Education

Solving the Finance & Technology Challenges of Universities

A full suite of services to future-proof the public sector


Educational institutions are a primary influence on tomorrow's societies, yet they face a range of modern challenges that lead to many organisations falling into debt and losing ground in the technological lifecycle.


Our team has years of senior level experience working for public institutions, universities, and other educational facilities. Our methodologies employ data, research and a variety of intelligent frameworks to help you design and implement large-scale organisational changes that will ensure your institution is capable of delivering a modern network fit for the needs of your staff, researchers and students; as well as the operational and leadership finesse necessary for future success in a constantly evolving environment.


We have a dedicated team who are experienced at transforming institutions so they remain at the forefront of education

We excel at planning, managing, and executing complex transformation projects and mission critical IT programmes.


Our global network of consultants have senior executive and leadership experience in the public sector, including government roles, boards, advisory bodies, think tanks, universities, and other educational institutions.

CONTACT THE TEAM

Collectively we have


GET IN TOUCH

Case Study

Cyber Security


Cambridge MC was approached to conduct a comprehensive cyber capability maturity assessment for a major UK academic institution, leveraging a team of experts with technical understanding and frontline experience in cyber defence. Our team carried out a thorough evaluation through a series of tests, interviews, and artefact examinations. Unlike conventional assessments, our strategy focused on actionable insights which were tailored to the unique operational context of the institution. 


The assessment was structured around recognised capability categories, informed by the team’s extensive experience defending against cyber attacks. The methodology was particularly effective for its sensitivity to the institution’s risk appetite — balancing cost, risk, and investment to propose solutions that were unique to their situation.

READ CASE STUDY

How we help our clients

Our team of experts has decades of experience providing financial and technological services to universities and other institutions

Sustainability Strategy & Decarbonisation

Our experts combine advanced analytics with deep expertise in environmental strategy to support the decarbonisation of your university or institution —we help with infrastructure, energy supply, transport, supply chain, and more.

Procurement for Education

Through the deployment of digital tools and agile strategies, we can assist you at every stage of resourcing your departments, including negotiation, contract management, supplier selection, and cost reduction.

Human Resources for Education

Our holistic approach to HR combines advanced technology solutions with strategic insights to streamline HR processes, enhance data-driven decision-making, and improve overall operational efficiency and workforce resilience in your institution.

Capital Projects

Designed to maximise project outcomes using data-driven multi-year planning, comprehensive risk management, robust governance, and digital enablement.

Recruitment for Projects

Our tailored service operates on a transparent, fixed fee model, eliminating any financial uncertainties and aligning with your budget requirements, helping to identify the most suitable candidates who can drive significant value to your organisation.

Digitising Education for the Future

It is just as important for Public Sector bodies to build a resilient and scalable digital backbone as it is for Private Sector businesses. Our digital practitioners drive innovation, efficiency, and sustainable growth, paving the way for a secure, digitally enabled environment.

Cyber Resilience for Educational Institutions

We focus on embedding robust security measures into the foundation of your IT systems, ensuring that resilience against cyber threats is integrated into the architecture of your technology environment.

Innovation & Collaboration between Universities

Projects and Programmes are often most fruitful when they harbour collaboration between different organisations. We can support you in promoting and establishing this in the Public Sector in order to increase innovation.

Property & Investment

Designed to meet the specific needs of public and educational institutions, our Property & Investment service is a cornerstone service for organisations looking to enhance their physical assets to future proof their long-term success.

Planning

It is extremely resource-intensive to plan for large-scale infrastructure, urban planning and policy development in the Public Sector. Outsource some or all of the project management stages to a bespoke PMO and we can help you simplify this process at every stage.

Craig Cheney

Our global Public Sector & Education practice is led by Craig Cheney

Managing Partner - Public Sector

With over 25 years of experience across both the public and private sectors, Craig is Cambridge MC’s Managing Partner for Public Sector & Education. In 2016, Craig became the Deputy Mayor of Bristol, serving in the Mayor’s cabinet with responsibility for Finance, City Economy, Culture, and Property. In this role, and working for the Local Government Association across the country, Craig has developed a consummate understanding of the public sector landscape. He excels at collaboration, business transformation and strategic thinking. 


