The new funding will pay for summer schools at leading universities for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, better links between academics and teachers, recruitment officers, outreach work and improvements to admissions programmes. For some time, concerns have been raised in the higher education world about the recruitment and retention of university staff who are tempted abroad or into other professions by higher salaries. What Mr Blunkett has said is that the extra funding will contribute to setting up e-universities to offer online degree courses to students. A spokesman for Hefce said it had not been confirmed that all the extra funding would be administered by the higher education funding councils, although this was expected. Sir Brian Fender, chief executive of Hefce, described the announcement as the clearest evidence yet that the government was committed to higher education and the powerful role universities and colleges played in the knowledge economy.
Higher education is central to building a dynamic economy and an inclusive society.
We have a highly successful higher education sector.