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Report of the Universities Scotland Efficiencies Taskforce 2015

Scottish efficiency strategy ‘on course’ says taskforce chair

The second three-year efficiency strategy for higher education in Scotland is on course and already delivering results, Professor Sir Ian Diamond says in a document marking the end of the strategy’s first year.
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Data capability toolkit

This toolkit outlines a process to guide higher education data collectors and providers through an assessment of data management maturity and the development of an improvement plan to achieve the benefits of operating at a higher maturity level and mitigate the risks of doing nothing.

A guide to evidencing the benefits of business process improvement – University of Strathclyde

This guide describes how higher education institutions can evidence benefits of business process improvement. It outlines how to quantify benefits throughout a typical project life-cycle for process redesign / process modelling activities and demonstrates how to gather, record and communicate the information to allow for more accurate reporting of a project's impact.

Shared services – Jisc shared data centre – case study – June 2015

Jisc has joined forces with Infinity SDC and six anchor tenants to provide a shared data centre for research and education. Potential benefits significant cost savings through aggregating requirements across tenants.

Shared services – Out of Hours Helpline – case study – June 2015

A subscription-based, shared service providing first and second line support with IT and library queries to students and staff.
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New toolkit aims to reduce data duplication

The Higher Education Data & Information Improvement Programme (HEDIIP) has published a data capability toolkit, which aims to help higher education professionals improve the foundational aspects of data management and governance. The toolkit allows institutions to develop an improvement plan with anticipated benefits including the reduction of data duplication.
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An efficient solution to researchers’ identity crisis

Next week’s Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA) annual conference will include a session on how universities are implementing the ORCID researcher identifier. Ahead of the event, Jisc’s Verena Weigert explains how ORCID is enabling more effective research management.

Reducing your ICT energy costs – Jisc guidance published

With UK universities and colleges spending £147m a year in ICT-related energy costs, making financial savings is essential and can have environmental benefits. Reducing your ICT energy costs is one in a series of guides around green ICT produced by Jisc.
Collaboration and shared services in UK higher education

Collaboration and shared services in UK higher education: report launch

Today sees the launch of a report on collaboration and shared services in higher education, which was commissioned by Efficiency Exchange. The report’s co-author Andrew Rothwell explains that with shared services "the best is yet to come”.

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.