Resources and services to support efficiency.
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.
Academic Career Frameworks: Key to Change?
Bournemouth University’s new career frameworks for academics are the subject of a longitudinal study funded by the Innovation and Transformation Fund. Here is a report from 2015 setting out the findings gathered to date.- Amazon Web Services via Janet network
Provides improved connectivity and reduced bandwidth charges for Janet members connecting to the AWS cloud. - 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. - Analytics in higher education
Universities already collect vast amounts of data about their student populations, but often this is underutilised. This Universities UK report, written in partnership with Civitas Learning and Jisc, sets out the case for better use of analytics in higher education through effective implementation of appropriate technology and techniques. - AUDE updates its toolkit for sustainable estates
An updated version of the Model of Estates Costs has been published by AUDE, which feeds into its toolkit providing guidance for a sustainable estate. The toolkit, which is backed by a number of higher education funders, was put together to improve the tools available to institutions for the management of space in the sector. - Big change vs small changeExaminations at Edinburgh Napier used to be a complicated process. This cartoon case study on redesigning the university's examination process shows how a series of small changes saved time for students and staff while improving security.
- Brunswick agreementsTemplate agreements for use between institutions with reference to materials transfer, research collaboration and studentship. Produced by the Brunswick Group.
- Change management
A guide providing evidence-based research from projects involving large-scale change, focusing on: organisational efficiency, the student experience, business and community engagement and environmental performance. - Cloud and Data Centre Framework
Cloud computing and the co-location of systems and services for data storage can help institutions drive down costs and drive up performance. Jisc provides advice and guidance on selecting solutions and suppliers of cloud and data centre services. - Cloud Services for Education AgreementsIncludes exclusive amendments and due diligence on contractual documents for Microsoft Office 365. We are also preparing to offer due diligence on Google Apps.
- 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”. - CREST – Consortium for Research Excellence, Support and TrainingProvides an innovative model for how to further research excellence and promote institutional and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- DARE – Digital Academic Records ExchangeSecure online delivery of degree certificates, transcripts, Higher Education Achievement Reports (HEAR) and other student data. A Digitary service hosted at ULCC.
- 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. - Demonstrating HE Efficiency and Effectiveness
This report focuses on how universities continue to deliver value for money in a climate where income is reducing in real terms and competition is increasing, while finding recurrent savings which will enable them to make necessary investments. It includes examples from universities across the UK where universities are saving money through efficient estate management. - Developing the next generation – Brunel University
A guidance and good practice resource for the leadership development of early career researchers and academics, based on a research project funded by the Leadership Foundation's Innovation and Transformation Fund. - Developing the tools to navigate the student journey
Last week Claire Povah explained how Lancaster University mapped the student journey, in a bid to better understand their needs. Today, Chris Dixon explains how the map informed the development of apps to give students a smoother start to academic life. - Development of an Academic Intern Scheme
This project will develop a professional development scheme for postgraduates interested in an academic career. This intern scheme is designed to offer an innovative and inclusive way to expose postgraduate taught and research students to wider academic skills, practices and processes, whilst providing an opportunity to see the workings of a higher education institution. - Digital Curation CentreCentre of expertise in digital information curation. Provides advice and practical help for storing, managing, protecting and sharing digital research data.
- Digital Preservation and Data Curation Requirements and SolutionsSolutions and practical help for tackling everyday digital preservation issues.
- Dropbox for TeamsCloud-based storage service to sync teamwork across all devices. We are negotiating a special price for the research and education sector.
