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Universities UK. The Funding Challenge for Universities. 2013. Pages: 36.
Building on the findings of a previously published report The Funding Environment for Universities: An Assessment (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, June 2013), the newly published Universities UK report puts a focus on funding challenges for higher education. The first chapter of the report provides figures on the link between the number of graduates and overall national economic growth and consequently departs from the assumption than an increased number of students would lead to further economic prosperity. However, an increasing number of students also implies challenges with regard to funding for universities in England (chapter 2) and the government (chapter 3). Although English universities manage to cover the cost of provision due to their income from tuition fees, they encounter difficulties with regard to capital and infrastructure costs. Funding challenges for the government result mainly out of the long-term costs in issuing student-loans. The fourth and last chapter provides a comparison with other countries and their funding systems, focusing on the variables of tuition fees and financial student support.