2025-07-31-accounts

CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1208634

ACADEMIC REGISTRARS' COUNCIL Unaudited Financial Statements

31 July 2025

CARRINGTON BLAKE ACCOUNTANCY

Jack Dash House

2 Lawn House Close London United Kingdom E14 9YQ

ACADEMIC REGISTRARS' COUNCIL

Financial Statements

Year ended 31 July 2025

Contents

Trustees ............................................................................................................................................... 1-2 Trustee Report ................................................................................................................................... 3-10 Independent examiner's report to the trustees ...................................................................................... 11 Statement of Financial Activities ............................................................................................................ 12 Statement of Financial Position.............................................................................................................. 13 Statement of Cash Flows ....................................................................................................................... 14 Notes to the Financial Statements ................................................................................................... 15-20 Detailed Statement of Financial Activities .............................................................................................. 21 Appendix 1 – List of ARC Members ....................................................................................................... 22

ACADEMIC REGISTRARS' COUNCIL

Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

Trustees

Trustees during the year ended 31 July 2025:

Name	Role	Date of Appointment	ARC Executive Role
Kevin Pickess	Trustee	12 June 20241	Vice Chair (to 31 August 2024) Chair (from 1 September 2024)
Joanne Lee Coward	Trustee	31 August 2024	Business & Communications Secretary
Ben Rogers	Trustee	12 June 20241 (appointment ended 31 August 2025)	Chair (to 31 August 2024) Vice Chair (from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025)
Lesley O’Keefe	Trustee	12 June 20241 (appointment ended 31 December 2024)	Professional Development Lead
Matt Brindley-Sadler	Trustee	From 1 January 2025	Professional Development Lead

Trustees in post at date of approval of annual report:

Name	Role	Date of Appointment	ARC Executive Role
Kevin Pickess	Trustee	12 June 2024	Chair
Joanne Lee Coward	Trustee	31 August 2024	Vice Chair
Matt Brindley-Sadler	Trustee	1 January 2025	Professional Development Lead
Christopher Hulse	Trustee	1 September 2025	Business & Communications Secretary

ARC Executive roles may change outside the reporting period; the roles shown above reflect positions held at the date of approval of this report.

1 ARC was registered as a CIO on 12 June 2024.

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Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

Charity Registration Number 1208634

Principal Operating Office B1, George Begg Building University of Manchester Sackville Street Building Manchester M1 3BB

Independent Examiner

Carrington Blake Accountancy Chartered Accountants Jack Dash House 2 Lawn House Close London United Kingdom E14 9YQ

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Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

Trustee Report

Chair’s Introduction

I am pleased to present the first Annual Report and Accounts of the Academic Registrars’ Council (ARC) since its transition to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). This milestone marks an important step in ARC’s development, providing a clear and robust framework to support our charitable purposes and long-term sustainability.

The year has been one of continued challenge and change for UK higher education, and ARC has remained committed to supporting its members through professional collaboration, shared learning and informed engagement with the sector’s evolving regulatory and operational landscape. Over the year, ARC delivered a programme of activities including Council meetings, practitioner group work and the Annual Conference, offering opportunities for discussion of issues such as regulation, quality and standards, student protection, digital transformation, and equality and inclusion.

I would like to thank ARC members, practitioner group chairs and volunteers for their continued commitment and generosity of expertise. Their contributions have been central to this first year of ARC’s operation as a CIO and to the Council’s ability to fulfil its charitable purposes.

Kevin Pickess, Chair

Constitution and Objects

The objects of the Academic Registrars’ Council (ARC) are to advance education for the public benefit (but not exclusively) by supporting and promoting excellence in academic and student administration in higher education and by enhancing the student experience.

Membership

The ARC is open to new member organisations and ARC welcomed the following new members during 2024/25:

• Metanoia Institute

• The Northern School of Art

• Walbrook Institute London (Previously LIBF)

During 2024/25 there were 174 members of ARC and these are listed in Appendix 1.