- EDITORIAL. Never Alone: Universities’ key role in supporting students’ wellbeing and mental health
Among the many issues universities are currently concerned about, students’ mental health and wellbeing have become a core concern. According to a YouGov’s survey (2016) a quarter of our students suffer mainly of depression and anxiety, or, mostly, both combined. The need to perform, financial worries, and being in a different and new social environment can all contribute to making students feel overwhelmed at times. The IPPR study Not by Degrees (Thorley, 2017), however, paints an even more disturbing picture. - 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. - Engagement driven approach to process improvement – University of Hertfordshire
This report describes a project to develop an approach to process improvement within Higher Education that focuses on people, acknowledges their different perspectives and uses these perspectives to enhance capability. - Equipment sharing: how to make an impact (and evidence it)
Dr Hamish McAlpine from the University Bath and Dr Steve Trowell from the University of Exeter talk about the simple steps we can take to become more efficient in how we support equipment through its life. These steps are also very amenable to measurement, offering the opportunity to benchmark and improve over time. - 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. - From Bricks to Clicks – the potential of data and analytics in higher education
![da65f36912537305b9631de0284b94ff[1]](http://www.efficiencyexchange.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/da65f36912537305b9631de0284b94ff1-150x150.png)
Big data and analytics are being used by businesses to have more understanding of their customers and products in order to spot opportunities and to become more efficient and more innovative. This report recommends that Universities UK, Jisc and HESA work together to develop a strategy for excellence and innovation in data management and analytics. - G-CloudProcurement programme and online catalogue of government approved cloud computing commodity and support services.
- G-Cloud: universities can use new online marketplaceG-Cloud is a UK Government initiative to encourage the adoption of Cloud Services across the whole of the Public Sector as well as the higher education sector. It aims to simplify how the Public Sector buys and delivers services by creating a marketplace of pay-as-you-go commodity services that can be easily scaled up or down, based on the changing needs of an organisation and its users.
- GeM – the online store for HE and FEeMarketplace and contracts repository for Higher and Further Education sectors offering sector negotiated and approved contracts.
- HE Shared LegalSubscription-based legal guidance service for UK HE institutions. Includes help desk and assistance with engaging legal advisers. Operating on a pilot basis, with HEFCE funding.
- HEPI Where next for widening participation and fair access?
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and the social mobility charity Brightside are jointly publishing a collection of essays by senior higher education figures entitled Where next for widening participation and fair access? New insights from leading thinkers. - 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. - Higher Education Estates Statistics Report 2016UK Universities’ response to the efficiency agenda and their own income generating projects have helped them to increase their income to a record £30bn. In its annual estates management report, AUDE reveals that despite a challenging funding environment and a decrease in home students, the sector grew by £2bn in one year.
- I-MAP project, November 2012
The i-MAP project set out to review the new programme development and launch processes within universities and to determine if there was any scope for improved efficiency. It recommends early financial and market scrutiny during the development of programmes to increase the proportion that achieve strong and sustained market appeal. - i-MAP study, September 2015The follow up to the original i-MAP project finds that a significant number of higher education institutions that adopted i-MAP's market-led approach to academic programme development saw increased levels of efficiency in their processes.
- 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. - Integrated Reporting in four British universities
*** Reposted with working link *** This document is intended to assist universities in their transition to this new approach to 'value creation', just as universities start thinking about producing annual reports and accounts for the latest financial year. It is the second phase of BUFDG's work in encouraging universities to adopt Integrated Reporting. - Integrated Reporting in HE
The Integrated Reporting framework offers an opportunity for universities to develop their annual reports into something more accessible, with a potential audience beyond regulators or governors. This study gives a snapshot of reporting at seven universities, showing that while some are starting to report in far more integrated ways, even the best examples have room for improvement. - Introduction to Higher Education FinanceBUFDG's free e-learning module Introduction to HE Finance includes tackling questions such as where universities' money comes from and how it is spent. It has been will made available to professionals working outside finance departments to complete the course who don't have a full BUFDG account.
- Janet products and servicesJanet provides advice, services and brokerage for networking, cloud, collaboration and connectivity.
- Janet VideoconferencingEnables communication and collaboration at a distance.
- Jisc SSL certificate service
Here at Jisc, we have been helping customers protect their websites through our certificate service. The service allows customers to obtain secure socket layer (SSL) certificates which are a vital part of internet security. - 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. - Kit-Catalogue – making sharing easier
Kit-Catalogue is a online database that can help universities to keep track of equipment, internal and external technology gaps and also to identify equipment sharing opportunities. Developed by Loughborough University and funded by Jisc, promotes better use of assets within and between institutions and makes them available for public and commercial application. - Leadership Foundation launches guide to efficiency for governorsGetting to Grips with Efficiency explores the concept of efficiency and the efficiency agenda within the higher education sector. As part of the Leadership Foundation's guide for governors series, it seeks to provide governors with the information to help guide their institutions to greater efficiency and to plan for new reporting requirements that may push them to go even further (log-in required to download publication).
