Value for money in higher education
05 November 2018
Responding today to publication of the Education Committee’s report Value for money in higher education, Sarah Stevens, Head of Policy at the Russell Group, said:
“This is a substantial contribution to the debate on how we can best deliver a sustainable university funding system that is fair to students, taxpayers and universities. The report is right to emphasise the important role of universities in meeting this country’s skills needs and preparing students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Degree apprenticeships have an important role to play and we can expect demand for these to grow. Our universities are already producing graduates with the mixture of high-level academic, technical and vocational skills required for the UK’s economy, such as in engineering and medicine. Russell Group universities are also working with employers locally and nationally to respond to the skills gaps identified by business in a range of areas and pioneering new degree apprenticeships to fill skills gaps in manufacturing, digital technologies and computer science.
“The report is right to emphasise the importance of outreach work with local schools, colleges and communities to widen access to higher education. Our universities are engaging in a wide range of activities designed to encourage successful applications from students from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds.
“We have also been calling for the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants for students from low income backgrounds as part of a sustainable funding system for higher education.”
Notes for Editors
- Russell Group universities train 430,000 undergraduates and 200,000 postgraduates including around 80% of doctors educated in the UK, 39% of engineers and over half the maths and science graduates so vital to the UK economy and society. Of those in employment six months after graduating, 80% of leavers with a first degree from a Russell Group university are in professional employment. For details of the economic impact of Russell Group universities - https://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/about/the-economic-impact-of-our-universities/
- Russell Group universities are working to deliver degree apprenticeships around the country. For more details click here - https://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/media/5688/employer-engagement-briefing-final.pdf
- For more details on how the Russell Group supports social mobility, click here - https://russellgroup.ac.uk/media/5682/social-mobility-briefing-short-revised.pdf
Related case studies
Widening access through community engagement
University of Bristol’s BA in English Literature and Community Engagement (ELCE) is a key feature of the university’s widening participation programme.
Read more >
Cheaper manufacture of meningitis medication
Chemists at Durham University have found an innovative way to make an effective treatment for a strain of meningitis in less developed countries.
Read more >