The continued strength of the UK’s higher education sector “must not be assumed”, leaders have warned, after the Westminster government’s “mini-budget” failed to go beyond paying lip service to the role of universities in driving economic growth.
Britain’s “elite world-leading universities” were praised as part of the opening remarks of the new chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s “Growth Plan”, but the document contained no new commitments on university funding or research, except a renewed promise to continue a review on research and development tax relief.
Further help for individuals and businesses to deal with the rising cost of living were outlined but vice-chancellors expressed disappointment at the lack of measures specifically designed to benefit students.