- Letter from BIS to HEFCE calls for annual efficiency reports
HEFCE has been urged to work with Universities UK and the sector to deliver the recommendations of Professor Sir Ian Diamond’s efficiency reviews, in the latest letter from the business secretary. The letter also calls for the production of annual reports monitoring progress on efficiency, both for the sector as a whole and from individual institutions. - LUPC’s Shared Procurement Service opens for business
LUPC's Shared Procurement Service opens for business This first-in-sector collaboration offers an in-house procurement resource for smaller institutions, helping them deliver maximum value from their spend. The initial participating members are the Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music . - Making the best better – efficiency and effectiveness in higher education – report for BISMaking the best better – efficiency and effectiveness in higher education – report for BIS
- Managing research contracts: Report for Brunswick Group October 2013This 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.
- Managing university performance: is there a better way?Treating professionals as stewards of their disciplines and setting clear goals can both contribute to effective performance.
- Model letter of agreement – equipment loansModel letter of agreement for equipment loans between institutions, developed jointly by Cambridge University and the Association of University Practitioners.
- Model letter of agreement – facilities sharingModel agreement for sharing facilities between institutions, developed jointly by Cambridge University and the Association of University Practitioners.
- N8 highlights the impact of asset sharing across UK universitiesThe report, which reveals asset sharing's role in delivering innovation, increased productivity, and maximum value for public investment, helped to shape Thursday's Efficiency, Effectiveness and Value for Money report by Universities UK.
- New online resources available as part of ARMA’s training programme
The Association of Research Managers and Administrators has launched a webinar series, providing members with a new training route on a broad range of topics and issues - New toolkit aims to reduce data duplicationThe 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.
- Open Data as Open Educational Resources
This collection of case studies put together by Open Education and Universities UK aims to demonstrate the enormous potential for openly-licensed and accessible datasets to be used as Open Educational Resources. The book can be viewed free of charge online. - Open data in HE intro guide UUK
This introductory guide is intended for professionals working in universities who wish to gain a better understanding of the issues associated with using open data within their institutions. The guide is based on training workshops run by the Open Data Institute for the ‘Creating value from open data’ project. - Participative Process Review – toolkit
The process reviews developed by Oxford Brookes have been specifically designed to enable teams to subsequently self-facilitate further reviews. This toolkit introduces the concept of carrying out process reviews to professionals working in higher education. - Performance for allPerformance management software service used by over 50 universities.
- Portsmouth Cost Sharing Group Investigation
In April 2014 HEFCE gave an award to the University of Portsmouth to explore the feasibility of setting up a cost sharing group to deliver IT services to education providers across Portsmouth, in collaboration with Portsmouth City Council. This report, published in February 2016, sets out options for sharing resources with potential participants. 
Procurement as a strategic asset – report for Efficiency Exchange – July 2013Report commissioned by the Efficiency Exchange to gather material to showcase the strategic value of procurement to the sector and how it can raise its profile, especially at senior leadership levels.- Procurement: a guide for governorsIn order to achieve a successful procurement model it is important to win over not only those who work in procurement but all employees in an organisation. This guide examines the role of governors in in overseeing procurement, part of their responsibility in ensuring universities achieve value for money.
- Putting Students at the Heart of Our Processes – University of Leicester
This report is a guide to the University of Leicester's exploration into whether connecting senior leaders more closely to the student experience created an impetus for organisational improvement. It contains information on “what works” in engaging senior leaders and seeks to provide insights for institutions looking to develop similar approaches. - Reducing your ICT energy costs – Jisc guidance publishedWith 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.
- Schools Planning Framework for Academic LeadersThe 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.
