HEFCE funding for 2010/11

4 February 2010

Institute of Physics News

Many IOP members will already be aware of the announcement by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) on 1 February on the provisional distribution of funding to English universities and colleges in 2010, including a £450 million reduction in funding compared with previously announced plans.  This cut was required to meet financial constraints imposed on HEFCE by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Peter Main, IOP’s Education and Science Director, commented: “We all recognise that public finances are under increasing pressure, that cuts will be made somewhere, and that they will be painful wherever they fall.  It is disheartening to see cuts in resources for universities and colleges at a time when it is increasingly important to build up our national skills base.

“However, it is encouraging that HEFCE has offered some protection for STEM subjects, by allocating additional funds to institutions that shift the balance of their provision towards STEM, and maintaining support for the teaching of subjects like physics which are high-cost and vulnerable but strategically important.   HEFCE funding for research has been maintained at current levels in real terms, and the small HE Innovation Fund has been significantly increased.

“We note with some concern that these cuts do not take account of the £600 million reduction in the higher education and science and research budgets announced in December’s pre-Budget report.  With university finances under severe pressure generally, more cuts will do real damage and the possibility of further closures of physics departments, following the recent historical trend, cannot be ruled out.  IOP will do all it can to support HEFCE in its stated aim – to make the case robustly for continuing public investment in higher education.”

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