Taking our stakeholders with us:Our Name Migration project

Project aims: To ensure a seamless transition to the new

University name; to minimise disruption to our business

processes and interactions; to ensure all of our stakeholders are

appropriately informed and engaged.

Taking our stakeholders with us: Name Migration timelineproject

Nov 2013

Dec 2013

Jan 2014

Feb 2014

Mar 2014

Apr 2014

May 2014

Jun 2014

Jul 2014

Aug 2014

Sep 2014

Oct 2014

20 November 2013 - 29 October 2014

Taking our stakeholders with usProject Governance

Group established ahead of formal approval to undertake scoping.

Vice Chancellor’s Group representation and Project Sponsor.

Representation from Corporate Management Team, departmental heads and middle management.

Monthly meetings – swift decision making, horizon scanning & close scrutiny of risks and issues.

Standing item on Corporate Management Team meeting agenda.

Highly visible leadershipSwift decision making

Immediate staff updates

Strong customer focusForesight

Taking our stakeholders with usProject focus

To do To inform

Current studentsAlumni

Applicants

Prospects

Contractual partners

Customers

Suppliers

Media

Other stakeholders

Educational partners

International recruiters

External systems & websites

External dependents

Staff & student cardsTrademarks/Ltd

companies

Regulatory framework

Awards

Branded goods

Disposal

Signage

Financial arrangements

Systems

Legal

Hoodies

Staff & prospective staff

What wasn’t included

Name change consultation Brand distinctiveness Evaluation of the impact of

the name change

Decision20 Nov

Staff 20 Nov

Students 21 Nov

Media 21 Nov

Student FAQs22 Nov

Staff bulletin 25 Nov

Alumni Mag29 Nov

VC Staff email9 Dec

Initial comms timeline:

Taking our stakeholders with us

Current students

Name change post exam boards and at start of new academic year

Consultation with SU on certificate wording

Awards to reference both names during transition period

New student cards for all with SU logo

Financial support for SU and Athletic Union re-branding

Signage updated after Graduation

Student facing systems prioritised for updating

Free Leeds Beckett hoodie for all campus students

Taking our stakeholders with us

Current students

Open forum with VC and Secretary & Registrar

www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Regular communications via multiple channels

Postcard provided for students studying with an educational partner

Bespoke communications for placement, Erasmus and study abroad students.

Website pop-up including name change rationale

Student FAQs

Taking our stakeholders with usApplicants & prospects

Applicant letter to explain the rationale

73% read rate

On email to home and EU students & all comms over 50%

Stand to reference both names and system to acknowledge planned change

Leeds Beckett prospectus launched March 2014

Bespoke comms to international students

New Be Beckett TV ad launched

Agents conference briefing April 2014

Taking our stakeholders with usStaff

Corporate Leadership team review of project highlight report

All staff to get a new campus card and hoodie

Practical guidelines supplied on a designated staff intranet pageRegular staff

communications

IT services led audit of systems requiring updates

Mail out to 9,000 stakeholders

Mail out to:

3208+ suppliers

3416+ customers

2500+ other contacts

407 schools

Taking our stakeholders with usOther stakeholders

Externally facing systems prioritised

Legal consultation

Name change email contact point

External signage

Press interviews

Opportunistic promotions

29 pieces of coverage on launch day

What difference has it made?

Some intended outcomes: A sea of Leeds Beckett hoodies; A continued sense of community; Coordination with our brand identity; Improved aesthetic of our estate and signage; Positive feedback from international students

What difference has it made

Some unintended outcomes:

Increased confidence in our management structures to deliver significant change;

Engagement in our Project Management Framework;

Better engagement in staff communications; Greater understanding of our IT infrastructure; Sense of spring cleaning.

What next?Starting position

New name Successful QAA review Relatively stable financial position Increased REF profile Only University to hold Customer Service Excellence and

Investors in People Gold accreditations New DVC Academic & 2 new Deans New Chair of our Board of Governors Strong brand identity

What next?On the horizon…

New VC starting September 2015 New Strategic Plan Really owning our name Building upon our distinctiveness

and reputation Maintaining our strong ‘people-

focussed’ workforce and

customer ethos