ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
MANAGEMENT SERVICES

(AIMS)

THIRTY FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT

AUGUST 2002 - JULY 2003

AIMS was involved in thirteen assignments in the year and issued ten final reports, including three reports for two trial member institutions. The assignments comprised policy and procedural reviews, studies to determine appropriate management structures and staffing levels, reviews relating to the provision of services and facilities and value for money assessments.

Almost two thirds of the project work undertaken related to central administrative and operational services (computerised timetabling systems, travel arrangements, estate management, building maintenance, and research and innovation services). Other assignments related to the collection and storage of data in academic departments, the provision of student services, arrangements relating to the payment of student fees and the treatment of student debtors, and the provision and procurement of legal services.

AIMS completed two assignments at the University of Wales, Bangor.

A review of the Payment of Fees and Student Debt Arrangements, examined policies and procedures at Bangor and compared them with arrangements at fourteen other higher education institutions through a good practice survey. A report on the survey describes its conduct and presents several principles of good practice. The report on the assignment fully acknowledged the significant progress already made by the University in addressing the problems related to student debtors. It also recognised the importance of achieving an effective balance between treating students fairly and sympathetically and adopting a firm approach.

The recommendations of the report addressed the need for measures to provide a fully comprehensive record of individual student debts, closer and more systematic monitoring of student debtors and a greater degree of urgency on the part of academic departments in the notification to the Finance Office of developments likely to lead to student debt.

The second assignment at Bangor comprised a review of Indoor Sports Facilities. The assignment required AIMS to establish the nature, extent and location of UWB's buildings accommodating indoor sporting activities; to establish the University's curricular requirements for those facilities and its requirements in relation to physical recreation; and to establish the University's commitment to the community in relation to indoor sports facilities.

The report relating to the review commented on the strengths and weaknesses of the extent, location and condition of the facilities; and identified and evaluated opportunities to rationalise, improve and make more effective use of them.

AIMS completed two assignments at the University of Liverpool.

A review of University Timetabling Processes produced a report that recommends measures to improve the existing processes for room allocation and timetabling in the University. It also includes an action plan for the discussion and agreement of a proposed functional specification for a computerised system to meet the current and foreseeable needs of the University.

The second assignment at Liverpool reviewed Travel Arrangements at the University, including an assessment of the agencies used by the University, the appropriateness of financial regulations and the extent to which departments and individual members of staff are using the services arranged by the University and complying with regulations. The review confirmed that the University’s policy and procedures are basically sound, providing adequate safeguards and helpful advice and guidance. Comments from departmental representatives reported satisfaction with the recommended travel agents.

The report concluded that the added value of travel agents is now to be found in their provision of knowledge and expertise, particularly in respect of the organisation of a complex foreign itinerary and an awareness of regulations and requirements in other countries. Some areas for improvement were also identified: the need of a comprehensive guide on travel arrangements, comprising all relevant information on policy, financial regulations, procedures and services.

It was also noted that some policy issues were worthy of reconsideration, particularly in respect of receipts for expenses claims and approved options for overnight accommodation.

AIMS undertook three assignments at the University of Manchester.

The remit of a review of the Central Timetabling Unit was to examine the current arrangement of room booking; to identify shortcomings and problem areas; to comment on hardware and software used for room booking; to examine areas of CTU staff dissatisfaction and frustration; to examine areas of customer dissatisfaction and frustration; and to consider the implications of a recently-completed, internal, utilisation survey.

The review provided an analysis of room usage throughout the University, suggested the adoption of a range of measures for improving space utilisation and outlined ways in which the full power of the timetabling software could be developed and applied across the University.

It also examined workload patterns and assessed staffing requirements in relation to several possible developments in the role of the CTU.

The second assignment was a review of the Estate Management Team, which required AIMS to consider the function and operation of the Estate Management team; to determine the workload of the team in its various areas of operation; and to determine responsibilities of team members and categorise them into strategic and operational issues.

The report on the assignment provided recommendations in regard to the level of resources required to deliver the service to the various stakeholders and appropriate IT systems. It also included an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations; identified and clarified relationships with other parts of the Estates Office; considered the use of specialist consultants, especially in respect of procurement; and identified areas requiring policy guidance by senior staff.

At the request of the commissioner of the review, the report remained in draft format and was not issued as a final report.

