University funding/finances
The deadline for most 2023-24 financial accounts was the end of December
Academic spin-outs have risen over the past decade, supported by a network of university-affiliated venture funds
Institutions caught in a ‘perfect storm’ owing to reductions in government spending and international student restrictions
Vice-chancellors say ‘unsustainable’ model needs fixing but changes must be balanced against goals of increasing access and stopping brain drain
India’s opening up to overseas outposts has injected new life into a form of transnational education that many observers had considered to be moribund. But will the clutch of early adopters blaze a successful trail for others to follow? And what exactly would that look like? Helen Packer reports
More job cuts likely as deficits mount owing to decreased grant funding and cap on international students
Students take years to recoup the tens of thousands of dollars they would have been paid if training was salaried, New Zealand study finds
Proposal to merge maths and computer science at under-fire institution risks damaging one of its ‘crown jewels’, says open letter
Lecturers fear rising staff-student ratios will exacerbate ‘gulf’ between elite institutions and the rest, and create unmanageable workloads
‘Real challenges only now emerging,’ says John Cater in paper looking back over decades-long university career
Universities looking to lose nearly 300 roles between them as financial challenges take their toll
UCU members clash over how to respond to wave of job cuts, with decision on whether to take industrial action over pay imminent
Domestic postgraduate provision looms as an alternative to out-of-favour international education, but it’s a tough market with questionable returns
The benefits of a strong brand are accruing for universities and academics alike. Jack Grove explores why reputation matters – and examines the latest results in the list of the world’s most prestigious universities
Academics at Liverpool say ‘unexpected’ announcement has left people ‘shocked’
University latest passion project for ex-politician who specialises in ‘institutions that are worth keeping’
Holyrood generosity contrasts with Westminster intransigence over Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Head of Scotland’s biggest university warns it may need to shutter departments and degree courses to close ‘urgent’ financial gap
Research funders and universities condemn planned yearly reductions of more than 460 million Swiss francs
Cuts seen as inevitable but academics urge restraint in upcoming budget
Regular increases in what students in England pay should be accompanied by more public money for ‘strategic priorities’, Universities UK tells ministers ahead of spending review
Financial benefits of increasing domestic recruitment ‘now negligible’, according to leaked document
Skills minister says upcoming White Paper will seek to address ‘fragmentation’ between further and higher education
Expenses spike despite dwindling student numbers, with signs the gap could widen
Academics warn of ‘culture of fear’ at pre-eminent Welsh institution amid plans to axe courses and hundreds of jobs
Legal and regulatory issues push some English institutions into taking financial hit of not increasing fees
Pressure mounts on Welsh government to intervene as Cardiff posts UK sector’s biggest deficit yet
Russell Group member says number of roles going yet to be determined, with compulsory departures not on agenda
Tax-cutting budget sees modest increases for higher education as India’s growth expected to slow
Draft 2025 budget could be devastating for research, universities and students, academics warn
Union says that managers of stricken institution must “think again about cutting jobs and the use of compulsory redundancies”
Institution has come under fire for looking to shed around 300 jobs
Librarians and negotiators insist embattled sector’s finances and technological innovations will help to achieve long-sought reductions in publisher costs
THE analysis reveals higher education sector has already passed feared milestone of axeing more than 10,000 jobs in a single year
Institutions ‘caught between a rock and hard place’ are attempting wholesale transformations of their operations but those affected claim schemes could be kinder for staff and students
Ombudsman for English and Welsh higher education says options include support fund, insurance scheme or change in legislation, as it announces record haul of complaints
Island may follow likes of UK in mandating three-year residency before qualifying for domestic fee regime
University to increase staff-student ratios, merge schools and close programmes to ensure it remains ‘viable’
University becomes latest to announce staff cuts, saying it cannot rule out compulsory redundancies
Former universities minister attacks ‘embarrassing’ regulator decision, claiming it will worsen sector’s financial woes
Former vice-chancellor says universities needs change in leadership culture to foster greater collaboration
Indexed fees and some movement on student maintenance seen as key goals for coming spending review, with economic climate reducing chances of more systemic reform
University opens voluntary severance scheme after struggling on domestic and international recruitment, after cutting jobs and courses last year
Minister rules out state taking on more of the cost of paying for higher education
Bid to hand funding council ability to intervene amid worsening institutional finances could be open for abuse, critics fear
While public universities concede to government demands, their private counterparts look less likely to back down
Hepi director argues that England’s funding system is ‘not broken’ but just needs to catch up with inflation – and that ministers should get behind it
Analysis of 113 institutional accounts reveals almost a third have posted a deficit, and one in four reported a negative cash flow
Institutions falling short of recruitment targets will have to reform in order to receive subsidies, with extra on offer to those which merge
Institution plans £20 million in ‘pre-emptive’ savings but is threatened with strike action by union branch pointing to recent budget surpluses
English students oppose increase in tuition fees but uplift in maintenance support makes move more ‘palatable’, finds Hepi survey
Changes in fiscal rules make hoped-for increases in direct funding grants for English higher education less likely, IFS report finds
Alma mater of Daniel Day-Lewis, Patrick Stewart and Olivia Colman says ‘new approach’ will focus on ‘intensive postgraduate courses’
Northumbria leaders say modern universities will be forced to rein in pay rises if they are compelled to offer expensive Teachers’ Pension Scheme to academics
Losses at Queen’s, Heriot-Watt and UWS, along with Ulster, underline UK-wide nature of funding challenges
2024 saw swathes of jobs cuts amid concerns about universities going bankrupt. So is the sector now in a better position to weather the adverse financial climate? Are even worse storms ahead? Or will Labour undertake the systemic change that might see the sun shine again? Tom Williams reports
Out-of-hours support run out of Northumbria University now works with a third of the sector
Leicester, Surrey, Brunel and Hull also report losses in financial accounts for 2023-24
King’s College London reported an operating deficit of £19 million once the impact from pensions and donations are excluded
At least 16 institutions announced plans to shut in 2024, with closures expected to increase significantly in the years ahead
