Universities squeezed

Universities received a record £25.4 billion income last year, up by 8.3%, but also faced higher costs.
The biggest increase was in paying interest and other financial costs, figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show.
Income from investments and endowments fell by more than 30 per cent. Spending on staff, which accounted for more than half of university budgets, dropped to its lowest proportion in 15 years.
Nearly 30 universities are in serious financial difficulty and 7 are said to be on the verge of collapse. Some have cut courses and reduced staff numbers.
(As reported in the Times; written by Nicola Woolcock and Joanna Sugden)

To ensure the impact on staffing levels of these pressures is kept to a minimum, it is critical that universities carry out a thorough review of their cost base.
Expense Reduction Analysts are ideally suited to provide the expertise and resource required, to ensure such a review is achieved within the shortest possible time.