The Centre of the University Programme (CUP) was developed in 2011 to strengthen partnerships between Student Services departments and academic departments at the University. The program involves staff from different departments shadowing one another and learning about each other's roles and priorities. A pilot program in 2012 saw positive results, with participants feeling they gained a better understanding of other areas. Since then, CUP has expanded to involve more departments across the University. The program aims to enhance collaboration, share resources, and improve services and policies by promoting understanding between departments.

1. Breaking down the barriers
Valerie Cotter
Dee MacCormack

2. What’s at the centre of the
university?
Here be dragons......
Aaarghh!!!!!
more
forms
forms
questions
deadlines
reminders for deadlines
even more forms
a deadline for
responding to the
deadline you’ve
already missed

3. CUP - a brief history
CUP is part of a range of staff development activities in Student Services.
We began to develop the idea in 2011, with a view to expanding the
opportunities available to our staff and at the same time strengthening our
partnerships with other departments and services (a key theme of the
Student Services strategy).
Aims and benefits
• a better understanding of the issues faced by academic departments
• a chance to get to know Faculty colleagues better
• potential opportunities for service improvement
• new projects and developments

4. The CUP model
Working in partnership with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
we ran a pilot version of CUP during 2012.
W
ork-shadowing
Seeing a ‘slice’ of another person’s working
life either over the course of a day or as a
series of ‘slots’
Meet the department
Resources:
Time!
Key benefits:
• two-way process of sharing
• new contacts and enhancing
existing relationships
• opportunities to work more
closely together
• pooling resources/expertise
www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssd/staff/training/cup
A one-day event providing an introduction
to the work of an academic department
Key points to consider:
Spend some time on initial
planning
Make sure participants are clear
about what’s involved
Have one point of contact
Get the backing of senior
colleagues

5. Understanding how academic departments work: the Centre
of the University Programme
Have you ever wondered what the academic
department contact you talk to and email all the
time actually looks like?
Or thought that there might be ways to work
together more effectively, if only you had the
time and opportunity to talk about it?
Do you know whether your team’s
priorities, deadlines and busy periods
match up with those in academic
departments – or are they completely
different?
And whether the policies and procedures
you’ve helped to put together or implement
are understood by, and helpful to, academic
departments?
Did CUP have the
answers...?

6. Me and my shadow
W did the participants
hat
think…..?

7. ‘I found the experience
rewarding – it gave me
an insight into how
students view the
University and the effort
that academic
departments put into
supporting them’

8. ‘Looking at someone else’s
work and department
helped me to see my own
work and role more clearly’.

9. ‘I would like the
programme to be
extended throughout the
University’

10. What has been happening since CUP?

11. Student
Services and
Faculty of
Engineering
Student
Services and
Faculty of Arts
& Humanities
2013
2012
Faculty of Arts and
Humanities and
Corporate
Information and
Computing Services
2013
Faculty of
Engineering
and Corporate
Information and
Computing
Services
2013

12. Developing a wider framework

14. the SheffieldP
ROF SSIONAL
E

15. Building trust
We consider other’s needs, taking pride
in to communicating in a straightforward
and appropriate way
• Open and honest
• Good listeners
• Effective communicators
• Prepared to challenge
and be challenged
Creating
knowledge
We are committed to
developing our own
knowledge and skills as well
as supporting world class
teaching and research
• Imaginative
The
Sheffield
Professional
One
team
We create a working
environment based on
mutual respect,
trust and team spirit
• Supportive of each other
• Collaborative
• Inspired by working in excellence
• Have fun together
• Open to new ideas
• Celebrate success
• Keen to learn and
share knowledge
Playing our part
We care about doing the right thing
for students and colleagues,
valuing everyone’s contribution
• Being the best we can be
• Creating opportunities for everyone
• Embracing and welcoming diversity
• Taking personal responsibility
Pursue the extraordinary
http://www.shef.ac.uk/sheffieldprofessionals/index

16. Questions for discussion
In what other ways can we encourage
colleagues to build bridges not barriers?
What models are likely to be most effective
at engaging academic colleagues?
Would this model work in your institution?
Are there other approaches that deliver
similar outcomes – please share!

17. For further information contact:
v.c.cotter@sheffield.ac.uk