March 2010/07 (web only)
Issues paper

---

Independent Review Group review of the effectiveness and efficiency of HEFCE
Final report

This report sets out the findings of an independent effectiveness and efficiency review of the Higher Education Funding Council for England for the period 2004-09.

---

Table of contents (read online)

---

---

Contents

• 1. Executive summary
  • 1.1. Key findings
  • 1.2. HEFCE's value proposition
  • 1.3. Performance, people and stakeholders
  • 1.4. Evidence of effectiveness
  • 1.5. HEFCE's four key functions
  • 1.6. Assessing efficiency
  • 1.7. Conclusion
• 2. Schedule of recommendations
• 3. Background to this study
• 4. The organisation and its people
  • 4.1. Function and strategic aims
  • 4.2. The Board
  • 4.3. Chief Executive's Group
  • 4.4. Structure, people and culture
  • 4.5. Conclusion
• 5. Stakeholder relations
  • 5.1. Relationships with HEIs
  • 5.2. Relationships with non-HEIs
  • 5.3. Conclusion
• 6. Assessing HEFCE's efficiency
  • 6.1. Underlying efficiency
  • 6.2. Benchmarking efficiency
  • 6.3. Procurement
  • 6.4. Conclusion
• 7. Assessing HEFCE's effectiveness
• 8. Policy development and advice to government and others
  • 8.1. Learning and teaching
  • 8.2. Widening participation and fair access
  • 8.3. Research
  • 8.4. Employer engagement and skills
  • 8.5. Economy and society
  • 8.6. Other areas of work
  • 8.7. Conclusion
• 9. Administration of funding and implementation of public policy initiatives
  • 9.1. Teaching funding
  • 9.2. Research funding
  • 9.3. Other funding
  • 9.4. Data collection processes
  • 9.5. Conclusion
• 10. Regulation of the HE sector and accountability for public funding
  • 10.1. Regulatory burden
  • 10.2. Assurance and institutional risk
  • 10.3. Assurance and institutional risk service
  • 10.4. Evolution in assurance practice
  • 10.5. Conclusion
• 11. Related bodies
  • 11.1. Remit and purpose
  • 11.2. Oversight framework
  • 11.3. VFM of related bodies
  • 11.4. Conclusion
• 12. Promotion of good practice within higher education institutions
  • 12.1. Key funds
  • 12.2. Supporting good practice
  • 12.3. Conclusion
• 13. Facing the future; the Higher Education Framework and other challenges
  • 13.1. Introduction
  • 13.2. 'Higher Ambitions' – The Higher Education Framework
  • 13.3. Independent review of HE funding and student finance
  • 13.4. Conclusion

• Appendix A. Terms of reference
• Appendix B. Consultees
• Appendix C. Source documents
• Appendix D. Common abbreviations
• Appendix E. Picturing HEFCE's role
• Appendix F. The Board
• Appendix G. Staffing
• Appendix H. The commercial banks
• Appendix I. Non-HEI stakeholders
• Appendix J. Policy case studies
• Case study 1: Strategically Important and Vulnerable Subjects
• Case study 2: Higher Education Innovation Fund
• Case study 3: Economic Challenge Investment Fund
• Case study 4: The Research Excellence Framework
• Case study 5: Human resource management in higher education
• Appendix K. Higher Ambitions; possible impact on HEFCE operations