Consultancy
Trigger for change
In 2015, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (HU) decided to centralise its support services. The Executive Board aimed to improve quality while reducing costs. Within the Education Logistics Transition (TOL) programme, the process domain of internships and graduation was identified as critical. The fragmented organisation of these processes called for an integrated redesign and a university-wide approach, focused on standardisation and improved information provision.
The processes surrounding internships and graduation varied significantly between programmes. Some courses devoted half of their curriculum to work placements, while others were largely theoretical. The lack of standardisation and central systems led to inefficiencies, lack of clarity and additional workload. The challenge was to harmonise these processes without losing sight of the diversity between programmes, while at the same time reducing costs and improving quality.
Process harmonisation
BPM Consult was asked to support the redesign of the processes. In workshops involving academic staff and internship offices, university-wide processes were developed. Variations between faculties were identified and standardised where possible. Where necessary differences remained, tailored solutions were provided. This resulted in a broadly supported design that allowed for both consistency and flexibility. The main challenge was to create a single design for more than 115 degree programmes.
To support the new processes, the OnStage system was implemented across HU. Using a phased approach, around 300 staff members and lecturers tested and implemented the system per faculty. In addition, the Careerzone application portal was introduced, enabling students to manage their internship process independently. This also gave lecturers full visibility of students’ progress and communication. As a result, the target satisfaction levels for both students and lecturers were successfully achieved.
Results
The objectives have been achieved: a 20% cost reduction and an improvement in quality. Processes have been automated, data is no longer entered twice, and files are complete. Students and lecturers now have real-time insight into progress. As a result, delays can be identified and addressed more quickly. Staff can take over each other’s work, which enhances flexibility and collaboration. Transparency and compliance with accreditation requirements have improved significantly thanks to the uniform approach and central systems.
“It was exciting to deliver seven projects while also achieving a reduction,” said Sandra van Beek. “But I am proud of the team. Their commitment to education is our strength.” Programmes are now taking the initiative themselves to use OnStage for other educational processes, such as minors and exchange programmes. The central approach has led to greater understanding, better collaboration, and more efficient deployment of staff within the Practical Affairs Office.
Self-organisation
HU is working towards fully self-managing teams within the Practical Affairs Office. Through weekly stand-up meetings, teams discuss improvement points, complaints and capacity issues. Staff allocate the work among themselves and share insights with other locations. Lean methodologies support this development. Collaboration with education and the professional field is becoming increasingly intensive and is a key priority for the future. Teams are growing closer and are showing a stronger sense of ownership in their work.
In the coming years, HU aims to make better use of the data from OnStage. With 36,000 students in the professional field each year, a great deal of valuable information is available. By using this information more intelligently, education and practice can be better aligned. The ambition is to further develop the Practical Affairs Office into a proactive, data-driven partner in educational logistics. There are still many opportunities to improve accessibility and information use.
