Higher Education in Yorkshire may never recover from savage cuts
As higher education faces its most brutal funding cuts in history, Yorkshire’s universities have issued a warning that the contribution the sector makes to the region’s communities, students and economy could be seriously damaged.
Leaks in the media ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance suggest that higher education will suffer at least a 25% funding cut, with student fees rising to as much as £10,000 a year and popular areas like arts and humanities receiving no public funding at all.
Professor Roger Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of Yorkshire Universities – which represents the 11 universities and 3 higher education institutions in Yorkshire and the Humber – warns that a significant reduction in public funding for higher education means moving to a model where funding is primarily provided by the student.
Professor Lewis said: “Universities in Yorkshire offer an unequalled choice of subjects which is one of the reasons the region has such an excellent reputation for world class research and why we attract top quality students.
“However, there is a very real danger that the balance of subjects will change with a narrowing focus on science, technology, engineering and maths. This will have a particular impact on home-based students, narrowing the choices available to people who are not able to travel outside their region to study at university.”
Professor Lewis points out that the Yorkshire's higher education institutions boost the regional economy to the tune of £3.68bn and play a critical role in generating jobs, creating innovation and driving enterprise. He added: “Yorkshire’s universities are crucial to future prosperity and competitiveness of the region; they work with the private and public sectors to create new markets and tackle global challenges through knowledge and expertise.
“The cuts will not only compromise the quality of higher education and impact on the lives and aspirations of future generations but will directly compromise income and job creation for Yorkshire.”
Yorkshire continues to pull in university students despite fee rise
As politicians wait to hear
what impact the university fees increase will have on student recruitment,
universities in Yorkshire are reporting that
applications to study in the region remain consistently strong.
When legislation was changed
in 2011 allowing universities to charge up to £9,000 a year, critics feared
that it would herald a major downturn in the number of young people applying to
enter higher education. The official figures from UCAS (Universities &
Colleges Admissions Service) due to be published in February will give a clear
picture of the fee hike but in the meantime Yorkshire continues to be a popular
student destination.
Professor Roger Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of Yorkshire Universities, which
represents the universities in Yorkshire and the Humber,
says that the picture for the region is ‘looking good’. Professor Lewis said: “Interest from young people
wanting to study in the region remains high and in many cases applications are
up on previous years.
“Universities report that
they are attracting the right students without having to lower their expectations
of high quality applicants and all institutions predict that they will meet
their recruitment targets.”
With no evidence that the
increase in tuition fees will affect recruitment to the
region’s universities, Professor
Lewis says it is because they are
so distinctive in what they offer. Professor Lewis added: “From members of the Russell Group to rich heritage locations, institutions in rural
settings and lively and interesting towns and cities, Yorkshire’s universities genuinely have it all.
“Many of our universities and
colleges have had major renovations to create vibrant modern world-class
campuses which are fantastic places to live and study. Add to that the great
range of courses, including those with good employment prospects, and it
explains why our universities are recruiting across the board.”
For the last two years, universities from Yorkshire
have won the coveted University of the
Year title awarded by the Times Higher Education Awards. This year the prize
was awarded to the University
of Sheffield which judges
said had ‘stood out as a result of a strategy based on its values and rooted in
its founding principles’. In 2010 the award went to University
of York which this year was nominated
for Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year, Outstanding Support for
Students and Entrepreneurial University of the Year.
NEETs show greater ambition to dispel the myth of workshy youths
The challenges and opportunities experienced
by young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) are being
charted in a three-year longitudinal study by academic researchers at the
University of Huddersfield.
The research, conducted by Dr Robin Simmons,
Dr Lisa Russell and Dr Ron Thompson takes place against a backdrop of record
unemployment among 16 to 24 year olds which had risen to 991,000 by October
2011.
Supported by a grant of over £124,000 from
The Leverhulme Trust, the project has almost two years to run but initial
findings are already emerging, with a series of conference papers, journal articles
and a book.
New breed of university will make UK 'best place in world to do science'
The UK government wants to
encourage the formation of a new class of university that will focus on
science, technology and postgraduate training. Science minister David Willetts says that there would
be no extra public funding for the new institutions but that they would help to
build the UK's research base through private and international investment.
