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 leaders have lacked comparative data to evaluate their operations effectively against their peers. 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 enhanced CCTV.
- Persistent workforce challenges, including limited gender diversity (female representation averaging just five per cent) 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.
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.”
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, wellbeing, and preparedness across universities worldwide.”
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.
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 wellbeing 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.
