University of York picks Workday in major systems revamp

Workday has secured a new higher education customer in the UK, with the University of York selecting its human resources and finance software as part of a major systems overhaul.

The US-based software group said universities in the UK and Ireland are adopting its cloud products as they replace legacy systems and respond to pressure on costs and student services.

The University of York will implement Workday Human Capital Management and Workday Financial Management. The project will run in collaboration with KPMG UK.

The university previously ran more than 30 separate HR and finance applications. It also used 27 additional systems.

Workday said this set-up created a fragmented user experience for staff and students. It also said the environment made self-service functions difficult and limited the use of data in decision-making.

The new deployment will replace those systems with a single platform. The platform will connect HR and finance data. It will also provide real-time reporting and standardised processes.

York expects the change to improve how it manages staff and finances. It also expects cost savings from retiring multiple legacy tools.

"With critical system deadlines approaching and the complexity of managing numerous applications across HR and finance, we needed a partner that could deliver a scalable, integrated solution," said Nigel Alcock, chief financial and operating officer, the University of York. "Workday's platform will transform how we operate, giving us the agility and insights needed to serve our students and staff effectively, while maintaining our position as a leading research-intensive institution."

The York deal follows a similar agreement with the University of Hull. Hull selected Workday last year and is working towards an on-time go-live in the summer of 2025, also with KPMG UK.

Workday said York and Hull join a growing list of higher education customers across several regions. Recent customer wins include Bow Valley College in Canada.

The company also cited successful deployments at the University of Melbourne in Australia and the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

Sector pressure

Universities in the UK face tighter funding, rising costs and changing student expectations. They also face new regulatory demands.

Many institutions are reviewing core systems for HR, finance and student administration. They are also assessing the role of artificial intelligence in planning and services.

Workday positions its software as an AI-based platform that unifies people and money data. It said this model supports student progress tracking, resource planning and staff productivity.

The company said more than 650 educational institutions in 19 countries use its products. These include Workday HCM, Workday Financial Management, Workday Adaptive Planning and Workday Student.

Daniel Pell, Vice President and Country Manager, UK & Ireland, Workday, said universities face a complex backdrop.

"UK higher education institutions are navigating unprecedented challenges, from urgent system replacements to evolving regulatory requirements and student expectations," said Daniel Pell, vice president and country manager, UK & Ireland, Workday. "The University of York joins a growing number of forward-thinking institutions choosing our AI-powered platform to replace outdated systems with unified solutions that provide the real-time insights and operational efficiency needed to thrive."

Workday Student growth

Alongside the York announcement, Workday highlighted growth for its student information system.

More than 85 institutions now run Workday Student in production. The system manages academic and administrative data for over 3 million students worldwide.

More than 200 institutions have signed contracts for Workday Student. These figures include customers that have not yet gone live.

Workday Student handles academic planning and course registration for learners. It also includes communication tools that link students with advisers and support teams.

The product is now available in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Workday has announced plans for availability in the UK and Ireland in 2027.

Workday said it continues to invest in higher education products. It expects more universities in the UK and Ireland to consider system consolidation as deadlines for existing platforms approach.