What Planning and Policy do

Good decisions need good data.

With expertise in policy insight, data analysis and interpretation, tuition fee strategy and student population planning, we work with colleagues across Colleges and Professional Services to support collective decision making, helping the University thrive.

We spend our time gathering and analysing a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data about the University of Edinburgh, our peer universities, and the wider environment in which we operate. We turn this into tools to help our colleagues make informed choices.

In a typical week you’ll find us: 

  • Scrutinising student population trends to predict the future size and shape of the university five years from now 
  • Keeping a close eye on developing Government policy on University funding 
  • Creating and maintaining apps and dashboards on the current status of our student recruitment 
  • Engaging the Scottish Funding Council on how Scottish students are funded for study 
  • Working with Finance on how financial and strategic planning jointly support Strategy 2030 delivery 
  • Collating and analysing data on the characteristics of our people to help promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Talk to us about:

  • Planning Round: narratives and strategy; process and timeline; liaison with finance on budgets 
  • Strategy 2030 monitoring and KPI performance framework 
  • Student number planning (annual, size and shape, controlled vs non-controlled) 
  • Fees setting  
  • Fee income forecasting 
  • Fee income attribution 
  • SFC funding analysis and attribution 
  • Student recruitment and admissions data reporting 

  • Statutory returns 
  • Equality Diversity and Inclusion data 
  • Student and applicant data analytics 
  • Staff data analytics 
  • Our developing suite of dashboards  
  • Additional insight for answering FOIs 

  • Briefings and advice 
  • Consultations  
  • SFC liaison 
  • Stakeholder relations: Russell Group, Universities Scotland  
  • Horizon scanning: WonkHE, Research Professional, Universities Scotland, Universities UK, Russell Group, and more 
  • Outcome Agreements 
  • Analysing government, funder and sector body announcements 
  • League tables 

Contact Us

Useful Links