Rosalyn Marshall: University shows how partnership can break down barriers

HAROLD Wilson said "He who rejects change is the architect of decay", and dramatic change is going to be essential to the survival of those UK organisations facing up to the current economic challenges.

At times like this, the notion of partnership working tends to rise to the top of the agenda as a solution to funding problems. Managers facing stark choices need to be creative and look beyond the obvious choice of partners to make the changes necessary to secure their future.

Scottish Government, local government, Scottish Enterprise, the NHS, universities and colleges all have a role in continuing to deliver vital public services and address major social and economic issues with reduced funding. Staffing establishments are being reduced and hard decisions are being made to cut services. Managers and staff are seeking new ways of working, breaking down the barriers of bureaucracy and endeavouring to continue to improve public services in a very challenging environment.

The relocation of Queen Margaret University from Corstorphine to the east of Edinburgh is a good example of partnership working that has borne fruit. Faced with choosing between growth or a slow death in decaying buildings, the university decided to relocate to Musselburgh, just within the East Lothian Council border in 2002. Moving 5,000 students and 500 staff was a considerable challenge and was only achieved by the university working closely with local politicians and the local community.

Others, too, saw the potential benefits of such a move, and both Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government contributed much-needed funding to the project. As a result of this joint effort, by 2007 the university had created the most sustainable university campus in the UK and the community had gained an award-winning new asset.

But the realisation of the campus was only the beginning of a new era of collaborative working and new lessons have been learned in fostering a creative approach to partnerships. First, looking beyond the higher education sector for collaboration ideas can have very exciting results and achieve each organisation's corporate objectives.

Secondly, collaboration and partnership working isn't easy. To engage successfully means being open and clear about your own objectives and being prepared to listen to and learn about your partners' objectives - and then think creatively together about how more can be achieved for less. At the same time, of course, you are also managing your own organisation in difficult and complex times. But the rewards are well worth the investment in time.

Finally, staff can gain considerable personal development through collaboration, as well as bringing about successful projects more efficiently.

In 2008, QMU's partnership with East Lothian Council was cemented with a collaborative agreement that has already delivered a number of projects in business, drama and education of benefit to the community and to the university as we continue to secure our future sustainability.

This year, QMU signed a ten-point collaborative agreement with Jewel and Esk College that commits the institutions to explore potential for business efficiencies. We also expect this to enable us to help more students attain higher educational qualifications, secure better jobs and strengthen the economy in sectors such as health and tourism.

Through innovative collaborations, we can all break down barriers between services to benefit society in practical and cost-effective ways.

• Rosalyn Marshall is the vice-principal of Queen Margaret University.z