Becoming a Lean University: the case of the University of St Andrews

Abstract

This article looks at how “lean” can be successfully introduced into a higher education setting by discussing what has become known as ‘The St Andrews Model’. The article demonstrates that “lean” can be adapted to suit the particular circumstances of an institution. Lean, underpinned by a manufacturing heritage, and the subject of a small but growing collection of academic and practitioner analysis, is readily transferrable to other sectors. This article will show that although the model draws on a common body of knowledge, there is not a one size fits all approach. The successful implementation of a lean programme is not an overnight activity; it is, rather, a journey where learning is done by doing.