Mission Development & Approval & Review
Policy
1. Definitions
1.1 Vision Statement
- A vision statement is intended to reflect the President’s views as the leader of the University in terms of the image and the aspirations that UD wants to accomplish in the medium or long term. It may also be inspired by the pillars and standards of international accreditation bodies for high quality education.
1.2 Mission Statement
A mission statement is defined as a statement of UD’s core purpose that distinguishes UD from other universities and provides it with the directions for making decisions to achieve the institutional vision. It outlines the University goals and objectives, and guides the strategies to accomplish those objectives.
The mission statement encourages learning experiences appropriate for University-level Business, Information Technology (IT), Law and Engineering students that promotes students' development as managers and/or professionals.
1.3 Linkages
All CAA/AACSB/ABET standards are linked to the UD mission statement as shown in Appendix I, followed by the Planning Process at the college/unit level, shown in Appendix II.
2. Financial Strategies
2.1 Financial Factors
While drawing the mission statements at both the institutional and college levels, the University management must take into consideration the financial resources required to finance the initiatives and activities associated with the University and college missions. All programs must have sufficient and realistic financial support/resources to sustain and improve current programs, and to implement planned programs and prioritized initiatives.
Adequacy of Program Funding
A college must ensure that it has sufficient financial support to sustain the quality of education in the offered programs. A college with only campus-based undergraduate programs would normally be expected to provide sufficient classroom and computing facilities for students, student advising, faculty development including instructional enhancement, library and other information access, technology assistance and support for faculty intellectual contributions. With the addition of graduate level programs would come expectations for applied research support.
The main funding entails the following main areas:
- Appropriate staffing: highly qualified faculty and professional staff to service different areas of work.
- Technology: IT Infrastructure enhancement to fit the needs for activities, e.g., campus-based learning, blended e-learning, research and executive education. Technology support for students and faculty is crucial to the offered programs and to the intellectual contribution expectations (e.g., databases, data analysis programs). While it is not possible to spell out in detail the configuration of infrastructure required for every combination of educational programs and expectations, it is possible to state some resource needs of particular concern for Business, IT, Law & Engineering education. Modern Business, IT, Law and Engineering are highly information-dependent and learning requires sufficient up-to-date technology hardware, software, assistance, and instruction.
- Facilities: Facilities needs including classrooms, offices, laboratories and other basic facilities must be adequate for high quality operations, communications and computer equipment.
- Support Services: Support services for students and faculty activities must be adequate. Student advising and placement services must be appropriate to programs, student populations and to faculty and staff professional development expectations (e.g., leave schemes, travel support).
2.2 Relation to the Mission Statement
Strategic planning makes clear what the action items are, when they will happen, what they will cost, and the financial resources that will pay for them. This information will facilitate planning and shows how activities relate to the college's mission. The college should accompany the table with a narrative explanation of the enhancements to mission fulfillment that will come from enactment of these action items and an explanation of any implications of these action items for revisions to the mission.
3. Mission Development
3.1 Process
- The development of University (UD) and colleges’ missions follows the broad steps outlined below:
- Stakeholders (external and internal) are identified, and their impact and influence on UD and colleges are determined and analyzed. The UD and college responses in terms of its ability to react and respond are developed.
- The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) are analyzed by the (ad-hoc) Committee for the Implementation of the Strategic Plan (CISP).
- The existing mission statement is reviewed and evaluated by the CISP in light of the analysis of the SWOT and its linkages to the UD and colleges’ missions. Then, a new mission statement is developed.
- The newly developed mission statement is distributed to the principal stakeholders including faculty, students, alumni, Business Advisory Councils and the university’s administration for their input. A letter to each stakeholder should include the new mission statement and information to serve as a guideline on the definition of the mission statement as highlighted in the factors to be considered in the development of mission statement indicated earlier in this policy.
- The Chairperson of the CISP discusses with each group of the stakeholders their views on any changes in the mission statement.
- Input from various stakeholders is considered, as appropriate for the final developed mission statement.
- The final mission statement of UD is reviewed and approved by UD’s Board of Trustees.
- The approved mission statement is used as a basis to develop the UD and college objectives to be accomplished, the strategies to be developed to achieve the objectives and the policies that will guide UD and college administrations’ thinking in the implementation of the strategies.
- This process is an ongoing and continuous process; however, it should be reviewed periodically within a five-years period
3.2 Factors to be Considered
The following factors have to be considered while developing the UD and colleges’ missions:
- Linkage to the local and international standards (e.g. CAA/AACSB/ABET): The accreditation standards must be clearly linked to the mission statement. These standards include mission statement, mission appropriateness, student mission, continuous improvement objectives, and financial strategies.
- Customers: The primary customer for UD is the student and the secondary customers are the private (business) and public sector employers and the community at large.
- Services: The UD principal services include educating students, preparing them with skills and competencies for entry into the workplace, and contributing positively to the business and professional development of the community.
- Technology: The use of computers by the students and instructional technology by the faculty.
