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.
