Universities are struggling with complexity in how teaching is organised, delivered and supported, but it doesn’t need to be this way 

Addressing the growing complexity in teaching delivery and support has been a continuing theme of our discussions with UK university academic and professional leaders, but this is not just a UK phenomenon. The pressures facing higher education institutions in every country – from finances to student expectations – mean that ‘living with complexity’, and the work it creates for all, is no longer an option. UniForum lead practice insights show what a different route looks like and the benefits it can deliver by enabling more sustainable academic workloads, a better student experience, and more effective academic support services.

Complexity in teaching can take many forms, such as the way the taught portfolio is structured (e.g. many different instances of fundamentally similar modules), the number of different assessments to be managed, the approach to managing teaching allocations, or the committees and approvals needed to make changes to the curriculum. While we see this complexity globally, there are clear signals that UK institutions often have a greater degree of complexity than counterparts in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), across several domains in teaching delivery and support. For example, UK universities typically deliver more modules per student than ANZ universities in the Humanities, Physical Sciences and Education.  

While a degree of complexity is inevitable, it is clear from our discussions with university leaders that it continues to grow over time – at all universities but especially at institutions in the UK. A number of external factors have contributed, like supporting a more diverse cohort of students, juggling the multiple modes of teaching delivery, and responding to increasing regulation and reporting requirements. These pressures are real, and university leaders have an unenviable task without doubt. However, leaders also tell us that much of this complexity has grown from within, and by understanding the true impact of this complexity, and learning from those who have charted a different path, this complexity can be reduced.  

Impact on students

Unnecessary complexity in the teaching portfolio creates significant barriers for students, not only making it difficult to enrol in the right units or modules, but also to develop timetables that fit their needs - an added challenge for a cohort that already has less time available for study than any previous generation.  

Navigating intricate course structures and requirements amplifies students’ cognitive load, increasing stress and potentially diminishing their academic engagement. A recent Nous study found that the majority of university students, across all disciplines, prefer less choice in the academic offer, whilst too much flexibility can be counterproductive and overwhelming for students. Furthermore, this complexity can hinder smooth progression through their studies, sometimes even affecting the dynamics and cohesion of the student cohort itself. One UK university has observed that the extensive choice and complexity embedded in their portfolio have had tangible consequences on the overall student experience by fragmenting its cohorts, highlighting the real risks posed by an overly complicated academic environment.  

Impact on academics

For academic staff, complexity leads to heavy administrative workloads that detract from student engagement. A recent study we did with a group of universities in the UK and Australia showed that faculty spend much of their time outside classroom instruction on tasks like module coordination, preparation, and marking. The result of this can be a large portion of the university’s teaching workload spent on ‘unscheduled’ teaching time.  

One of the biggest drivers of ‘unscheduled’ effort for academic staff is an excessively complex assessment approach that’s more reflective of institutional practice over time: long-standing assumptions, for example, around a certain level or mode of assessment, and with limited uptake – certainly in the UK – of online assessment. These challenges also have a knock-on effect in terms of the delivery of support processes, whether around systems or organisational handovers.

Additionally, complicated academic systems and processes further increase administrative demands in the working week. UniForum Service Effectiveness results indicate that academic staff tend to have a particularly negative experience with teaching administration process and systems, highlighting the impact but also the opportunity to improve.

Impact on professional staff

For professional staff, complexity creates work, work arounds and drives up resourcing needs. Complex programme rules and assessment patterns can force professional services staff to create ad hoc solutions for students, limiting the effectiveness of support systems. This complexity contributes to UK staff having less positive experiences with teaching administration than those in Australia and New Zealand. Despite advances like AI, UK university leaders report ongoing frustration with redundant processes and repeated data entry, reflecting efforts to manage unnecessary complexity in supporting academic systems.  

Academic support services – including timetabling, academic programme administration, examinations and assessment support – certainly bear the brunt of complexity but can themselves be the source of additional unnecessary administrative burden. Complexity in the design of teaching administration service roles and structures hinder finding support, slow decision-making, and limit opportunities for career development in universities. Both factors are at play in explaining why, as illustrated in the chart below, UK universities have a much higher level of academic programme administration support than their Australian and New Zealand peers. 

UniForum members have made significant progress in tackling complexity across various aspects of teaching delivery and support. Several factors have contributed to their success, with three primary areas standing out as particularly significant:  

1. Start with the root causes  

Universities across the UK are making concerted efforts to address the challenges of unnecessary complexity in their taught portfolios, always with an eye toward benefiting both students and staff. By thoughtfully simplifying programme offerings, streamlining programme rules and structures (e.g. reducing pre-requisite requirements), rethinking assessment methods, and using robust data to guide decisions, institutions are empowering academic leaders to enhance quality without adding workload. These initiatives, tailored to meet the unique needs of each university, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to adapting and improving the faculty and student experience.  

Further, universities are actively rethinking underlying academic policies and approval processes to reduce burden, foster greater collaboration and improve consistency. A different approach here doesn’t need to be top-down or command-and-control, or assume a one-size-fits-all approach. As demonstrated by Griffith University, in their work to develop a university-wide approach to managing teaching effort, standard tools and approaches can be balanced effectively with local input and buy-in to reflect the nuances of each discipline.

2. Ensure academic support services are designed well

Thoughtful role design in professional services is fundamental to streamlining support for both staff and students. When roles are clearly defined with purposeful responsibilities and realistic scopes, professional staff can focus on delivering high-value activities, minimise duplication of effort, and develop expertise in areas that directly impact service quality. Well-structured positions, aligned with institutional goals and supported by targeted training, foster a culture of empowerment and clarity, ultimately enabling teams to respond flexibly to changing academic needs while maintaining consistency and efficiency.  

We explored in another recent article how ‘centralisation’ of these services is not the silver bullet, but rather a focus on thoughtful service placement, design and a service culture that actively supports linking up between staff working at different levels of the organisation and in different teams. Underpinning all of this must be investment in process simplification, targeted system improvements, and design of professional roles that allows staff to really develop the levels of specialisation that these specialist support services merit. These success factors were on display in Liverpool’s successful improvement to its timetabling service, covered in an earlier article.

3. Have a joined-up approach (cross-institution and collaborative)

Reducing unnecessary complexity for students, academics, and professional service staff depends not just on what is done but also on how it is accomplished. Leading practice in both the academic and professional services side involves creating frameworks and ongoing processes that break down organisational silos, foster a shared commitment to good service design, and rely on common, trusted data sets. Universities at the forefront in this area bring together senior academic and professional services leaders to agree on ground rules and frameworks, such as design principles for administrative services or portfolio redesign, ensuring these guiding principles steer real decisions and investments. Collaboration thrives when spaces - like task groups or workshops - are built on mutual trust and respect for each party’s expertise.

A truly effective joined-up approach is grounded in high-quality data that enables a collective understanding of university operations and the challenges at hand. In a recent article, we explored how fostering collaboration and building a culture of shared ownership over data empowers universities to align their efforts towards common goals. Transparent targets and regular progress updates, supported by robust data, help maintain accountability and engagement. If you’re interested in how UniForum’s comprehensive benchmarking dataset can support your university’s efforts to simplify processes and enhance the experience for academics, students, and staff, please get in touch.