Section 4: BIMM Strategic Plan Aim 1: To provide a specialist vocational music education for students whose primary goal is to work within the music industry Offer degrees in subjects that truly reflect the needs of the music industry, aiming to anticipate change and be in a position to satisfy demand from student customers and employers as contemporary music and the music industry evolve over time Be uncompromising in our emphasis on excellence in creative, academic and technical achievement, while simultaneously ensuring every student explores the broader context of his or her subject, acquires sound understanding of musical principles and the structure and complexity of the music industry Employ tutors who have very high levels of technical, academic and creative skills, have sound musical knowledge and have substantial experience in the music industry, whether in performance, the studio, in composition, production, in management, in business or as is usually the case combinations of the above, and who are great educators supported and developed by BIMM Offer students a broad range of super-curricular experiences, such as gigs, master-classes, visits, exchanges, the BIMM Album all designed to broaden, enlighten and inspire, and in some cases reflect real-world music industry activities Facilitate work-based learning and internships, encouraging students to learn through real work in real industry settings. This growing aspect of our education offer is enabled by BIMM s everdeveloping connectedness with the music industry Encourage and develop links and networks across our own college and inter-college communities, obviously in band development, but also in many other kinds of creative and technical and business collaborations between writers and musicians, producers, managers, with participation from both current students and BIMM alumni. Each collaboration mirrors real industry equivalents and builds to provide a community of practice As far as possible maintain and develop technical resources that reflect those employed in industry. Explore the potential of sponsorship-in-kind arrangements with leading equipment brands. As the BIMM brand equity grows, this becomes an increasingly attractive possibility Work hard to ensure that the exceptional quality of experience we strive for is available to and shared by all students. We believe that continuous improvement and enhancement lies at the heart of excellence in education Going forward, ensure that BIMM is at the forefront in music education in the response to and anticipation of the impact of digital technology on music creation, production, distribution, consumption and business. 1
Aim 2: Continue to grow and develop BIMM s connectivity with the music industry Continue to develop our regional and specialist Industry Advisory Panels. These three- or fourmember panels, recruited from industry leaders, are at the College of BIMM s connected strategy Work with our extraordinary community of tutors so that together we can benefit from their valuable links with the music industry Continue to expand and develop our Colleges valuable links with local venues, studios, complementary education partners (e.g. film schools), music retailers and other organisations Build on the tremendous success of our UK festival circuit partnerships, offering opportunities for student bands and support musicians and vocalists to perform, business students to help organise and all students to help out in a million other ways Develop innovative ways to attract and work with new industry partners, being aware that BIMM s growing and evolving influence makes for an ever-changing landscape of opportunities to forge great new partnerships Continue to develop and grow student work experience partnerships with organisations local to our Colleges, but also at national and international levels Continue to build and promote the hugely successful BIMM Alumni community, and develop more and better ways to enable both Alumni and the current cohort to benefit from networking and collaboration, while enabling Alumni to share their own industry connectedness in mutually beneficial ways Be on the lookout for Big Ideas in connectedness. Sometimes ambitious, audacious even, ideas work out. As we get bigger and better we can perhaps be bolder. 2
Aim 3: To place excellence in teaching and learning, and in student achievement and progression, at the heart of all that we do Maintain academic standards through robust Quality Assurance procedures that are understood and used effectively by all members of the team and reflect national standards at HE and FE Levels Operate effective processes for the design, approval and review of the curriculum Ensure our students are supported to develop their academic, personal and professional goals Ensure that our students are equal partners in the assurance of quality and the enhancement of learning opportunities Continue to work closely and in generous and collaborative spirit with our key education partners Continue to provide regular motivational development and training for all staff, in order to support the delivery of excellent teaching and learning Provide progression routes through from Level 3 to BA (Hons) and Post Graduate Levels with a range of possible exit points to suit the needs of individual learners. Progress plans to extend our specialist PG Cert Programme for musicians wishing to work in education to Masters level Develop our Masters level provision in close collaboration with our awarding institutions Continue to support students through an excellent tutorial and counselling system. 3
Aim 4: Acknowledge that the student experience and student satisfaction are of huge importance to the individuals who study at BIMM Always treat our students with respect and generosity and work hard to help them achieve their best potential Recognise that our students are genuinely talented individuals and that youth and inexperience can be huge assets in creative life: encourage them, inform them, inspire them, challenge them, but never limit them Experience at the new BIMM Manchester has taught us that an exciting, high quality but informal physical environment can significantly affect student experience. Already we have learned that Manchester s large connectivity space is helping students create networks and form collaborations. We intend to find affordable ways to bring some of this magic and improved facilitation to the existing Brighton College. We will be able to carry what we have learned forward to new Colleges in future expansion plans Our research has shown repeatedly that the most important influence on students experience of their time at BIMM is the quality of and tutors teaching. We will continue to recruit tutors who are not only consummate professionals with impressive industry experience, but are also gifted teachers, personable and inspirational individuals Listen to students as our partners in their learning and their personal and career development taking their views into account, as we adapt and improve the student experience. 4
Aim 5: To maintain strong financial management and governance to underpin growth Operate strong and effective systems of financial control and reporting Operate and develop effective MIS systems which are responsive and reliable in order to actively support business decision making Operate effective procedures for risk assessment to ensure risks are appropriately identified and managed Continually improve and deepen our understanding of our existing & new markets, the competitor landscape, educational, demographic and other trends to support business decision making Focus on our student as customers, understand their changing needs, objectives and aspirations so that we can always make a sound and accurate business response Work to recruitment growth targets that are achievable yet suitably challenging Monitor the health of the business on a continuous basis, with responsive checks and balances to maintain optimum operation To ensure appropriate governance is in place through a supervisory or main Board of Directors, which will comprise non-executive members with experience in both education and the music industry. 5
Aim 6: Continue to develop and effectively market the BIMM brand and individual BIMM Colleges and courses Successfully launch the refreshed BIMM branding in 2014 Roll out the new branding in all media by September 2014 Continue to improve the BIMM website, making it more responsive and increasingly relevant to users needs Continue to improve the writing, design and effectiveness of all BIMM communications Continue to build BIMM s social media presence Encourage student and alumni social media networking Continue to pursue broadcast and print media PR opportunities, to pro-actively manage our messages Begin a focussed and managed project to build BIMM s international media profile Begin a low-profile campaign to promote the message that BIMM is now the leader in its education industry sector. 6