University of York plumps for Workday to spruce up HR and finance
The University of York is replacing 57 HR and finance systems with a Workday platform, supported by KPMG, aiming for real-time insights and simpler processes
York University has chosen HR and finance systems software-as-a-service supplier Workday to replace more than 30 HR and finance applications, in addition to another 27 systems.
In a Workday press statement, Nigel Alcock, chief financial and operating officer at the University of York, said: “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.
“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 university and the supplier stated that the previous HR and finance applications set up amounted to a “dated and inconsistent user experience, limited self-service, and made data-driven decision-making challenging”.
In collaboration with KPMG UK, the university intends to replace these systems with “one unified platform that connects HR and finance data, delivers real-time insights, streamlines processes and helps reduce costs.”
The supplier cited some other higher education customer wins as showing momentum in the sector. The University of Hull announced, in September 2024, that it selected the supplier’s Human Capital Management and Financial Management systems, again with KPMG as the implementation firm. It went live in the summer of 2025.
The supplier flagged, in its release, some other higher education customers, Bow Valley College, in Canada, and go-lives at the University of Melbourne and the University of Auckland.
‘Unprecedented challenges’
Daniel Pell, vice-president and country manager for the UK and Ireland at Workday, said: “UK higher education institutions are navigating unprecedented challenges, from urgent system replacements to evolving regulatory requirements and student expectations.
“The University of York joins a growing number of forward-thinking institutions choosing our AI [artificial intelligence]-powered platform to replace outdated systems with unified solutions that provide the real-time insights and operational efficiency needed to thrive.”
The supplier stated that it has more than 650 educational institutions across 19 countries using its HR and finance software.
More than 85 are live on its Workday Student package, supporting over three million students worldwide in more than 200 institutions, the supplier claimed. It is said to give students a straightforward “academic planning and registration experience, with built-in communication tools that connect them with advisors and support teams”.
Workday plans to make it available in the UK and Ireland in 2027.
Meanwhile, the University of Manchester recently made a different technology choice, opting for Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications across its business applications estate, announcing this in late October 2025.
Manchester said it will use Oracle’s Human Capital Management software as a service with a view to centralising HR operations on a single platform, to generate “better workforce insights and improve the employee experience”.
It is also implementing Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning and the supplier’s Enterprise Performance Management application.
Carol Prokopyszyn, chief financial officer at The University of Manchester, said: “Our fragmented systems create unnecessary complexities for faculty and administrative staff, making it difficult to gain operational visibility and quickly respond to needs.
“By moving key business processes to the cloud with Oracle Fusion Applications, we can give our colleagues access to great quality data, support them with simpler standard processes and improve their user experience,” she added.
Guy Armstrong, senior vice-president of applications at Oracle UK and Ireland, said: “As student needs evolve and operational costs rise, universities must embrace accurate, touchless processes and embedded AI capabilities to boost efficiency and enhance decision-making.
“With Oracle Fusion Applications, The University of Manchester can increase productivity, expand insights and improve workforce management as it continues to build on its two hundred-year legacy of educational excellence,” he said.
