Colleagues, members and partners,
The 2020 Benchmark Survey has recently closed, and we look forward with interest, to the raw data and analytical insights that we can glean from the 2020 COVID impacted results. We will again see best practice, opportunities for conversations, further investigation and alignment to aid decision making, direction setting and general thinking for how to continue to add value to the estates we control. As a reminder - $1.3 billion in operating costs was expended across Australian and New Zealand institutions in 2019, largely with our institutional business partners and delivery agents to aid in the appropriate management of our assets. A further $956m was invested in capital refurbishments, and $1.68b in new buildings were constructed, increasing our combined asset portfolio, and further challenging teams tasked with strategically planning, operating and maintaining these assets with a whole of lifecycle mentality.
An increasing trend seen through our benchmarking is the shift toward contract management functions being established within our management teams, and the outsourcing through both direct and integrated FM arrangements to maintain our assets and deliver our capital works profiles. The interrelatedness between teams is strong, and it is this sector wide approach through common interest that creates the conversations and opportunity realisation making our daily work lives enjoyable, challenging and inspiring.
To this point, we would like to establish a Special Interest Group for reviewing benchmarking metrics, to explore new opportunities for data collection, comparison and analysis. SIG members may come from institutions or across our business partner group. For context, there are current conversations occurring with Universities Australia and Universities New Zealand, as well as the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment to understand future data and information requirements. Alignment of international benchmarking metrics is supported by our Strategic Partners at AUDE, APPA and HEFMA and we are interested in expanding pilot surveys already conducted such as the Retail Survey within HE institutions (last reviewed in 2019).
TEFMA Business Partners are integral to the ongoing ability for TEFMA to develop guidelines, maintain benchmarking practices and analytical offerings, and to provide the educational offerings, awards and scholarships that keep our network together. I encourage Institutional and Affiliate members to review the TEFMA business partner page (www.tefma.com/business-partners-directory) and to engage in conversations with our business partners, to learn both who they are and how they can in turn help our institutions with the expertise they each bring to the table. I also encourage you to refer your preferred vendors to join the TEFMA network to build their longer term positive symbiotic relationship between and with Higher Education Estate teams.
The TEFMA Awards and Scholarships are currently open to institutions and affiliate members to continue their learnings and to recognise exemplars across our sector. I strongly encourage our business partner network to consider sponsoring these awards and highlighting to our sector the commitment you each have to supporting the continued growth of our people and future leaders.
For our institutions and affiliate members, I would suggest you consider applying for one of our many awards and/or scholarships on offer. Applications close COB Friday, 25 June. You can find out more about the Clever Campus Awards here.
And for those organisations that have already been considering joining the TEFMA network, I encourage you to pick up the phone (+61 3 6234 7844), email (info@tefma.com) or otherwise engage with us so we can demonstrate the benefits that a TEFMA business partnership may bring to your organisation.