UKFIET is the United Kingdom Forum for International Education and Training, also known as The Education and Development Forum. 

UKFIET is committed to promoting and strengthening international education and development for all, regardless of gender, race, nationality and other differences. It pursues this objective through:

  • Sharing educational ideas, knowledge and expertise between members and across the wider community, in the UK and internationally, through conferences, seminars and other meetings;
  • Encouraging the development of teaching, training, research and publication;
  • Serving as a resource to policy makers in government, multi-lateral and non-government organisations, and in other institutions; and
  • Making representations on issues of common interest, as stated in the Operational Guidelines (revised September 2023).

UKFIET is a non-profit organisation registered as a limited company in England No. 5725610 with Registered Charity No. 1116614. It is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).  Our website address is: https://www.ukfiet.org. UKFIET has a Board of Trustees which oversees its portfolio of activities and an Executive Committee which manages the delivery of the portfolio in accordance with its Operational Guidelines.

Importance of Risk Management

UKFIET and its members work in a complex, dynamic and global environment to advance international education and development. As such, UKFIET needs to operate a robust risk management strategy to help identify, assess and mitigate risks that could potentially undermine its mission, functions and reputation. In particular, UKFIET must consider the following potential risks and responses to ensure its long-term sustainability, effectiveness and impact:

  • Protecting UKFIET’s mission and objectives – UKFIET’s mission lies at the heart of its activities and must be protected from both internal and external threats. These can include financial mismanagement, operational inefficiencies or reputational damage, which could affect UKFIET’s ability to fulfil its objectives. UKFIET must therefore identify such risks early and introduce measures to mitigate them to best serve its members and beneficiaries;
  • Compliance with regulatory requirements – UKFIET’s activities are overseen by the Charity Commission and subject to a stringent regulatory framework. Failure to comply with the requirements can result in penalties, loss of charitable status and even legal action. Effective risk management is essential to ensure that UKFIET remains compliant, for example with data protection laws and financial reporting standards, and thereby reduces the chance of inadvertent violation;
  • Financial stability and sustainability – UKFIET operates using limited financial resources, including grants and income from its events, and so can be vulnerable to funding shortfalls, fraud or economic downturns. UKFIET can manage its financial risk by implementing controls over its transactions, planning for contingencies and diversifying income streams. By ensuring transparency and accountability, it can also increase donor confidence to attract new and more sustained funding;
  • Safeguarding reputation and public trust – UKFIET’s reputation is one of its most important assets, built since 2006 through its consistent, ethical and impactful work. Such trust could nevertheless be damaged by incidents like fraud, scandals or mismanagement. UKFIET can maintain member and public confidence by implementing measures to safeguard its reputation, for example through its code of conduct, institutional policies and complaints and whistleblowing procedure;
  • Enhancing operational efficiency – UKFIET’s activities rely on strong governance, suitable expertise and the commitment of its contractors, Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. The loss of key personnel, IT failures or inadequate governance structures could disrupt its operations. These can be mitigated by a framework for succession planning, cybersecurity protocols and regularly governance reviews; and
  • Effective strategic planning and innovation – UKFIET needs to plan for the future and innovate to adapt to changes in international education and development. By reviewing and assessing risks regularly, it can make more informed decisions on new possible directions.

Approach to Risk Management

UKFIET takes a comprehensive approach to identifying and managing its potential risks. It uses a clear framework and methodology to evaluate the risks and opportunities associated with the preservation and promotion of UKFIET’s impact, reputation, financial integrity and sustainability, as well as the safety and wellbeing of members, consultants, associates and trustees. UKFIET’s approach follows several key strategies:

  • Proactive risk identification and assessment: systematically identifying possible risks across all areas of activities, including past incidents, and categorising them in a matrix based on their likelihood and potential impact. This helps UKFIET to spot, prioritise and mitigate the most significant threats;
  • Effective internal controls: implementing robust, transparent and predetermined processes such as clear lines of authority and segregation of duties, especially around financial management and procedures;
  • Mitigation strategies: discussing, developing and agreeing suitable strategies to mitigate the risks, and reviewing them regularly to ensure they remain adequate and achievable in a changing environment;
  • Contingency planning: determining responsibilities, protocols and an appropriate course of action to respond to unforeseen events or during a crisis; and
  • Risk-aware culture: embedding a culture of risk awareness, transparency and openness across UKFIET’s governance structure, bodies and officers.

Risk Management Framework

UKFIET’s primary tool for managing its risks effectively is a risk register, which identifies different types of risks, establishes their potential severity and maps out appropriate responses to mitigate them. The register includes an assessment of the current state of key risks (and possible opportunities), articulates the desired state, and prescribes suitable mitigating actions. As such, the register comprises a confidential governance document and is not available in the public domain. The Trustees nevertheless present a high-level summary of the risk register at the Annual General Meeting, together with the key steps being taken to manage the major risks.

The register has been initially prepared and approved by the Board of Trustees, and then passed to the Executive Committee, which is responsible for its ongoing upkeep and day-to-day maintenance. The Board of Trustees reviews and approves the risk register prior to its meetings and in preparation for the Annual General Meeting, and has responsibility for establishing UKFIET’s risk appetite and ambition. The Chairs of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committees also jointly review the register in advance of each Board meeting and notify their respective constituencies of any substantive matters requiring discussion, decisions and/or actions.

Financial Risk Management

Although a key component of UKFIET’s overall risk strategy, financial risks and processes are subject to additional requirements, not least to comply with Charity Commission rules, accounting obligations and best auditing practices. UKFIET therefore maintains a specific set of guidelines which govern its financial procedures. These include the maintenance of its financial reserves, the use of high-quality fixed-term investment instruments to maximise interest, and the biennial income generation model aligned with the conference cycle. Further details of these arrangements and processes can be obtained from the UKFIET Treasurer.

 

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