Organisational Management

ARC is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) governed by its Constitution.

The Charity Trustees are legally responsible for the overall management and control of the ARC and promotion of its long-term success. The Trustees meet frequently and the Executive Committee made up of the Trustees and Chairs of the ARC Practitioner Groups meets at least 3 times a year. The Executive Committee is responsible for advising the Trustees and overseeing the work of implementing its policies.

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Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

Trustees are elected from the ARC membership in accordance with the Constitution. No external person/body has the right to appoint trustees. In accordance with the constitution the Trustees may appoint an individual to serve as the co-opted Trustee for a term of up to three years by a resolution on passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. The Trustees did not appoint a coopted Trustee in the year to 31 July 2025.

All trustees are required to confirm their eligibility to act and to declare any conflicts of interest on appointment and annually thereafter. Any declared conflicts are managed in line with ARC’s governance arrangements.

To assist the development of policy and practice in specialised areas of student administration ARC operates several Practitioner Groups. ARC had the following 9 Practitioner Groups operating during 2024/25:

Name of Practitioner Group	Chair/Secretary
Admissions	Kevin Rogers
Assessments	Rebecca Dipancrazio
Postgraduate	Rachel Birds
Quality	Jacky Mack
Scotland and Northern Ireland	Iona Beveridge
SROC	Chris Carpenter
Student Casework	Anna Sendall
Timetabling	Stephen Lopez
UKVI	Simon Maller

ARC works in close partnership with AHEP, the professional association for higher education administrators and managers, which is also a registered charity. Through a formal Memorandum of Understanding, AHEP provides a comprehensive suite of professional support services to ARC, including event management, membership and financial administration, and operational delivery across ARC activities. This arrangement enables ARC to focus on its strategic role as a national forum influencing policy, promoting best practice, and supporting senior academic administrators, while AHEP delivers the infrastructure and expertise required to support these functions. The partnership reflects a shared

commitment to strengthening the higher education sector through collaboration, professional development, and effective use of shared networks and resources.

ARC Practitioner Groups: Collaboration, Insight and Sector Impact

ARC’s practitioner groups form the foundation of the Council’s work, creating a professional network that strengthens the sector through collaboration, critical exchange and shared expertise. Throughout 2024–25, these groups have continued to bring together senior colleagues from across the higher education systems of the United Kingdom to interpret emerging policy, address common challenges and shape the practice of academic administration.

Participation has remained consistently high, with each group convening large and diverse audiences that include senior leaders, technical specialists and professional experts. The discussions they facilitate are practical and solutions-oriented, yet they also support reflective and strategic thinking on the future of higher education.

Regulation, Quality and Compliance Regulatory changes have marked the past year, and ARC’s practitioner networks have played a crucial role in helping institutions respond effectively to these changes. The Student Casework Group focused on the introduction of the new OfS condition on harassment and sexual misconduct, working

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Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

with legal partners and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator to analyse expectations and develop proportionate approaches, ensuring that practice remains aligned across the UK.

In Scotland, the rollout of the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework has been one of the most significant structural reforms in recent years. ARC’s Scotland and Northern Ireland group provided a sector-wide forum for analysis and interpretation, enabling members to identify the operational implications of a single quality framework spanning universities and colleges. This group has been especially effective in connecting regulatory developments with the realities of implementation on the ground, ensuring that institutional perspectives continue to inform national dialogue.

The Quality Practitioners Group has focused on designing efficient and credible quality processes. Its collective work on degree apprenticeships, external quality assurance and curriculum simplification has helped members to streamline internal procedures while maintaining academic integrity. Through sharing examples of governance reform and course approval models, the group has enabled institutions to test practical approaches that reduce administrative burden and strengthen oversight.

The UKVI group has contributed to institutional compliance and sector representation. Regular engagement with Home Office and UKVI officials has secured practical clarity on English language requirements, visa processing and digital identity systems. Feedback from the group has helped shape the implementation of policy and the communication of information to providers.

