University of Sussex Vice-Chancellor and co-chair of ResearchPlus, Professor Sasha Roseneil, along with the other co-chair and the Director of ResearchPlus has written to the Chancellor ahead of next week’s budget. The letter urges the Chancellor to take steps that would allow the higher education sector to maximise its impact generating growth through innovation and skills.
Among the letter’s recommendations is that tuition funding in England should be raised to meet the government’s own assessment of the cost of delivering a degree and the commitment to keep fees rises in line with inflation should be on a statutory footing.
The grouping of universities spelled out how research drives innovation and innovation drives growth in regions all over the UK, especially when research institutions also support the development of skills in those areas, which in turn drives opportunity. However, this virtuous cycle can only be supported if the higher education ecosystem is sustainable.
The letter also outlines the critical role universities pay in addressing the crisis of youth unemployment, highlighting the Milburn Review’s finding that the risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training halves with each additional level of education.
ResearchPlus has also urged the Government to revisit its plans for the International Student Levy, saying that the UK’s world-leading universities generate more than £40 billion for the UK. Taxing those exports not only damages competitiveness and the trade and soft power that goes with it, but it is also not the best way to raise income to fund the Government’s plan to reintroduce limited maintenance grants, which ResearchPlus backs. It has offered to work with the Government to suggest alternatives and explore options.
While welcoming the Government’s continuing commitment to increase investment in research and development, ResearchPlus asked the Chancellor to go further, as innovation delivers economic growth, and to commit to a target of 3.5% of GDP.
The letter, signed on behalf of the ten member universities by co-chairs Professor Sasha Roseneil and Professor Andrew Jones and by director Johnny Rich, says, “In this month’s budget, there is an opportunity to support growth driven by innovation and opportunity, or – by doing nothing to support the higher education sector – to undermine it.”