Sustainable, green and cost-efficient

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Sustainability is never far from top of the agenda in any organisation and HE is no exception. There are many sources of information and advice on how to be sustainable - take a look at the EAUC website and the Sustainable Procurement Centre of Excellence’s new website.

No hobbling please, we’re British

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Feelings on students and visas continue to run high with the Public Accounts Committee meeting this week discussing the effects on HEIs of the tier 4 visa regulations. Simeon Underwood, Academic Registrar at the London School of Economics, said the rule changes had been "chaotic" and "difficult" to... [more]

Basic research is the basis

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Last week we included an article on how HEIS boost the economy which looked at the recent HEFCE-sponsored report ‘Strengthening the Contribution of English Higher Education Institutions to the Innovation System: knowledge exchange and... [more]

HEIs boost the UK's economy

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

A HEFCE sponsored report titled ‘Strengthening the Contribution of English Higher Education Institutions to the Innovation System: knowledge exchange and HEIF funding’ was published this week stating that higher education is playing a key role in boosting the UK’s economic status.... [more]

Strategic change programmes

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

A new report funded by HEFCE LGM fund aims to provide institutions looking to implement strategic change programmes with some expert guidelines tailored to the HE sector. Entitled "Guide to the realisation of strategic change and benefits", it breaks down what is... [more]

Championing procurement

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

In a recent article in the Guardian, Steve Malone, MD of CEL Procurement, champions procurement in the HE sector in the UK and highlights the recent trends towards collaboration, transparency, and improving expertise of purchasing officers. He... [more]

Questioning the value (and the cost)

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The Guardian’s Ruth Spencer questions whether a degree in the US is worth it after total student debt tops $1trillion for the first time. More than half of all degree holders under 25 are

Investing in India?

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Is the time right for UK HE to invest in India? "Yes" is the answer, according to legal firm Shakespeares, speaking at a recent conference of the Association of University Legal Practitioners (AULP). Recent and upcoming changes to Indian education law mean that 100% foreign direct investment is now permissible,... [more]

Open-access and open minds

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

In the digest on the 18th April we featured an article on open-access publishing, which detailed the uprising across the sector against journal publishers, including from charitable organisations such as the Wellcome Trust which said it regarded "a major export”, but warned that universities risk being “left behind” if they don’t adjust to change. Blair was speaking at the London School of Business... [more]

Tax Update

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The Higher Education Tax forum, chaired by Ian Lewis from HEFCE, met yesterday. You can see the draft minutes on the info bank. The highlights from the meeting were that BUFDG needs to submit robust responses to the Cost Sharing Exemption, Listed Buildings and Cap on gift aid consultations. Further, HMRC... [more]

AAB to become ABB

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The government has this week announced that the recruitment cap it currently places on the highest-achieving students at A-level will be lowered from AAB to ABB for the 2013-14 academic year. This announcement comes after lengthy disputes between the Treasury and BIS over the cost of the measure, says the

International Students Debate

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

International students have enriched the UK and its universities immeasurably. It makes little sense for the Home Office to keep them out, argues Edward Acton in this week’s Times Higher. Factors such as academic freedom, a strong research ethos, and institutional autonomy have undoubtedly... [more]

Beware, be secure

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Whatever your views on David Willetts, there is no denying he is a man with energy and ambition to get out and about. Last week he was at the HEFCE conference to deliver a speech in which he celebrated specialist institutions such as the conference host, The

Extended window for comment...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

BUFDG (with assistance from Kerry Sykes) has prepared a draft response to HMRC’s draft guidance on the cost sharing exemption. Both are available on the info... [more]

Be part of the solution…

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Philanthropy - Kate Hunter from Case Europe is making sure that they are part of the solution through her article in the

A break in the clouds allows the light to dawn

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Cloud metaphors and descriptions of anything as “cloudy” have always suggested something that was other-worldly, obscure or dull, but a visit to the Janet Brokerage website reveals this is not the 21^st century interpretation of the word. Apparently the Cloud can improve services through economies of scale, reduce capital... [more]

THE look at the financial health of the sector

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

University finances make the cover of the Times Higher this week, as John Morgan reports in detail on the financial health of the sector following the HEFCE review in March. The collective surplus... [more]

College of Law sale agreed

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The THE reports that College of Law sale negotiations have concluded with an

Open-Access publishing debate hots up

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The Guardian is promoting awareness of the “Academic Spring”, a phrase coined by many commentators including Barbara Fister whose article in American Libraries magazine explains how... [more]

BUFDG: British Universities Finance Directors Group

Sustainable, green and cost-efficient

No hobbling please, we’re British

Basic research is the basis

HEIs boost the UK's economy

Strategic change programmes

Championing procurement

Questioning the value (and the cost)

Investing in India?

Open-access and open minds

Tax Update

AAB to become ABB

International Students Debate

Beware, be secure

Extended window for comment...

Be part of the solution…

A break in the clouds allows the light to dawn

THE look at the financial health of the sector

College of Law sale agreed

Open-Access publishing debate hots up