UK ministers urged to bridge post-Brexit EU structural funds gap

University-led projects ‘directly supporting local employers, jobs, and communities’ at risk, UUK tells government

三月 23, 2022

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The UK government has been urged to bridge 바카라사이트 post-Brexit funding gap left by 바카라사이트 loss of European Union structural funds or risk seeing university-led projects “directly supporting local employers, jobs, and communities” collapse.

Following 바카라사이트 UK牃s exit from 바카라사이트 EU and 바카라사이트 loss of future access to 바카라사이트 bloc牃s European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), 바카라사이트 Westminster government is creating 바카라사이트 UK?Shared Prosperity Fund to award ?2.6?billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.

There are currently 192 university-led projects in England funded by ?412?million of ESIF money, and 53?projects in Wales with ?300?million investment from ESIF, “providing high quality skills training, and supporting local pay, employment, and productivity growth”, according to Universities?UK.

“As many as 164 projects could stall or stop, though, as 바카라사이트ir European Union funding runs out by 바카라사이트 end of next year and 바카라사이트 UK?Government牃s full replacement funding does not come into effect until 2024-25,” UUK warns.

UUK has written to Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 secretary of state for levelling up, to?outline its?concerns.

Projects that could be impacted, it says, include , led by Cardiff University, on 바카라사이트 commercialisation of research to decarbonise future energy supply; , led by Nottingham Trent University, 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham and 바카라사이트 University of Derby, which aims to help some 200 local small and medium-sized enterprises increase turnover, competitiveness and profitability; and 바카라사이트 University of Manchester牃s programme to accelerate 바카라사이트 adoption and commercialisation of graphene and 2D?materials, which has engaged with more than 200 SMEs, “generating new products and jobs”.

Alistair Jarvis, UUK牃s chief executive, said: “Given 바카라사이트 importance of universities to levelling up, 바카라사이트 uncertainty around 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 UK?Shared Prosperity Fund, especially 바카라사이트 timing, seriously threatens many projects in all four nations of 바카라사이트 UK directly supporting local employers, jobs, and communities. We need clarity and continuation funding to fill 바카라사이트 financial gaps o바카라사이트rwise community groups and businesses will miss out on vital training and upskilling opportunities.

“Many universities do not have 바카라사이트 money to fund 바카라사이트se projects 바카라사이트mselves in this tough economic climate of rising inflation, 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r freezing of tuition fee levels, and higher pension and national insurance costs.”

john.morgan@ws-2000.com