UCU says new cash to save science departments is needed now

The department of physics at Reading University, for example, is facing closure within a matter of days and UCU warned this morning that ministers and funders must act immediately otherwise exactly the kind of 'strategically important' department this money is trying to save will be axed.

In 2005 the Reading physics department, through a joint bid with Leicester University and the Open University, received £2.4 million from HEFCE to create a Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. These centres support teaching in strategically important subjects.

The horrible irony that the money now being made available comes too late to save departments like physics at Reading has not been lost on staff or students at the university. The university says the physics department is £500,000 in deficit.

UCU said the additional cash is further evidence that government and funders now recognise the importance of UK science. Just last week the Prime Minister said that the UK must become a 'magnet for scientific endeavour.'

However UCU warned today that these good intentions are at risk from short-term decisions that take no account of either the government's national strategy or the challenge to our pre-eminence as a beacon for science from the likes of China and India, who are investing heavily in new departments and science parks.

UCU joint general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Over the past few weeks and months we have heard nothing but encouragement for science and innovation in the UK from all sides. However, warm words mean very little if they look the other way when scientists are being made redundant and labs are being closed.

'In less than two weeks time the physics department at Reading University will face closure because of a short term financial crisis across the institution. Physics at Reading has buoyant student numbers, an international reputation for research and is renowned as one of the best teaching departments in the country. If it is closed, it will join the 70 other university science departments that have been axed since 1999.

'New money to save strategically important departments is always to be welcomed, however, the new funding does not arrive until 2007 which will be too late to save Reading's physics department - exactly the type of department it should be protecting.

'I do believe that the government genuinely wants to secure the long-term future of science in this country. The Prime Minister said just last week that the development of science capability is as important as economic stability for our global competitiveness and prosperity. However, support for key scientists, such as those at Reading, appears to be in short supply. No one wants ministers and funders to be meddling incessantly in university affairs but their current failure to act is threatening our economic future.'