Assessment, Student Outcomes and Experience

The Assessment Practitioners Group has continued to provide sector leadership in modernising assessment and feedback. Its work on risk-based approaches to external examining has enabled members to focus quality assurance efforts where they add the most value. Contributions from Queen’s University Belfast and others have provided evidence-based models that are now being adapted and implemented across various institutions. The group’s engagement with the QAA’s project on the future of exam boards has ensured that practitioner perspectives are embedded in national discussions on academic standards.

Members have also shared innovations in the use of digital tools for assessment and feedback, including the application of automation to improve efficiency and consistency. The group’s examination of artificial intelligence in assessment design has advanced understanding of how regulation and pedagogy can evolve together, influencing institutional policies that safeguard integrity while supporting innovation.

The Quality Practitioners Group has complemented this work by analysing how student feedback and educational gain are interpreted within quality frameworks. Through its collaboration with Evasys and engagement with the OfS and QAA, it has helped to refine institutional approaches to measuring outcomes. These exchanges have produced a more precise understanding across the sector of how evidence from students can be used constructively to inform change rather than simply to demonstrate compliance.

Admissions and Recruitment

The Admissions Group has continued to provide the primary national forum for discussion among universities, UCAS, and the government. Through structured engagement with UCAS, the group has ensured that practitioners’ insights inform the development of the admissions system. The group’s feedback on the proposed student review feature on the UCAS website contributed to UCAS’s decision to pause the initiative, reflecting ARC’s role as a critical yet constructive voice.

Members have worked collectively to interpret the implications of changing admissions policies, including fee adjustments, identity verification, and criminal disclosure requirements. By sharing approaches and documentation, they have enabled institutions to adapt quickly to procedural change while preserving fairness and transparency for applicants. The group’s continued dialogue with UCAS

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Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

on data sharing and clearing processes has strengthened institutional preparedness and improved sector coordination. The group also continues to capture perspectives from institutions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, ensuring that differences in national policy and qualification frameworks are recognised and understood across the community.

Data, Systems and Operational Resilience

The Student Records Officers’ Conference (SROC) and associated practitioner work have delivered a major contribution to sector readiness for HESA Data Futures. The 2025 conference, hosted by the University of Nottingham, brought together nearly ninety institutions to explore practical solutions to data challenges. The resulting exchange of methods and tools has supported consistent reporting and has influenced national data collection processes through formal feedback to HESA and Jisc.

SROC’s engagement has ensured that the practitioner’s voice is represented in the governance of inyear data collection and specification changes. Members have also advanced the discussion on how student records systems can support evidence-based management and inclusive practice. This has strengthened the sector’s collective capability in an area critical to both compliance and strategy.

Beyond SROC, ARC’s Scotland and Northern Ireland group has continued to lead discussion on the integration of student systems and data governance. The Timetabling Group has contributed practical insights into the use of new software and automation, enhancing efficiency in space and schedule management. These groups together demonstrate how technical and operational collaboration can translate into institutional resilience and improved service for students.

Postgraduate Research and the Researcher Journey

The Postgraduate Practitioners Group has continued to shed light on the postgraduate research experience, drawing attention to areas of risk and opportunity that impact the vitality of the UK’s research base. Its discussion of the impact of visa restrictions on PGR recruitment has provided a clear evidence base for sector advocacy. Members’ analysis of policy effects on applicant behaviour has informed institutional planning and communication with international partners.

The group’s examination of non-visible disabilities in postgraduate research has deepened understanding of inclusion and accessibility within doctoral study. The research presented to the group, along with the shared institutional examples that followed, has already led to practical improvements in student support and supervision arrangements.

The group’s in-person meeting at Coventry University focused on transitions across the PGR journey, from recruitment to alumni engagement. Presentations, such as the “That’s Me” project on widening participation, have equipped members to consider targeted interventions to improve representation in doctoral study. The emphasis on peer learning and evidence sharing has been particularly valuable at a time of significant structural change across the research environment.

