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Strategic Planning and Operational Planning

2. Policy 

  1. UD is committed to develop, periodically review, and update both long-term strategic and short-term operational plans, which are mission-driven; include goals, objectives, key performance indicators, time frames for action, and targets; are linked to the institutional budget; and are regularly reviewed by the BOT.

  2. UD Shall include in its planning processes the principles of innovation and sustainability.

  3. UD documents its planning policies and processes to include, among others, specific strategic plans and operational plans for research, community engagement, and sustainability.

  4. UD ensures that the results of institutional research and risk management are used to guide planning, budgeting and resource allocation.

  5. UD involves stakeholders, advisory boards, and international practitioners in its planning, where appropriate.

  6. UD includes in its strategic planning a plan for institutional and program international accreditation/reaccreditation, and affiliations with international institutions, as appropriate.

  7. The strategic plan will cover a period of five years from the date on which the plan is approved and the BOT will review a status report and reaffirm the plan on an annual basis or more frequently if necessary.

  8. Each department within the university shall develop annual operational plans that align with the broader strategic goals. These plans should outline specific objectives, activities, timelines, and resource requirements.

3. Strategic Planning Procedure 

The UD strategic planning process consists of  the following four major phases: 

3.1  Analysis of Current Conditions: 

This phase includes the following: 

  1. Scanning the External Environment: 

This involves the identification of various stakeholders and determining its impact on UD in terms of whether it has a resisting role (a threat to worry about) or a supporting role (an opportunity to build on). Participation of appropriate stakeholders is essential in this phase. Appendices I & II are used for this purpose. A stakeholder is defined as a person, group, organization or entity (inside or outside UD) with an interest or concern to UD. Employers, alumni, students and faculty are surveyed. Results are disseminated to appropriate personnel for planning purposes. 

        B. Analysis of the Internal Environment: This involves the following: 

  • An analysis of the organizational structure for UD. 

  • Analysis of the internal activities related to meeting the accreditation requirements of the MOE-CAA/AACSB/ABET standards.  Appendix II is used for (i) & (ii).

  • The identification of the internal stakeholders affected by (i) and (ii) above. 

  • Determining the impact of (iii) on UD in terms of whether it has a resisting role (a weakness that needs attention) or a supporting role (a strength to take advantage of).  Appendix III is used for this purpose.

 

       C. Analysis of the Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, and Strengths (SWOT) facing UD to determine new recommended strategies.  A vulnerability analysis is also performed to                     determine the magnitude of the threats facing UD in terms of its ability to react and respond to such threats. Appendix IV is used for this purpose.

 3.2  Strategy Formulation (The Strategic Plan):

 

                      This phase includes the following: 

  1. Evaluating the existing vision and mission statements in light of the analysis of (SWOT) and the results of the stakeholders’ surveys made in their linkage to the mission to determine whether or not any changes have to be made. 

  2. Updating and linking the existing objectives to the updated vision and mission statements. 

  3. Updating the existing strategies and policies in light of the updated objectives.

3.3  Strategy Implementation

                     This phase includes the following: 

  1. Development of appropriate programs to implement updated strategies and policies. 

  2. Determining the responsibility for program development.

  3. Determining the responsibility for program implementation and follow-up. 

  4. Developing appropriate procedures/activities along with expected target, timeframe and required resources (as needed).

3.4  Assessment (Evaluation and Control)

This phase is intended to measure actual performance (assessment results) against planned objectives to ensure that the planned objectives are accomplished on schedule, and take corrective action to ensure continuous improvement.

 

4. Operational Planning Procedures 

The UD operational planning process consists of the following:

4.1 Development of Annual Operational Plans

  1. On a yearly basis each department at the university must develop their operational plan which outlines the specific initiatives and projects/activities necessary to achieve the strategic goals defined in the organization's strategic plan. 

  2. At the conclusion of each fiscal year, every administrative department is required to formulate its operational plan for the upcoming year. This process typically takes place in November and December to align with the fiscal year. The template for the Administrative Operational Plan is available in Appendix V.

  3. Colleges are to finalize their operational plans for the upcoming Academic Year during the June/July period in preparation for the approaching academic cycle. The Academic Operational Plan template is available for reference in Appendix VI.

4.2 Alignment of Strategic Goals:

  1. The operational plans of each department shall explicitly link to the university's strategic plan, contributing to the achievement of the overarching goals and objectives.

  2. Operational plans should support and contribute to the overall mission and vision of the university.

4.3 Resource Allocations:

  1. The departments shall allocate resources, including budgetary allocations, to support the implementation of operational plans. Resource allocation decisions will be guided by the strategic priorities and the university's overall financial strategy.

4.4  Performance Metrics:

  1. KPIs shall be established to measure the success of operational plans. Regular monitoring and reporting on performance metrics will be conducted to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.

4.5 Communication & Documentation:

  1. Once the manager of each department completes their operational plan they must get approval and signatures from their line manager, mainly the VPAA or DOA. Signed OP’s are kept with the QAIE department.

  2. Clear and regular communication about the university's strategic and OP’s will be maintained with all stakeholders. This includes sharing progress updates, successes, challenges, and any adjustments made to the plans.

  3. The university will strive for transparency in the strategic planning and operational planning processes. Documentation related to plans, progress reports, and reviews will be made accessible to relevant stakeholders.

4.6  Monitoring & Evaluation:

  1. The progress of operational plans will be periodically monitored through quarterly assessments, evaluating achievements against established KPIs.