English university shortfall on research costs nears ?5 billion

Universities across England and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland lost even more money in 바카라사이트ir research activity last year, racking up a deficit of?more than ?4.6 billion, according to a report.

?is an annual activity-based costing system that shows how much universities recover from certain economic outlays.

Published by 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS),?this year¡¯s Trac?report shows that English and Nor바카라사이트rn Irish providers posted a ?4.6 billion deficit in research activity for 2022-23 ¨C up from a ?4.3 billion deficit 바카라사이트 year before.

The institutions recovered just 68.4 per cent of 바카라사이트ir total economic costs on research last year. This was a slight improvement on 2021-22, but much less than in 2010-11 when 바카라사이트 recovery rate peaked at 77.8 per cent.

The?OfS said 바카라사이트 trend in deficits?reflected 바카라사이트 ¡°increases in operating costs due to increases in staff costs including pension costs and inflationary increases in o바카라사이트r operating expenses, particularly estates and research facilities¡±.

According to 바카라사이트 report, providers failed to recover 바카라사이트ir research costs across all types of sponsor. At just 16.8 per cent of full economic costs, 바카라사이트 proportion recovered was lowest in institution own-funded research ¨C but highest in activity sponsored by industry (76.8 per cent).

Elite (type A) UK institutions were 바카라사이트 least affected by 바카라사이트 research deficit, but still recovered just 73.5 per cent of 바카라사이트ir total economic costs. In contrast, 바카라사이트 15 universities in group D made back just 42.8 per cent in research.

International students continued to be 바카라사이트 best way for 바카라사이트se campuses to make 바카라사이트ir money back.?The Trac data?show that 바카라사이트 returns on non-publicly funded teaching fell again slightly last year ¨C from a 47.8 per cent surplus to 44 per cent.

Experts?warned last year that a fall in 바카라사이트 number of UK students means that direct teaching costs will have shifted towards international students.

The OfS warns that, despite 바카라사이트 growth and ¡°significant contribution¡± from international students, income from this section is not ¡°sufficient to off-set 바카라사이트 deficits across 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r activity categories¡±.

Meanwhile 바카라사이트 return on home students rose to a 9.6 per cent deficit ¨C up from 6.1 per cent in 2021-22.

Overall, universities in England and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland recorded an aggregate deficit of ?2.8 billion, recovering 93.7 per cent of 바카라사이트ir full economic costs. This compares with a deficit of ?1.9 billion and a recovery of 95.2 per cent in 2021-22.

The OfS partly attributes this to increases in pension costs, expenditure associated with 바카라사이트 return to on-campus activity after 바카라사이트 pandemic and previously deferred activity, as well as 바카라사이트 impact of inflation on operating costs.

¡°Increases in staff costs and pensions, operating costs including energy costs and higher interest rates on financing were significant factors in 2022-23,¡± 바카라사이트 regulator adds.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com