Practitioner Group Highlights and Impact

Admissions: Through active engagement with UCAS and UUK, the group influenced national admissions policy, promoted fairness and transparency, and strengthened institutional preparedness for the next admissions cycle.

Assessment: Members provided thought leadership on external examining, digital assessment and artificial intelligence. Their collective insight has informed sector projects led by QAA and Jisc, helping institutions to redesign assessment for a more adaptive learning environment.

Postgraduate: The group advanced understanding of postgraduate research inclusivity and the impact of immigration change, providing a model for peer collaboration that supports both compliance and student wellbeing.

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Trustees' Annual Report

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Quality: By sharing examples of curriculum simplification and student voice evaluation, members have helped institutions modernise quality processes while maintaining rigour.

Scotland and Northern Ireland: The group's analytical approach to the new quality framework has provided a sector benchmark for constructive engagement with regulation, ensuring that local expertise informs national policy.

SROC: The conference at Nottingham strengthened sector capacity in data management and has influenced the design of future HESA systems through coordinated practitioner feedback.

Student Casework: The group supported institutions to implement the OfS condition on harassment and misconduct, embedding proportionate, evidence-based responses to complex regulatory requirements.

Timetabling: By promoting shared practice on automation and modelling, the group has contributed directly to institutional efficiency and the optimisation of teaching space.

UKVI: Regular engagement with the Home Office and UKVI has ensured that universities are informed and represented in immigration discussions, supporting compliance and minimising disruption to international students.

Looking Ahead

ARC's practitioner groups will continue to shape policy and practice through professional collaboration. In the coming year, priorities will include further engagement with data and quality reform, the advancement of inclusive approaches to assessment and student support, and continued work with government and sector partners to align regulatory intent with operational feasibility.

The practitioner groups in 2025–26 will build on their work to ensure that academic administration remains effective, inclusive and sustainable across all four nations of the United Kingdom. This includes maintaining close engagement with policy and regulatory developments in each jurisdiction and sharing learning across borders to support coherent practice. A key focus will be understanding the implications of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, which sets a new direction for postsecondary education and skills policy in England. ARC will monitor its implementation, consider its intersection with developments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and ensure that the collective expertise of the practitioner community continues to inform policy and strengthen practice across the UK.

Through these networks, ARC will sustain its role as a catalyst for improvement and as the collective voice of those who ensure the integrity, fairness and effectiveness of academic administration across UK higher education.

ARC Council Meetings

During the year, the Academic Registrars’ Council delivered three Council meetings, held in September 2024, March 2025 and June 2025, providing regular opportunities for member engagement, governance oversight and sector discussion.

The meetings included updates on ARC’s ongoing work, practitioner group reports, and consideration of key developments affecting higher education administration. Agendas covered themes including regulatory change, quality and standards, financial sustainability, student protection, data and digital transformation (including HESA Data Futures and artificial intelligence), UKVI and CMA compliance, and sector resilience.

Council meetings also provided a forum for external expert input from sector bodies and partners, alongside formal governance activity such as Chair’s updates, announcements of officer roles, and the

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Trustees' Annual Report

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ARC Annual General Meeting. Collectively, these meetings supported ARC’s charitable purposes by promoting informed leadership, shared understanding of regulatory and policy developments, and collaboration across the UK higher education sector.

ARC Annual Conference November 2024: Efficiency, Productivity and Effectiveness The Academic Registrars’ Council held its Annual Conference from 3–5 November 2024 in Leeds, bringing together academic registrars and senior professional services leaders from across UK higher education for a three-day residential programme focused on efficiency, productivity and effectiveness within higher education administration.

The main conference programme ran across Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 November, combining keynote lectures, plenary discussions, breakout sessions, exhibitions, and formal governance activity. The programme included opening and closing addresses by the ARC Chair, alongside a scheduled Academic Registrars’ Council Annual General Meeting, ensuring members were able to engage directly in the Council’s governance as part of the conference.

