29 March 2017 
Matt Sisson, Projects and Membership Manager
A lot of university counter-fraud work is focused on robust processes, and this is worthwhile – it makes far more sense to work preventatively than to have to deal with a fraud after it occurs. However, if frauds do occur, they are more likely to be picked up after an alert from a member of staff, or through whistle-blowing, than through routine checks or audit procedures. The sooner a fraud or potential fraud is found, the smaller the losses or other collateral damage, so it’s important that universities have effective lines of reporting in place, as well as good whistleblowing policies and procedures for when the usual channels are insufficient. You can find a sample Whistleblowing Policy as a starting point as part of the Counter-Fraud Toolkit. And having procedures is only the first step – you’ll need to make sure your staff know about them!
In related news, we have spaces available on both of the forthcoming Fraud First-Responder courses, in London on the 22nd May, and Edinburgh on Friday 2nd June. These courses have been broadened and are suitable for all those in institutions whose role means they may receive suspicions of potential frauds, as well as the university counter-fraud champions and institutional ‘first-responders’. They will provide delegates with the knowledge and framework to respond appropriately to fraud alerts and reports, and to make the right decisions in accordance with their university’s policies. The courses will both run from 10am until 4pm, with registration and refreshments from 9.30am. Lunch and all refreshments are included in the £160 delegate fee.
