The British Academy responds to the Autumn Budget

The British Academy, the national academy for humanities and social sciences, has issued a response to the Autumn Budget.

Professor Susan J Smith, President of the British Academy, said:

“Today’s Budget was an opportunity for the government to offer further detail and clarity on the state and finances of the higher education sector, building on the recent White Paper. The increase in core funding is a clear recognition of the essential role our universities play in nurturing innovation and supporting the ideas that drive future prosperity.

The British Academy remains strongly opposed to the proposed levy on international student fees. The extra detail announced today does not allay our concerns: chiefly that linking much-needed support for students to international recruitment - an unstable and overworked income stream - is risky and unsustainable.

This measure could further weaken universities at a time when many are already struggling to cover basic costs. The challenges facing university finances are affecting all disciplines via cuts to budgets, staff and courses. Our research clearly illustrates that large areas of the country are becoming “cold spots” for social sciences, humanities and arts (SHAPE) subjects, meaning that students face starkly shrinking opportunities and access to certain degrees – particularly languages - compared to a decade ago. It is easy to cut access, but much more difficult to rebuild the erosion of capability, capacity and skills that employers value and need.

That is why we continue to call for a comprehensive review of higher education funding, and the withdrawal of the proposed international levy”.