What do you get for your institution's BUFDG membership subscription? Well, quite a lot actually...
Working exclusively for the H E sector
worth >£8,500 per member institution
Find our specialist resources here, or check out our Knowledge Hubs
In England and Scotland (so far)
worth £250 per staff member
On our events, training courses, and E-learning courses
To build contacts and knowledge, as well as share best practice in particular areas of finance
Find out about our working groups and associated networks here
Several flagship surveys provide useful insights and can result in significant cost savings
All of this (plus more!) is available to any member of staff in any of our member universities/H E institutions - and HEIs pay just £1,600 to £9,300! (Depending on turnover).
BUFDG is the representative body for UK higher education finance staff. We are a non-profit membership organisation that exists to enhance sector finance capabilities, and help universities work together, reduce effort, and save money.
BUFDG members benefit from expert insights, guidance and resources covering various financial matters, departments, and special interests including Management Accounting, Business Partnering, Research Finance, Income Management, Treasury, Global Mobility, VAT, Payroll and more.
The Financial Reporting Group (FRG) brings together H E Providers, regulators and audit firms to promote consistency and knowledge transfer. At present it also coordinates any work relating to the FEHE SORP (such as the recent development of the new SORP).
Our two tax specialists provide guidance and updates on a range of tax matters that impact H E, as well as liaising with HMRC, advocating on behalf of universities with various government departments and agencies, and other organisations, saving members time and money. They also provide H E specific E-learning, a tax conference, regional networking and more.
BUFDG also has an in-house procurement specialist working with other bodies including the Cabinet Office, UKUPC and regional procurement consortia, the Government Commercial Agency, NHS procurement bodies, local government etc. and providing networks, tailored E-learning, guidance, surveys and more.
"I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your help and support with my numerous queries this year. It really does make a difference having this network of support and peers to guide you when you are unsure"
"Many thanks for this incredibly helpful dataset"
"Honestly, one of the most penetrating discussions on higher ed finance I’ve seen in a long time. You brought not just expertise and insight, but humour and wisdom"
"...so glad I reached out, your reply is amazing"
"An excellent event full of insight and interest. Well planned and delivered. Excellent speakers covering key sector challenges"
"Karel and the team do an incredible job all year. BUFDG is for life, not just for April"
"Very well organised. Good variety of sessions. Felt very welcoming"
"...the fun and interactive delivery. The time around the edges to meet and discuss. Just executed brilliantly"
"BUFDG team are great!"
The BUFDG network connects over 8,000 H E staff working in finance-related roles across 180+ institutions throughout the UK via our networking events, regional meetings, interactive online discussion boards, webinars, and conferences. We facilitate collaboration, sharing of information, contacts, and good practice. We nurture a diverse, supportive, and trusted community where members can seek guidance, share best practice, openly discuss challenges, and find collective solutions to common issues.
BUFDG members have exclusive access to a wealth of useful resources, guides, and reports covering a wide range of subject areas, as well as three specialists in Tax, Employment Tax, and Procurement, and dedicated Knowledge Hubs for priority areas impacting H E finance. These include Financial Reporting, Fraud, Income and Collection Management, International, Management Accounting, Payroll, Pensions, Procurement, Research Finance, Subsidiary Companies, Sustainability and ESG, Tax, and Treasury and Investment.
As a not-for-profit organisation that is entirely owned by subscribed H E institutions, we have no shareholders to please so all our income goes towards creating value for our members via the services and resources we provide. BUFDG’s budget, resource allocation, and strategic delivery
is steered by the Executive Committee, which is made up of Finance Directors and Chief Financial Officers representing the regional, operational and working group interests of the membership.
BUFDG facilitates collaborations, maximises opportunities, increases impact, and addresses finance-related challenges through our relationships with other H E bodies including DfE, OfS, SFC, Medr, HMRC, UUK, Jisc, UCEA, UKRI, UKUPC, the Cabinet Office, audit firms, and others, as well as our fellow associations in our shared service (non-profit) company, Professional H E Services Ltd. We provide a collective voice to represent member interests at a national level, enabling members to feed into consultations and the development of financial policies and practice in H E through BUFDG’s projects and initiatives. Where appropriate, we obtain legal and professional advice on specific issues, on behalf of the sector.
BUFDG provides a year-round calendar of training and development opportunities tailored to different member interests and career stages. Most of our training and events are free to staff in subscribed institutions, and for those events where a charge exists, we try to work on a break-even basis to ensure value for money. Our website is home to an extensive library of learning resources and educational content customised for H E finance professionals, including our suite of 54 E-learning courses. All of our E-learning and our main events are CPD certified to support members with their professional body CPD requirements.
Our regular updates (BUFDG Digest, Procurement Newsletter, CFO Digest, and TaxHE) filter a wide variety of sources to ensure that finance,
procurement, and tax professionals receive up to date news on policies, regulation, compliance, and changes that affect H E finance. Our website allows members to confirm their specific interests, ensuring what they receive from us is the content and information most relevant to them and
their role.
We recognise the importance of timely information and quality data to support decision making, enable efficient and effective financial operations, and build resilience in the face of budget constraints, changing regulation, and economic challenges. BUFDG members benefit from access to research, reports, and publications on H E finance, tax, and procurement issues, along with benchmarking data and analysis underpinned by sector-wide surveys.
Our small, dedicated team includes in-house specialists and highly capable generalists, with a combined 125 years of working in H E. We work on behalf of the sector and every BUFDG member to help build connections, share challenges, and make working lives easier.
We connect our members to over 80 suppliers of services relevant to H E finance and procurement teams who provide the BUFDG network with knowledge and expertise, and help us undertake projects and reports. We never sell member data. Our priority when working with supporters is to share the most valuable information and opportunities, and to generate the best outputs for members, enabling us to remain objective and independent.
Find out more about our activity during 2025/26 in our 2026 Annual Report, and if you have any questions about membership or value, please get in touch!
