It was a pleasure to welcome the members of Council and other guests from Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th April for the annual UWC RCN Council meeting here on campus. Our Council members continue to act as our supporters, our bridge-builders, and our voice across the Nordic region.
The Council gathers once a year on campus and the Board twice a term, alternating between College visits and other locations throughout the Nordic region.
Beyond the formal Council meeting, we designed this year’s programme in a way that provided members with concrete opportunities to engage with students and staff, through careers workshops and focus groups on areas of strategic importance, and to contribute to the present and future architecture of Red Cross Nordic
2015 marks the end of the time period for the current UWC RCN Strategic Plan. We are embarking on the consultation phase essential for the drafting of a strategic plan and to ensure that it complements the development of UWC International’s strategic plan. With this in mind, we set up some Strategic Focus Groups on Friday afternoon – open to Council members including alumni, guests, education and support staff and the newly elected Student Council – for discussion of certain areas identified by the Board.
We are a unique college within the UWC, with our Nordic heritage and partnership with the Red Cross – and it is important that we work alongside all constituencies, including the essential contributions of our Board and Council, to establish a strategic plan which preserves the values, traditions and spirit that distinguish the community but, at the same time, prepares the College and the students for the demands of a new world.
Our aim is, in the end, to produce a concise and meaningful articulation of the strategic plan which we can use both internally and share with pride with external stakeholders. Development and action plans will follow to ensure the implementation of our plans but it essential that we keep the strategic plan succinct and accessible. With this in mind, it is worth considering that the Ten Commandments were written in 297 words, the American Declaration of Independence in 300 – and the EU Directive for Exporting Duck Eggs an unfathomable 26,911 words!
Our strategic goal is to fulfil the UWC’s mission and values – delivered inspiringly and succinctly in 94 words – and this shall drive the strategic plan.
On Friday morning, the UWC RCN annual report – a printed encapsulation of our work and reflection on the year gone by – was released to coincide with the annual Council meeting. Please see the Report here.
The Council Meeting was followed by a wonderful dinner, coordinated by our Events students and staff team, in the Høegh – with performers from the March African Cultural Show reprising some of their acts for the after dinner entertainment.
Thank you to all those who contributed to the programme for our Council members and guests.
Here are some photos from the events.
Larry
Rektor
