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UK universities weather financial downturn better than Europe

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 29 Apr 2009

British universities have been proactive in dealing with the recession, according to a new report which reveals a mixed picture in the sector across Europe as a whole.

But while the extent to which the downturn has already impacted  on universities’ private and public  income has varied, the report found European institutions were united by a general anxiety over the future in relation to alliances with business and giving from  other private sources.

Umbrella bodies for universities in a number of countries have reported their experiences to the European Universities Association which last month released a study into the status quo. Universities UK was credited with displaying a “proactive approach”, particularly with regards to its establishing a €71m Economic

British universities have been proactive in dealing with the recession, according to a new report which reveals a mixed picture in the sector across Europe as a whole. But while the extent to which the downturn has already impacted  on universities’ private and public  income has varied, the report found European institutions were united by a general anxiety over the future in relation to alliances with business and giving from  other private sources. Umbrella bodies for universities in a number of countries have reported their experiences to the European Universities Association which last month released a study into the status quo.
 
Universities UK was credited with displaying a “proactive approach”, particularly with regards to its establishing a €71m Economic Challenge Investment Fund to demonstrate the importance of universities in supporting business throughout the slump. Other countries are not  faring so well. While in the UK the government has committed to an increase in funding for both teaching  (3.2 per cent) and research  (4.5 per cent), in Italy and Lithuania the sector is looking at public funding cuts of up  to 10 per cent.

However, even in those countries, such as France and Norway, where governments plan to increase funding in order to shield institutions from the impacts of the slowing economy (€1bn over five years in France’s case), tension over predicted falls in private revenue hangs over the sector Europe-wide.

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Who's Who: Celina Ribeiro