The University of Edinburgh’s widely criticised finance system, People and Money, is to rise in cost by £8m this year.
This will bring the total cost of the service provided by Inoapps to £33.5 million, from £22.3 million.
According to Public Contracts Scotland, the increase in price is due to a “need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor”.
The People and Money system has caused a payment delay to thousands of staff, students, and suppliers since its rollout in August 2022.
A growing list of staff feel their concerns aren’t being taken seriously.
Several letters from both the Senatus Academicus and University and Colleges Union (UCU) from as far back as 2021 detailed flaws in the new system, as “questions concerning the cost and the complex nature of the system were asked from the outset”.
A spokesperson for the University stated that “we know that there is more to do and we are keeping our community updated and continue to listen to their concerns.”
“We continue to engage with staff and members of our recognised trade unions at Edinburgh. We have made a payment to some PGR students whose stipends were delayed.”
This price increase is against a backdrop of continuous industrial action over pay and pensions for staff at the university.
Following a ballot in March, the UCU has renewed its mandate for further industrial action this year.
In a letter to the university last year, the UCU demanded compensation that included a statement of employment, full payment of salaries, and a “one-off flat payment to all staff and student workers as recognition of the extra work and hardship incurred”.
These conditions have not yet been met by the university.
Following further letters from the Senatus Academicus, the university has committed itself to a “professional external review”, according to the University Principal.
However, the troubles with the new finance service have also incurred significant costs to the university.
The university’s contract with Inoapps for People and Money was originally advertised to cost £14 million.
The recent change will increase the price from £25.3m to £33.5m, more than double the original advertised price.
Amongst staff, there is widespread concern that the university has failed to take the concerns of staff into account.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh UCU previously told the BBC that “the system is overly complicated” and “senior management were warned that this was the case lots of times, including by the staff who work with these systems, but chose not to listen”.
Image: “old college picket” by Magnus Hagdorn is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0