Published this week, Shared Institutions: Perspectives on the role of universities in national and local life draws on conversations with senior figures from higher education, politics and civil society.
The report sets out that while universities remain central to education, research and economic growth, their value is increasingly being questioned by both the public and policymakers – who are often unsympathetic towards the pressures facing higher education.
“Drawn from deep conversations with both the friends and the critics of universities, this vital paper outlines the challenges and opportunities facing British higher education today,” said Marc Stears, director, UCL Policy Lab.
“There is much to debate and argue about here, but the fundamental future for our sector is clear: if universities can demonstrate their deep commitment to serving broader society they will thrive; if they cannot they will struggle.”
The report highlights highlights three overlapping challenges shaping the political climate around higher education:
- universities are not seen to serve working class communities
- universities are not seen to deliver value for students
- universities are not seen as being a political or government priority
Contributors said many voters – particularly those who have not been through higher education themselves – do not feel universities are relevant to their lives.
It suggests the expansion of higher education has, in some cases, widened the social distance between graduates and non-graduates, while recent disputes over free speech, protest and migration have reinforced perceptions that universities are culturally distant from wider public concerns.
The paper also notes that policymakers often have a “small violin” for universities’ financial pressures when set against austerity elsewhere in public services – meaning they lack sympathy for institutions’ plight.
Claire Ainsley, director, Centre Left Renewal Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, and a contributor to the report, commented: “Universities remain one of the best engines to power individual achievement and Britain’s economic and cultural success, at home and abroad.
“But as the report shows, the value of universities is being questioned,” she said. “It makes a strong case for institutional reform so that higher education can better serve the national interest.”
Despite the challenges, the report argues there is reason for optimism, suggesting universities can rebuild confidence if they are willing to take the lead on change rather than wait for reform to be imposed from outside.
According to Michael Spence, president and provost, UCL, in recent years there has been “a deterioration in the social licence to operate of UK universities”.
The value for money of the domestic undergraduate fee is no longer taken for granted, the great benefit brought to the UK by international students is less often acknowledged and the core role of university research in an innovative economy is not widely understood
Michael Spence, UCL
“The value for money of the domestic undergraduate fee is no longer taken for granted, the great benefit brought to the UK by international students is less often acknowledged and the core role of university research in an innovative economy is not widely understood; all while the essential role of universities in providing a forum for debate is more often questioned,” said Spence.
“If we are to rebuild trust among the public and political leaders, it is critical that we do not shy away from addressing these issues,” he added.
Similar concerns around universities’ social licence also surfaced at the recent Universitas 21 Leadership Summit, held at the University of Glasgow in April, where higher education leaders from around the world said institutions must do more to demonstrate their relevance to local communities and adopt a more outward-facing role.
