How do I improve operational efficiency in higher education

The Challenge

Improving operational efficiency is key to cutting costs. Yet it is also crucial to enabling staff to focus on high-value tasks that make a real difference to students.

Many institutes don’t have the appetite or IT resource to implement technology changes that are central to improving operational efficiency. There are usually many legacy systems in place coupled with siloed ways of working that critically inhibit operational efficiency. With universities under pressure to do more with less, automation is fast becoming a robust solution to long-term viability.

What we do

We know that it’s not feasible to automate every manual process. So, making sure we automate the right ones, and the ones that will drive the most operational efficiency while improving the student experience is key.

Business process discovery to understand inputs, outputs and outcomes of the tasks staff undertake
Gain insight into how often tasks are being done and how long they take
Understand which processes add value to the student experience as well as operational efficiency
Understand which processes add value to the student experience as well as operational efficiency

How we deliver it

We work closely with internal teams to drill down into the current processes and how they are causing inefficiencies and a poor student experience.

We leave no stone unturned during the business process discovery and analyse each process in great detail. By speaking with staff across departments, we’re able to unearth the processes that are huge inhibitors for efficiency. We prioritise the processes in order of impact so we can deliver the most value in a short timeframe.

The impact it has

70%
-80%

A typical rules-based
process can be 70%-80% automated.

The power of automation in higher education is unparalleled. The benefits an institute can see by automating business processes has a positive impact on everyone who encounters the institute.

Automation brings a wealth of benefits alongside the typical benefits of reducing costs and driving efficiency. By automating manual processes, staff are released to work directly with students, improving engagement, and delivering a more personalised, 24/7 experience. The margin in human error in data, which have consequences for both students and administrators, are significantly reduced, if not eliminated, and the software can be easily scaled up and down when there are busy quieter periods in the year.

The University College of Estate Management (UCEM). Transforming the student experience by developing a strategic operating model

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