UUK report assess HE funding environment

Following the recent changes to higher education funding UUK has produced an assessment of the funding environment for universities.

Following the changes to higher education funding in 2011 and 2012 and the increase in student fees, Universities UK (UUK) a national organisation for universities, has produced an assessment of the current and future funding environment for universities.

The report, released in June, examines the impact on the higher education sector of the changes that have taken place in recent years in the funding of undergraduate students and in student immigration arrangements. It focuses on on three types of students; UK & EU undergraduates, UK & EU postgraduates, overseas students. Changes to the provision for these three types of students are considered alongside implications for the long-term financial sustainability of the HE sector in the UK. 

Amongst other findings the report questions the second consecutive decline in mature, UK, undergraduate applications and highlights the impact of socio-economic background on a person's likelihood of applying to university. Significant falls in applications were also noticed from India, Pakistan and Nigeria, although there is still a clear demand from China. 

The implications of student numbers on finances were also considered and the report noted that institutions are increasingly building buffers into their expected income and expenditure in response to increased uncertainty. The ability for institutions to provide high quality teaching and research in spite of this uncertainty was considered a major risk. 

 Read the full report