AUCSO - Experts & Thought Leaders

The Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO), the global body for security professionals in Higher and Further Education, has launched its Benchmarking Report 2025, the first comprehensive study of security operations across higher education institutions in the UK and internationally.  The report was compiled in partnership with ISARR, a bespoke risk, resilience and security management provider with a long-standing relationship with AUCSO. In an increasingly complex risk environment, universities face rising pressures to protect students, staff, research assets, and communities. Until now, security pioneers have lacked comparative data to evaluate their operations effectively against their peers. AUCSO Benchmarking Report The AUCSO Benchmarking Report fills that gap, providing robust sector-wide insights into structures, staffing, technology, and strategic approaches. The report draws on contributions from institutions across the UK, Ireland, and international higher education, offering unprecedented visibility into how the sector is adapting to evolving challenges. Critical trends Key findings reveal seven critical trends shaping the future of higher education security: Rapid professionalisation of university security functions, with formal qualifications, structured career pathways, and specialist roles emerging. A shift “beyond guarding” towards integrated welfare and wellbeing responsibilities, with security teams often acting as frontline responders to mental health and safeguarding issues. Growing adoption and integration of advanced security technologies, from body-worn video and digital incident recording to enhance CCTV. Persistent workforce challenges, including limited gender diversity (female representation averaging just 5%) and reliance on traditional security backgrounds. Strong focus on emergency preparedness, terrorism awareness, and proactive risk management. Clear correlation between institutional size and complexity of security operations. Widespread adoption of sector standards such as 24/7 provision, control rooms, and formal external partnerships. Useful data Figen Murray OBE, Patron of AUCSO, welcomed the report: “This comprehensive study provides very useful data for security leaders across higher education institutions both in the UK and abroad. Security leaders will have the information needed to inform their decisions and help with their strategic planning when discussing security across their sites.” “In today’s volatile geopolitical environment, it is vital that higher education institutions examine their security provision through fresh eyes and ensure solid plans and strategies are in place to respond to unforeseen threats. This benchmarking report is a vital tool in supporting that preparedness.” Important milestone Julie Barker, Chief Operating Officer of AUCSO, said: “This report marks an important milestone for our sector. For the first time, higher education security leaders can benchmark their operations against a robust international dataset." “The insights will enable institutions to make evidence-based decisions, strengthen resilience, and shape security strategies that are proportionate, professional, and responsive to the needs of their campus communities.” "We are proud to deliver a resource that will directly support our members in enhancing safety, well-being, and preparedness across universities worldwide.” Partnering with AUCSO Nick Beale, Founder and CEO of ISARR said: "ISARR is delighted to be partnering with AUCSO on this important and influential project. This detailed analysis of the Higher Education Security landscape is both timely and significant. In order for AUCSO to influence the development of its member institutions, it needs to measure and understand the output, pressures and changing demand on security provision.” “ISARR's cutting edge technology, including the use of AI for real time analysis, is helping AUCSO and member institutions understand and react to changing demand and pressure. We believe this project will be a game change that enables universities to better protect people, assets and reputation." Strategic implications The findings highlight the transformation of university security from traditional guarding into a strategic, multi-faceted service. The report urges institutions to: Develop professional frameworks to address both skills and diversity gaps. Create technology integration roadmaps, avoiding siloed procurement. Implement targeted recruitment and inclusion strategies. Strengthen information-sharing and collaborative partnerships across the sector. Detailed findings The Benchmarking Report 2025 goes further by providing a detailed analysis of the forces reshaping university security. It highlights the sector’s transition from traditional guarding to comprehensive safety and wellbeing services, with security teams increasingly integrated into institutional welfare frameworks and strategic planning. Technology is identified as a major force multiplier, with near-universal CCTV, widespread adoption of digital incident recording, and rapid growth in body-worn video. Larger institutions are shown to be investing in broader and more specialised training portfolios, reflecting greater operational complexity. Gender diversity The findings emphasise the importance of systematic strategic planning and collaboration Persistent workforce challenges remain, particularly around gender diversity, with women representing just 5% of the security workforce, and heavy reliance on traditional security backgrounds. The report urges targeted recruitment and inclusion strategies to build more representative, community-focused teams. Finally, the findings emphasise the importance of systematic strategic planning and collaboration, from aligning performance metrics with well-being outcomes to strengthening partnerships with police, local authorities, and emergency services. Next steps The Benchmarking Report 2025 will be updated and enriched as AUCSO continues to collect and analyse operational performance data, ensuring members can access the most relevant and up-to-date insights.

The Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO), the global body for security professionals in Higher and Further Education, has announced a new partnership with Stamp Out Spiking, the UK’s major charity dedicated to ending drink spiking. Recent figures from Anglia Ruskin University (2024) highlight the scale of the problem, with: 90% of people don’t contact the police after being spiked and around half of those said it’s because they ‘don’t see the point.’ 2.2% of UK adults reported having had their drinks spiked in the 12 months leading up to the survey, which equates to around 1.2 million UK adults. 11% of UK adults reported being spiked at some point in their lives – 13% of females think they have previously been a victim of drink spiking and 9% of males. LGBTQ+ adults are disproportionately affected. Gender and sexual minorities are significantly more likely to report having ever been a victim of drink spiking (18% vs. 11%; 2022) heterosexual individuals. In 2023, more incidents of drink spiking occurred in bars (41%) and clubs (28%) than anywhere else. However, 9% reported being a victim in a private home. 14% of respondents who thought their drink had been spiked reported that the incident resulted in physical or mental health issues. Valuable benefits AUCSO members will gain a 20% discount on Executive Membership with Stamp Out Spiking Through this partnership, AUCSO members will gain a 20% discount on Executive Membership with Stamp Out Spiking, unlocking a range of valuable benefits to help institutions safeguard students. These include access to discounted training, safeguarding resources, and a suite of practical tools such as awareness posters for venues and public spaces, incident checklists, quick action flow charts, and quarterly updates on regional crime prevention. Strengthen safeguarding Dawn Dines, CEO and Founder of Stamp Out Spiking, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with AUCSO to give members discounted access to our Executive Membership. By joining us, they not only strengthen safeguarding within their institutions but also help us support victims, the public, and grassroots organisations such as Street Pastors and victim support services." Keeping students safe Julie Barker, COO of AUCSO, added: “Keeping students safe and supported is at the heart of what our members do. Spiking remains a very real concern for universities and colleges, and by partnering with Stamp Out Spiking we can provide our members with the resources, training and confidence to respond swiftly and effectively. This partnership underlines AUCSO’s commitment to working with expert organisations to ensure student wellbeing and safety remain top priorities.” Julie added: “This collaboration marks a significant step forward in equipping our member universities and colleges with the knowledge and tools to better protect their students, tackle spiking incidents, and raise awareness nationwide, and internationally.”

The Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO), the pioneer global organisation for security professionals in Higher and Further Education, is pleased to announce the launch of a new suite of free online training courses exclusively for its members. This initiative is part of a newly signed three-year partnership with Ciphr eLearning, a cloud based HR software company that integrates HR, payroll, learning and recruitment, that is transforming how organisations deliver training and development. Through this collaboration with Ciphr eLearning, who work with over 80 universities across the UK and Ireland, AUCSO will provide members with access to up to 30 professionally developed courses from its extensive training portfolio. Courses on a wide range of topics The courses will cover a wide range of essential topics including: Neurodiversity, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, Fraud Awareness, Modern Slavery, Gender Equality at Work, Safeguarding in Higher Education, Customer Service, Mental Health Awareness, Freedom of Speech, Bystander Training, Personal Safety, Managing Self-Care and Wellbeing, Responding to Student Mental Health Issues, Disclosure of Sexual Violence, Consent on Campus, and Supporting Students Experiencing Domestic Violence, among others. Julie Barker’s comments Commenting on the launch, Julie Barker, COO at AUCSO, said: “We are delighted to partner with Ciphr eLearning to offer our members a wide-ranging and high-quality set of online learning opportunities. This collaboration allows us to continually update and tailor our Learning and Development offerings to meet the evolving needs of the sector.” “It’s a significant value-add for our members, supporting their professional growth, wellbeing, and the continued development of skills to serve and safeguard our diverse campus communities effectively.” Ciphr eLearning’s Founder’s words David Marshall, Founder and Managing Director of Ciphr eLearning, also welcomed the partnership: “We are proud to be supporting AUCSO in delivering critical training to security professionals across the Education sector.” “Our mission at Ciphr eLearning is to help organisations unlock the power of learning, and we’re excited to see how our platform can enhance AUCSO’s training capabilities and support their members’ ongoing development.” Licenses AUCSO currently holds 200 user licenses, with each license granting full access to all available courses through the AUCSO training platform free of charge. Additional licenses can be purchased by member organisations at a competitive rate.