Leaders brief: Future Foundations and EDI

04 Nov 2026

Professor Sarah Sharples, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, explains how modernising our systems through Future Foundations and embedding inclusion through our EDI Framework are turning our ambitions into practical change.

From Manchester, for the world sets out our vision for a university that is collaborative, digitally enabled, data-informed and organised for success. Achieving that vision means investing in the systems and services that help colleagues do their best work and focus on what matters most for our students, research partners and communities.

As leaders, we have an important part to play in helping colleagues understand what’s changing and why. We also need to listen to questions and concerns and think about how our own decisions can support simpler, more inclusive ways of working.

Programmes such as Future Foundations are an important part of this. Through investment in modern systems, improved services and better use of data, we're putting in place the foundations to help us work more effectively as One University. The introduction of Oracle Fusion in November will bring together People and Finance processes into a single system, helping to simplify everyday tasks and improve access to information. Release 1 in November is an important first step, but there is more to do. Getting used to new systems takes time and effort, and we're making sure colleagues have support along the way. 

But systems are only part of the picture. How people experience working and studying here is what really matters. 

Our new EDI Framework also launches in November, helping us make Manchester a place where you matter. Shaped by people across our community, it focuses on three priorities: Building fair foundations, Advancing community and global justice, and Playing our part. These priorities connect the systems that shape everyday experiences, our civic and global role, and the responsibility we all share for our culture. Together, they will help us put fairness and inclusion at the heart of how we deliver Manchester 2035.

As these improvements take shape, please make time to talk with your teams about what they mean locally and how you can make a difference. Ask what is clear, what needs more explanation and where colleagues need support. It’s these conversations, and how we respond to them, that will help make these improvements work in practice.

Thank you for the work you are doing to support colleagues and turn our ambitions into practical changes across the University.

Professor Sarah Sharples 
Vice-President and Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering 
Academic Sponsor, Future Foundations