Simpson Associates' new IBM Cognos Training Brochure for 2012 can now be found at: http://www.simpson-associates.co.uk/training-information-sheet-and-course-brochures.  This contains information regarding our new IBM Cognos 10 Training Courses and an updated Price List, with many of our already competitive prices held for another year.

This instructor-led course will provide participants with a fundamental understanding of the functionality available in Microsoft SQL Server Report Builder 3.0.  Participants will explore report building techniques using relational data models and ways of enhancing, customizing and managing professional reports.  Participants will be involved in hands-on demonstrations and workshops that illustrate key concepts, whilst learning how to use the product.

Click Here to view our Course Brochures for 2011 or Contact Us for more information about this offer.

The Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA) is hosting its 2011 Annual Management Conference at the EICC in Edinburgh from the 23rd March to the 25th March 2011 and UCISA members Simpson Associates are pleased to announce that we will be there to exhibit our range of Brighter Solutions, with the offer of a free information management workshop to follow.

The Conference will address the top concerns of those responsible for delivering information systems and technology services in universities, colleges and related institutions, provide an opportunity for members to consult with peers and valued partners and, over three focused days, provide the best value consultancy one can get; we hope to see you there.

A global leader in retail marketing programs that change shopper behaviour to profitably increase sales, has selected Simpson Associates to provide a Situation & Environment Audit for their IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning implementation.

This Customer operates in over 50 countries worldwide and works with over 250 retailers, predominantly in the grocery and petroleum sectors.

A leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world, has selected Simpson Associates to provide an Environment & Infrastructure Audit for their IBM Cognos Controller implementation.

The business operates a global network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and employs over 21,000 people in 110 countries around the World. Their Customers include some of the World’s leading brands, major global companies, local companies and governments.

The government has confirmed that the budget for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is to be slashed by £915M over three years, reports the Times Higher Education, 4^th January 2010.

Paul Marshall, the Chief Executive of the 1994 Group of Smaller Research Universities, has said that these cuts would place an 'enormous burden' on the on-going review of Higher Education funding and student finances.

Sir David Watson, Professor of Higher Education at The University of London, said that the impact of this 'at a detailed level,' is that there will be even greater competition for smaller pots of funding available through HEFCE, which will impact all Universities.

Once again, the emphasis is on efficiency and savings and those organisations who can demonstrate University-wide audit ability and control of finances, student choice and student support will be better candidates for continued HEFCE support. Higher Education Institutions will be under even more pressure to deliver transparent and coherent information and to demonstrate well managed financial control.

To find out how we are working with Universities to provide solutions that can contribute to the central management of student resources, financial management and information management and transparency, contact us today on 01904 234523.

To review this article on line click here www.timeshighereducation.co.uk.

Congratulations to Cameron Knight who is the winner of our annual Customer Services satisfaction survey.  Cameron is the winner of the iPod Touch.  We received seventy entries from the survey and will be implementing new aspects to our service as we seek to continually improve during the course of 2010.  Thank you to everyone who entered into the survey.

Simpson Associates has won a new contract to be the support providing partner for a well known insurance provider who were seeking a support providing partner for their IBM Cognos environment.  Simpson Associates is pleased to have been successful in winning a three year agreement and looks forward to developing this relationship.

Satellite and Media Company, are progressing an IBM Cognos budgeting and forecasting solution with Simpson Associates. The choice of Simpson Associates & IBM Cognos technology was based on the foundation of performance management, already delivering value across other areas of the organisation.

Research published recently shows 4 UK Uni's have a place in the World University Rankings 2009, however resulting commentary highlights the 'gap' in University-wide information, which fails to fully express academic excellence. The survey which delivers these rankings, combines scientific and economic factors, but does not deliver a full illustration of an Institutions overall performance, or any validated student feedback or experience. Read more about our student planning and performance solutions here.

The priorities for Universities were identified as being financial sustainability and improved communication(s) between organisational stakeholders, sponsors and central Management Information (MI) Teams.

"Internal customer expectations will be high, as we aim to generate sufficient resources to meet all the costs required to deliver services into the future." Derek Barton, Quaestor & Factor, The University of St. Andrews.

This year's annual UCISA conference was hosted by The University of St. Andrews and the keynote speaker was Derek Barton, Quaestor & Factor (Financial Controller and Head of Estates). With worldwide economic losses approaching >£2.3trillion during this recession, Derek stated that:

"No wonder the UK economy is feeling the pinch, imagine that we have lost Oracle and Microsoft combined and then times that by eight, then we are getting somewhere near to the level of losses that we have been hit with in the UK. With this much money to recover and given the priority to provide basic resources across all sectors, Universities are likely to be a low priority in government terms. This will lead to tougher competition for investment from the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE), when data quality and the management of information become key."

The focus of the UCISA event was Information Management. Derek concluded that the area where a University Systems Group can add maximum value in these tough economic times, is in improved communication and business liaison between University stakeholders and internal delivery teams. This will ensure that new investments in terms of Information Management meet the needs of the business users, which in turn align to a central information strategy.

Simpson Associates offers a unique service in support of this direction. Our Solutions Architects 'bridge the gap' between stakeholders, users and delivery teams  and have been deployed successfully at universities including: Cambridge University, the University of Nottingham, Sheffield Hallam University and London South Bank University.

As a result of these engagements, stakeholders were 'engaged' and involved in the development process, their needs represented by us being involved. The result in every case was a successful project delivery, which met the technical, commercial and organisational needs of these establishments, as well as many satisfied users.

To read more about the services we offer click here, or to speak to us directly about how we can work with your Higher Education establishment, contact us.

Simpson Associates has won a new contract to be the support providing partner for Airtricity who were supported by two IBM Cognos partners, one for Planning and one for Business Intelligence, and were looking for integrated support from a single partner.

Simpson Associates have won two new contracts to be the support providing partners.These customers were both supported by other IBM Cognos partners and were looking for faster response times and more pro-active preventative support and education