Across the two days, the conference explored a wide range of themes relevant to the charitable purposes of ARC, including:

• equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education;

• compassionate communication and student-centred practice;

• mental health and duty of care;

• governance, regulation and sector change;

• data burden, digital transformation and artificial intelligence;

• service improvement, operational effectiveness and institutional performance.

These themes were addressed through a mix of plenary sessions and parallel breakout workshops, enabling delegates to engage with both strategic sector-level issues and practical case based discussions aligned to their professional roles.

The programme also incorporated structured networking time, an exhibition of sector partners, and a formal conference dinner and drinks reception, supporting the Council’s objectives to promote professional collaboration, shared learning, and cross institutional engagement.

Overall, the Annual Conference represented a central element of ARC’s programme of charitable activities in 2024, supporting the professional development of members, facilitating the exchange of best practice, and strengthening leadership capability across academic registry and professional services functions in UK higher education.

Risk Management

The Trustees regularly review the major risks facing the charity, including financial sustainability, regulatory change, reliance on volunteers, and operational dependency on third-party partners. Mitigating actions are kept under review and include financial oversight, clear governance arrangements, and close working with delivery partners. Financial Review

ARC’s total income for the year ended 31 July 2025 was £236,587 and total expenditure was £199,544, resulting in a net surplus for the year of £37,043. Income was generated principally from member subscriptions, conference delegate income and sponsorship.

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Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

At 31 July 2025, the charity held current assets of £199,053, comprising cash at bank and in hand of £129,923 and debtors of £69,130. Creditors included deferred income of £57,928 (within total creditors of £58,997), reflecting income received in advance for future periods.

Reserves policy

The trustees have considered the charity’s need for reserves and, at this stage of ARC’s development as a CIO, have determined that it is appropriate to maintain reserves sufficient to meet its commitments should the annual conference need to be cancelled at short notice. At 31 July 2025, ARC’s unrestricted funds (reserves) were £140,056. The trustees are currently developing a formal reserves policy, including the target level of reserves and the basis on which this will be reviewed annually.

Funds in deficit

At the reporting date there were no funds materially in deficit.

Going concern

The trustees have reviewed the charity’s financial position and forecasts and consider it appropriate to prepare the accounts on a going concern basis. There are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Custodian Trustee

The charity is not acting as custodian trustee on behalf of others.

Public Benefit

ARC exists to advance education for the public benefit by supporting and promoting excellence in academic and student administration and by enhancing the student experience. During the year we provided public benefit primarily through our practitioner groups and professional networks, which support shared learning, peer challenge and the development of effective approaches to quality, standards, regulation and student support. Our annual conference and Council meetings furthered these aims by disseminating sector insight, enabling collaboration and building leadership capability across higher education administration. These activities help member institutions to operate more effectively and consistently, which in turn supports students through improved processes, fairness and governance.

The trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Conclusion

The Higher Education sector remains an ever-changing sector and the ARC’s role in supporting both current, aspiring Academic Registrars along with those individual working in higher education administration and management remains as important as ever. The Trustees of ARC extends its thanks to the AHEP Office staff that support the Council in supporting the numerous individuals and volunteers who contribute their time in delivering such benefit for our members through the Practitioner Groups and the numerous supporters who tirelessly contribute their time. Their efforts play a pivotal role in amplifying the impact and significance of the Council’s mission and values throughout the sector.

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Trustees' Annual Report

Year ended 31 July 2025

Trustees’ Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ annual report.

