Burnham ambition
Over the summer, the UK witnessed the arrival of its seventh Prime Minister in the space of a decade since Brexit. Plenty has already been written about Andy Burnham and his ambitions for the UK, but the early days have already seen some important announcements and signals about what his administration may mean for HE and research.
The new Cabinet saw the abolition of the old DSIT department, which resulted in the sacking of Liz Kendall and Patrick Vallance (Secretary of State at DSIT and Science Minister respectively). In its place, a new beefed-up “Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade” was created (£), led by Jonathan Reynold as Secretary of State, with AI Minister Kanishka Narayan also given a seat around the Cabinet table. Meanwhile, Chris McDonald MP becomes the new Minister of State for Science, Innovation & Investment, with Times Higher speculating (£) that he might bring “a markedly different background to the role compared with his predecessor, but his unusual experience could make him a stronger advocate for science”.
In terms of policy, Burnham had already set out (in a speech in late June) his ambitions to put universities “at the heart of local economies” and to make the UK the world’s leading “innovation nation”, as part of his wider “Manchesterism” vision for the UK. This fitted with the analysis of a former Conservative advisor who also posited that universities hoping for preferential treatment may find that a place-based agenda cuts in unexpected directions, with institutions potentially competing for resources on a regional rather than sectoral basis. On the wider issue of devolution, caution was sounded by a WonkeHE article which warned against the devolution of research spending without a plan.
For those wanting more detail, two articles are worth reading. The first is a lengthy NCUB briefing exploring what a Burnham government means for research, innovation and skills policy. Their expectations include a greater focus on local innovation partnerships, mayoral authorities, and regional ecosystems to drive growth. They also posit that the success of ‘Manchesterism’ will depend on whether genuine decision-making power is devolved, not just funding. The second piece is a WonkHE article by John Blake (Director of the Post-18 Project) outlining both reasons for optimism and caution about the new administration’s policy pitch, and in particular setting out why Burnham’s revolutionary rhetoric needs to be matched to intelligent implementation.
Other news in brief
- New UKRI strategy: UKRI launched its new five-year roadmap, promising to halve the time it takes to process grant applications from researchers, but reiterating its commitment towards UK Government priorities on AI, quantum technologies, clean energy, regional growth and innovation-led productivity. In doing so, it will seek to leverage at least £3 of private investment for every £1 of public funding. The strategy also pledges to “[maintain] the UK’s longstanding strength in curiosity-driven research, the foundation of many of the discoveries that transform lives, create industries and underpin future prosperity”. The document also confirms that there will be reform of QR funding to English universities by 2030. UKRI’s chief executive has written for WonkHE about the strategy in more detail.
- International student fee levy: The UK Government confirmed its intention to press ahead with plans for a levy on international student fees from the 2028-29 academic year. Providers will have to pay a levy of £925 for every international student registered above the first 220 students.
- Welsh review: The Welsh Government has published the terms of reference for its review of Wales’ higher education sector. Amongst other things, the expert panel will be asked to recommend policy for a “globally competitive” research sector, as well as to suggest policies which “enable universities to deliver globally competitive research and which brings economic investment to Wales”.
- Institutional futures under question: Opinions remain divided over whether research needs to be concentrated into a smaller number of institutions. The University of Birmingham’s vice-chancellor, Adam Tickell, told Research Fortnight (£) that a surge in grant applications, partly driven by artificial intelligence, brings a need for change and that “maybe 20 or 30 research institutions” should be at the core of funding. Meanwhile, the President of the British Academy issued a statement on the crisis facing UK universities stating: “What was once a worrying trend across a small number of disciplines is now an emergency, threatening all subjects. Courses are closing, provision is contracting, and geographical inequalities in access are becoming entrenched. Important skills and capabilities – qualities we know employers value and the economy needs – are being lost.”