Governance consultancy and enhancement services

At Advance HE we use three key lenses to explore effectiveness, based on years of research and experience evaluating governance in higher education. These are enablers; behaviours; and outcomes. By looking through these three lenses we are able to explore the processes and policies, skills, culture and relationships and impact that add up to deliver good governance. Our programmes, events and bespoke consultancy all use this approach to ensure that your governance is as effective as it can be, drawing on the latest practice and insights from HE and beyond. We offer a unique and extensive benchmarking dataset.

Higher education is being challenged to become accessible, inclusive and representative of the society we live in. The voices calling for change are many and strong, the opportunities, energy and urgency likewise. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values as an organisation and provide the framework for the work that we do with our members and clients. We are leading work in UK HE on enhancing EDI perspectives within institutional governance, in terms of both board diversity and board assurance, including partnering with other sector groups such as the global 30% Club for gender diversity and the global search firm Perrett Laver. We draw on insight from developing and running the internationally-recognised Charters accreditation schemes in race equality and gender equality for universities.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the institution’s ability to deliver learning and teaching has increased the attention on academic governance and assurance and its role in navigating the transformations needed for years to come. Through our vast experience supporting teaching and learning in the sector, Advance HE are unrivalled in our insights of good practice and what works. Our Academic Governance Effectiveness Framework provides a tool to review how your institution is performing

Higher education is looking for an improved narrative about the value it creates for students, parents, funders, governors and society, and this is much deeper and wider than value for money – it is about understanding and joining up the relationships between the resources available to a university, the stakeholders impacted by the activities of the institution and the consequent creation (or destruction) of value across all activities. We are at the forefront of supporting institutions to explore Integrated Thinking and Reporting and bring in diverse, global perspectives on governance, strategy and stakeholder engagement

The effective governance of students’ unions is equally as important to the success of higher education and delivery for students as that of institutions themselves. As separate legal entities, charities, operating under the Education Act 1994, Charities Act 2011 and in some cases the Companies Act 2006 there is much that makes their governance complex.

Applying for Degree Awarding Powers is a significant undertaking for any provider and requires them to evidence effective institutional governance and assurance of quality and standards through a robust and intense process involving regulatory bodies.

The relationship between the board and an institutions senior leadership is vital in delivering an institutions strategies and achieving KPIs. Advance HE has over 15 years of experience in supporting both boards and leaders, whether through development programmes for individuals or larger cross-institution interventions. We understand the challenges faced and perspectives from both parties and have effectively connected both agendas throughout our work with the sector.