Connecting with people

AUA

External Network

The Association of University Administrators is the professional body for higher education administrators and managers in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The AUA aims to connect and develop HE professionals.

aua.ac.uk/

Business/Institute Managers (BIM) Network:

Internal Network

Bringing together the Business and Institute Mangers from across the University, the BIM Network seeks to develop the exchange of ideas and culture between those in similar roles. We are looking to involve a broad array of managers and are enthusiastic to meet and discuss our different ways of working, experiences in the university and organisational cultures.

If you are interested in being involved or have any queries, please direct these to iris.hofmann@idrm.ox.ac.uk. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Education Administration Community of Practice

Internal Network

The Education Administration Community of Practice supports the development of a professional identity for those working in education-related professional services roles across the collegiate University.

We believe that creating more opportunities for colleagues to meet with each other to develop and share good practice will foster an increased understanding of the value of education administration in the context of Oxford and the wider UK sector, enhancing the university’s mission to provide students with an excellent academic experience.

Find us on our Teams page

Professional Services annual conference

Internal Network

The Professional Services Conference (formerly the UAS Conference) provides an opportunity for colleagues in professional and administrative roles to get together and engage with issues impacting the University.

Visit the Staff Gateway, Professional Services Conferences page for further information.

The Business Continuity Network (BCN)

Internal Network

The Business Continuity Network is a thriving community for all staff involved in any aspect of business continuity work across the central and collegiate University. Routinely, the network meets via Teams on the first Wednesday of every month and has an in-person Annual Meeting in Trinity Term. In the event of a major incident or disruption, meeting frequency will increase as appropriate.

Teams Meetings last 30 minutes and include: horizon scanning for potential disruptions, business continuity planning guidance, sharing best practice and answering questions. There is a dedicated Teams channel for resource sharing and communication between meetings.

Please contact Neil Unsworth, Head of Risk & Resilience, for more information: neil.unsworth@admin.ox.ac.uk

Career support network    

Internal Network 

Confidential and impartial career advice for administrative and support staff.

Further information is available on the People and Organisation Development website.

Continuous Improvement CoP

Internal Network

The Continuous Improvement CoP provides a forum in which staff can learn from each other, share CI successes and inspiration and seek and offer support. Whether you’re a complete CI novice or someone bringing experience, you can join our growing network of like-minded colleagues seeking to make positive changes in our daily working lives. You can access the CoP via the Focus LaunchPad where you can also download a joining pack that provides more information about what the CI CoP  can offer.

EDU supported networks including - BME staff network, Disabled staff network and LGBT staff network    

Internal Network

Information on equality-related staff and student networks, including networks supported by the Equality and Diversity Unit.

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion network

Internal Network

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion network is for all staff involved in any aspect of EDI work in the University, including Athena Swan, race equality, and staff development and inclusion more broadly. It is a friendly, informal group which aims to share good practice and provide advice and support to EDI professionals. The group meets four times a year and has a dedicated Teams channel for resource sharing and communication between meetings.

Please contact Charlotte Smith for more information: charlotte.smith@rdm.ox.ac.uk.

The Wellbeing Staff Network

Internal Network

Join the staff network created by the Wellbeing Programme team, a place for all staff with an interest in this area to share wellbeing ideas, resources and best practice across Departments and Divisions. If you want to take it one step further and contribute directly to wellbeing initiatives throughout the University, apply to become a Wellbeing Champion. 

Communications Community

Internal Network

Supporting Oxford’s communications community through collaboration and capacity building. A weekly Digest email shares campaign information, questions from the community, tools and tips, training opportunities, and job vacancies.

Any member of staff with communications as part of their role can subscribe. To do so, please send an email to communications-officers-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk asking to be signed up.

To send messages to the list, send an email to communications-officers-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk – eligible items will be included in the next Digest email.

CIPR    

External Network

Royal Chartered body for public relations professionals. Committed to professional standards and lifelong learning, supporting the careers of our members and building public understanding of PR.

Further information is available on the CIPR website.

CIM

External Network

The Chartered Institute of Marketing is a professional marketing body.

More information is available on the CIM website.

