‘No surprise’ budget silent on ‘unsustainable’ university funding

Sector leaders were “disappointed but not surprised” that the UK government’s budget offered no measures to address a growing sense of crisis in funding for England’s universities and students.

The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, delivered a budget that promised £45 million in extra funding for medical charities’ research in fields such as cancer and dementia, £10 million to support the development of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, plus £118 million for housing and a life sciences hub in London’s Canary Wharf.

Mr Hunt did refer to the UK having “the most respected universities” outside the US and the “largest tech ecosystem in Europe”, putting it “on track to be the next Silicon Valley”, as a prelude to measures on pension fund investments.

Rachel Hewitt, chief executive of the MillionPlus group of modern universities, said: “That another major government financial statement has come and gone without announcing any further support for students struggling with the cost-of-living crisis or how Britain addresses the unsustainable trajectory of higher education finance is disappointing but not surprising.

“It is also a shame that the chancellor opted not to listen to the combined voices of MillionPlus, the Royal College of Nursing and, as we saw earlier this week, three-quarters of the public, by introducing a fee loan forgiveness scheme for nurses working in the public services. This is a missed opportunity to invest in the future of the country and to markedly improve desperately needed staff retention in the NHS.”

Diana Beech, the London Higher chief executive, said: “The chancellor’s acknowledgement that ‘we have the most respected universities’ has not gone unnoticed by the UK higher education sector and makes for a refreshing respite from the negative rhetoric targeted towards the sector of late.

“As the chancellor rightly acknowledged, universities are essential for the success of national advancements in AI and tech, so it is encouraging to see investment in life sciences in Canary Wharf helping London to emerge as an engine of cutting-edge research and innovation.”

Jo Grady, the University and College Union general secretary, said: “The Tories have today missed yet another opportunity to tackle the deepening crisis facing higher education – which the chancellor failed to even acknowledge. Job cuts and course closures are sweeping across the sector, and, ultimately, the only answer is doing away with the failed fee-based funding system.”

john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com