Strategic Planning

Support & Guidance

This section contains support and guidance for those staff based in Colleges or Services with the responsibility for completing any of the risk documentation.

Mazaars Internal Audit & Risk Management presentation

Risk Probability and Severity Definitions

Blank template for Risk Assessment of Corporate Risks

Blank template for College/Service Risk Registers

Definitions:

Risk: the threat or possibility that an action or event will adversely of beneficially affect the organisation's ability to achieve its objectives.

Risk Title: it is important that a good description of the risk is attached to an identified risk.  This is to ensure that the risk management process is useful and that the relevant information is provided in order to take effective action.

When describing the risk within the risk title, authors should consider the following:

  • Condition ("There is a risk that...")
  • Cause ("...caused by...")
  • Consequence ("...resulted in...")
  • Context - the environment in which the risk exists, either strategic (relationship between the organisation and the external business environment) or organisational (goals, objectives, capabilities, resources, culture or strategies).

Gross Risk: the level of risk faced by the organisation before any internal controls or mitigating actions have been applied/implemented.

Net Risk: the level of risk faced by the organisation after any internal controls or mitigating actions have been applied or taken into account.  Internal controls include policies, procedures or processes which are used to govern the University's work.  They can also include any additional mitigating actions that have been taken in order to deal with a particular situation.

Severity: the consequences or impact of the risk if it were to occur.  These are scored from 1 (insignificant) to 6 (catastrophic).

Probability: the likelihood of the risk occurring.  These are scored from 1 (negligible likelihood) to 6 (almost certain).

For further guidance, please contact Lucy Reichwald in Strategic Planning.