- Scotland’s efficiency programme hits its targets early
Scotland's higher education efficiency programme has fulfilled almost all of its targets, just two years into a three-year plan. - 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. - Shared Data Centre SpaceShared data centre space for research and education, connected by the high speed Janet network.
- Shared services – Jisc shared data centre – case study – June 2015Jisc 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. - Sharing IT services and the law – Jisc LegalIncludes contractual implications, sharing personal data, ownership and Freedom of Information.
- 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. - Sharing research equipment: how can we do it better?
Last year staff from Jisc set out to better understand institutional and researchers' needs around sharing research equipment. Senior co-designer Daniela Duca reveals the team's findings. - SHERPA REF BetaA web service funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to clarify journal compliance with the Research Excellence Framework (REF), has been launched in beta form. Jisc's SHERPA REF Beta allows authors and institutions to quickly, accurately and easily check whether a journal they wish to publish in complies with open access policy for the REF.
- Strategic sourcing in UK universities: becoming ‘intelligent customers’Universities are beginning to discover the benefits of new business models in their dealings with suppliers, say researchers at the University of the West of England. They argue that institutions should become ‘intelligent customers’, which will involve investment in new skills, changes in culture and raising the profile of procurement and supply professionals.
- 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. - SUPC – supporting sustainability procurement
While sustainable procurement is no easy task, it is becoming increasingly important to higher education institutions in the UK. As a key service provider of collaborative procurement solutions to the higher education sector, SUPC is exploring ways to support members in the procurement of goods and services that provide value for money, benefit society and the economy, while also minimising damage to the environment. - Tax in higher education institutions
BUFDG has produced a concise, accessible briefing on Tax in Higher Education Institutions. It uses non-technical language, and is written in a way that is clear and accessible to those who aren’t tax experts. It’s aimed at anyone involved in the management, leadership, or governance in HEIs. - The Keepers Registryinformation about the archiving arrangements for electronic journals.
- The P3 Project – People, Performance and Process, Bangor University
A project to bring the questions of people and performance together with lean methodologies has been developed by the Aber-Bangor Strategic Alliance with funding from the Innovation and Transformation Fund. - The Procurement Journey: a ‘how to’ guide from HEPA
The Procurement Journey gives procurement professionals and wider institutional buyers access to a comprehensive 'how to' guide to procurement, including a wealth of useful materials, standardised documentation, up-to-date legislation information, and references to appropriate external advice websites. It has been professionally reviewed, and is now available online for use across the sector. - The risks and challenges around large investment, transformation and change programmes in higher education
This document highlights the key issues and risks institutions should consider in managing institutional change and investment programmes and the sorts of questions non-executives should be asking. It is part of a series of documents around the theme of managing risk in higher education, each one focusing on different issues [registration required]. - 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. - Universities Scotland: Working smarter – progress report 2013This report from Universities Scotland reviews progress against the action plan developed by the Universities Scotland Efficiencies Taskforce in 2012. It reflects on the success of the sector across four themes: procurement, shared services and business process improvement, estates management, and ICT.
- University of London Computer CentreServices include hosted Moodle VLE, business systems, infrastructure services and digital preservation.
- Using technology to innovate: new MOOC from the Association for Learning Technology
The Association for Learning Technology (ALT) and its members organised a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) earlier in 2013 to help managers and teachers use technology in Higher Education. - Value and Impact Toolkit
This project aims to develop a holistic approach to understanding and evaluating the value and impact of services that support students. Outputs can be used to assess the value and impact of the student services that universities offer. - VAT exemption for cost sharing groups: new guidance from Hefce
HEFCE has published guidance on VAT exemption for cost sharing groups delivering shared services. It includes illustrative examples of cost sharing groups and alternative delivery structures. - Working for a smarter, stronger sector: efficiency and effectiveness in higher education progress report November 2013Progress report on efficiency and effectiveness in higher education - Universities UK November 2013
- WRAP information sheet – want to cut the cost of food?
Throwing food away costs much more than just the waste disposal bill; there is the cost of the food itself, the fuel in cooking and the time staff take to prepare it and throw it away. This information sheet by WRAP shows what you can do to cut costs relating to food waste.