In a speech at the Policy Exchange
thinktank, Mr Willetts said the government's ambition was to make the UK the ‘best
place in the world to do science’. He said that globalisation was still at its
earliest stages when it came to higher education and so it was a good time to
attract international investment to the UK.
The Minister said: "There's a
lot of talk about British universities setting up campuses abroad. But then you
think there is international resource here and perhaps some overseas universities might
want to make a partnership with a British university or a British business and
set up some kind of operation here.
"There will be no additional
government funding. This time we will be looking to private finance and perhaps
sponsorship from some of the businesses that are keen to recruit more British
graduates."
Mr Willetts added that the
government would seek to remove, through legislation if necessary, any
regulatory red tape in setting up the new institutions.
Support for businesses following Business Link’s reduction in services
The York, North Yorkshire and East
Riding Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is launching a campaign on the
benefits of business-to-business networking and urging businesses to join a
networking group to ensure they receive support following the closure of
Business Link.
Shaun Watts, Director of Leeds, York and
North Yorkshire Chamber, LEP Board Member and Business Personality of the Year
said: "There are at least 50 business forums in our area, including
my Chamber, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses,
Forward Ladies and many more. Between them they provide huge range
of services. The LEP aims to support the networks that businesses themselves
are choosing, to ensure that our business community is fantastically
networked. By doing so we're creating a robust and resilient business
support network.”
The LEP is developing a searchable database
of the region's business networks which will be launched on the new website in
January 2012. The site will also be an essential resource for business
events, news and intelligence. In addition, the Partnership is working on
behalf of the business networks to channel other business support services through
the web of existing networks.
Ministers re-open £60m fund to boost business skills & growth
The second phase
of the Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF) has been launched by Business Secretary
Vince Cable and Minister for Further
Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, John Hayes. The fund will
support businesses to develop their skills solutions tailored to their own
needs, transforming growth in their sector, region or supply chain.
BIS will be providing £34 million for
2012-13 and there is still £29 million available to bid for. With matched
funding from businesses there will be around £60 million available under GIF
this year. Comparable levels of investment are planned for the following two
years.
Vince Cable said: “The Government
understands we need to tackle the skills shortages that are holding companies
back. Through this fund, we will support employers that take collective action
to overcome these barriers, helping to rebalance and grow our economy.
“By putting the employer’s voice at the
heart of the process, we will reward inventive approaches to training that
deliver real help to get business moving.”
John Hayes added: “I know times are tough
for many businesses, but I am determined to do all I can to build a skills
system that creates opportunity for young people and puts firms on course for growth.
“Government investment in skills works best
for individuals and communities when it responds directly to employers’ needs.
Offering a more continuous process will ensure that public money will be able
to fund more projects throughout the year, giving business the power to shape
training and directly support jobs and growth.
“The Hospitality Guild is a great example of
how the Growth and Innovation Fund can help unify businesses and professional
training bodies to raise skills in the sector, and support staff development
within both large and smaller players in this industry.”
York VC was successful at The Press Business Awards 2011
Professor Brian Cantor, vice chancellor of
the University of York, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Press
Business Awards.
Under Professor Cantor’s leadership since
2002, the University of York has been placed in the top 100 in the world for
several years.
Last year, it was also named University Of
The Year in the Times Higher Education Awards and is this year nominated for
Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year, Outstanding Support for
Students and Entrepreneurial University of the Year.
The University of York has embarked on a
£750 million expansion, with the new 65-hectare Heslington East campus
extension expected to increase total student numbers to 15,400 and create up to
2,000 new jobs. It is the single largest investment made by any UK university.
A further £60 million is being invested in a
new sports village, Langwith College, library refurbishments and chemistry
research facilities.
Professor Cantor, who has previously been a
consultant to NASA and Rolls-Royce, has played a vital role in setting the University
and the city’s sights on the wider world, forging ties with emerging markets in
China, India and Korea, and is an enthusiastic ambassador of international
trade among the wider business community.
