GOVERNANCE • STRATEGY • DELIVERY
Providing strategic and hands-on support to the HE sector
Our story
We're a founder-led consultancy. Small by design.
We bring a deep, practical understanding of the UK HE sector having worked in universities and alongside sector bodies. We've directed governance services, supported boards, delivered projects, and led teams through regulatory and organisational change, with experience spanning governance, strategy, planning, policy and risk.
Our perspective also reaches beyond higher education. When needed, we draw on a trusted network of professionals, including executive coaches, leadership and organisational development specialists, digital transformation leads, project and change management practitioners, information governance experts, and data and analytics enthusiasts.
Everyone we work with brings recent, relevant experience. They understand what it’s like to work in and with HE providers, or have a meaningful connection to the student experience. That includes colleagues who have served as SU Trustees. This means institutions can access the right expertise without the overheads of permanent roles, the complexity of managing a multi-disciplinary team, or the difficulty of finding proportionate support for projects that may be too small for larger, generalist consultancies.
AssurED Services
We provide support across governance, strategy and delivery, helping institutions move forward in ways that are focused, proportionate and practical. Our work is grounded in real sector experience. Whether you need advice, additional capacity or hands-on input, we shape our support around your needs and your context.
The areas below reflect common ways we work with institutions, though every engagement is shaped by what matters most to you.
Strategic Governance & Leadership
We work with governing bodies, executive teams and senior leaders to shape proportionate governance structures that are fit for purpose, clearly defined and enable effective decision-making.
We offer flexible, tailored support, including:
-
Interim or fractional leadership across governance functions
-
Tailored support for boards and committees
-
Service design and review, with targeted improvement projects
-
One-to-one peer support for governance professionals and senior leaders
.png)
.png)
Quality, Compliance & Regulation
We undertake independent external governance reviews and support institutions to prepare for OfS registration, regulatory scrutiny and internal improvement. We recognise each institution’s context and the demands of an evolving external environment, and our work is designed to provide practical and evidence-based advice.
Whether you're anticipating inspection or strengthening internal systems, we help you focus on what matters:
-
Preparation for registration, inspection or regulatory review
-
External effectiveness reviews (governance, quality, compliance)
-
Gap analysis and targeted action planning
-
Advice on risk, assurance and reporting
Project Delivery & Change Management
We help institutions deliver strategic projects, whether that’s implementing governance changes, advancing strategic plans or supporting major institutional priorities. Our approach brings additional capacity, structure and pace to ensure that intent leads to action.
Our support includes:
-
Development of project governance frameworks
-
Project reviews, health checks and resets
-
Additional project management capacity
-
Change management, including planning, scoping and implementation
-
Support for digital transformation initiatives
.png)
