UCU seeks unity in Universities UK spending review bid

UCU joint general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We hope that vice-chancellors will use today's meeting to develop a united approach to lobbying for increased state funding. Too often different interest groups within UUK seem to be arguing for different things. The sector needs to be united in the drive for extra funding.

'UCU agrees that if higher education is to remain successful and globally competitive then we need increased public spending. Top-up fee income cannot replace public investment or be considered as an alternative.

'The government needs to back up its recent warm words on the future of higher education, and its importance to the country, with a clear investment programme. The government currently invests a lower proportion of our Gross Domestic Product on higher education than competing nations such as France and Germany, and also less than the United States, which is often lauded as a model for this country.'

In UCU's fully-costed submissions to government the union calls for an increase in the proportion of UK public expenditure spent on higher education from 0.8% of Gross Domestic Product to the OECD average of 1.1%. That extra money would fund a reduction in the student:staff ratio, tackle staff workloads and improve the research and teaching infrastructure.