Sector bodies call on suppliers to support the sustainability of Further and Higher Education
A group of organisations working in tertiary education have written an open statement asking software and other suppliers to work with the sector to provide cost-effective solutions.
Published by Jisc, the joint statement aims to raise awareness among suppliers of the financial pressures on universities and colleges and ensure that their products and services represent good value for money.
The statement is signed by representatives of UCISA, Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC), Research Libraries UK (RLUK), Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL), British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG), Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), Scottish Higher Education Digital Library (SHEDL), and the UUK/Jisc software negotiation strategy group.
Liam Earney, managing director of Higher education and research at Jisc said:
“Working alongside our sector partners, Jisc fully recognises the significant financial challenges facing UK universities. These challenges mean there has never been a better time for the sector to collaborate and work in partnership to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and innovation.
“This statement from sector organisations urges our suppliers to join us in this crucial effort. It highlights their role as collaborators in maintaining the vital contributions that the sector makes to the economy, culture, society, and public services. By working together, we can overcome these financial challenges and continue to deliver excellence and innovation and create a more resilient and forward-thinking education and research landscape.”
The full statement:
Navigating Financial Challenges: A call to suppliers to support the sustainability of Further and Higher Education
The financial challenges facing UK Universities are unprecedented, widespread and are driving a radical re-evaluation across the Higher Education (HE) sector of its operations and expenditure. Universities join Further Education colleges in needing to reappraise all supplier contracts, operations, and expenditure to deliver efficiencies and long-term sustainability.
In HE, measures have included structural and service reviews of all aspects of university operations as well as redundancies, restructures, and course closures. The drop in international student applications and reduced funding[1] are necessitating much deeper cuts than anticipated across all expenditure including content, software, and infrastructure. We expect further cuts and full or partial cancellations
For suppliers, this provides an opportunity to demonstrate your value and role as sector partners and build on the vital work that colleges and universities do for the economy, culture, society, and public services.
Over the past 12 months the UK HE sector has warmly welcomed and appreciated the positive and helpful approach that several suppliers have taken to review their pricing and business models.
This willingness to be adaptable has been key in ensuring the continuation of essential services. Universities and colleges have an exceptional track record in adapting to deliver innovation, leveraging advanced digital technologies, smart financial management, and forming world-leading partnerships. This resilience and forward-thinking approach is highlighted in the UUK blueprint, which sets out a bold package of reforms to stabilize, mobilize, and maximize the contribution of UK universities to economic growth and widening opportunities for all.
All suppliers, particularly those with a large institutional footprint, should consider the long-term and strategic benefits of university and college partnerships. Universities drive local and national growth, expand opportunities, create talent, and lead in research and innovation. We ask suppliers to continue to:
- Work with sector bodies to understand and anticipate institutional needs and incorporate them into their solutions.
- Provide cost-effective and flexible terms, reducing costs for one-off purchases and storage.
- Ensure offers are good value, helping institutions manage total costs, including staff and support.
- Enhance their global reputation by partnering with universities and colleges involved in international collaborations and supporting local economic growth.
The education sector, with the support of suppliers, industry and government, is well placed to recover and to emerge stronger. We hope that we can work together with our suppliers to ensure that their offers align with financial reality and keep pace with advances in teaching, learning, and research delivery.
As universities and colleges continue to adapt to navigate these challenges effectively, we urge suppliers to join our sector in delivering excellence and innovation by helping them manage costs.
See also University UK’s work on Sustainable University Funding
Professor John Latham, CBE, chair, UUK/Jisc software negotiation strategy group
Karel Thomas, executive director, British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG)
Ann Rossiter, executive director, Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL)
David Prosser, executive director, Research Libraries UK (RLUK)
Deborah Green, CEO, UCISA
Gavin Phillips, category manager, academic services, Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC)
Iain Young, chair, Scottish Higher Education Digital Library (SHEDL)
[1] The number of overseas enrolments has fallen by more than a third. Analysis by PwC shows that a 20 percentage point reduction in the growth rate of international student numbers in 2024-25, relative to universities’ own forecasts, would send 80% of universities in England and Northern Ireland into deficit by 2025-26 see the UK Higher Education Financial Stability Report, by PwC and the Financial sustainability of higher education providers in England report by the Office for Students
Domestic fee income in England has remained fixed at £9,250 since 2017 this and the shortfall in research funding, alongside a period of high inflation, see TRAC data has resulted in Universities needing to take on more debt to meet rising costs. In 2022-23, UK universities incurred a £5.3bn deficit on their research activities, recovering just 69 per cent of costs.
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