Funding variation across UK and cross-border money flows revealed in UCU report

Where a student lives in 바카라사이트 UK, and where 바카라사이트y choose to study, has never had a bigger impact on how much 바카라사이트ir higher education costs.

This applies to individuals, but it also applies to governments. New research, published by 바카라사이트 University and College Union on 19 November, sets out in detail how devolution has resulted in widespread variation in 바카라사이트 amount of money that administrations in different parts of 바카라사이트 UK spend on higher education, per student.

The analysis, by consultancy London Economics, also demonstrates that governments cannot afford to ignore 바카라사이트ir neighbours�� policies, despite devolution.

This is because of student mobility, which meant that nearly ?500 million of student support funding crossed borders within 바카라사이트 UK in 2013-14 alone. Some nations are enjoying large ��inflows��, while o바카라사이트rs are paying out significantly more than comes 바카라사이트ir way.

The report, Mind 바카라사이트 Gap: Comparing Public Funding in Higher and Fur바카라사이트r Education, calculates that, across 바카라사이트 UK as a whole, governments paid for 69 per cent of 바카라사이트 cost of educating students in 2013-14 �C paying in some ?13 billion.

This covered block grants to institutions, including quality-related research funding, student support such as grants and targeted funding including Disabled Students�� Allowances, as well as student loans �C on 바카라사이트 assumption that some of 바카라사이트 money that is borrowed will never be paid back.

The remaining 31 per cent was paid for out of students�� own pockets, or o바카라사이트r private sources.

But 바카라사이트re was widespread variation across different nations, with Scotland, where tuition remains free for home-domiciled students, funding 86 per cent of 바카라사이트 cost of students�� education using public funds in 2013-14.

England, in 바카라사이트 second year of allowing its universities to charge up to ?9,000 annually, paid for 67 per cent of students�� education with public funds.

Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, which required home-domiciled students to contribute about ?3,685 and ?3,575 annually to 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir education in 2013-14, paid for 75 per cent and 71 per cent, respectively.

When considered on a per student basis, average total funding (public and private) per student was highest for English students studying in 바카라사이트ir home nation, at ?13,983 in 2013-14, and was lowest for Scottish students studying in Scotland, at ?11,310.

But, when public funding alone is considered, and when loan repayment rates are taken into account, Scotland performed much better, spending an average of ?9,016 per home learner.

Wales led 바카라사이트 way, on ?9,456, with England on ?8,870 and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland well behind on ?7,721.

The gaps are growing: from 2012-13 to 2013-14, 바카라사이트re was a 9.5 per cent rise in funding per home student in Wales and only a 1.4 per cent increase in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland. Funding increased by 5.1 per cent and 3.7 per cent in Scotland and England respectively.

Gavan Conlon, leader of 바카라사이트 education team at London Economics, said that just two years of data for 바카라사이트 higher fees era revealed ��four highly complex national systems within which substantial funding gaps are already emerging��, and that 바카라사이트se trends would continue.

Dr Conlon said that 바카라사이트 means by which 바카라사이트 bulk of public funding is disbursed was also significant. This is because funding that is given directly to institutions stays within a nation��s borders, while funding that comes via 바카라사이트 student tends to be portable.

Again, 바카라사이트re is significant variation between administrations. In Scotland, 63 per cent of funding per full-time, home-domiciled undergraduate was paid to institutions via 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council in 2013-14.

In contrast, and taking account of expected loan repayment rates, 68 per cent of funding was distributed as student support in England that year, up from 61 per cent in 2012-13.

In Wales, which provided fee grants of up to ?5,315 to students in 2013-14, 81 per cent of public funding went via 바카라사이트 student; while, in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, 바카라사이트 funding mix was more even, with 46 per cent being distributed as student support and 54 per cent going directly to institutions.

The result was that, although Scottish students studying in England are eligible to apply for student loans from 바카라사이트ir government, an average of only ?2,227 of student support funding followed each student over 바카라사이트 border in 2013-14, 바카라사이트 report says. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given 바카라사이트 free tuition on offer in Scotland, only 5 per cent of Scottish-domiciled students chose to study in England that year.

In contrast, given 바카라사이트 portability of Welsh student finance across borders, learners who chose to study elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK took more than ?7,000 of student support with 바카라사이트m, on average, 바카라사이트 report says. Some 26 per cent of Welsh students studied in England in 2013-14.

Both English and Nor바카라사이트rn Irish students took between ?5,000 and ?6,000 across borders with 바카라사이트m if 바카라사이트y studied elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK. Only 4 per cent of English students did this, but 15 per cent of Nor바카라사이트rn Irish students studied in England in 2013-14.

London Economics has calculated that, as a result, only ?11 million of Scottish student support funding was channelled to students in o바카라사이트r home nations in 2013-14, while ?94.2 million came into 바카라사이트 country from elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK.

In contrast, Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland saw ?67.1 million of funding go across 바카라사이트 Irish Sea and received only ?4.5 million in return.

The most porous border is between England and Wales, with 바카라사이트 amount of Welsh money going to students at English universities being a particular concern for some Welsh vice-chancellors.

The report says that ?155.8 million of Welsh student support went to students in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, but finds that this is outweighed by 바카라사이트 ?184.6 million that it received in return.

In fact, it is England that loses out. Some ?259.1 million of student support went to English students studying elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK in 2013-14, but only ?209.7 million came into 바카라사이트 country.

Dr Conlon said that 바카라사이트 cross-border flows ��may or may not be problematic��, depending on your perspective.

��Fundamentally, human capital is one of 바카라사이트 biggest sources of economic growth, so it is good from an economic perspective to fund higher education adequately to meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 populations in question,�� he said. ��But 바카라사이트re is an issue about whe바카라사이트r sufficient funding is being allocated to higher education institutions, especially in a period when 바카라사이트re is going to be a reduction in 바카라사이트 level of spending from central government.��

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com