Signed on behalf of the trustees by:

Name: Kevin Pickess

Name: Joanne Coward

Position: Trustee / Chair

Position: Trustee / Vice Chair

Signature:________ Date: 26 May 2026

Signature:_______

Date: 26 May 2026

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ACADEMIC REGISTRARS' COUNCIL

Statement of Financial Activities

Year ended 31 July 2025

Independent examiner's report to the trustees

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Academic Registrar’s Council

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Academic Registrar’s Council ('the charity') for the year ended 31 July 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

The trustees are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

• to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and

• to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

• to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006, and

• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities

Kwame Agyepong Carrington Blake Accountancy Ltd Independent Examiner

Jack Dash House 2 Lawn House Close London United Kingdom E14 9YQ

The notes on pages 15 to 19 form part of these financial statements.

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Statement of Financial Activities

Year ended 31 July 2025

Statement of Financial Activities

Statement of Financial Activities
		2025
		Unrestricted
		fundsTotal funds
	Note	£	£
Income and endowments
Other trading activities	4	236,587	236,587
		--------------------------------	--------------------------------
Total income		236,587	236,587
		================================	================================
Expenditure
Expenditure on raising funds:
Expenditure	5	199,544	199,544
		--------------------------------	--------------------------------
Total expenditure		199,544	199,544
		================================	================================
		--------------------------------	--------------------------------
Net income and net movement in funds		37,043	37,043
		================================	================================
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward		103,013	103,013
		--------------------------------	--------------------------------
Total funds carried forward		140,056	140,056
		================================	================================

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 15 to 19 form part of these financial statements.

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Statement of Financial Position

31 July 2025

Statement of Financial Position

Statement of Financial Position
		2025
	Note	£
Current assets
Debtors	8	69,130
Cash at bank and in hand		129,923
		─────────
		199,053
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	9	58,997
		─────────
Net current assets		140,056
		─────────
Total assets less current liabilities		140,056
		─────────
Net assets		140,056
		═════════
Funds of the charity
Unrestricted funds		140,056
		─────────
Total charity funds	11	140,056 ═════════

These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 26 May 2026, and are signed on behalf of the board by:

K. Pickess Trustee

The notes on pages 15 to 19 form part of these financial statements.

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Statement of Cash Flows

Year ended 31 July 2025

Statement of Cash Flows

Statement of Cash Flows
	2025
	£
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	37,043
Changes in:
Trade and other debtors	(69,130)
Trade and other creditors	58,997
	----------------------------
Cash generated from operations	26,910
	----------------------------
Net cash from operating activities	26,910
	============================
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	26,910
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	–
	----------------------------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	26,910
	============================

The notes on pages 15 to 19 form part of these financial statements.

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Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 July 2025

3. Accounting policies (continued)

Notes to the Financial Statements

1. General information

The club is a public benefit entity and a registered charity in England and Wales and is incorporated. The address of the principal office is B1, George Begg Building, University of Manchester, Sackville Street, Manchester, M1 3BB, UK.

2. Statement of compliance

These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Charities Act 2011.

3. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity.

Going concern

There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment.

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds.

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Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 July 2025

3. Accounting policies (continued)

Incoming resources

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

• income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably.

• legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established.

• income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.

• income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted.

Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates:

• expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, noncharitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods.

• expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.

• other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.

All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.

Financial instruments

A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the club becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the amount receivable or payable including any related transaction costs.

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Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 July 2025

3. Accounting policies (continued)

Financial instruments (continued)

Current assets and current liabilities are subsequently measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received and not discounted.

Debt instruments are subsequently measured at amortised cost.

Where investments in shares are publicly traded or their fair value can otherwise be measured reliably, the investment is subsequently measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognised in income and expenditure. All other such investments are subsequently measured at cost less impairment.

Other financial instruments, including derivatives, are initially recognised at fair value, unless payment for an asset is deferred beyond normal business terms or financed at a rate of interest that is not a market rate, in which case the asset is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.

Other financial instruments are subsequently measured at fair value, with any changes recognised in the statement of financial activities, with the exception of hedging instruments in a designated hedging relationship.

