Pensions update

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Pensions dominated the news again this week with the publication of reports by the Institute for Fiscal Studies whose report on Pay and Pensions released to complement their Green Budget offered the opinion that “[T]he pension reforms just... [more]

...and HEFCE funding decisions

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Just this afternoon HEFCE have published their response to the grant letter, putting flesh on the bones of the funding agreement. On teaching funding they say that "the overall level of government support for... [more]

UCAS application figures Part II

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The figures also show that there has been a decrease of over 11% in applicants from EU countries, but the number of prospective students from outside the EU has increased by 13.7%. Simon Baker writes in the THE to say that “it is now the norm for at least 15% of a universities’ students to come from outside the country”. Referencing a HEPI report

UCAS application figures Part I

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

UCAS this week published the 2012/13 applicant figures for students to UK universities. The data set shows an 7.4% decrease on the same stage last year. UCAS Chief Executive Mary Curnock Cook said: "There has been a... [more]

Is it necessary?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

After David Willetts’ bold statement at the Politeia Winter address that it’s full steam ahead for shared services now that the VAT barrier has been removed (see our scepticism in last week’s digest), a further concern has come about. Last Thursday the European Commission officially asked Luxembourg to change... [more]

Are we in or out?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

This is a key question for English HEIs – the burden and limitations of the EU Procurement Regulations are seen as a key stumbling block to freeing up procurement processes within HEIs to achieve optimum efficiency.

I am sure that those of you following this debate will recall

Sector responses to the BIS grant letter

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Last Wednesday afternoon (a matter of hours after last week’s Digest went to press) BIS released its grant letter to HEFCE, confirming funding allocations and highlighting government priorities for HE for the year. This year the sector faces the implementation of the new financial and funding arrangements, so... [more]

Update on VAT cost-sharing exemption

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

David Willetts delivered a very upbeat speech at the Politeia Winter Address last Thursday. According to Willetts, “our universities are precious national institutions which the Government wants to see well supported. Reducing the costs universities face will... [more]

Bits & Bobs

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

We've received counsel opinion on overseas recruitment agents in relation to the place of supply rules and the reverse charge. If you've been following this the chances are Harriet will have already sent you the note, but if you haven't received it yet you can download it from... [more]

Decline in MBA applications

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Business schools are facing a 10-15% fall in applications for MBA programmes, new figures released by the Financial Times suggest. The paper reports that, of the 16 full-time MBA programmes’ participating in its 2012 rankings, enrolment of overseas students is down 10% on... [more]

'No' to for-profit providers?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The Telegraph ran an article on Monday which disclosed that the government was planning to postpone its Higher Education bill indefinitely, saying it is now "unlikely to be published before 2015". All the changes to Higher Education under this... [more]

Procurement links

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The latest Science Warehouse procurement bulletin is available to view on their website. Among other things it has an interesting article on procurement systems, which draws conclusions from

Court Circular

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Last friday we were delighted to welcome over 70 delegates to the first conference for some years for deputy FDs. It was great to see so many familiar faces and many new ones and we hope the delegates made the most of the day with a wide variety of sessions. During one session we were asked how many women FDs there are in the sector. Well, a quick count up reveals that of 162 member... [more]

HEFCE news

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

31^st January deadlines to be aware of:

English institutions that are exempt charities should update their charity information gateway pages.
Latest date for institutions to submit Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) return.... [more]

Time for more collaboration on access?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

A report due out in the next couple of months is set to address the question of how universities can continue to work together with schools and colleges to ensure anyone with the potential to go to university is not put off by the new fees regime. Alan Milburn’s report on social mobility will... [more]

HEFCE Charity Regulation Group news

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

The HEFCE CharityReg group have a number of recent posts they'd like to bring to your attention:

Charity Commission’s new Risk Framework

The Charity Commission has today (16 January 2012) published a new Risk Framework, setting out how it will approach its regulatory work in future. The Framework has three stages:

Assessing whether the... [more]

New Year Tax Round-Up

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

From Harriet - "Happy New Year! The celebrations seem a distant memory already and we are all happily back to work at BUFDG central. It seems that since I last wrote there has been a flurry of activity , but a number of issues which have been on the table for some time are still outstanding. These include our discussions with HMRC on overseas agents, as well as the latest on shared services,... [more]

HEFCW clarifies student number arrangements

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Welsh universities risk having their student numbers cut by up to almost 60% if they do not reduce their fees in 2013-14, it has been announced. Under a new funding policy announced by HEFCW, more than half of all student places will be redistributed on a two part basis. The system will see around... [more]

You've won the lottery!

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

No you haven't. Most of us know that if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is. That doesn't stop fraudsters from targeting universities though, and logic follows that if it wasn't financially rewarding at some stage then they probably wouldn't do it. Thankfully the majority of frauds seem to be of the scam or phishing variety... [more]

Bits & bobs

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 GMT

In the Guardian this week, Professor Paul Curran, vice-chancellor of City University London and chair of the Universities and... [more]

BUFDG: British Universities Finance Directors Group

Pensions update

...and HEFCE funding decisions

UCAS application figures Part II

UCAS application figures Part I

Is it necessary?

Are we in or out?

Sector responses to the BIS grant letter

Update on VAT cost-sharing exemption

Bits & Bobs

Decline in MBA applications

'No' to for-profit providers?

Procurement links

Court Circular

HEFCE news

Time for more collaboration on access?

HEFCE Charity Regulation Group news

New Year Tax Round-Up

HEFCW clarifies student number arrangements

You've won the lottery!

Bits & bobs