Discover and share good practice for smarter working universities

Brunswick agreements

Template agreements for use between institutions with reference to materials transfer, research collaboration and studentship. Produced by the Brunswick Group.
Martin Marley in laboratory

Martin Farley: ‘my work should never harm the science, but rather aims to improve...

Straddling the disciplines of facilities management and scientific research support, the sustainable labs co-ordinator is an emerging role in universities. Rosie Niven meets Martin Farley, who became the first such appointment in the UK when he was hired by the University of Edinburgh and has since moved to King’s College London to take on a similar role.

Sir Ian Diamond: ‘We can improve… by sharing best practice’.

In an interview with Efficiency Exchange, Professor Sir Ian Diamond reflects on how universities have adapted to become more efficient.
S-Lab logo

S-Lab – time for consolidation and long-term planning

S-Lab, the programme that aims to create more sustainable laboratories, has grown rapidly and now needs to consolidate, and become less dependent on a few individuals,...
Jisc logo

UK research secures new national data centre

A new Jisc shared data centre housing the data of six leading UK scientific and academic organisations will enable the sharing of high volumes of data. The facility represents a significant example of asset sharing in the sector with the potential to deliver cost savings and reduce the procurement needs of institutions.
Scientific research equipment

Raising the return: the benefits and opportunities from equipment sharing

Sharing equipment will be a key theme in Professor Sir Ian Diamond’s forthcoming report on efficiency in higher education. Sarah Jackson and Luke Georgiou introduce findings from the study of this activity which show that it is helping to advance scientific research while delivering value to the public purse.
S-Lab logo

16 – 17 September: Supporting World Class Science conference: Leeds

Booking is now open for S-Lab's Supporting World Class Science conference, focusing on all aspects of laboratory design, management and use, which will appeal to managers, researchers and teachers, estates, facilities, procurement, technical and other support staff. Many of the sessions are drawn from the shortlisted entries for the 2015 S-Lab Awards.
S-Lab logo

‘Supporting World Class Science’ conference – final programme

The final programme is now available for the S-Lab ‘Supporting World Class Science’ conference and awards dinner at King’s College, London on 1-3 September 2014.

Portsmouth University investigates sharing IT facilities with city schools

Portsmouth University, together with Portsmouth City Council, has won funding from the Higher Education Funding Council (Hefce) to investigate ways of sharing resources.
N8 logo

Northern 8 Universities (N8) equipment sharing toolkit launched

The N8 Equipment Sharing Toolkit (EST) was launched in February 2014 at the University of Manchester. Sarah Fulton from the University of Sheffield explains the open and collaborative process behind the project's success.