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BUFDG Annual Report 2025

March 2024-March 2025


BUFDG Annual Report 2024-25

The report is based on the year from mid-March 2024 to mid-March 2025 (Finance Festival to Finance Festival). All quotes throughout are from BUFDG members.

CONTENTS

Annual Review Video

Key Messages

Outputs and Statistics

Advocacy, Liaison, and Collaboration

Major Projects

Working Groups and Networks

Finances

Organisation

 

BUFDG 2024-25: Supporting higher education finance teams

 

Annual Review Video

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Key Messages

Thank you for all that you and the team do, especially around our morale and mental health in difficult times.

 

Erica Conway - BUFDG Chair (CFO, University of Birmingham)

 

Chair's Foreword:

Many finance folk in higher education still find themselves in a challenging and uncertain position this year, indeed we all find ourselves in an uncertain world at present. Whilst BUFDG cannot influence the constantly shifting geopolitics that are contributing to the uncertainty, it can provide support for each and every one of us within H E finance in some way, shape or form. BUFDG brings together the best ideas from H E finance leaders and their teams, sharing them with the rest of the community, and even beyond, where such ideas might have influence for the benefit of the sector.

 

Message from the Executive Director:

In last year’s annual report, I reflected on the number of changes to the BUFDG CFO database and attributed many of them to the effects of the pandemic. The past 12 months have been no less turbulent, and by my reckoning, 95 (52%) of current CFOs have taken up their role in the last three years. It is good to see that 56 of the 95 had previous H E experience and this shows that the sector is developing talent. However, the working conditions in 2025 are unlike any that most finance professionals have experienced before and the need for CPD and personal support has never been greater.

 

Karel Thomas MBE - BUFDG Executive Director

Amanda Darley - BUFDG Head of Operations and Engagement

Operational Update:

During 2024-25 we tried to maintain a focus on ‘Technology’, both for BUFDG as an organisation and in relation to how it impacts our members. While much of our time was spent on our usual activities or topical issues that arose from members’ needs, we did keep technology in mind throughout the year. We've also had a look at our other main resource (the team!) and how we can better utilise our strengths, and continued to focus on creating time and space for face-to-face team interaction to foster the best work we can produce.

 

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Outputs and Stats

Thank you so much - this resource really highlights what an outstanding job BUFDG does!

Over the past 12 months our members have had the benefit of all the outputs listed in the boxes below - expand them to find out more...

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Advocacy, Liaison, and Collaboration

BUFDG is not a lobbying organisation, but we represent our members by advocating for the issues that matter to them. We look at the broader picture and link with other organisations working outside of finance, as well as raising finance issues with appropriate organisations or government departments to try to find solutions. 

You can have a look at our Advocacy webpage to find out more about the numerous meetings and events we attend to learn about issues in the sector, help develop solutions, or advocate for BUFDG members and H E finance issues (we’ve attended almost 150 in the 6 months since we starting recording these in September 2024!). You can also find our consultation responses and other evidence and documents we submit on your behalf on the Advocacy page.

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Major Projects

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Network, Knowledge, Community

Working Groups and Networks

BUFDG's working groups are the engines of BUFDG - composed of members from a range of HEPs, and supported by BUFDG staff, these groups help set the agenda for BUFDG's work programme and contribute to and scrutinise the outputs. BUFDG's networks provide communities for members to share ideas, best practice and the latest updates with peers across the country. See what they've been up to this year by expanding the boxes below.

 

I would like to say thank you to the BUFDG community. It really makes a difference having this network of support.

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Finances 

You can view BUFDG's Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31 July 2024 below. 

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This was the best sector conference I attended last year!

Organisation

Find out more about BUFDG and its umbrella company, Professional HE Services Ltd (PHES), by expanding the section below. You can also find out more about our three strategic objectives, take a look at our risks and challenges, and read this year's staff profile of our Head of Operations and Engagement, Amanda.

Our Strategic Objectives:

BUFDG's Strategy is currently being updated.

Current Risks and Challenges:

Staff Profile:

 

You can find previous Annual Reports on our 'About Us' webpage.

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