AGCAS-HECSU-Graduate Prospects agreement

AGCAS and HECSU/Graduate Prospects are currently negotiating the terms of their agreement; discussions are progressing amicably and agreement should be reached over the summer. The updated agreement will take effect from February 2008. The agreement below covers the period 2005-06, much of which has been carried forward into the current year 2006-07.

Agreement 2005-06

AGCAS and HECSU/Graduate Prospects are pleased to communicate the terms of the agreement they have reached which will form the basis of their future relationship, a relationship which is mutually supportive, but nevertheless recognises that the independence and autonomy of each party is fully respected. We believe this will enable our partnership to develop to our mutual benefit, and to the benefit of HE careers services and the students and graduates whom we all exist to serve.

The key points are as follows:

1. AGCAS will supply information to GP for a one year period from 1st February 2005 to 31st January 2006, under the terms of the current agreement (payment for full delivery, £130k) plus a full rewrite and extension of the 80 signpost sheets for an additional payment of £20k.

2. AGCAS and GP will conduct detailed market research in 2005, from 1 February, sharing the costs appropriately, to establish more clearly the current and future information needs of students and graduates, careers advisers and information officers in the countries of the UK and in the Republic of Ireland. The research will be jointly analysed, and will inform the SLAs which will regulate the supply of information from AGCAS to GP in the period 1 Feb 2006 to 31st January 2009. It is anticipated that approximately £450k will be made available by GP over those three years, the final total dependent on the work required to meet the needs identified by the research and the resources available to do it. This is an increase from the full delivery earning of £130k pa under the current agreement.

3. AGCAS will be free to generate and retain income from sponsorship and advertising. AGCAS and GP will also work together to maximise the potential of larger new income opportunities of this kind, identified by AGCAS, sharing the benefit 50/50.

4. AGCAS and GP will enter into a marketing agreement, by which GP will continue to publish Phoenix at a cost of c£20k and sponsor AGCAS web and bi-ennial conferences to the level of £30k and £12k respectively, in return for benefits specified in the agreement. This agreement runs for three years from 1 February 2005.

5. HECSU will be reducing its subscription rates for member HEIs by 50% (c£90k) over three years in instalments from September 2004, with a floor of £250 (the equivalent of the Affiliate Membership rate). This will be achieved by means of an immediate refund to institutions, via HoS, of (subject to the £250 floor) one sixth of the September 2004 subscription; then a subscription invoice in September 2005 of two thirds of the original September 2004 subscription; and a subscription invoice in September 2006 of one half of the original September 2004 subscription.

AGCAS will be writing separately to HOS suggesting that the sums saved by institutions could be used to finance the increase in AGCAS subscription levels, which will be needed to offset the reductions in the HECSU charitable payments indicated in paragraph 6 below.

6. HECSU will continue to contribute charitable funding towards AGCAS’s training and quality enhancement activities, and charitable payments will continue at the following levels:

May 2005 payment: £142k + £35k (for bursaries) = £177k

May 2006 payment: £109k + £35k (for bursaries) = £144k

May 2007 payment £75k + £35k (for bursaries) = £110k

The core £75k will increase in line with inflation.

To continue at the £110k level (£75k+ inflation, and £35k for bursaries), subject, as ever, to the agreement of the HECSU board. AGCAS agrees to provide full information about training and quality enhancement activities so funded to the HECSU board, showing outside bodies have been involved as and when appropriate.

7. HECSU will set up a new fund to support charitable activities under a new system open to a wide range of bodies and groups in HE, in pursuance of its charitable object. AGCAS and careers staff will be involved in an appropriate way, via the HECSU board, in the setting up and subsequent operation, of the procedures controlling the selection and scrutiny of potential projects for funding. Annual funding will be £33k in Year One, rising to £100k in Year Three.

8. Although HECSU will be reducing its subscription rates for member HEIs, it will not be reducing its commitment to provide services to its members. With the full support of AGCAS, HECSU/GP intends to invite its member services to enter into an individual Memorandum of Understanding, setting out the facilities and services which HECSU/GP undertake to provide, and the support they would like the member service to give to their activities.

9. AGCAS and HECSU/GP agree to do all they can to ensure that, recognising each other’s independence and autonomy, their relationship is mutually supportive, in particular ensuring that they consult each other appropriately on matters of mutual interest and acknowledge each other’s contributions to their joint endeavours.

Additionally, during our discussions we have become aware of some confusion and misunderstanding about HECSU/GP and its activities. To clarify matters, we have placed on both the AGCAS website and Careers Services Desk a statement which clarifies the position.

Both AGCAS and HECSU/GP believe that this agreement provides a sound foundation for the future, and will allow our partnership to go from strength to strength, to the benefit of HE Careers Services, students and graduates.’

We agree to reinforce this message in our ongoing communications with CAS, and indeed with everyone we deal with.

Tony Butler, President, AGCAS