Commenting on today’s Pre-Budget Report, Professor Steve Smith, President of Universities UK, said: “The university sector has provided an excellent return on the last 12 years of public investment.

“However, the sector is already absorbing considerable efficiency savings and the announcement that by 2012-2013, £600 million will be cut from higher education and science and research budgets will be extremely challenging for universities. Universities UK will be working closely with DBIS and HEFCE to work through how the cuts will fall and cause least damage.

“We are also aware of serious stimulus investment in research and education from many competitor governments and the UK cannot afford to be left behind.

“Cuts to these budgets will accelerate the urgency of the discussions taking place into the sustainability of the higher education sector through the review into higher education funding and student finance. It is therefore essential that we review student support costs as part of the Browne Review.

“We note that the £600m reductions are to come from the £13bn spent on HE (including student support), science and research budgets. We hope that this proposed reduction is fed into Lord Browne's review of funding so that the appropriate proportion could be met by changes to the current student support system.

“The announcement that there will be financial support for undergraduates from low income backgrounds to undertake short unpaid internships is welcome. The opportunity for students to get hands-on work experience in their chosen fields puts them in a very strong position when they come to applying for jobs after graduation.”
ENDS

Notes
1. For more information on the Pre-Budget Report, visit: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/prebud_pbr09_index.htm