This blog was kindly contributed by Sarah Stevens, Director of Policy at the Russell Group (@RussellGroup).
Many would say that the UK higher education system dodged a bullet at the recent Autumn Statement, with the deferral of significant fiscal restraint until after the next election meaning no immediate shift to austerity-style cuts. During an otherwise turbulent year, we should celebrate the fact we have at least short-term stability on the funding settlement for R&D and higher education, even if the picture differs quite significantly across the devolved nations.
But given all the political upheaval, especially in recent months, many of the big-ticket items on the agenda for higher education and research policy are still unresolved, and that ‘dodge’ in the Autumn Statement is only a delay in facing up to challenges we can all see on the road ahead.
