Strategy Development with UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology

Developing a robust strategy is crucial during major institutional change to ensure a clear direction and cohesive vision. It allows organisations to align goals, resources, and efforts effectively. Engaging all stakeholders in the strategy development process is essential, enabling diverse perspectives to be considered, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to shared goals.  

'Working with Strive Higher was energising. They brought their experience and enthusiasm and immersed themselves seamlessly in the culture of our staff and Institute'.

-Professor Andrew D. Dick, Director of Institute of Ophthalmology

The brief:

The Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO) and Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will co-locate their services in 2027. This co-habitation will foster closer collaborative working and harness shared expertise, to reach even greater heights in research excellence, education and service quality for patients. To support this collaboration, a new 5-year strategy for the IoO was required to facilitate the integration of these areas towards shared goals.  

Following on from the successful facilitation of a two-day strategic planning event in June 2024, Strive Higher were re-commissioned as a co-creation partner to develop the full strategy. Key stakeholders in leadership positions across the collaborative partnership came together to co-create the core components of the new strategy, including a vision and mission, a set of strategic goals, guiding principles around the cultural environment needed for success and the high-level roadmap to 2027 and beyond. 

Our approach:

Building on the success of the strategic planning event, we worked closely with the client to develop a collaborative vision for the future. Through a mixture of whole institute meetings, Principal Investigator away days and one-to-one meetings we ensured key stakeholders were identified to engage in the design process, ensuring we had met all the identified needs. We worked closely with a steering group to bring all these elements together to ensure we supported delivery of a strategy which represented the diverse needs of these groups as effectively as possible. 

The strategy was developed iteratively, enabling us to test out different ideas as they emerged from stakeholder feedback and iterations, and combine ideas in ways which were authentic to the vision and purpose of the Institute as it moves into this new phase of working. This included working with stakeholders from across the IoO’s partnerships to ensure that the direction of travel would still harmonise once services were co-located. 

Outcomes:

• A fully developed and ambitious strategy through to 2030, identifying strengths and building on successes which will support delivery of the vision and mission for the next five years 

• Strategic pillars identified, helping focus activity and enabling ambitious yet realistic goals to be set

• Reshaping the approach to Discovery Science and Impact to enable new conversations and research collaborations to flourish 

• A short and a long-term action plan helping map the journey to 2027 and beyond, focussing on success and setting the foundations for a new Target Operating Model to be developed 

Read more about our Strategy Development and Transformation & Change service offerings.