During his time in the Mayor's cabinet, Craig oversaw over £120m in budget savings though business transformation, restructuring, and service redesign. During this time, Craig sat as a shareholder of numerous council-owned companies, and led a £30m digital transformation exercise which earned Bristol’s recognition as the UK’s top ‘Smart City’. The Bristol City Leap program was a world first, a public/private partnership between Bristol and Ameresco, which will bring nearly £1bn of investment in decarbonisation and sustainability, recognised by government as a model for the rest of the country to follow.


Craig has also chaired the One City Economy Board, which brought together private sector businesses, the voluntary sector, equalities groups, and public sector institutions, supporting a quick recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our team can be your team


Our team of experts have multiple decades of experience across many different business environments and across various geographies.


We can build you a specialised team with the skillset and expertise required to meet the demands of your industry.


Our combination of expertise and an intelligent methodology is what realises tangible financial benefits for clients.

CONTACT THE TEAM

Our Public Sector & Education Experts

Industry insights


Neon 'Open' sign in business window
by Tom Burton 9 October 2025
SMEs make up 99% of UK businesses, three fifths of employment, over 50% of all business revenue, are in everyone's supply chain, and are exposed to largely the same threats as large enterprises. How should they get started with cyber security? Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME) are not immune to the threat of cyber attacks. At the very least, if your business has money then it will be attractive to criminals. And even if you don’t have anything of value, you may still get caught up in a ransomware campaign with all of your data and systems made inaccessible. Unfortunately many SMEs do not have an IT team let alone a cyber security team. It may not be obvious where to start, but inaction can have significant impact on your business by both increasing risk and reducing the confidence to address new opportunities. In this article we outline 5 key questions that can help SMEs to understand what they need to do. Even if you outsource your IT to a supplier these questions are still relevant. Some can’t be delegated, and others are topics for discussion so that you can ensure your service provider is doing the right things, as well as understanding where their responsibilities stop and yours start. Q1: What's Important & Worth Defending Not everything needs protecting equally. In your personal life you will have some possessions that are dear to you and others that you are more laissez-faire about. The same applies to your digital assets, and the start point for any security plan needs to be an audit of the things you own and their importance to your business. Those ‘things’, or assets, may be particular types of data or information. For instance, you may have sensitive intellectual property or trade secrets; you may hold information about your customers that is governed by privacy regulations; or your financial data may be of particular concern. Some of this information needs to be protected from theft, while it may be more important to prevent other types of data from being modified or deleted. It is helpful to build a list of these assets, and their characteristics like the table below:
Illustration of EV sensor fields
by Duncan Clubb 25 September 2025
Explore the rise of edge AI: smaller data centres, faster networks, and sustainable power solutions. See why the future of digital infrastructure is distributed and intelligent | READ FULL ARTICLE
A close-up of the Downing St sign
by Craig Cheney 19 September 2025
Craig Cheney | The conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) in Government has shifted in recent years. The publication of the UK Government’s AI Playbook represents more than just updated guidance — it signals a huge shift in the government's approach to AI.
Volcano lava lake
by Scott Armstrong 18 September 2025
Discover why short-term thinking on sustainability risks business growth. Explore how long-term climate strategy drives resilience, valuation, and trust | READ FULL ARTICLE
SEE MORE INSIGHTS

"We found exactly what we were looking for. We were immediately impressed by their approach - understanding our business and technical requirements in detail"


Paul Brock, CEO BCS Consulting


"We found exactly what we were looking for. We were immediately impressed by their approach - understanding our business and technical requirements in detail"


Paul Brock, CEO BCS Consulting


"We were immediately impressed"

Get in touch with our

Education team today


We are the consultancy with no consultants. There is no substitute for real-world experience. We are a highly collaborative team of senior level executive professionals able to adapt to any business challenge, however niche, however challenging.

+44 (0)1223 750335

info@cambridgemc.com

Contact Form - Education

Case Studies


Our team has had the privilege of partnering with a diverse array of clients, from burgeoning startups to FTSE 100 companies. Each case study reflects our commitment to delivering tailored solutions that drive real business results.

CASE STUDIES

A little bit about Cambridge MC


Cambridge Management Consulting is a specialist consultancy drawing on an extensive global network of over 200 senior executives in 22 countries.


Our purpose is to help our clients make a better impact on the world.

ABOUT CAMBRIDGE MC