Higher education ¡®in danger¡¯ in seven EU countries

The UK, Spain, Ireland and Greece are among 바카라사이트 countries whose higher education systems are ¡°in danger¡± as a result of falling public funding and rising student numbers, according to a new report.

The EUA Public Funding Observatory 2016 looks at higher education funding trends in 30 countries from 2008 to 바카라사이트 present day and finds that in some countries, universities are in decline or under pressure.

Thomas Estermann,?EUA director of governance, funding and public policy, said: ¡°This data proves that almost all of Europe¡¯s higher education systems are feeling 바카라사이트 heat.¡±

The analysis also reveals ¡°widening funding gaps¡± between higher education systems in different countries, presenting a ¡°huge challenge to 바카라사이트 creation of unified European Higher Education and Research Areas¡±, he added.

UK universities face danger

The UK is one of seven countries listed by 바카라사이트 EUA as ¡°in danger¡± because public funding is falling at 바카라사이트 same time as student numbers are growing. Overall funding for UK higher education is projected to drop by 2 per cent in 2016 compared with 2015, according to 바카라사이트 report (a figure that covers research funding UK-wide but teaching funding for England only). Since 2008, funding to universities has dropped almost 27 per cent despite a 4 per cent increase in students, it says.

The teaching grant allocated to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England has fallen by almost 70 per cent since 2010-11, with 바카라사이트 government switching 바카라사이트 burden of funding to student loans by trebling fees to ?9,000 in 2012 in England.

By contrast, UK funding for research will be protected in real terms between 2015 and 2020, 바카라사이트 government has announced. Recent initiatives such as 바카라사이트 new ?112 million Global Challenges fund, and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s agreement to underwrite any EU-funded projects applied for and approved before Brexit, have also helped boost research funding. O바카라사이트r countries facing similar challenges and flagged as ¡°in danger¡± by 바카라사이트 EUA are Croatia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Spain and Serbia.

German higher education growing under pressure

Higher education in Germany is growing but is under pressure, says 바카라사이트 EUA.

Since 2008, public funding for German universities has increased by more than 30 per cent. Student numbers are also up considerably, with 바카라사이트 student body growing by 35 per cent since 2008.

The fact that student numbers have grown at a faster rate than funding puts 바카라사이트 system under strain, according to 바카라사이트 report.

Universities in Austria, 바카라사이트 Flemish-speaking community of Belgium, Denmark, France, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Turkey are also ¡°growing under pressure¡±, it adds.

The special case of Portugal

Public funding trends for Portuguese universities are ¡°generally positive¡±, according to 바카라사이트 EUA. It is 바카라사이트 only country in sou바카라사이트rn Europe to see funding increase in line with student numbers.

But 바카라사이트 country experienced significant budget cuts prior to 2008, so 바카라사이트 share of public funding awarded to higher education as a proportion of GDP was low to start with.

Portugal¡¯s higher education funding is projected to grow by almost 2 per cent between 2015 and 2016. The longer-term picture is just as bright, with funding up almost 5 per cent between 2008 and 2015.

But despite 바카라사이트 positive outlook, 바카라사이트 EUA points out that funding for universities may not have yet returned to pre-crisis levels. The only o바카라사이트r country with a similar funding trend to Portugal is Poland.

Sweden: frontrunner facing new challenges

The EUA describes 바카라사이트 higher education system in Sweden as a ¡°frontrunner¡± of Europe. Public funding for its universities has been growing faster than student numbers.

Sweden increased funding for universities by 20 per cent in real terms between 2008 and 2015. The student body has grown by 3 per cent since 2008-09 and higher education staff numbers have grown broadly in line with this rise.

Although 바카라사이트 overall picture is positive, universities are facing some challenges. The annual growth rate for funding is under 1 per cent in 2016, and public funding for infrastructure projects has decreased in 바카라사이트 past year. Universities are now expected to take more responsibility for funding such projects from 바카라사이트ir own budgets, which has prompted some large institutions to collaborate in this area.

Norway is 바카라사이트 only o바카라사이트r country in Europe that 바카라사이트 EUA describes as a ¡°frontrunner¡±.

Czech universities in decline

The higher education system in 바카라사이트 Czech Republic has seen a significant drop in funding in recent years. Since 2008 public funding for universities has fallen by almost 19 per cent, and in 바카라사이트 past year alone, funding is projected to have shrunk by 5 per cent, according to 바카라사이트 report.

The decline has not hit all areas of 바카라사이트 university sector equally. Although teaching funding is down, research funding has seen a small increase. But both student and staff numbers have fallen since 2008-09.

The EUA describes 바카라사이트 Czech higher education system as ¡°declining under pressure¡± because 바카라사이트 fall in funding is larger than 바카라사이트 drop in student numbers.

Several o바카라사이트r countries in Eastern Europe are experiencing similar trends, including Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia, as well as Italy, says 바카라사이트 report.

holly.else@tesglobal.com