- Conference
- 2022 Virtual Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 13 October 2021
- Decision
- Carried
The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which caused the lockdown from mid-March 2020 has had serious repercussions across the higher education sector. Prior to the pandemic, many universities in the UK were already facing serious financial situations with 47 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) having posted a deficit in July 2019. In July 2020 63 HEIs posted a deficit.
The problems of the Higher Education funding system have been highlighted by the pandemic. The reliance by UK universities on international students paying inflated fees to subsidise university research is one example of the ways in which the current funding system is not fit for purpose.
A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies published in July 2020 forecast that “the university sector’s losses is highly uncertain: we estimate that long-run losses could come in anywhere between £3 billion and £19 billion, or between 7.5% and nearly half of the sector’s overall income in one year. Our central estimate of total long-run losses is £11 billion or more than a quarter of income in one year… with the biggest losses likely from falls in international student enrolments.”
A report from London Economics in May 2020 forecast up to 30,000 redundancies in the sector if the forecast reduction in UK and international students becomes a reality.
Conference notes that whilst UK undergraduate student numbers did not fall in the autumn term 2020, that international student numbers have declined and that this has a financial impact on the sector. Conference further notes that university funding has been affected by reduction in other income streams including conferences and events, catering and bars, and student accommodation.
Conference notes that the government has still not published its response to the Augar report on Post 18 Education and Funding in England and that the sector is still waiting for a higher education white paper. The government said in January 2021, in its interim response to the 2019 Augar review of post-18 education, that it planned “to consult on further reforms to the higher education system in spring 2021” before setting out its full response at the spending review. This consultation, and proposed reforms, have been repeatedly delayed. UNISON is concerned by recent rumours ahead of the autumn spending review, that tuition fees may be cut and/or graduates could pay more and for longer with changes to the student loan arrangements (e.g. with a reduction in the salary threshold to start paying and increasing the payment period to 40 years).
Conference notes that any changes to the higher education funding system in England would have implications for higher education funding in the devolved nations.
Conference notes that in 2020 UNISON launched the ‘Don’t fail our future’ campaign for sustainable funding for higher education across the UK.
Conference notes that successful higher education underpins the delivery of many public services including health, social work, education, housing and many more areas.
Conference notes that many universities have taken steps to save money and that these measures have a direct and negative impact on university support staff.
Conference therefore calls on the Higher Education Service Group Executive (HESGE) to:
1)Continue to promote the ‘Don’t fail our future’ funding campaign for higher education;
2)Campaign to ensure that universities are well funded from general taxation to provide excellent higher education in our world class universities;
3)Continue to promote the case for free tuition for all, with maintenance grants and measures to support participation for all students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds;
4)Work with UNISON at all levels and across the services groups, as appropriate, to build support for UNISON’s campaign for higher education funding;
5)Ensure that the campaign recognises the different funding models in the devolved nations;
6)Publicise the campaign on all HE social media platforms and encourage branch engagement. Work with Labour Link with a view to increasing support for the campaign from the Labour Party.
7)Scrutinise and encourage engagement in the government’s response to the Augar report when they are published.