Why KCG

There are a number of reasons why HE institutions choose to become Members of the KCG Consortium:

• Kingston City Group (KCG) is an innovative service provider of internal audit, risk management, governance and advisory services that offers high quality and value for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in London and the South East. KCG is an in-house shared services and shared cost Consortium of HEIs that have pooled resources to work in partnership to provide internal audit and management assurance services across the membership.

• The KCG Consortium was established by HEIs for HEIs to raise standards of service delivery and to provide an effective alternative to outsourcing and small in-house functions.

• All costs are shared between the Member institutions in proportion to professional service days delivered. The KCG Consortium is not profit-making from its membership, which helps to minimise the cost of service to HEIs. VAT cost savings are also achieved for the membership through joint employment of staff resources. The KCG Consortium model is cost-effective and provides high value for money.

• Internal audit and management assurance generally have undergone significant change in the past several years, migrating from a reactive, retrospective and tick-box function based on financial compliance to a proactive, forward looking and challenge role that takes a risk based focus across all institutional activity. In addition to providing management assurance and an Audit Opinion on internal control for our Member institutions, the KCG Consortium is fully equipped to:
  • Assist and advise in the assessment and management of institutional strategic and operational risks at every level.
  • Identify business process improvement opportunities, cost savings and value for money (VfM) opportunities.
  • Advise on enhancements to governance and management arrangements.
  • Benchmark performance in a variety of activities between the Member institutions.
  • Act as a catalyst for institutional change (culture, structure, management arrangements, processes and procedures etc) and seek opportunities to enhance the delivery of the institutions' corporate objectives.

• The KCG Consortium provides high quality and modern internal audit and management assurance services, tailored to meet our Members’ needs, at reasonable cost and that compares favourably with our direct competitors. We are able to benchmark activity and share good practice between our Member institutions in a meaningful way. We also encourage our Member institutions to share their own specialist staff and resources across the membership.

• The KCG Consortium distinguishes itself from its main competitors through its uniqueness and specialism in the HE sector and its in-house HE sector expertise and characteristics. KCG’s competitive edge is its ability to provide genuinely tailored internal audit and management assurance services at a competitive cost/price to its Member institutions, and with a thorough understanding and knowledge of HE culture and operations.

• Each Member institution monitors the quality of services it receives on a regular basis and within the established framework. In addition, a Members’ Group with representatives from each Member institution oversees quality at an organisational level. The Consortium’s services are benchmarked and reviewed regularly for value for money, which the Members’ Group oversees. This Group is also used as a Users’ Forum and to disseminate good practice across KCG’s Member institutions.

• The KCG Consortium is an Unincorporated Association, jointly owned by the Member institutions. This arrangement allows all Member institutions to be actively involved in the governance, management and operations of KCG, and to share in all benefits.

• Together with our external collaborative partner, RSM Tenon, the KCG Consortium has a wide range of service offerings which allows us to deliver high quality internal audit and management assurance at reasonable cost to our Member institutions.