5 Barriers Undermining University Performance in the UK & EU
Resource Center
Practical strategies and tools to help address each of these challenges.

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39835-B-EAB-UK-Icon-Barrier-1.png Barrier 1

Outdated Organisational Models Weaken Response
Solution: Build a more agile operating model
Blog | Why organisational change efforts fail (and how to make yours succeed)

External Pressure: Policy shifts, financial constraints, and rising student expectations require faster, more coordinated decision-making than universities are accustomed to.

Internal Barrier: Fragmented structures and unclear accountability make coordinated decisions slow and contested.

Why It Matters: When responsibilities are dispersed and accountability is unclear, even high-priority initiatives struggle to move forward or scale e­ectively.


39835-B-EAB-UK-Icon-Barrier-2.png Barrier 2

Narrow Programme Portfolios Limit Revenue Resilience
Solution: Design a differentiated student value proposition
Briefing | How to Make Your Institution Stand Out in Today’s Market

External Pressure: As learners become more outcome-oriented, universities face a growing imperative to align programmes with market value—not just tradition or institutional identity.

Internal Barrier: Institutions often lack the market insight, financial levers, or cultural incentives to adapt off­erings quickly or strategically.

Why It Matters: Overreliance on traditional degrees, especially in saturated or declining disciplines, leaves institutions vulnerable to enrolment shocks and unable to capture growth in emerging segments.


39835-B-EAB-UK-Icon-Barrier-3.png Barrier 3

Fragmented AI Activity Undermines Strategic Progress
Solution: Develop an institution-wide AI strategy
Blog | Building an AI-ready university

External Pressure: With generative AI shaping industries and skill demands, institutions must decide how to integrate AI into academic, operational, and governance models.

Internal Barrier: Dispersed experimentation, limited governance, and unclear leadership prevent universities from developing a cohesive AI approach.

Why It Matters: Without an institutional AI strategy, universities risk falling behind on student expectations, missing out on efficiency gains, and mismanaging reputational and ethical risks.


39835-B-EAB-UK-Icon-Barrier-4.png Barrier 4

Ineffective Estate Strategy Impedes Financial and Academic Flexibility
Solution: Optimise campus space for strategy and savings
Blog | 'No net new': What stuck with university leaders at our Campus Space Summit

External Pressure: Estates decisions are no longer just about capacity; they’re a test of how capital is deployed and whether their physical footprint aligns with evolving needs.

Internal Barrier: Legacy estates plans and siloed decision-making tie up resources in underused assets and limit the institution’s ability to adapt quickly.

Why It Matters: Underutilised space and deferred maintenance drain budgets, reduce agility, and limit the strategic choices available to academic and financial leaders.


39835-B-EAB-UK-Icon-Barrier-5.png Barrier 5

Rigid Enrolment Strategies Expose Institutions to Risk
Solution: Strengthen recruitment strategy for a volatile market
Blog | Questions universities should be asking about recruitment strategy

External Pressure: Estates decisions are no longer just about capacity; they’re a test of how capital is deployed and whether their physical footprint aligns with evolving needs.

Internal Barrier: Legacy estates plans and siloed decision-making tie up resources in underused assets and limit the institution’s ability to adapt quickly.

Why It Matters: Dependence on narrow source markets heightens risk and limits institutions’ ability to align student intake with academic, financial, and operational priorities.

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