FSSG leads evidence-based policy research on financial sustainability in the UK higher education sector.
The Chair of FSSG is Professor Mark E Smith, Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University.
Latest publications
Understanding the impact of income cross-flows on financial sustainability in the UK higher education sector
This report provides important information on how UK institutions pool financial resources to deliver a diverse range of activities, and - for the first time - illustrates the range of financial performance as reported in the Transparent Approach to Costing. It provides a detailed understanding of how institutions plan financially for the medium term, to sustain activities and deliver public benefit.
Newsletter
Different by design – exploring alternative delivery of undergraduate provision; benefits and opportunities
This report provides insights on the development and delivery of undergraduate provision via alternative methods. It aims to support those embarking on developing new ways of delivering undergraduate programmes, providing examples of both strategic and tactical solutions. It is also designed to challenge those institutions already pursuing a different delivery agenda to reach further and faster, including a range of examples from across the UK.
Sustaining medium-scale research facilities in the UK higher education sector
This report researched and identified the approaches UK higher education providers take to meeting the capital, operational, and replacement costs of medium-scale research facilities. The review provides advice about how different operating models impact on sustainability. It also explores the links between bidding for funding for research facilities and equipment.
Margin for Sustainability and Investment: Analysis of 2016-17 data
This report summarises the analysis of the Margin for Sustainability and Investment (MSI) data reported in the 2016-17 Annual Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) returns to UK higher education funding bodies.
This follows the adoption of the MSI in place of the two sustainability adjustments used up to 2015-16 for calculating TRAC full economic costs (or full sustainable costs) – the Infrastructure Adjustment (IA) and the Return for Financing and Investment (RFI).
Please note: The file was amended on 26 September 2018 to rectify incorrect column headings in Table 2.
Further key publications
Please note: FSSG information published before 1 April 2018 is available on the archived HEFCE website.
About the group
The FSSG aims to help the UK higher education sector understand, manage and communicate its academic and financial sustainability.
It also supports and enhances the sector’s understanding and development of management, governance and risk processes in the developing regulatory and funding environment for higher education.
