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Cabinet officials

UK Higher Education System at Risk of Long-Term Decline, Warns Outgoing British Academy President

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Dame Julia Black, president of the British Academy, has expressed concern that the UK's higher education system is heading towards a long-term decline unless the government takes immediate action to reform and overhaul its approach to universities. With universities facing a funding squeeze and a decrease in international student enrollment, Black has called for a national conversation to protect the country's competitive advantage. She warns that unless ministers take drastic measures, the system will continue to erode slowly, making it difficult to rebuild.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK's higher education system is at risk of long-term decline due to the government's confused and incoherent approach to universities.
  • Dame Julia Black, president of the British Academy, has warned that the system will continue to erode slowly, making it difficult to rebuild, unless ministers take drastic measures.
  • The Office for Students, established by the previous Conservative government, is seen as ineffective, and Black has called for its abolition.
  • A new regulator with a wider remit should be established to take account of higher education's benefits for individual students and the public.
  • A cross-party commission should be launched to explore options for the sector, including a new cap on student numbers, higher tuition fees, and breaking with the traditional three-year undergraduate degree.
  • Black has rejected the view that humanities and social sciences are less useful than maths and science, describing them as "absolutely essential" to living a full and prosperous life and addressing many of the challenges the country faces.
  • The decline of humanities and social sciences will have a "potential vicious spiral" effect, where drops in undergraduate enrollment lead to fewer qualified specialists becoming teachers, resulting in fewer school leavers opting for subjects such as archaeology or languages.

Statistics:

  • The British Academy recorded income of just under £75mn in 2023-24.
  • The Academy distributed £55.5mn in research awards to academics in the UK and overseas.
  • The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology provided a £51mn grant to the British Academy in 2023-24.
  • The government has slashed capital funding for higher education, and the length of the graduate visa has been reduced from two years to 18 months.
  • The proposed 6% levy on universities' fee income from overseas students to fund domestic skills programs will further squeeze universities' finances.

Sources:

  • "Financial Times": Undated article, accessed on [unknown date]
  • "British Academy": No date, [no title]
  • "Office for Students": No date, [no title]

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