How do you demonstrate the success of efficiency projects?
The University of Strathclyde is gathering information about how higher education practitioners demonstrate the success of their business improvement projects. The university’s business improvement manager Heather Lawrence explains how you can help.
The efficient lab – maximising the use of scientific research equipment
The S-Lab programme aims to improve laboratory efficiency and effectiveness in all dimensions, including scientific value, resource efficiency and staff well-being. Director Peter James discusses the laboratory good practice and improvement ideas that that have emerged from the S-Lab award scheme and events.
Raising the status of procurement in higher education
Procurement has the potential to play a major role for universities by maximising investment and supporting the strategic objectives of institutional leaders. Emma Keenan describes how the Higher Education Procurement Academy (HEPA) is helping to raise the status of procurement within universities.
Celebrating success
Universities are this nation’s success story and their enduring value is something to be celebrated, says Universities UK president Professor Sir Christopher Snowden, reflecting on how the sector nurtures learning and invention while pursuing value for money.
Sharing equipment – a welcome efficiency?
The dramatic cuts in capital funding in 2011 rocked academics working in scientific research. However as Lancaster University VC Mark Smith reports, this shock to the system has enabled the concept of equipment sharing to gain real ground.
The benefits of collaboration in procurement
Collaboration in procurement is nothing new, but is becoming ever more important as universities seek to double their capital spending, Rex Knight writes.
Data platform launched to encourage more efficient medical research
An affordable cloud-based infrastructure has been launched by Jisc and the University of Leicester to manage a growing volume of data that is threatening to overwhelm researchers. The Biomedical Research Infrastructure Software Service (BRISSKit) platform seeks to make data sharing and collaboration easier, saving time and reducing infrastructure costs.
The higher education estate – hard investment choices for universities
The quality of a university’s facilities influences my choice of institution, say a majority of students. But Andrew May warns that capital funding cuts are leaving universities with hard choices about their future investments in estates.
Developing and supporting a sharing culture
Collaboration has led to efficiencies in areas such as procurement and shared services, but it can be a challenge to embed this culture. The University of Nottingham’s Paul Greatrix shares his experiences of a successful collaboration with the University of Birmingham.
Procurement ‘health checks’ inspire high performance universities
Universities seeking ever higher standards in their procurement are benefiting from a comprehensive measuring tool. Susan Wright, head of the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium, explains how the Procurement Maturity Assessment programme has inspired real changes in English HEIs.
