Rosie Niven
Rosie is the content editor at Efficiency Exchange
Could a cashless campus be more efficient?
Could going cashless on campus form part of an efficient business model for HE institutions? In a blog for University Business Steve Simmons, an accountant at the University of Birmingham, explains how a cashless payment pilot is working out.
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.
Report reveals more efficient use of higher education estates
Universities are becoming more efficient at using their estates, having achieved a reduction in space and property costs, a report by AUDE on the sector's 26 million m2 property portfolio reveals. The report suggests a list of indicators to measure the performance of the entire HE estate.
University plans for student-friendly financial information – due 31 October
Universities are being asked to publish income and expenditure information drawn from their financial statements on their websites in a way that is useful and accessible to students. The deadline for informing Hefce how they intend to do this is 31 October, ready to publish details from their 2013-14 audited accounts by January 2015.
Efficient estate management: five lessons from local authorities in the west Midlands
Since early 2010 local authorities in the West Midlands have taken steps to save more than £170 million using their property portfolio more efficiently. Here are five measures that these councils are taking to make sure that their estates are being used efficiently.
Diamond warns against complacency over efficiency agenda
Much has been achieved in the drive to make universities more efficient and effective, says Sir Ian Diamond in an article for ModernGov. However, he adds that there is no room for complacency and more needs to be done to maintain UK Higher Education's standing (registration needed).
Graphene innovation centre to boost portfolio of shared assets
A Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) being developed at the University of Manchester will bolster the portfolio of shared assets supporting collaborative research, after it was awarded £15 million of funding from HEFCE.
Diamond report expected to inform 2015 spending review decisions, minister says
The final report of the Higher Education efficiency review can play an important role in informing decisions at the next Spending Review, the universities minister Greg Clark MP told the Universities UK conference.
Survey update available from HEPA
The September edition of HEPA News is now ready to read on its website. It includes an update on the efficiency measurement model (EMM) survey, HEPA face-to-face training, e-learning and the inaugural conference.
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.
