Against the background of increasing competition for scarce public funds, the need for efficiency has become even greater. Scientia's software can help the drive for more economic programmes, greater efficiency and enhanced competitiveness in various ways. It can for example assist university administrators to obtain a firmer understanding of and control over the resources that they have at their disposal.

Institutions are being forced to change the way that they work in order to outweigh rising costs over the decline in student numbers. This note explains how Scientia can provide solutions to these challenges.

The Guardian recently reported that universities are being advised to act over the forecasted drop in student participation. The article illustrates that in the next 20 years, institutions may have to merge or even close due to the fall in student numbers.

It has been estimated that there will be 70,000 less students in UK universities by 2019, forcing universities to heavily compete with one another to increase student numbers at their own institution.

A report from Universities UK advises that universities need to reorganise in order to survive this decrease in attendance. For some institutions a merge would be advised; for others it may mean an increase to their student fees, but for all universities it means a degree of uncertainty ahead.

Curricula design
Reducing student numbers may initiate a radical overhaul of curricula, which can in turn impose major strains on staff and increased demands on buildings. Scientia's software enables universities to represent the new curricula and evaluate whether the institution concerned can deliver using existing staff and buildings. If the answer is negative, Scientia's Syllabus Plus software is able to model the building changes that will be needed.

Enhanced student service
Scientia can help universities forward plan to become more efficient, and can enable institutions to provide a better service to students that could help boost university participation.

Better planning of individual study programmes and course timetables will help improve the environment in which students work. This can lead to improved retention, student satisfaction and, potentially, reduced student drop-out rates.

More efficient use of space
Scientia can analyse the way space is used and advise upon how it can be used more efficiently by measuring the current utilisation of space and comparing it to predicted future requirements. This analysis could highlight areas where it is then possible to even sell space or rent it out where it is not longer required.

Scientia Enterprise enables institutions to cost rooms per hour to run a number of scenarios to see which one of them is most cost and space effective, while at the same time still delivering good services to students and staff.

Safeguarding the interests of academic staff
Scientia's software can help universities evaluate individual staff workloads, especially where the effect of reduced student numbers and emphasis on meeting student needs is concerned, and take appropriate action where necessary, while always staying within budget.

For further information on how Scientia can help your institution, please contact us.