Precision over blunt cuts
In times of financial pressure and uncertainty, efficiency is often mistaken for indiscriminate and wide-ranging cost-cutting. But, really, true efficiency isn’t about wielding a blunt axe – it’s about making strategic, precise changes that strengthen institutions for the long-term, balanced with making necessary savings.
In the current climate, universities are clamouring to make savings and ‘efficiency’ is the current buzzword for most senior leadership teams facing challenging times. However, universities need to move beyond the ‘short-termitis’ of balancing this year’s budget and instead focus on sustainable efficiencies that safeguard student experience, empower staff, and ensure institutional success for the long-term.
Cost-cutting is sometimes seen as a dirty word – it shouldn’t be. It’s a necessary, and fiscally responsible, action in a challenging financial climate. The key is identifying the right efficiencies, ensuring they align with long-term goals of the institutions and stakeholder needs, and that they don’t compromise some of the activities that are crucial for longevity. That’s a tricky conundrum – but one where SUMS can help. As a not-for-profit, member-owned organisation dedicated solely to higher education, we’re determined to support our members and the whole sector to weather the current challenges in a sustainable way.
Higher education’s urgent need for smarter efficiencies
You’d have to have been hiding under a rock, not to realise that the UK higher education sector is under immense financial strain. Rising costs, income instability, increasing regulatory pressures, and shifting student expectations – regardless of whether you blame external factors or accept that some of the blame lies with the sector itself – the reality is that universities must rethink how they operate. Too often, institutions instinctively and immediately look to their workforce for efficiencies, but there are other, deeper opportunities to create sustainable transformation without compromising quality or mission.
Having worked with universities for years – both inside institutions and as a consultant – I’ve seen first-hand how tough these decisions can be. And the long-lasting impact they have on the university community. At SUMS Consulting, we really understand these pressures – and we sympathise with them. But we see it as our mission to help institutions tackle these challenges for the benefit of individual HEIs and for our wider sector. The nirvana of efficiencies is finding and prioritising efficiencies that drive long-term resilience and effectiveness across the entire institution while delivering immediate savings.
A smarter approach to efficiency
SUMS Consulting’s approach to empowering efficiencies in HE is designed to help universities unlock smarter, sustainable ways of working. By leveraging sector-wide insights, benchmarking data, and deep higher education expertise, we support institutions in developing efficiencies that strengthen operations, enhance student experiences, and future-proof their organisations – all while safeguarding the quality and mission critically at the heart of higher education.
We have a proven track record of working in partnership with universities to deliver meaningful change. Unlike commercial consultancies, SUMS Consulting operates as a not-for-profit, member-owned organisation with an exclusive focus on higher education. This means our focus is always on creating value for the sector – not just the bottom line.
Key areas to consider when driving efficiencies
While challenging times bring challenging decisions, no options should be off the table when it comes to financial efficiencies. This must look wider than just workforce reductions. The real opportunities lie in transforming how universities operate at every level. Areas where SUMS supports universities to develop deeper than looking at surface reductions and provides expert support in several areas:
- Smarter procurement strategies: Identifying cashable savings and other inefficiencies in non-pay spend through procurement assessments – the ideal place to start, rather than immediately jumping to staff redundancies.
- Redesigning Operating Models: Co-designing, developing and implementing Target Operating Models (TOMs) that streamline services, optimise resources, and enhance institutional agility.
- Operational effectiveness and cost optimisation: Using business intelligence and benchmarking tools to inform smarter financial and operational decisions along with organisational design and process improvements to drive improved user experiences and reduced overheads.
- Optimising Teaching, Learning, and Assessment: Ensuring academic portfolios and processes are focused on impact, efficiency, and student outcomes.
- Strategic workforce planning: Aligning talent and resources with institutional goals to maximise effectiveness without resorting to reactive workforce reductions.
- Digital transformation and process optimisation: Leveraging technology and streamlined processes to enhance efficiency across administrative and academic functions.
Why work with SUMS?
Having been both a client and associate of SUMS before joining the permanent team, I’ve experienced first-hand the difference SUMS can make. As an organisation that exists solely to support the higher education sector, I have never been in any doubt that SUMS’ team of experts understand the sector’s complexity and tirelessly works to support universities. Our blended expertise – bringing together higher education specialists with commercial acumen – means we offer practical, data-driven solutions that work in the reality in which universities find themselves.
Over 60% of UK universities trust the SUMS Group to provide the expertise, insight, and hands-on support needed to drive sustainable efficiencies. Our mission is simple: we are focused on helping our members and the wider sector to be more efficient and more effective. We passionately believe that our membership network is the ideal platform for us all to improve by sharing – challenges, ideas, solutions and services. And sometimes frustrations! But most importantly sharing an uncompromising desire to improve the sector for the benefit of all our university communities.
Future-proofing universities with sustainable efficiencies
The financial landscape for higher education is shifting rapidly. Universities need to act now to embed smarter efficiencies and precise, targeted, surgical cuts in order to be best placed to navigate future challenges that will surely come our way, whilst maintaining quality and student success. Let’s work together to create a stronger, more resilient future for the higher education sector that we love. Explore our efficiencies support
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