BUFDG Digest - 11 September 2024

BUFDG

We’re pleased to announce that following fantastic work from Rachel and the team, all BUFDG e-learning courses (more than 40 of them!) are now CPD certified. Take a look at the e-learning pages to find out more, and to look at the shiny new CPD logo.

The TRAC Practitioners Conference (also CPD certified!) takes place online Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 September. There are still a handful of tickets left, which cost £75 + VAT. Click to see the full programme and book. Alternatively, you might prefer the four-part Introduction to TRAC course, with sessions 4, 8, 15, and 22 November.

Also, do hold the date for Management Accountants’ Week, taking place 19-22 November. More details to follow shortly. And finally a reminder that there are dozens of other events covering tax, procurement, employment, and loads of other topics already in the calendar and bookable via this link.

SECTOR

Following the final pay dispute resolution meetings, UCEA have written to the sector unions with their ‘full and final’ pay offer of 2.5% (at the top) to 5.7% (at the bottom). There has been no formal response from Unions so far.

Last week was the UUK Annual Conference, with significant speeches from Minister for Skills Jacqui Smith, UUK President Prof. Sally Mapstone, and OfS Chief Executive Susan Lapworth. A flavour of the discussions has been summarised an article in the Guardian.

The new Welsh regulator, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research in Wales (now known as ‘Medr’) took over official duties on 1 August. It was a few weeks late but it now has a shiny new website.

The OfS has published an Insight brief examining the rise in subcontractual partnerships in the English sector. It looks at the status of these partnerships, the risks and benefits to providers, and what providers need to do to ensure effective oversight of management, governance and public funding. The publication is accompanied by new data releases on student characteristics and size and shape of provision. There are summaries and commentary from Jim Dickinson on Wonkhe and Sally Weale in the Guardian, including warnings against complacency.

FUNDING

UUK has published research, commissioned from London Economics, on the economic impact of HE activities on the UK for the 21-22 academic year. It finds that the total impact of HE on the UK economy is £265bn, or £14 of impact for every £1 put in. It also shows that each UK graduate completing a first time degree adds £75k to the exchequer, compared to someone who doesn’t go to university.

Cuts to funding for Scottish universities and colleges could be on the way following the announcement of £500m in-year cuts to the country’s budget. Jim Dickinson argues in Wonkhe that a less-stringent interpretation of the word ‘free’ in the SNPs promise of ‘free education’ could provide some important wriggle room.

HEPI has published a report by Edward Venning calling for a significant change in how universities in the UK are organised and operated. Down with the World-Class University: How our business models damage universal higher education suggests that universal higher education is desirable and can be achieved if the ‘world-class university’ model is exchanged for group and collaborative approaches.

In related news, Wonkhe editor Debbie McVitty has her own suggestions for sector reform in an article on the site, while Jim Dickinson goes in search for the least bad funding option. Edge Hill V-C John Cater has 10 ‘pragmatic’ suggestions for how to resolve the HE funding crisis, Philip Augar argues in the FT (£) that universities might now be too big to fail, and George Blake spells out in HEPI all the reasons why falling international student numbers could negatively impact the sector.

SUSTAINABILITY

A new sustainability tool has been published on the EAUC website for calculating staff and student commuting emissions. Funded by the Scottish Funding Council, this EAUC resource pack aims to create a standard baseline for reporting for post-16 education sector organisation. The pack follows on from the Business Travel Guide for the Further and Higher Education Sector and The Domestic and International Student Relocation Travel Emissions Calculator Tool (see below). Whilst developed by EAUC Scotland, it is relevant to UK and Ireland organisations.

The tool for calculating emissions for Domestic and International Student Relocation is also worth a specific mention. It aims to “provide UK FHE institutions with a user-friendly, prepopulated framework for reporting scope 3 domestic and international student travel at the start and end of the academic year”. Embedded further down the page is a 15 minute webinar that is to the point and very informative.

All three of these tools will also be included in the next version of the BUFDG/EAUC guide to the sustainability reporting landscape in H E, out later this month. The existing document takes the form of short summaries for each of the various sustainability reporting requirements / initiatives that may affect HEPs, followed by a comparison table that attempts to classify the themes / metrics of each for easier assessment and analysis. It aims is to help providers understand and get ahead of any regulation, such that it is as easy as possible to implement it when it arrives.

EAUC are holding a 90-minute webinar on Post-16 Education Internationalisation and Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities on16 October at 2pm. With speakers from EAUC and international education sustainability group, the session will explore the current and future challenges regarding the environmental sustainability of internationalisation processes, and explore the opportunities for improving sustainability outcomes, including a first overview of findings from UK institutions piloting the Climate Action Barometer. This event is free for all EAUC members.

One year on from considering the costs associated with reaching net zero, AUDE has published a new ‘ Guide to Decarbonisation’ to provide practical advice and specifications, and support both early stage and progressed decarbonisation planning in H E. This guide was commissioned from Arup, with the support of partner organisations including BUFDG, HESPA, GuildHE, and the EAUC.

Given the cross-campus nature of the challenge, BUFDG members are invited to attend two introductory webinars hosted by Arup Project Lead Andy Sheppard, and Dr Roddy Yarr of the University of Glasgow. A guide to Decarbonisation - Foundation Plans takes place on Wednesday 2nd October 2024, 3-4pm, and Enhanced Plans on Thursday 10 October 2024,  10-11am.

FINANCIAL REPORTING

Unfortunately, we’re still awaiting the annual disclosure note from USS for universities to include within their statutory accounts. We’re assured this will be released shortly, and will share this via BUFDG website news and the discussion board as soon as it is available.

We've had a few queries about LGPS Asset Ceiling adjustments, which are an accounting issue (rather than an actuarial issue) and Rebecca Giles of Mercer has sent some information which is in this discussion board post.  Remember you can now choose how you sort DB posts - newest or oldest first.

The FRC has published new editions of UK financial reporting standards. Updates include a revised edition of the ‘Overview of the financial reporting framework’, ‘FRS 100 Application of Financial Reporting Requirements’, and 'FRS 103 Insurance Contracts’, among others.

BDO has published a blog on risks and reserve management, examining 20 major charities, and ultimately questioning whether organisations take enough notice of the financial consequence of the risks that initially appear non-financial in nature. A good short read.

OTHER

The OECD has published its Education at a glance guide for 2024. The report tracks educational access, outputs, impacts, and other indicators for OECD nations, and provides comparisons and commentary.

A reminder that a new paper, produced for BUFDG and HEPA by Weightmans, debating Contracting Authority status in English and Welsh HEPs may be of interest to those navigating whether they are subject to public procurement rules in the context of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023.

We have two job vacancies to feature this time around. The first is for a Senior Procurement Manager at SOAS. The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include “providing expert procurement advice, running procurements, offering legal advice on risks, supporting contract management, promoting sustainability (in its broadest sense), and delivering training on procurement”. The deadline for applications is 29 September.

Second, the University of Bath are looking for a Head of Management Accounting. The successful candidate will, among other things “lead the MIS finance team to provide finance business partnering, budgeting and forecasting across the University’s academic and professional services departments”. The deadline for applications is 24 September.

There are lots of other vacancies listed on the BUFDG jobs page.