Systemic change of higher education funding is needed. Tinkering around the edges is not enough, says Unite 

 

Higher education is standing on the edge of a crisis. It requires radical reform and public investment. The university sector has faced funding cuts and government policies which have undermined the financial stability needed to sustain a world-class, accessible higher education system.

The government expects higher education to deliver specialist teaching for the economy without increasing direct investment beyond inflation-linked fees, research funding changes, and greater oversight by the Office for Students.

Within this there is a tangible absence of the needs of the workforce Unite represents.

Redundancies, attacks on terms and conditions and low pay offers are all symptoms of the failure to manage and adequately resource higher education. It’s time to recognise the contribution of higher education workers with a collective bargaining settlement that reflects the value of their work. From cleaners to technicians and estates management, our members are critical to the success of our institutions.

Any future higher education funding settlement negotiated with the UK and devolved governments must ensure that universities can recruit, retain and progress staff who work in the sector through fair, equitable and transparent remuneration systems. Higher education cannot afford to continue with the current funding system which results in staff seeing their real wages cut every year and valuable and experienced staff subject to the constant threat of restructuring and redundancy.

Unite members demand a fully funded higher education system that values our institutions for their innovation, cultural expression and public good, and not just their economic value.

While recent government policy announcements seek to embed inflation-proofed increases to tuition fees, placing these alongside other policies such as the International Student Levy, this will not solve the existential crisis within our institutions.

We need to protect, resource, and invest in our institutions. The world of work is changing at pace. It is only by equipping our universities to deliver future skills for the modern economy that we can ensure UK innovation is at the forefront of new industries and technologies.

Tinkering at the edges is not enough, Unite is calling for real, systemic change. This means the government must invest in our universities through increased levels of public funding.

Unite has called for a wealth tax on the richest 1% to support public services, and to deliver sustainable funding to universities so they can deliver teaching that enriches the skills of our citizens. Reliance on tuition fees and international student recruitment is unsustainable.
We must make it easier for students from all communities to succeed, embed meritocracy in Higher Education and remove student debt that burdens or deters poorer students.