Internal Communications: UAS Conference

The UAS Conference is a one-day information and training event for staff who work in University Administration and Services (UAS) or who work closely with UAS departments. It is an annual event organised jointly by Public Affairs and the Academic Administration Division’s communications team.

Background

The conference was an initiative that resulted from a communications survey, carried out in December 2008, to assess the efficacy of internal communications across the collegiate University. Among the issues highlighted by the survey were the need for:

• More opportunities for individuals to provide feedback on current projects
• A more coordinated approach to sharing resources and best practice
• Better provision for inducting new staff at a University-wide level
• More networking events for staff from across the collegiate University.

Developing the conference

The first conference was held in September 2009. Its main aims were to: provide information about the range of services and projects within the University's administrative functions; offer staff an opportunity to discuss issues affecting their work; and allow people to learn new skills and meet colleagues from across the collegiate University.

In order to achieve these aims, the event was structured around five main elements:

• Short presentations to offer a quick introduction to a particular subject
• Workshops to allow people to discuss projects or learn new skills
• Networking events to enable people engaged in similar roles to meet one another
• Information stands to allow people to speak to departments and service providers on a one-to-one basis.
• Poster displays to provide an overview of a project or service.

2009 Conference

The day consisted of six break-out sessions, in which participants could choose from 85 presentations and workshops of either 15 or 45 minutes in length. There were 31 information stands and 32 poster displays to browse during the breaks. 21 departments and 5 external organisations participated in the event, which was attended by approximately 700 people.

2010 Conference

The 2010 conference followed a similar format to 2009, but with some minor changes in response to feedback. The day consisted of five break-out sessions, with a range of 73 presentations and workshops of either 20 or 50 minutes in length. There were 39 information stands, and the day concluded with a Question Time session, featuring a panel of five senior University officers. 25 departments and 10 external organisations participated in the event, which was attended by approximately 660 people.

2011 Conference

The 2011 conference consisted of four break-out sessions, with a range of 67 workshops and presentations of either 25 minutes or 1 hour in length. There were also 33 information stands, and the day concluded with a Speakers’ Question Time featuring senior University and College officers. The event was attended by 780 people: 35% from UAS, 40% from departments, 18% from colleges, and 7% external presenters.

2012 Conference

The 2012 conference was held on 18 September in the Examination Schools. It comprised five break-out sessions, with a range of 83 workshops, training sessions and presentations. There were also 34 information stands and 10 lunch-time activity sessions. The event was attended by 914 people: 41% from UAS, 41% from departments, 13% from colleges, and 5% external presenters. Further information about the event is at www.ox.ac.uk/uas_conference.