The Change Community Forum

Internal Network

The Change Community Forum is a network for anyone with an interest in introducing and managing change.  Membership is broad and currently includes people working in business change and communications, Focus continuous improvement activity, departmental change projects, business analysis and project management.  We meet every 2 months and are keen to broaden our engagement.   We hold project showcases, hear from guest speakers, and work to share best practice.  We like to hear how challenges have been overcome and successes achieved so we can learn and improve approaches for future change initiatives.  Someone somewhere is always working through similar issues!  A great place to go with questions, and to talk through challenges in an inspiring, supportive, and confidential forum.

Join our growing group for an opportunity to collaborate and network and contribute towards improving approaches to change across the University. 

Advancing Oxford

Internal Network

The forum for development, alumni relations and communications staff across the University of Oxford. Advancing Oxford brings together over 500 staff working across more than 80 different departments, colleges, alumni societies and the overseas offices to engage, to network and to learn – whilst simultaneously showcasing the immense impact of philanthropy across the collegiate University

www.advancingoxford.ox.ac.uk/

CASE

External Network

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is the global non-profit association dedicated to educational advancement—alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services—who share the goal of championing education to transform lives and society.

www.case.org/

The University EA PA network group

Internal Network

The University EA PA network group is a growing network of University EAs and PAs. We share best practise on all professional services which we provide. We are friendly and enthusiastic and we warmly welcome other PAs and EAs to join our network. We also sometimes meet for lunch or dinner. 

Please email lucy.curtin@phc.ox.ac.uk to find out more. 

Growing Good Governance Internal Network

Internal Network

The GGG is a newly created space (July 2023) in which academic and professional services staff can engage with others involved in governance related work across Oxford. We aim to share good practice from both within Oxford (UAS, departments, divisions and colleges) and from outside. A place for debate, sharing of best practice, a forum for seeking advice on those tricky day to day dilemmas that we can be faced with and a source of information for colleagues navigating their way through the Oxford committee structure.

You can contact Lara.McCarthy@admin.ox.ac.uk, Sarah.Cowburn@admin.ox.ac.uk or louise.hasler@admin.ox.ac.uk for more details and access to our Teams site.

Compliance and Risk Network

Internal Network

The CRN aims to enable professional services staff across the whole University (UAS, departments, divisions and colleges) to keep in touch with the central Risk & Resilience team and each other, to share best practice and knowledge in an environment where resources are limited and compliance requirements only ever seem to increase. We meet termly and also have a Teams site for sharing information and seeking advice between meetings.

Contact niamh.young@admin.ox.ac.uk for more information or request to join the Teams site.

Safety Network

Internal Network

The Safety Network is an extensive community comprising professional safety advisers and other safety role-holders. Its purpose is to provide advice and support to all areas of the University.  It also provides direct support to the University’s
Safety Executive Group and links with the Consultative Committee for Health and Safety. Safety Organisation | Safety Office (ox.ac.uk). 
Members of the Safety Network are connected via a dedicated Teams site and work is coordinated across the Network by a Steering Group.  Please email enquiries@safety.ox.ac.uk to find out more.

Universities Safety and Health Association (USHA)

External Network

USHA promotes safety and health in higher education ensuring the wellbeing of university staff, students and visitors.  It produces statistical analysis of the sector’s H&S performance, runs events seminars and conferences, and publishes professional
standards and guidance documents.  USHA leads the way with consultation and lobbying on national policies on the world stage, and offers members a community of support, knowledge sharing and networking.

More information can be found on the USHA website.

IOSH

External Network

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health is a global organisation for health and safety professionals.

Further information is available on the IOSH website.

Green Impact channel

Internal Network

For Green Impact members and others who are promoting environmentally sustainable practices across Oxford University and colleges, to share resources and support networking, knowledge exchange and news.

Request to join with this link. For more questions contact sustainability@admin.ox.ac.uk

Sustainable Lab Leaders

Internal Network

A Teams channel to connect lab practitioners in promoting sustainable lab through LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) by sharing resources and informal discussions.

Request to join with this link. For more questions contact sustainability@admin.ox.ac.uk

Internal and External Network    

The Technician Commitment is a sector-wide initiative led by the Science Council, in partnership with the Gatsby Foundation, and currently has over 60 signatories. Information on activities at national level can be found on the Technicians make it happen campaign website.

The commitment has five strands: Visibility, Recognition, Career Development, Sustainability and Evaluating Impact.

Further information can be found on the HR support and Technicians.org.uk websites.