Guiding principles
There are six guiding principles that underpin the University's mission and inform all our strategic decisions. They combine to constitute a shared framework for our activities.
Although our guiding principles need to be applied to changing situations and conditions, and to chart new ways of working, we see them as enduring over time. They stand as the touchstone of the kind of university we aspire to be, guiding the choices we all make in our daily work.
The case studies listed show examples of our six guiding principles in action.
Achieving ExcellenceExcellence indicates the very highest quality, significantly exceeding the norm, as reflected by the 'Made in Sheffield' stamp. It reflects a refusal to accept the ordinary. We aim to create an environment that supports and promotes success, encouraging staff and students to achieve and excel.
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Working TogetherSolutions to important problems depend increasingly upon collaboration: between staff and students, across disciplines and in partnership with others locally, nationally and internationally. We aim to build inclusive teams, maximising the benefits of difference and drawing on the skills and potential of the widest possible range of colleagues.
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Cultivating AmbitionWe set challenging and important goals. We are willing to grapple with the most difficult intellectual and practical problems of our time and are not easily daunted. We want to attract and retain people with ambition and to provide them with the opportunities to realise their dreams and develop their talents.
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Protecting the FutureWe have to think beyond the short term. In order to safeguard our core academic activities and the student experience for the future, we must ensure that our research and teaching are sustainable. We need to use resources effectively, transparently and responsibly and to be resilient and adaptable in the face of change.
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Making a DifferenceUniversities are one of society's engines of change. We seek to create, discover, share and apply knowledge through teaching and research in ways that make a difference and ensure that our work has a genuine cutting edge. We also want to make the experience of being part of the University something that shapes the life and prospects of everyone who comes here.
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Leading the WayWe believe that universities have a responsibility to look ahead to important new problems and to offer intellectual leadership to society in response to them. We expect our staff to be leaders both in their fields and in the governance of the University and we encourage our students to think how they too can shape the world both now and into the future.
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