The University of Surrey; Harnessing the power of Connected Planning

The problem 

With around 16,000 students, 3,000 employees, a campus estate comprising residences, catering, conferencing, sport and leisure, along with a vast array of teaching and research facilities: it’s easy to see why decision-making for a major university has been likened to running a small town. 

Like many sectors, higher education has to grapple with its own blend of new challenges: uncertainty on funding in the short and long term, predicting student demand, along with shifting expectations of stakeholders around accountability – particularly in relation to areas such as ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance). 

The University of Surrey was relying on multiple silos of spreadsheets for financial and non-financial planning. Pulling data together was “really messy”. Its end goal was a seamless planning and resource allocation process incorporating the university’s full span of activities.

What we did 

Through implementing the Anaplan business planning platform, Sempre has enabled The University of Surrey to successfully move away from spreadsheet silos to join the dots between financial and operational planning.

The University’s entire budgeting and planning system is now in one place. This means a more robust, error-free process for budgeting and cash allocation, and the ability to see exactly what’s happening in terms of the institution’s finances. When strategic decisions need to be made, stakeholders can analyse their likely impact across the entire organisation, test assumptions, evaluate options and make evidence-based decisions rapidly, and with confidence. 

Get in touch to find out how Sempre Analytics can help you make better decisions through the intelligent use of data.