2009
Jonathan Blakeman and Edward Curry-Hyde identify the need for more sophisticated, sector specific benchmarking and launch Cubane Consulting.
2009-15
23 universities across Australia and New Zealand see the benefit of this unique approach and join Cubane's UniForum program.
2015
9 Russell Group Universities form the first UK UniForum Chapter.
2017
UniForum expands into Canada with 3 universities.
2021
After a more than a decade successfullly working together on shared clients, Cubane becomes part of Nous Group.
2023
Cubane begins its brand integration journey, rebranding to NousCubane.
2024
NousCubane acquires student experience platform, Ziplet.
2025
NousCubane takes another step in its brand journey, changing its name to Nous Data Insights to reflect its growing product portfolio.
2019
UniForum's global expansion continues apace with 50 members benefitting from the program.
OUR HISTORY
Jonathan Blakeman (former VP, Finance and Operations UNSW) and Edward Curry-Hyde (CEO, NousCubane) felt that existing approaches to benchmarking did not lead to change. The benchmarking exercise typically concludes with the delivery of a benchmarking report, and the underlying data - collected through high-level processes – is easily challenged. Jonathan felt that proper investment in a data collection process that has strong local input was critical for delivering robust data. With robust data, the benchmarking report should then be the starting point, rather than concluding point, of the exercise. The final missing link was already well established among academics across universities: collaboration.
Collaborative discovery with other participants, founded on a common platform of robust comparative insights, offered university managers a sounder basis for driving administrative improvement than benchmarking alone. With this, managers could go well beyond simple benchmarking to discover the extent to which different choices were delivering different outcome and draw more strategic insights from their collective work. The UniForum program, a multi-year collaborative membership program, was created to develop and support this approach to benchmarking. Over 75 universities in 6 countries have joined the collaborative program since its founding in 2009.
Working closely with member universities has been a key part of ensuring UniForum develops in ways that meet the needs of the universities as they progress on their journeys to design and deliver services that best support the academic mission. Nous Data Insights' experience delivering the UniForum program over more than a decade, along with Nous’ broader expertise in shaping and implementing improvement programs has enabled our services to further develop and grow into the full suite of services we are proud to offer clients today.