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Hanging together: Shared services in UK Universities

Hanging together: Shared services in UK Universities. Gerry Webber Napier University, Edinburgh. Shared Services: Outline. Definition Political pressures Achievements to date Opportunities Barriers and problems Lessons Discussion. Shared services: definition.

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Hanging together: Shared services in UK Universities

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  1. Hanging together:Shared services in UK Universities Gerry Webber Napier University, Edinburgh

  2. Shared Services: Outline • Definition • Political pressures • Achievements to date • Opportunities • Barriers and problems • Lessons • Discussion

  3. Shared services: definition • The provision to multiple users of any common service through a single function with standard processes and shared systems • May be front-of-house and/or “back-office” • Private sector examples mostly at Group level • Public sector requirements are more complex

  4. Sharing what and why? • Typically • IT infrastructure • Procurement • Transactional Finance e.g. invoice payment • Transactional HR e.g. payroll management • Benefits assumed • Economies of scale release resources (20%?) • Better processes increase customer satisfaction • New relationships improve service management

  5. Shared services in context STANDARD OUTSOURCED SHARED COLLABORATIVE INTERNAL EXTERNAL CENTRALISED DEVOLVED BESPOKE

  6. Political pressures in the UK • UK Transformational Government agenda 2005 • Scotland: Efficient Government agenda 2005 • Driven from the Cabinet Office (Westminster) • Associated with e-Government & e-Procurement • Linked to Comprehensive Spending Reviews • Aim not to cut costs but “to attack waste, bureaucracy and duplication”… of course

  7. Achievements to date • It’s not really new in UK higher education: • JISC/JANET • UCAS • HESA • QAA • USS • HEA/HELF • Professional Associations e.g. UUK, AHUA • Regional purchasing consortia

  8. Opportunities • Not new, but… • More examples e.g. • NHS/Xansa (England) • Queensland (Australia) • More issues to consider e.g. • Finance • HR • FM • Etc.

  9. Barriers and problems • Independence • Competition • Irrecoverable VAT • Geography (sometimes) • People (always) • System migration costs • Cost-benefit analysis

  10. Lessons/observations • Private sector examples are simplistic • In the UK, VAT regulations are a barrier • Legal status requires careful thought • Much can be and has been achieved • More opportunities will exist • Politics may trump economics • CBA does not always support sharing • Always establish criteria

  11. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

  12. DISCUSSION Gerry Webber Napier University, Edinburgh

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