The third assignment at Manchester reviewed arrangements for the Provision and Procurement of Legal Services. The review was still in progress on 31 July 2003, and will be completed by the AIMS consultant concerned, acting as a freelance consultant.

AIMS undertook two assignments at Manchester Metropolitan University.

A review of the Students’ Union and University Services required AIMS to identify the range of facilities and services offered to students by the students' Union and the University; the extent of each facility and service; the staffing and managerial arrangements; the cost of providing the facilities and services; the extent to which provision overlaps or is duplicated; and the location of facilities and services.

In addition to fulfilling the basic requirements of the review, the report identified and discussed a range of issues with a view to improving existing arrangements.

The second assignment undertaken at Manchester Metropolitan University was a review of the Academic Division, which focused on the structure of the Division, the efficiency and effectiveness of its constituent services and their relationship with other parts of the University. The report on the assignment was still in draft form on 31 July 2003.

It included recommendations relating to options for restructuring the Division, staffing requirements, liaison and interaction with the faculties and other divisions, the management of computing arrangements and the prioritisation of budgetary developments.

AIMS completed one assignment for the University of Salford: a review of Data Storage and Access in Academic Departments.

The review required AIMS to determine the extent to which the data required to be held by Schools according to the University's Academic Quality Assurance Handbook (Appendix 13) and other core information (Research Report and Academic Enterprise Report) is available and accessible; to report upon the items of information that are unavailable, out of date or incomplete; and to note the media by which the data are collected, updated and stored and to identify examples of good practice.

Arrangements have been agreed for the consultant who carried out the assignment to undertake a second phase review in due course, acting as a freelance consultant.

No assignments were undertaken for UMIST over the year, as those that had been requested had been overtaken by events and, in some cases, dealt with as part of a comprehensive internal review.

A review of Computerised Timetabling Arrangements at Sheffield Hallam University was completed under a trial membership arrangement.

The objectives of the assignment were to obtain an overview of the timetabling process across the University; and to provide guidance about the functional requirements of a networked computerised timetabling system for the University, with distributed data entry, in the form of a draft functional specification.

The report on the review sets out a recommended strategic plan for the development of computerised timetabling into an integrated, university-wide system and outlines a recommended procedure for the implementation of a computerised timetabling system to meet the needs of the University, including system specification and selection.

The report also discusses possible developments of the student database and other databases to enhance the system further.

Two assignments were completed for the University of Dundee under a trial membership arrangement.

A Value for Money Review in the Estates and Buildings Department was undertaken, which examined arrangements relating to capital and minor projects and building maintenance. The views of users of the services under review were also obtained during the course of the assignment.

The report on the review acknowledged that the department had already implemented a range of measures to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its services and the quality and availability of management information. However, it also identified several areas that would benefit from additional enhancements, particularly in relation to the further development of management information and improved communication with the users of services.

Recommendations were also made in respect of the application of administrative charges, the provision of help desk facilities, the use of planned preventive maintenance and the monitoring of levels of productivity.

The second assignment undertaken for Dundee was a Value for Money Review of the Research and Innovation Services at the University. The report on the review concluded that the RIS were providing a valuable service to the academic community of the University but also identified areas for improvement.

The report recommended a reorganisation of the services more closely to match the requirements of the different faculties of the University. It also recommended a clearer definition of the role of the services, the production of more meaningful management information, the establishment of induction courses for junior academic members of staff, the reconsideration of arrangements relating to intellectual property rights and the implementation of some procedural improvements.

The eleventh issue of AIMING AHEAD was published in August. The newsletter announced the acquisition of Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Dundee as trial members, the extension of the trial membership offer to the end of September and arrangements for the biennial national survey and seminar on Computerised Timetabling Systems.

There were no staffing changes during the year.

The staffing complement of AIMS at 31 July 2003 was as follows:

The AIMS Management Committee met on three occasions during the year, under the chairmanship of Dr M D Winton, Registrar of the University of Salford. A list of the members of the Management Committee in its final year is presented as Appendix C.

AIMS was funded primarily by member institutions through annual subscriptions. The level of annual subscription payable by an existing member institution was determined by its size, expressed in student numbers. Associate members paid a standard annual subscription of £10,000.

The services of AIMS have also been made available to non-member institutions either as trial members or through the commissioning of individual assignments on a daily fee basis.

As the accounts for the year to which this report relates were not finalised by 31 July 2003, a financial statement showing details of income and expenditure will be distributed separately to member institutions during September 2003.