| There has been a great deal of consternation about | | | | outlook for UK universities and colleges. |
| the possible effects of funding cuts in the UK Higher | | | | According to John Pryzibilla of Mosaic Space UK, |
| Education sector. According to the BBC “Leaders | | | | “Savings in the millions of pounds can be |
| of the UK’s most prestigious universities have | | | | achieved through the more efficient use of built |
| warned government plans to cut funding will lead to a | | | | space. Options include the reallocation of space which |
| higher education ‘meltdown’”. Every | | | | is little or poorly used, targeted refurbishment, and |
| university and college is bracing for stringent | | | | extension of the teaching week or teaching terms. |
| economies, at the same time as uncertainty in the | | | | Long-term savings can be achieved by implementing |
| job market is driving people towards higher education | | | | operational change in the short to medium term.” |
| courses. | | | | Space utilisation rates can be markedly improved with |
| The current indications are that the funding cuts may | | | | the combined application of automated timetabling |
| have a devastating effect on staff and students, | | | | systems and space utilisation analysis software. A |
| with the prospect of job losses and course closures | | | | large metropolitan university has reported savings of |
| in many institutions. But there are ways in which the | | | | more than 30% in the teaching room provision, by |
| universities could lessen some of the pain of the | | | | using the RUIS space utilisation analysis software to |
| budget cuts. Because the provision and maintenance | | | | determine poorly used space, then re-scheduling the |
| of space forms a significant proportion of the budget | | | | timetable using an automated scheduling package to |
| of all universities, more efficient utilisation of buildings | | | | reallocate classes more compactly. The resulting |
| and rooms could have a dramatic effect on the | | | | savings in space negated the need for new building |
| bottom line, helping to alleviate the effects of the | | | | work and, by converting the space to conference |
| budget cuts and perhaps saving courses and jobs. | | | | facilities, has provided the university with much |
| This could be a 'ray of light' in an otherwise gloomy | | | | needed additional revenue. |