Applying the Open Government principles to the Strategic Planning Process for Higher Education Institutions: A Sound Practice

摘要

This study presents an innovative exercise based on the application of the main principles of open government (transparency, openness, participation and collaboration) to strategic planning in higher education institutions (HEI, henceforth). Pablo de Olavide University has designed and launched an online platform for participation in the 2014-2016 Strategic Plan (see http://www.upo.es/gobierno-abierto/plan-estrategico-2014-2016). Directly connected with the introduction of open government policies in such university, this initiative is open to anyone wishing to contribute their proposals and suggestions to the new UPO Strategic Plan. The online platform is the result of the joint work of a multidisciplinary team comprised of university staff; from the ICT department, the postgraduate area, the library, and coordinated by the Vice Chancellor of ICT, Quality and Innovation and the Rector's Delegate for Strategy, Prospective and Entrepreneurship. We have all designed an open, participative process based on two main pillars - stakeholders' roundtables and an online platform (http://www.upo.es/gobierno-abierto/plan-estrategico-2014-2016) - which includes the application of two key technological tools (Uservoice and Wordpress). The philosophy of the Strategic Plan, based on the stakeholders' approach (see Freeman 2004), along with the implementation of the open participation processes, is a sound practice which promotes new work-flow dynamics in higher education institutions. The target was to launch a system which not only involved the university's primary stakeholders (students, teachers, researchers and administrative staff) but also the secondary stakeholders (firms, institutions, suppliers, etc.), which would then contribute with their proposals and votes to the achievement of the university's strategic goals. In its first month of existence the online platform received 3269 visits and 1875 new visitors. Around 100 proposals (actions) have been uploaded and distributed among seven strategic goals. Most of these proposals have been openly discussed and voted on by 204 registered users. During May 2015, the online platform for the annual Strategic Plan monitoring is opened again to the whole university community so that you can rate, comment and vote in open those values reached by the various indicators and actions taken during 2014 (http://www.upo.es/gobierno-abierto/plan-estrategico-2014-2016/). The adoption of this philosophy results in more efficient strategic planning in higher education because it promotes open discussion, participation and reflection. Moreover, the principles of open government encourage a collaborative workflow and the identification of stakeholders with the corporate goals, thereby enhancing their commitment to the success of the strategic plan.