The UK spends less on university staff as a proportion
current spending than its international competitors*, despite
having some of the world’s highest tuition fees^, a new report
published today (Tuesday) has revealed.
The OECD’s latest Education at a Glance report shows that
the UK’s spending on tertiary education staff as a proportion of
current expenditure (63%) is lower than both the OECD average
(68%) and the EU average (70%). It reveals that the UK is
trailing behind competitor countries including France (80%),
Belgium (76%) and Germany (67%) when it comes to the proportion
of spending invested in staff.
The University and College Union (UCU) said universities
need to recognise that staff are their most important asset and
should be the main priority for spending. It added that
universities are ignoring the wishes of students who say that
investment in staff is a top priority for how their
tuition fees should be spent.
The report comes as UCU members in higher education are
being balloted for industrial
action over pay. The dispute has arisen after employers made
a final pay offer of 2% for 2018/19, a move which UCU says does
nothing to address the falling value of higher education pay
which has declined in real terms by 21% since 2009. The ballot
will close on Friday 19 October.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said:
‘Students at UK universities are paying some of the highest
tuition fees in the world but this simply isn’t translating into
spending on the workforce. UK institutions’ proportional spending
on staff is failing to match that of many international
competitors, even though students have clearly said that this
should be a priority for how their tuition fees are spent.
‘Universities need to recognise that staff are
their most important asset and ensure they invest in them
properly – that starts with a fair pay offer.’
* Education at a Glance 2018, Table C6.2, page
315
^ Education at a Glance 2018, Figure C5.1,
page 292
