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Integrated Thinking – Let’s Talk Value

How institutions demonstrate, communicate and report the value created for all stakeholders. Higher education in the UK 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.

An Advance HE project, Integrated Thinking & Reporting, helped universities explore, test and evaluate the concept of value through the lens and principles of Integrated Reporting, building on from BUFDG’s work in the sector. Integrated Reporting is a strategic approach to communicating how an organisation uses resources to create value for its stakeholders and integrated thinking creates the conditions to foster a culture of collaboration and integration between different parts of the institution, break down internal silos and enable cross-fertilisation of ideas and practice creating value in its widest sense. 



The project worked with 10 UK institutions and used the IIRC framework as a starting point to consider the concept of value creation (and also what destroys it) in higher education.

There are a number of ways to engage:

Download the report entitled Let’s talk value: How universities create value for students, staff and society

The topic of value and Integrated Thinking and Reporting was debated and explored at the Let's Talk Value Conference 2020 on 11 February 2020 in London. You can find out more about the conference and watch a recording of the live panel session on sustainability.

Join in the conversation on Integrated Thinking and Reporting in the Advance HE Connect Let’s Talk Value Group.

Consider joining the next collaborative project. We are currently discussing this with a number of interested universities and you can express an interest by contacting Kim Ansell, Senior Advisor at Advance HE.

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