- Market: The UD’s geographic market centers primarily around the large cities in the United Arab Emirates with a secondary market that includes the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region and other parts of the world.
- Inspiring Quality: The UD’s vision in particular and the mission statement in general must be motivating and stimulating to the reader.
- Concern for Growth: The mission statement must reflect UD’s desire to grow through increased offerings, enrollment and tangible and intangible resources.
- Philosophy: The specific beliefs, values, and philosophical priorities of UD may include a higher learning process, preparing students for career choices in the private sector, government or as entrepreneurs, with a strong reflection of Islamic values, etc.
- Concern for Public Image: UD’s primary concern is that the students, businesses and government communities view the University as a critical and a driving force for a student’s entrance into the workforce.
3.3 General Mission Expectations
In general, the appropriateness for higher education implies learning experience and career preparation that goes well beyond skills training. It conveys an expectation of education about the context within which Business, IT, Law and Engineering careers develop, as well as capacities for direct applications of functional skills. Students should comprehend the "why" and the “how” of doing things.
3.4 Consonance with Institutional Mission
Normally, the college will be a part of a larger institution. The mission statement of the college should be complementary to the mission of that larger institution. Discussions with participants in the colleges and participants in the institution will disclose agreement in goals. Institutional practices will enhance the effectiveness of the college and vice versa.
3.5 Specification and Demonstration of Intellectual Contributions
The mission statement or associated documents include a definition of the intellectual contributions appropriate to the mission. This definition may be made in terms of content, in terms of audience, or both. The competition-induced evolution of Business, IT and Engineering practices in a global business environment creates a subject matter for education that changes rapidly and relentlessly. The college must continuously enhance the intellectual capital and capabilities of the faculty to ensure that instruction keeps pace with the subject matter.
The college mission statement includes a description of the college's emphasis regarding intellectual contributions of faculty members. The portfolio of intellectual contributions reflects the mission and includes contributions from a substantial cross-section of the faculty in each discipline.
3.6 Importance of Student Characteristics in the Mission Statement
No feature of the degree programs of a college is more influential in determining the educational practices of the college than the characteristics of the student population. What happens in classrooms, online, in-group projects and in individual study are all influenced by students' backgrounds, educational experiences, cultural history, work experiences, family relationships and other characteristics. These features will influence pedagogy, instructional content and non-curricular experiences. Program design and faculty development should take student characteristics into consideration.
3.7 Inclusion of Stakeholders
The Institution and various colleges should follow a procedure that fits with its context to develop its mission statement. The standard insists that, whatever the procedure is, it must include the viewpoints of "various stakeholders." In all cases, the participation of people who represent different salient viewpoints regarding the college's goals is required in the process. At a minimum, the stakeholders involved in creating the mission statement should include administrators, faculty members, students and employers.
3.8 Professional Judgment in Mission Statement Creation
During the creation of the mission statement, professional judgment about the appropriate level and content of higher education for Business, IT, Law and Engineering must come from the college's stakeholders. The stakeholders shape the mission statement to reflect their understanding of proper goals. Different stakeholders will have different relative advantages for this task. Administrators, members of the faculty and other academics will, through their knowledge of other higher education institutions, have an understanding of learning and other intellectual outcome expectations suitable in higher education. Members of the business community (alumni, employers and other interested representatives) will bring knowledge about expectations for discipline education that fits with the demands that graduates will face in their careers. These and other stakeholder groups will help to shape the mission through the variety of perspectives they contribute to the discussions and processes that establish the statement.
4. Relation to Planning & Decision Making
The institution and colleges must clarify how the mission statement assists in setting objectives and making management decisions for the University or college. Does the mission statement help in setting priorities among potential initiatives? Does the mission statement help stakeholders (administrators, faculty members, students, employers and business partners) know whether they can anticipate that the University or college will fulfill their expectations? Does the mission statement drive decisions for use and development of resources? Do the operations of the University or college display the influence of the mission statement? Conversely, does the mission statement reflect the array of University or college activities?
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The college's programs and activities are guided by its mission statement. The mission statement provides a shared understanding of program direction that connects participants' actions and provides a common basis for learning.
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The University or college disseminates its mission statement widely to interested parties.
5. Mission Periodic Review
Finally, periodic review and revision of the mission statement as appropriate is required. The mission statement is viewed as a relatively stable description of the University or college's intentions, but the statement should be reviewed regularly (normally every five years) to see if it should be modified to accommodate changes in populations served, or changes in other circumstances of the University or college. In some cases, review of the mission statement may show that it remains applicable and should not be revised. However, when the mission statement no longer fits with the goals of the University or college's stakeholders, it should be amended to make an accurate reflection of the University or college’s aims. Revisions, like the initial creation process, should involve all stakeholders.
6. Mission Approval & Publication
The UD mission statement must be approved by UD’s governing body prior to any sort of publication. The UD & college mission statements shall be "published" on UD's website and brochures describing the colleges and its programs. The statements may also be published in university’s publications as deemed appropriate.