The University published two reports on Friday, 2 November 2001 about the University's on-line commitment accounting software system (CAPSA) and its implementation (Reporter, 2 November 2001).

The University published two reports on Friday, 2 November 2001 about the University's on-line commitment accounting software system (CAPSA) and its implementation (Reporter, 2 November 2001).

The Audit Committee and Board of Scrutiny appointed Professor Anthony Finkelstein, Professor of Software Systems Engineering at University College London, and Professor Michael Shattock, Visiting Professor at the Centre for Higher Education Studies at the Institute of Education, University of London, and formerly Registrar at the University of Warwick, to undertake the review and write the reports.

Professor Finkelstein reported on the technical issues and Professor Shattock on issues relating to decision-making and governance.

The two reports were presented to the Audit Committee, the Board of Scrutiny, and the Council on Friday, 26 October 2001.

The next stage in the consideration of these reports will be on Tuesday, 27 November 2001 when members of the University will have an opportunity to comment on the reports.

These comments will be considered by the Council along with the reports themselves.

The University is grateful for the work undertaken by Professor Shattock and Professor Finkelstein in reviewing the implementation of the CAPSA Project. The Council accepts that the reports draw a number of significant conclusions, and make important recommendations about management responsibility and accountability, and the University's corporate governance.

A number of significant measures have already been taken to augment its specialist financial management capability, including the recent appointment of Mr Andrew Reid, formerly a Director of Finance within Cable & Wireless, as the Director of Finance. In addition, the Council will consider the Reports in detail at their next meeting and will incorporate relevant recommendations in their review of systems and governance that is currently underway.

Director of Finance, Andrew Reid said:

"Although the cost of the project was higher than the original estimate, it has already demonstrated its value. For example, improved information has allowed us to recover VAT of over £2 million which we would otherwise would not have been able to retrieve.

"The total cost was £9.19 million, which is still below the estimated cost of the alternative supplier.

"This money has not been wasted; we are significantly ahead of where we were last year when we had no commitment accounting system in place. We are now in a position to recover VAT and research grants overheads which means in the longer term we will be able to devote these additional resources to support our research programmes.

"In addition the detailed information now available to us will significantly enhance how we can track and improve our expenditure."


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.