Strategy, Stewardship and the Student Experience: A conversation with Exeter’s CFO

When you first stepped into your role as CFO at Exeter, what kept you awake at night? And what opportunity did you see?

My arrival at the University of Exeter in August 2023 coincided with a significant shift in international recruitment patterns. Exeter had been a strong recruiter of overseas students for many years, but the 2023 intake represented the first real correction, resulting in a significant financial shortfall.

A range of factors were at play, including policy changes and economic pressures in key international markets. The result was that we were simply not seeing the same numbers of overseas students.

So, we stepped back and asked a simple question: what is Exeter really known for, and where are our strengths?

One clear strength is our position in the UK undergraduate market. Exeter now has the fourth-largest intake of domestic undergraduates among Russell Group universities. Graduate outcomes and employment performance are also very strong.

The university is triple gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework, meaning teaching quality, learning environment and student outcomes are all rated gold.

The opportunity was to double down on what already works well, particularly in the home undergraduate market, while adjusting our strategy in response to international trends.

UPP and the University of Exeter work together in a long-term partnership to deliver and manage campus infrastructure, including the major regeneration project at West Park. What does it take to trust a partner with a project like this?

Trust, shared objectives and commitment to student experience are fundamental.

At Exeter, the campus and physical environment are a huge part of the student experience. Partners need to genuinely understand that and take pride in it as much as we do.

Being a student is a formative period in life. It’s where people make lifelong friends, develop new ideas and shape their future careers. The spaces students live in should support that.

Accommodation should be safe, clean, green and collegiate, with access to fresh air, leisure space and well-designed facilities.

It is also important that partners recognise the wider role the university plays in the city. Exeter is a Purple Flag city, recognising the safety and quality of the night-time economy.

Ultimately, success is when students see their accommodation as a natural part of campus life. Achieving that requires close collaboration with partners who understand how high-quality living environments contribute to the overall student experience.

Imagine it is 2076 and Exeter’s future CFO is looking back to decisions made in 2026. What might they thank you for?

I hope they would thank us for responding early to the trends we were seeing in the sector.

International recruitment was becoming more uncertain, so we took some difficult decisions about the scale of our capital investment programme. Over the next ten years, planned investment has been significantly reduced to reflect that uncertainty.

Universities are long-term institutions, so acting as responsible stewards is essential. Sometimes that means slowing down and focusing on sustainability.

At the same time, investment in strategically important areas has been protected.

Research remains a priority. Strengthening research capability has a major impact on both reputation and teaching quality. Students benefit enormously from being taught in a research-intensive environment.

Investment has also continued to diversity, including expanding online and lifelong learning, continuing professional development and executive education. Exeter maintains a  strong track record in degree apprenticeships.

Together, these initiatives serve a wider range of learners and employers while strengthening long-term resilience.

What advice would you give another university considering a major estates regeneration project like West Park?

The first piece of advice is: be patient.

Projects of this scale are complex and take time. External factors, including financial market conditions, can affect whether a project is viable at a given moment.

Choosing advisors carefully is also essential. When a project reaches critical phases, particularly ahead of financial close, you work extremely closely with them.

Keeping the governing body closely involved throughout is equally important.

These projects can move slowly for long periods, then suddenly accelerate. For West Park, decisions had to happen quickly after a long development phase.

What makes a great place for students to live and study in 2026?

For a question like this, I would always say: ask the students.

The balance between privacy and community is crucial. Accommodation needs to be high quality and well designed. Students need private space, but also shared social areas.

Affordability is another key issue. Many students report that cost pressures are one of their biggest concerns, especially if they are working alongside their studies.

And location matters. Student halls should be close enough to the city to easily access everything it offers but quiet enough to support study.

Most importantly, students themselves help shape these decisions. Our accommodation strategy group includes student representation so their voices are part of the process. 

---

UPP are gold sponsors at the AHUA Spring Conference 2026 and will be hosting a sponsor session.

Skip past comments, to footer Skip past comments, to main