Politicians need to “get serious” about declining university funding, but institutions must drive efficiency and ask themselves if there are “things we could potentially not do” to advance a “bigger conversation” on the sector’s future, according to the Universities UK president.
Steve West, the University of the West of England vice-chancellor, made the comments at Times Higher Education’s THE Campus Live event in London, as universities await an autumn statement from the UK government that could deliver cuts to both research and teaching budgets.
With universities in England under pressure from a lengthy tuition fee freeze, Professor West repeated his call for a “national conversation” with government and society on the future funding of higher education across the UK, calling for a “cross-government” look at the issue, including the House of Commons and House of Lords “coming together” to examine funding.
