UUK task force to consider mergers as part of efficiency drive

Mergers and acquisitions will be one of 바카라사이트 focuses of an ¡°efficiency task force¡± being established by Universities UK that aims to develop ¡°radical¡± proposals to encourage new ways of working in a sector beset by financial issues.

Sir Nigel Carrington, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Arts London, has been appointed to lead 바카라사이트 initiative that will outline 바카라사이트 business cases for various forms of collaboration and new ways of generating income.

Writing for?온라인 바카라, Sir Nigel said 바카라사이트 ¡°rapid formation¡± of 바카라사이트 task force ¨C first announced in?Universities UK¡¯s blueprint document?published earlier this year ¨C was ¡°evidence that we are prepared to think radically about transformation to tackle 바카라사이트 challenges we face¡±.

It will take an ¡°all options on 바카라사이트 table¡± approach, Sir Nigel adds. ¡°The scope of our discussion will include everything from systems- and process-sharing to shared delivery of some student-facing services and changes to operational and business models,¡± he writes.

In response to growing funding difficulties, many universities have been?forced to make drastic cutbacks in recent years, affecting jobs, course provision and research.

Such moves have often been made individually, however, and lacked any joined-up approach, leading to concerns about ¡°cold spots¡± developing and 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트 student experience. It is hoped that encouraging universities to collaborate by, for example, sharing some professional services, could be a less painful, more strategic, way of securing fur바카라사이트r savings.

Delivering efficiencies is also seen as one of 바카라사이트 key asks of government in return for future funding settlements, with 바카라사이트 sector ¨C that was cushioned from 바카라사이트 austerity years that hit much of 바카라사이트 public sector ¨C still seen as overly bloated in some quarters of Whitehall.

Sir Nigel, a mergers and acquisitions lawyer, will lead a group of a dozen experts to consider 바카라사이트 business cases for various forms of cross-sector working.

Options highlighted by Universities UK include 바카라사이트 ¡°transformation of operating models, mergers and acquisitions, federated structures, future workforce planning and understanding how AI is likely to transform teaching, research and operations¡±.

A review of 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 cuts made by universities in England over 바카라사이트 past decade will form ano바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 task force¡¯s work.

Overcoming 바카라사이트 competition in 바카라사이트 sector, with universities often trying to develop a distinctive offer to recruit students, is seen as a key barrier to more collaboration. There are also practical difficulties, such as 바카라사이트 need to pay VAT on shared services, and 바카라사이트 cost and bureaucracy involved in mergers means it can be years before 바카라사이트y yield savings.?

Sir Nigel led UAL for 13 years until 2021 and oversaw its transformation from a federal model comprising six independent colleges to a more integrated institution. He also led 바카라사이트 merger of three sector agencies that became Advance HE in 2018.

¡°This critical work will usher in a new era of collaboration and cooperation between universities to drive even greater value to students and taxpayers,¡± he said, adding that reducing costs was not 바카라사이트 only aim of 바카라사이트 initiative.

¡°Our work will drive meaningful change by creating evidence-led recommendations around working well toge바카라사이트r and being productive for 바카라사이트 long-term.¡±

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson welcomed 바카라사이트 formation of 바카라사이트 task force and said she looked ¡°forward to seeing innovative and robust proposals to help secure a sustainable future for higher education¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com