University of California (UC) Systemwide Procurement and Huron Consulting Group recently held a strategic business review to reaffirm a partnership that’s been transforming UC’s administrative, academic, and research infrastructure behind the scenes since 2003. The meeting focused on results, strategy, and what comes next, and highlighted why this collaboration matters.
A Trusted Partner
Over the past five years, Huron has conducted more than 60 engagements across the UC system, from UCOP to UCSF Health. These include consulting, digital transformation, healthcare optimization, and research administration. What makes the UC/Huron partnership stand out is our shared history and shared priorities. They know how UC works. They speak our language. And they’ve proven reliable – with a 9/10 average client satisfaction score and a Net Promoter Score of 82.
Backed by Experience
Huron isn’t new to higher education. With partnerships at 500+ institutions, including all top 100 research universities and all 71 members of the Association of American Universities, their deep bench in education and research is clear. Additionally, through UC’s agreement with OMNIA Partners cooperative purchasing, UC has leveraged our Huron contract for other higher ed institutions like CSU, the University of Washington, and the University of Tennessee to use and benefit from.
What’s Working and What’s Next
The review covered current workstreams and syndication progress through OMNIA, while also looking ahead. Key discussion points included:
- Growth Strategy: Huron is investing in our success, with UC Tech Conference sponsorships ($30K in 2025) and co-presentations at events like NCURA FRA/PRA 2025 (“Guardians of AI”). These efforts raise visibility and encourage innovation across the system.
- AI Pilots & New Tools: UCSB is testing Huron’s AI solution to speed up research agreement setup. UCLA is exploring AI for broader research administration use. Pilots like these could scale systemwide.
- Collaborative Expansion: There’s clear momentum to grow. From potential HR consulting services to ongoing meetings with OMNIA to align on new opportunities, the partnership is moving forward.
- Customer Voice & Case Studies: Plans are in motion to collect direct feedback from campuses and turn successful UC case studies into tools OMNIA can use to bring others into the fold.
Why It Matters
This partnership is more than just projects and metrics. It’s about impact – and how we serve students, support faculty, and manage the complexity of one of the largest public university systems in the world. As the landscape of higher ed shifts, UC and Huron are evolving together, grounded in shared goals and a long-standing commitment to UC’s mission.