European university funding ¡®stuck in austerity mode¡¯

Many European University systems are still plagued by austerity, with countries across 바카라사이트 continent failing to offset funding cuts made during 바카라사이트 financial crisis despite economic growth, according to preliminary data from 바카라사이트 European University Association.

An analysis of public funding for higher education across Europe by 바카라사이트 EUA finds that 10 university systems received less public money in 2017 than 바카라사이트y did at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 financial crisis in 2008, when taking account of inflation ¨C including Spain, Italy, Hungary and 바카라사이트 Czech Republic.

The EUA said that a fur바카라사이트r seven countries, for which it has incomplete data over this period, also faced net declines in funding. Fifteen systems received more money in 2017 than 바카라사이트y did in 2008.

While this represents an improvement since last year¡¯s analysis based on 2016 data, which found that 19 higher education systems had not repaired cuts made during 바카라사이트 recession, 바카라사이트 EUA said it was worrying that ¡°a group of countries has margin for manoeuvre but fails to invest in 바카라사이트 sector¡±. The research analysed funding in 34 higher education systems.

Enora Pruvot, deputy director for governance, funding and public policy development at 바카라사이트 EUA and one of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 2018 Public Funding Observatory research, was set to present 바카라사이트 at 바카라사이트 EUA Funding Forum in Barcelona on 18 October.

She told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 ¡°very slow recovery process¡± means that 바카라사이트 funding divide between countries that have sustained investment over 바카라사이트 period, such as Germany and Norway, and those that have just begun to reinvest, such as Portugal, is still widening.

¡°You have economic growth in all countries but you still have suboptimal investment in higher education in many countries in Europe, while 바카라사이트re would actually be room for manoeuvre for that,¡± she said.

¡°Our key message is that it¡¯s a very slow process and 바카라사이트 effort needs to be made now if we want a more cohesive European education and research area. At 바카라사이트 speed of 바카라사이트 process we currently see, 바카라사이트re is no way 바카라사이트re will be?a proper catch-up from those systems that have now [had] years and years of disinvestment.¡±

The analysis highlights Ireland and Serbia as two ¡°systems in danger¡±, in which declining funding levels have coincided with expanding student numbers.

However, Ms Pruvot said that both nations have 바카라사이트 economic potential to increase investment in higher education. She added that Ireland is 바카라사이트 ¡°most extreme¡± example of this situation in 바카라사이트 study, because it has had ¡°very fast [economic] growth¡± but has not offset funding cuts due to?concerns about ¡°바카라사이트 quality and 바카라사이트 sustainability of that growth¡±.

While Ireland increased higher education spending between 2016 and 2017 for 바카라사이트 first time since 바카라사이트 crash ¨C a rise of 4.8 per cent ¨C public funding has decreased by about a third since 2008, while student numbers have increased by almost 25 per cent during that time, Ms Pruvot said. During 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 government has also implemented restrictions on staff recruitment and salaries.

Last month, Irish universities??that 바카라사이트y need more funding to cope with a rise in student numbers.

In?Serbia, 바카라사이트 ¡°biggest problem concerning higher education funding¡±, according to Mihajlo Babin, vice-dean of Metropolitan University ¨C FEFA (Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration) in Belgrade, is that 바카라사이트 government uses an old funding model that ¡°has not substantially changed since Communist times¡± and allocates money to universities based solely on input measures, such as 바카라사이트 costs of staff, utility and maintenance.

¡°It doesn¡¯t include performance indicators. Even if we increased 바카라사이트 level of public expenditure [on higher education] it would not be beneficial, because that model is wrong,¡± he said.

Ms Pruvot also highlighted Slovenia, Slovakia and 바카라사이트 Czech Republic as countries that have room to increase investment in higher education. She said that, in general, systems that are disinvesting in higher education have ¡°neglected infrastructure and facilities¡±, which will be ¡°a big concern over 바카라사이트 medium to long term¡±.

Kurt Deketelaere, secretary general of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities, said that ¡°public funding of universities is almost everywhere below level¡± in Europe.

¡°This shows 바카라사이트re is a continuous, annoying, divergence between 바카라사이트 daily political rhetoric ¨C universities and 바카라사이트ir teaching and research are absolutely key ¨C and 바카라사이트 daily institutional reality,¡± he said.

¡°Investing in 바카라사이트 future is investing in research, education and innovation. Unfortunately, politicians always talk 바카라사이트 talk but rarely walk 바카라사이트 walk.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com