Kymenlaakso UAS » About KyAMK » Annual Reports » Responsibility Report 2007 » Active approach essential

Active approach essential

The rapidly changing operating environment requires continuous, anticipatory improvement of operations. Development Director Mirja Toikka, Ph.D., is in charge of strategic development and organisation development at Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu, University of Applied Sciences. Her responsibilities include strategic planning and modernisation of central strategies (strategy processes). The Vice Rector is responsible for the content of pedagogic strategy.

The central strategic goals of Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu, University of Applied Sciences are

• enhancement of instruction
• improvement of regional influence
• improvement of productivity.
  

Our central strategies, derived from the three basic obligations of universities of applied sciences, are R&D and competence strategy, pedagogic strategy and regional influence strategy. The overall strategy includes our vision, mission and principal undertaking and strategic development lines. These are always included in the action and economic plan.

Since 2006, KyAMK has been using the Balanced Scorecard performance indicators as a management tool. Based on the BSC indicators, KyAMK's operations are viewed from five perspectives:

• processes and structures
• regional and social effects
• (personnel) competence, regeneration and working ability
• needs of students and stakeholders, service capacity
• finance, cost-efficiency and material resources.
  

Each perspective includes critical success factors and indicators that are important with regard to our vision and strategy. Operations and performance are evaluated with key indicators and auxiliary indicators. The key indicators are used to assess the achievement of KyAMK’s strategic goals. The key indicators include

• completed degrees
• quality of instruction, guidance, counselling and practical training (OPALA feedback)
• appeal
• dropout rate
• student participation in R&D projects
• qualifications of full-time teachers
• employment rate of graduates
• Bachelor’s theses based on customer assignments
• open UAS education
• paid services
• expenditure on research activities.
  

Prioritisation of the indicators is based on the number of completed degrees and their connection with internal financing, overall quality of instruction and education and regional influence, i.e., KyAMK's position and responsibility as the only independent higher education institution in the province.

Figure: Strategic management frame of reference at KyAMK (BSC)

At KyAMK, the set of indicators and goals is also tied to planning of operations, concrete measures and budgeting at profit centres and units. KyAMK’s action and economic plan is the key document that binds them together. All planning is based on agreements, programmes and strategies that steer the operations. The most important of these include

• Performance Agreement 2007–2009 and its supplementary protocols (KyAMK – Ministry of Education)
• Education and Research 2007–2012 Development Plan (Ministry of Education)
• KyAMK’s existing strategies.

Updated R&D and competence strategy

KyAMK’s R&D and competence strategy was modernised during the spring and summer of 2007. It involved extensive co-operation between KyAMK’s personnel and leading experts from various fields. The updated strategy widely reflects the opinion of KyAMK’s personnel and representatives from the province’s business life on enhancement of competence in the Kymenlaakso province and at Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu, University of Applied Sciences. KyAMK’s R&D and competence strategy is in line with earlier strategic decisions made in the province. Also, our strategy work conforms to the Tekes (National Technology Agency of Finland) model on technology strategy work for universities of applied sciences.

The R&D and competence strategy aims to find the most efficient measures to promote KyAMK’s VISION: Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu, University of Applied Sciences is a higher education institution that provides high-quality education, fosters competence, conducts applied research and engages in regional development in Southeast Finland as an important, target-oriented member of an efficient network of organisations.

During the strategy work, KyAMK's core competencies were analysed and broken into three categories: spearheads, top competencies and key competencies. In addition, we determined the central themes, or veins, that pass through all of KyAMK’s activities.

The spearheads of Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu, University of Applied Sciences are

• preventive health care
• safety of transportation chains
• emission measurement
• product and business innovation processes.
  

The central themes, i.e. veins, that pass through KyAMK's all operations are

• sustainable development
• service expertise
• safety
• expertise on Russia
• entrepreneurship.

Modified: 15.8.2008 10:08

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