UEB, 7 November 2016

• UEB received a paper outlining the College NSS action plans which updated on action being taken within the three Colleges in response to the 2016 NSS results. It was noted that it would be helpful for UEB and the University Academic Performance Group to see the full details of progress, School by School, together with a traffic light rating system.
• UEB received a paper on the College outcomes of the impact element of the Rolling REF.
• UEB received the School of Modern Languages and the draft of the University submission to the House of Commons Education Select Committee Inquiry: The impact of exiting the European Union on higher education. It was agreed that the University response would benefit from some of the facts on the Erasmus programme from the Modern Languages response and that these should be incorporated.  It was agreed that the University response should be merged with the academic submission from the School of Modern Languages to form one Cardiff University submission to the House of Commons Education Select Committee inquiry and the School of Modern Languages submission could be submitted as an academic submission.
• UEB received the draft of the University written evidence submission to the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee Inquiry: Implications for Wales of the EU referendum result. It was agreed with some minor additions to be submitted.
• UEB received a paper outlining an outward mobility programme. This paper has gone to the Welsh Government HE Brexit Group which the Vice-Chancellor sits on.
• UEB received a draft of the University’s modern slavery and human trafficking statement. It was agreed to recommend to Council that the statement be published in line with legal requirements.
• UEB received a paper on enhancing the routes to career independence. It was noted that that Professor Kim Graham had chaired a working group, comprised of academic and professional experts, to identify key challenges in supporting and enabling Early Career Researcher (ECR) aspirations at the University.  It was agreed to endorse the recommendations of the working group to develop Cardiff as an ‘early career University’ and that a paper outlining the terms of reference and the timeline of activities to achieve the recommendations, should be considered by UEB.
• It was noted that the TEF metric workbook for Cardiff had been received and Planning were currently working on what the metrics tell us and the steps we need to take. The TEF2 application needs to be submitted by 26 January 2017 and would comprise the metrics workbook accompanied by a 15 page narrative; further guidance was due to be received in November and a draft of the University submission would be considered by UEB in December 2016.
• It was noted that the Minister for Skills and Science, Julie James, had a very positive visit to the National Software Academy.
• It was noted that Professor Treasure had attended the launch of the Science and Innovation Audits in Manchester.
• It was noted that the Vice-Chancellor had attended a Russell Group-C9 meeting in Shanghai and discussion identified the opportunity to work together in the areas of skills, enterprise and students.

UEB received the following regular reports

• PVC Student Experience and Academic Standards monthly report
• PVC College of Physical Sciences and Engineering monthly report
• PVC Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences monthly report
• Estates monthly report