Financial assets that are measured at cost or amortised cost are reviewed for objective evidence of impairment at the end of each reporting date. If there is objective evidence of impairment, an impairment loss is recognised under the appropriate heading in the statement of financial activities in which the initial gain was recognised.

For all equity instruments regardless of significance, and other financial assets that are individually significant, these are assessed individually for impairment. Other financial assets are either assessed individually or grouped on the basis of similar credit risk characteristics.

Any reversals of impairment are recognised immediately, to the extent that the reversal does not result in a carrying amount of the financial asset that exceeds what the carrying amount would have been had the impairment not previously been recognised.

4. Other trading activities

	Unrestricted	Total Funds
	Funds	2025
	£	£
Subscription Income	121,911	121,911
Other Revenue	3,697	3,697
Annual Conference Sponsorship Income	57,060	57,060
Annual Conference Delegate Income	44,969	44,969
ARC Annual Sponsorship - Revenue	8,950	8,950
	--------------------------------	--------------------------------
	236,587	236,587
	================================	================================

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Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 July 2025

5. Costs of raising donations and legacies

Costs of raising donations and legacies - Subscriptions

Unrestricted	Total Funds
Funds	2025
£	£
199,544	199,544
================================	================================

6. Particulars of employees

The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows:

2025 £

The average head count of employees during the year was Nil.

No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2024: Nil).

7. Trustee remuneration and expenses

No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees.

8. Debtors

		2025
		£
	Trade debtors	55,791
	Prepayments and accrued income	13,339
		----------------------------
		69,130
		============================
9.	Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
		2025
		£
	Accruals and deferred income	57,928
	Other creditors	1,069
		----------------------------
		58,997
		============================

10. Deferred income

	2025
	£
Amount deferred in year	57,928
	============================

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ACADEMIC REGISTRARS' COUNCIL

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 July 2025

11. Analysis of charitable funds

Unrestricted funds

	Unrestricted funds
		At
		1 August 202			At
		4	Income	Expenditure	31 July 2025
		£	£	£	£
	General funds	103,013	236,587	(199,544)	140,056
		================================	================================	================================	================================
12.	Analysis of changes in net debt
			At		At
			1 Aug 2024	Cash flows	31 Jul 2025
			£	£	£
	Cash at bank and in hand		–	129,923	129,923
			==============	================================	================================

19

ACADEMIC REGISTRARS' COUNCIL

Management Information

Year ended 31 July 2025

The following pages do not form part of the financial statements.

20

ACADEMIC REGISTRARS' COUNCIL

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities

Year ended 31 July 2025

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
	2025
	£
Income and endowments
Other trading activities
Subscription Income	121,911
Other Revenue	3,697
Annual Conference Sponsorship Income	57,060
Annual Conference Delegate Income	44,969
ARC Annual Sponsorship - Revenue	8,950
	--------------------------------
	236,587
	--------------------------------
	--------------------------------
Total income	236,587
	================================
Expenditure
Annual Conference expenditure	64,075
Executive & Council Meetings	8,717
Other motor/travel costs	305
Legal and professional fees	3,000
Practitioner Group Meetings	48,372
Other office costs	680
Advertising & Marketing	330
ARC Strategic Development	573
IT Software and Consumables	2,099
Website	2,394
AHEP Administration Fee	68,999
	--------------------------------
	199,544
	--------------------------------
	--------------------------------
Total expenditure	199,544
	================================
	--------------------------------
Net income	37,043
	================================

