Sharing research equipment boosts industry in the north
The N8 Research Partnership has improved and updated its equipment-sharing database. This will make it easier to share apparatus from the region’s most research-intensive universities.
Nick Goldspink, interim co-director at N8, explains how the database's improvements will be a massive step forward to academics and to Northern industry, saving money, boosting efficiency and aiding research.
The UK Higher Education Learning Space Toolkit: a SCHOMS, AUDE and UCISA collaboration
This toolkit has been produced by three higher education organisations to help their members share best practice and work more effectively when creating learning spaces. It is intended to serve both as a practical guide and as a source of inspiration in the design of spaces that delight and motivate students, as well as meet their functional needs.
Efficiency Effectiveness and Value for Money report 2015
The Efficiency, Effectiveness and Value for Money report develops a new agenda for efficiency, effectiveness and value for money in higher education. It presents evidence, analysis and recommendations arising from a review of the sector led by Professor Sir Ian Diamond and coordinated by Universities UK in partnership with a wide range of sector organisations.
HERBi shared services tool goes live
A web-based tool that allows higher education institutions to explore the quantitative and qualitative costs and benefits of sharing services is now live. Project manager Simon Perks tells us more about how HERBi can help you.
Schools Planning Framework for Academic Leaders
The Schools Planning Framework project funded by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, seeks to explore the development of a practical application of a performance management tool, aimed at academic units. The report sets out the findings of the project as a case study based at the University of Lincoln.
Implementation of Cost-Sharing Exemption in Universities
N8 universities have been working towards utilisation of the VAT Cost-Sharing Exemption (CSE) for sharing of equipment through the development of an approved Cost Sharing Group (CSG) model. By using an existing shared asset - N8 high performance computing - as a model facility for setting up a CSG, the N8 hoped to demonstrate its value and viability.
ESISS: sharing information security expertise
Universities reap the benefits when information security expertise is shared ‘by the sector for the sector’, reports Dr Andrew Rothwell of Loughborough University’s Centre for Global Sourcing and Services. He talks to Matthew Cook, Ian Griffiths and Peter Darby about the Education Shared Information Security Service (ESISS) as a shared service.
Student journey map – Lancaster University
The overall aim of this project was to easily visualise and understand the complexity of the student journey. Through the project, the team wanted to identify those touch points on the student journey which were challenging and use this visual data to influence change.
Managing research contracts: Report for Brunswick Group October 2013
This report examines research contracts administration and includes benchmarking of resourcing levels and identifies best practice. Produced by Research Consulting for the Brunswick group of research intensive universities, October 2013.
Kingston City Group – forming a cost sharing group
The Kingston City Group (KCG) Consortium became a Cost Sharing Group (CSG) on 1 August 2013 under the UK Finance Act 2012 and is the first fully operational CSG in this sector. KCG provides services to the member institutions fully exempt of VAT, thus providing real cost savings. Maria Vetrone is the Managing Director of KCG and she shares some of the lessons being learned along the way.
