UUK response to government’s announcement on funding for post-18 education

Alistair Jarvis CBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: “The country needs its universities and graduates to be at the forefront of post-COVID economic recovery, supporting the NHS and creating good jobs in local communities. Now is not the time to shrink or underfund universities, nor place a cap on aspiration by restricting the number of places for people to study at university.​”

“Government must ensure that anyone with the potential to succeed at university has the opportunity to do so and the country has the supply of highly-skilled people that business and public services need.” 

“The Lifelong Learning Entitlement has the potential to be transformational, enabling mature learners, those in work, and those looking to upskill with the funding they need to study flexibly.”

“The uplift in grant funding is a positive, however, the tuition fees freeze for another three years leaves universities under even greater pressure to do more with less. With growing inflation pressures, it will be increasingly challenging for universities to maintain the high quality of education that students rightly expect.”