21

Appendix 1 – List of ARC Members

ARC Members - 2024-2025 1 AECC University College 2 Anglia Ruskin University 3 Arden University 4 Arts University Plymouth 5 Askham Bryan College 6 Aston University 7 Bangor University 8 Bath Spa University 9 Birkbeck University of London 10 Birmingham City University 11 Birmingham Newman University 12 Bishop Grosseteste University 13 Blackpool and The Fylde College 14 Bloomsbury Institute Limited 15 Bournemouth University 16 BPP University 17 Bradford College 18 Brunel University London 19 Buckinghamshire New University 20 Canterbury Christ Church University 21 Cardiff Metropolitan University 22 Cardiff University 23 City St George's, University of London 24 Courtauld Institute of Art 25 Coventry University 26 De Montfort University 27 Durham University 28 Edge Hill University 29 Edinburgh Napier University 30 Falmouth University 31 Glasgow Caledonian University 32 Global Banking School 33 Goldsmiths University of London 34 Guildhall School of Music & Drama 35 Hartpury College 36 Heriot-Watt University 37 Imperial College London 38 Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP) 39 Keele University 40 King's College London 41 Kingston University

42 Lancaster University 43 Leeds Arts University 44 Leeds Beckett University 45 Leeds Conservatoire 46 Leeds Trinity University 47 LIBF 48 Liverpool Hope University 49 Liverpool John Moores University 50 London Business School 51 London Film School 52 London Metropolitan University 53 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine 54 London School of Theology 55 London South Bank University 56 Loughborough University 57 Manchester Metropolitan University 58 Middlesex University 59 National Film and Television School 60 NCG 61 Newcastle University 62 NMITE (New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering) 63 Northeastern University London 64 Northumbria University 65 Norwich University of the Arts 66 Nottingham Trent University 67 Oxford Brookes University 68 Plymouth Marjon University 69 Queen Margaret University Edinburgh 70 Queen Mary University of London 71 Queen's University Belfast 72 Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance 73 Regent College, London 74 Regent's University London 75 Richmond, The American International University in London 76 Robert Gordon University 77 Rose Bruford College 78 Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) 79 Royal Academy of Music 80 Royal Agricultural University 81 Royal College of Music 82 Royal Holloway, University of London 83 Royal Veterinary College 84 Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) 85 Sheffield Hallam University

86	SOAS University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies)
87	Solent University
88	Study Group Limited
89	Swansea University
90	Teesside University
91	The Arts University Bournemouth
92	The Glasgow School of Art
93	The Institute of Cancer Research
94	The Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts
95	The London School of Architecture
96	The London School of Economics and Political Science
97	The Open University
98	The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
99	The University of Buckingham
100	The University of Law
101	The University of Liverpool
102	Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
103	UCL
104	University College of Estate Management
105	University for the Creative Arts
106	University of Aberdeen
107	University of Bath
108	University of Bedfordshire
109	University of Birmingham
110	University of Bolton
111	University of Bradford
112	University of Brighton
113	University of Bristol
114	University of Cambridge
115	University of Central Lancashire
116	University of Chester
117	University of Chichester
118	University of Cumbria
119	University of Derby
120	University of Dundee
121	University of East Anglia
122	University of East London
123	University of Edinburgh
124	University of Essex
125	University of Exeter
126	University of Glasgow
127	University of Gloucestershire
128	University of Greenwich
129	University of Hertfordshire

130 University of Huddersfield 131 University of Hull 132 University of Kent 133 University of Leeds 134 University of Leicester 135 University of Lincoln 136 University of London 137 University of Manchester 138 University of Northampton 139 University of Nottingham 140 University of Oxford 141 University of Plymouth 142 University of Portsmouth 143 University of Reading 144 University of Roehampton 145 University of Salford 146 University of Sheffield 147 University of South Wales 148 University of Southampton 149 University of St Andrews 150 University of Staffordshire 151 University of Stirling 152 University of Strathclyde 153 University of Suffolk 154 University of Sunderland 155 University of Surrey 156 University of the Arts London 157 University of the West of England 158 University of the West of Scotland 159 University of Ulster 160 University of Wales Trinity Saint David 161 University of Warwick 162 University of Westminster 163 University of Winchester 164 University of Wolverhampton 165 University of Worcester 166 University of York 167 Wrexham University 168 York St John University 169 Northern School of Art 170 Cranfield University 171 Royal College of Art 172 Harper Adams University 173 University of Sussex 174 Aberystwyth University