Higher Education Strategic Risk Analysis Report 2025/26 10 Commentary on Selected Risks This section focuses on the most significant strategic risks faced by higher education institutions: 2.1 cybersecurity 2.2 student recruitment 2.3 financial sustainability 2.4 estates infrastructure 2.5 university employees 2.6 research 2.7 teaching and learning (student experience, student wellbeing, and student outcomes) 2.8 risks with the most substantial increase in inherent score (partnerships, digital estate, and UK policy) Table 2 below summarises the average inherent risk scores and risk rankings of the most substantial sector risks Inherent rank Change 24/25 to 25/26 Average inherent score Change 24/25 to 25/26 Cybersecurity 1st 0.81 Student recruitment 2nd 0.78 Financial sustainability Joint 3rd 0.72 UK policy environment Joint 3rd 0.72 Industrial relations 4th 0.68 Digital estate 5th 0.67 Office for Students 6th 0.65 Estates infrastructure Joint 7th 0.64 Student outcomes Joint 7th 0.64 Partnerships Joint 7th 0.64 Apprenticeships Joint 7th 0.64 Other compliance 8th 0.62 Employee lifecycle Joint 9th 0.59 Research Joint 9th 0.59 Student wellbeing Joint 9th 0.59 Student experience Joint 10th 0.58 Business continuity Joint 10th 0.58 Note: Dense ranking is employed. Our analysis concentrates on risks that appear on more than a third of risk registers sampled.
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