Universities are complex institutions that balance public funding, responsible investment, and high-quality operations to support tens of thousands of students, but as operating costs escalate, funding and endowments erode, and tuition increases, TAFEs , colleges and universities are faced with the challenge: do more with less.

Looking to more effectively deliver services to their 100,000 students and staff, in 2011 Melbourne based Monash University, which operates four campuses in Melbourne, as well as campuses in Italy, India and Malaysia, embarked on a shared services transformation journey.

By centralising their Human Resources, IT and Finance functions, and introducing automation elements into operations, the higher education provider is successfully reducing costs, increasing efficiency and driving operational excellence. 

Ahead of the Shared Services for Higher Education Summit 2019 we chat to Connie Mogg, Director, Research and Revenue Accounting Services at Monash University. In this article Connie explores how Monash established a centralised shared services model and delves into the benefits of investing in shared services in the higher education space.

With Monash some eight years into their shared services transformation journey Connie also shares her top tips and lessons learned from the process.