Student Fee Payment Processing for The University of Birmingham Dubai Campus

A Contract Award Notice
by THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Source: Find a Tender
Type: Contract ()
Duration: not specified
Value: £260K

Sector: MISCELLANEOUS
Published: 10 Jul 2025
Delivery: not specified
Deadline: n/a

Concepts

Location

Geochart for 1 buyers and 1 suppliers

1 buyer

Birmingham University Birmingham

1 supplier

National Bank of Ras Al Khaima PSC Ras Al Khaima

Description

The University of Birmingham intends to enter into a temporary contract with RAK Bank (United Arab Emirates) to provide an online student fee payment solution for its Dubai campus. This service will enable students to make tuition payments via card through RAK Bank's online payment platform, Skiply. The contract is expected to run for a period sufficient to cover the interim period until a full competitive tender process is completed and a new long-term provider is appointed. The estimated annual value of the contract is approximately £260,000, based on a conservative assumption that 75% of students will use this payment method. This temporary arrangement will ensure continuity of service for students and the University's finance operations while the University prepares to go to market for a comprehensive online payment solution covering both UK and Dubai campuses. The full tender is anticipated to be issued later in 2025 or early 2026, with a new contract in place by July 2026.

Award Detail

1	National Bank of Ras Al Khaima PSC (Ras Al Khaima) Reference: 1 Value: £260,000

CPV Codes

None found

Legal Justification

TheUniversity requires an immediate and reliable solution to support student fee payments for the upcoming academic year. Following a competitive market engagement within the UAE,and receiving presentations from 5 potential suppliers, RAK Bank's Skiply platform has been identified as a suitable local payment solution that can be implemented on a 9 month interim basis, without delay, providing the University with an open link for student payments and allowing for the import and export of data detailing outstanding student fee balances and payments received without having to build integrations with our existing finance and student registration systems. This is a short-term, transitional arrangement designed to bridge the gap until a full procurement process is completed. The University is committed to running a ,competitive tender for its global online payment pathways, The direct award to RAK Bank is therefore a pragmatic and proportionate response to an immediate operational need.