1. General provisions

1.1. The order lays down the structure and responsibilities of the Rectorate Strategy Office (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”).

1.2. The Office has been established an operates in compliance with the Statutes of the Administrative and Support Units.

1.3. The Office is directly subordinate to the Rector.

1.4. The name of the Office in English is Rectorate Strategy Office.

2. Main objective of the Office

The main objective of the Office is to support the strategic management of the university in compliance with the Statutes of the Administrative and Support Units by providing the information and framework required for management and to coordinate the necessary activities and processes.

3. The structure and responsibilities of the Office

The Office shall:
3.1 support the work of the Rector, coordinate the university’s Strategic Plan, its implementation and monitoring, coordinate the university’s strategic projects, manage changes and coordinate Rector’s or university’s other strategic activities, both national and international, where there is no other unit responsible for the action;
3.2 provide advice to Vice-Rectors and other members of the Rectorate if necessary, analyse and monitor consistency of the various processes and strategies of the university and coordinate the development of the university’s opinions or positions if necessary in compliance with the university’s Strategic Plan, mission and vision;
3.3 support the Rector in conducting annual reviews, coordinate regular monitoring of the university’s implementation plan and development projects and evaluate the effectiveness of development activities, share best practices and make proposals for better management of the organisation if necessary;
3.4 coordinate the university’s information policy and the collection of information required for management, as well as its legal framework; coordinate the monitoring of the university’s key indicators and metrics and data management;
3.5 direct and coordinate the general management processes in the Rector’s area of responsibility at an operational level and keep the university’s interactive quality manual (www.smart.taltech.ee) up to date;
3.6 develop the data warehouse concept, coordinate the implementation of the concept and the development of the data warehouse;
3.7 maintain an overview of the organisation (processes, services, portfolios and their management) in line with the quality concept and monitor the existence of the owners, persons responsible and regulations;
3.8 provide advice, participate or manage the planning and implementation of changes of strategic importance to the university;
3.9 ensure availability of the information required for management – data, analyses, summaries, reviews, strategic positions, etc. which it collects from various parties, units and spokespersons;
3.10 plan and coordinate the processes necessary for the development of university-wide strategic plans (developing the Strategic Plan, etc.);
3.11 establish a functioning cooperation network of experts and professionals in order to develop strategies and policies;
3.12 identify, in cooperation with the heads of the areas of responsibility, the potential obstacles to achieving the strategic goals;
3.13 direct the implementation of the quality system and principles and monitor the quality indicators;
3.14 regularly monitor risk management in cooperation with the process owners;
3.15 coordinate change management, maintain a portfolio of changes and organise ex-post evaluations and sharing of best practices;
3.16 ensure an up-to-date overview of the organization’s processes, harmonise the overall picture of the processes and help to plan changes in processes by observing the principles of synergy;
3.17 ensure the smooth flow of information required for management and the functioning of the data warehouse and coordinate the network of analysts working in other units;
3.18 coordinate horizontal networks for university-wide processes, initiate and manage strategically important or cross-sectoral projects if necessary;
3.19 communicate, in cooperation with the Marketing and Communications Office, the university’s strategic goals to stakeholders and external partners;
3.20 regularly monitor international rankings and coordinate the representation of the university in them;
3.21 seek partnerships if necessary and coordinate the policy of engagement in international networks and cooperation actions.