‘Insourcing’ is the new ‘outsourcing’
Creating a wholly-owned subsidiary company to house the commercial activities of a university is fundamentally about cultural change rather than cost saving. If the focus is placed firmly on stripping out payroll costs through reducing rates of pay and associated staff benefits, then the project is doomed to failure, says Peter Church Director of Campus Services at the University of Essex.
See the human factor as an opportunity: five ideas for leading transformation
As universities seek innovative approaches to delivering services, there's a vital role for leadership in successful engagement and change, says Mark Pegg of the Leadership Foundation who offers five ideas for leading transformation.
Efficiency Exchange update 28 January 2014
A round-up of news and comment on smarter working in universities. Now weekly!
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.
5 ways to kick start your change programme
'The beginning is the most important part of the work' - Plato. Following ancient wisdom, Meeta Thareja and Suzie Campbell offer a starter list for your change programme. They will be speaking at the 'Strategic Sourcing: new approaches to deliver success' conference in London on 4 February.
Queen Mary University of London: why taking responsibility is good for business
An institution with its origins in Victorian philanthropy values the contributions of all its workers and makes a positive impact on its local community.
G-Cloud: universities can use new online marketplace
G-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.
University procurement: ‘Never miss an opportunity to promote what you do’
Alison Holmes, director of procurement at Durham University, talks about the important role of procurement in a higher education institution and why it should be seen as a strategic function.
Strategic sourcing: new approaches to deliver success
This conference will examine the state of play in strategic sourcing. It will demonstrate how universities can prioritise areas for change, better understand the marketplace for service providers and will offer tips for managing new relationships.
HEPA professional development courses: limited spaces are still available
The Higher Education Procurement Academy (HEPA) still has some limited spaces available on the following professional development courses:
Introduction to Procurement – 3 December, London
Practical...