University of the Year
Beating five other shortlisted
universities, the University of Sheffield has been named University of the Year
by the Times Higher Education Awards.
Judges said the University had ‘stood out as a result of a strategy based on
its values and rooted in its founding principles’ and praised the institution’s
‘determination and grit’ in focusing on its local community.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Keith Burnett said: "This is wonderful news for
everyone; to be chosen for such an honour is a powerful tribute to the hard
work, dedication and ability of our staff, students, graduates and partners.
"At a time of real challenge for quality, access, and the funding of
universities, the University of Sheffield has drawn particular inspiration from
our founding principles as a civic university established by public
subscription and the donations of ordinary working people.
"This has become a unifying passion for all of us, to put knowledge to
work in tangible ways, ranging from advanced manufacturing to translational
neuroscience to what is perhaps the country´s most ambitious programme of
student and staff volunteering."
The ceremony was attended by more than 1,000 members of the higher education
community from around the United Kingdom.
The University of Sheffield was
also shortlisted for two other categories, Widening Participation Initiative of
the Year for the most imaginative and innovative outreach projects that
encourage people from under represented backgrounds to enter higher education
and Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers category.
Last year, the University of the Year was won by the University of York so the region has maintained this accolade for two years. This year, Yorkshire's universities were also shortlisted for:
- Outstanding Contribution to the Community (University of Huddersfield and University of Leeds)
- Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year (University of York - winner)
- Outstanding Support for Students (University of York)
- Outstanding Employer Engagement (Sheffield Hallam University and Bradford University School of Management)
- Widening Participation Initiative of the Year (University of Sheffield)
- Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year (University of Huddersfield and University of Leeds School of Medicine)
- Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers (University of Sheffield)
- Entrepreneurial University of the Year (University of York).
Professor Sir Tim Wilson Review of Higher Education
Professor Sir Tim
Wilson, former VC of the University of Hertfordshire, is leading a government
review of university-industry collaboration.
YU has responded on behalf of its members. Roger
Lewis (YU Chief Executive) had a one-to-one discussion with Sir Tim; this was
followed up by further information on activity in Yorkshire of particular
interest to Sir Tim.
Speaking in the
Guardian, Professor Wilson said: “In the 21st century a modern economy needs a
healthy and vibrant university community. I don't think anybody denies that
because universities really are the organisations which fuel a knowledge
economy. In order to ensure we optimise the capacity and capability of the UK
population and its workforce we need to ensure there is a good linkage between
the UK's wealth-creating businesses and the agency that has supplied the
intellectual powerhouse for centuries.”
The White Paper ‘Putting students at the heart of
higher education’ (June 2011) states that: “We also want our
universities to look again at how they work with business across their teaching
and research activities, to promote better teaching, employer sponsorship,
innovation and enterprise. We have asked Professor Sir Tim Wilson, former
vice-chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire, to undertake a review into
how we make the UK the best place in the world for university-industry
collaboration.”
The report was expected in December but
no publication date has been confirmed. For further information visit www.wilsonreview.co.uk
Yorkshire Universities Annual Report
YU has published
its Annual Report for the period 2010-11.
Through its activities, YU has built stronger links
with the wider membership by working with colleagues involved in teacher
education, healthcare, higher level skills, employability and widening
participation, marketing and international student recruitment, research and
knowledge transfer partnerships.
The report sets out YU’s priorities for the upcoming
year, which include:
- Continue to facilitate key YU groups to respond effectively to public policy and expenditure challenges and to build Yorkshire’s higher education capacity.
- Create stronger and more co-ordinated higher education sector engagement with LEPs and the new arrangements for economic development and business growth. This is likely to focus on areas such as the economy, enterprise, innovation and skills.
- Further develop new and existing collaborations to foster innovation and knowledge intensive activities which benefit the membership and generate wider public benefit.
- Develop new resources and build relationships which promote Yorkshire’s higher education offer nationally and internationally to attract inward investment and student recruitment.
- Support members to strengthen their approaches for graduate employment and employability and widening engagement.
To view or download the Annual Report, visit www.yorkshireuniversities.ac.uk/reports/files/