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Opinions from the FOTE Round Table Session on Shared Services

Building on the success of our Future of Technology in Education (FOTE) conference, we decided to introduce a range of complementary initiatives in 2011.

In an attempt to more thoroughly address and answer some of the core trends and challenges facing the sector over the coming year within a more intimate forum, we held the first of series of Round Table sessions in collaboration with Microsoft. Consisting of a group of IT Directors from the HE sector the inaugural discussion focused on Shared Services.

Terms & definitions
Ever increasing financial pressure resulting in a need to re-focus on institutional core services means there is less resistance to the idea of sharing services and resources.

Some panel members felt there is a need for a "clear definition of the differences between shared, outsourced, managed and hosted services" as well as a "checklist that identifies what services can be shared, what can't, and the grey area in the middle" to make better informed decisions.

Others were less concerned about definitions than the impacts on business and customers. As Arthur Spirling, Director of ICT at Imperial College put it: "I have no particular interest in whether or not it's a shared service so long as it reduces my costs."

Barriers
It was clearly felt that there will be some areas where sharing services on a larger scale among major institutions is always going to be a daunting task.

And Gavin McLachlan, Director of Information Systems, UCL pointed out: "Much depends on the financial strategy of the institution, whether it is long term or short term, the difference can cause a clash."

More than one participant raised the key point that in any sharing arrangement there's an optimum number of institutions - too few and any benefits are not worth the bureaucracy and costs; too many and it's unwieldy.

Carl Stokes of City University London summed this up: "It won't be two, and it won't be hundreds. There's a sweet spot to be found."

Conclusion
There's no doubt that there are positive attitudes to shared services, especially as the sector faces further spending constraints. Despite barriers, it seems likely that smaller institutions, particularly, will find economies through this route, and larger ones will explore new projects and expanding existing ones.

The full report is available to download as a PDF from the FOTE website.

For more information please contact:

Tim Bush, Marketing Manager, University of London Computer Centre

Phone: +44 (0)20 7863 1362