The HEA welcomes the report on future funding for higher education
By Maura O'Shea
Posted: 11 July, 2016
The Higher Education Authority today welcomes the publication of the report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education.
Commenting today, Tom Boland, CEO of the Higher Education Authority, said:
“The Group has clearly articulated the role, value and contribution of higher education; the efficiencies that have and can continue to be achieved; and the different funding approaches to address what the report recognises as a serious deficit in the level of investment in our universities, institutes of technology and specialist colleges.
It is to the Chair’s credit that he has been able to bring a group of stakeholders with diverse views to a point where the report can conclude with a clear range of options to address the funding situation, based on a range of principles including the need for the funding system to reflect the balance between the public, private and enterprise benefits of higher education.
As a member of the Expert Group I can give testimony to the immense amount of work put in over an 18 month period and the genuine effort to recognise and accommodate the views of all stakeholders with often very distinct views. The Group has set out a range of options which, with the will, can offer a practical and achievable means of safeguarding the long-term future of the higher education sector.
There can be no question that urgent intervention is required to address a rapidly deteriorating financial situation across all of our institutions. This poses an immediate risk to their ability to maintain high quality provision and to meet the continuing growth of student demand which, as the report makes clear, will place significant pressure on the sector over the next 15 years”.
The HEA also acknowledges the recommendation in the report to review the way in which they fund institutions, in order to ensure that this accurately reflects their respective performance and contribution. In this regard a full review of the funding approach will be established later in 2016.
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