University finance directors are the custodians and stewards of their institution’s financial strategy. Without exception, they are also crucial cogs in the strategic leadership wheels of their institutions. Our conversations with a cross-section of FDs from all mission groups painted a picture of a community of staff who care deeply about their institution and the higher education sector, who are finely attuned to the concerns of both students and colleagues, and energetic – often provocative – in their thinking about how they should lead through this crisis. And the crisis is real. Depending on which analysis you examine, the coronavirus pandemic seems certain to result in a total decline of income across the sector of around £2bn.
Given the gravity of the situation, it’s no surprise that finance directors were at the heart of decision-making about the immediate steps their universities have taken in response to financial concerns. Although troublesome times lie ahead, our conversations left us in no doubt that finance directors stand ready to play active and visible roles in helping their institutions transition to an operating model that will be fundamentally different to any that have gone before.
Read the full Rapid Response Briefing Paper – SUMS Briefing Paper – The Impact of Covid-19 on University Finance, here.
SUMS’ consultants are gathering in-depth views from university leaders across the full breadth of university operations. We’ll be publishing their service-by-service findings later this month. Register here to receive your copy of our full sector report.