Staff unhappy with leadership of the University of South Wales

Martin Shipton

Employees of the University of South Wales have expressed dissatisfaction with its leadership in a staff survey, we can reveal.

Staff were asked to rate the university, whose main campus is at Treforest, near Pontypridd, according to a long list of parameters.

The results of the USW’s ‘Colleague Survey 2024’, carried out in November 2024, have been leaked to Nation.Cymru.

Confidence

Just 37% of those responding agreed with the statements: “I have confidence in the Executive Team to manage and lead USW well” and “I feel appropriately involved and consulted concerning changes that affect me and/or my work”.

Some 36% agreed with the statement: “The Executive Team make [sic] the effort to listen to staff.”

Only 30% agreed with: “I am satisfied with the opportunities available for me to progress in my career within USW”, while 29% agreed with: “I believe action will be taken as a result of this survey.”

Some 41% agreed that: “USW does enough to support my health and wellbeing”, with 44% agreeing that: “The Executive Team and senior leaders champion our USW values: Professional, Responsive, Creative, Inspiring, Collaborative”.

Also, just 44% go along with the statement: “I have the right opportunities to learn and grow at work.”

The lowest level of agreement – at 25% – is for the statement: “I know how well USW is doing against the USW 2030 Strategy.”

The strategy states: “By 2030, we will:

Be a large, regional university with a distinctive full-time and part-time academic offer that is attractive to both home and global markets;

Provide an excellent, inclusive, engaged student experience;

Ensure our students successfully complete their studies and secure employment in their areas of expertise;

Engage with partners to maximise our impact on their endeavours;

Commit to improving the future well-being of the communities we serve through individual and collective action;

Provide opportunities for students across the region and beyond to participate in and progress to higher education;

Be an engaged, values-based employer;

Be financially sustainable in the context of a dynamic higher education environment.”

A report detailing the results of the survey states that 1,856 university employees were invited to participate, and 52% did so – up by 11% since a previous survey in 2017.

The “engagement score” was said to be 66%. The report states: “The Employee Engagement Score measures the extent to which employees feel positively connected to their workplace. It is calculated by averaging the favourable ratings for four specific statements:

* I am proud to work at USW (65%);

* I would recommend USW as a good place to work (53%);

* I would still like to be working at USW in two years’ time (72%); and,

* Working here makes me want to do the best work I can (72%).

Engaged

The report states: “USW’s overall engagement score is 66%. With a 52% response rate, this suggests a significant proportion of colleagues are engaged with USW and what we do. Our Engagement Score is close to benchmark scores for the HE sector and Post-92 institutions [new universities created out of older HE institutions, many of which were previously known as polytechnics], which is an encouraging sign, but there’s still room for improvement, both for the Engagement Score and the response rate.”

The report also states: “The open comment responses were coded into categories. The people you work with were, by far, the most frequently cited positive aspect of working at USW. Colleagues also feel strongly about our purpose and the difference we make.

“However, many respondents didn’t feel involved enough in decision-making or have a clear sense of how we’re progressing against our Strategy. Learning and Development was another area where colleagues expressed a need for more opportunities.”

The report highlights four positive results:

* I care about the future of USW (92%);

* I am clear about the university’s legal obligations to provide Welsh language services (91%);

* My line manager treats me fairly and with respect (89%);

* People in my immediate team work well together (88%).

Poor

A lecturer at the university who didn’t wish to be named said: “The results are very poor in terms of the staff’s view of the university’s leadership. USW has had something of a troubled history since it was formed in 2013 with the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport.

“Rather than the coming together of two equals, it was a one-sided takeover, with most of the Newport side of things being closed down.

“There has also been a succession of strikes and, contrary to the hype in the staff survey report, there have been cuts, just like in other HE institutions.”

Since September 2021, USW’s Vice Chancellor has been Dr Ben Calvert.