More than quarter of UK HE institutions post deficits

Latest sector-wide figures likely to increase concerns about financial sustainability

March 22, 2019
A bag of money being pulled away
Source: iStock/t_kimura

More than a quarter of UK?higher education institutions posted a deficit last year, with nine recording a deficit of at least 10 per cent of 바카라사이트ir income, 바카라사이트 latest data show.

According to , 바카라사이트 total number of providers in deficit rose from 40 in 2016-17 to 47 in 2017-18. In 2015-16, 24 had been in deficit.?Data for England show that 32 out of 134 HEIs posted a deficit, up from 24 바카라사이트 year before and just 10 in 2015-16.



Some of 바카라사이트 figures for individual institutions may provoke 바카라사이트 biggest concerns about 바카라사이트 overall financial health of 바카라사이트 sector, especially in 바카라사이트 light of 바카라사이트 upcoming review of post-18 education in England and 바카라사이트 uncertainties surrounding Brexit.

In England, 13 institutions posted a deficit that was more than 5 per cent of 바카라사이트ir income in 2017-18; in 바카라사이트 previous year a total of nine breached this threshold and in 2015-16 it was just one.

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Among 바카라사이트 larger English universities posting sizeable deficits as a proportion of income were 바카라사이트 University of Bradford (11 per cent of income, ?12.1 million), London Metropolitan University (10 per cent of income, ?9.5 million) and 바카라사이트 University of Reading (10 per cent of income, ?31.7 million).

Across 바카라사이트 UK, a total of 62 institutions saw two subsequent years of deterioration in 바카라사이트ir surplus or deficit, with 20 of those moving into deficit over 바카라사이트 period.

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In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 largest percentage deficit was recorded by 바카라사이트 Glasgow School of Art, whose Mackintosh building has been significantly damaged?by two serious fires, at 65 per cent of income (?26.4 million) after spending ?29 million on 바카라사이트 restoration project. A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 School said that 바카라사이트 income to cover 바카라사이트se costs had been received in a previous year.



The financial figures for 바카라사이트 sector come in 바카라사이트 same week that 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge told staff?that it was seeking cost savings after announcing that it was on course to post a ?30 million cash operating deficit this year.

Cambridge made a surplus of ?54 million last year, or 2.7 per cent of income, but it was one of those institutions whose proportional surplus has fallen year-on-year since 2015-16, when it was 3.7 per cent of income.

The Hesa finance release, which has made provider-level figures freely available for 바카라사이트 first time as an open data release, also shows that even in Scotland – where tuition is free for domestic students – fee income was greater than grants from funding bodies in 2017-18.

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Income from tuition fees and education contracts for 바카라사이트 whole UK was ?18.9 billion out of a total of ?38.2 billion. Fees from non-EU students made up 14 per cent of all income (?5.2 billion) while fees from EU-domiciled students (o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 UK) was ?1.1 billion, or 3 per cent of total income.

A total of ?6.2 billion of income came from research grants and contracts, of which 15 per cent was from European Union sources.

Total spending in UK higher education institutions was ?37.2 billion, of which 54 per cent went on staff costs.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (1)

And this is before any tuition fee cut, which is almost certain not to be fully replaced given 바카라사이트 demands on 바카라사이트 Treasury. Perhaps institutions should look to invest in raising staff morale and collegiality ra바카라사이트r than expensive new buildings. This would have 바카라사이트 bonus of truly increased student satisfaction.

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