Range of Regulatory Measures
The United Kingdom government has recently announced a range of measures to protect students and universities from the impact of coronavirus pandemic. The government’s measures impose a cap on number of British and European Union students that each university can enroll in the next academic year based on their forecasts for the next academic year, plus an additional 5%. The government will control these numbers through the student finance system.
The government will also have discretion to allocate additional 10000 places, with 5000 ring-fenced for nursing, midwifery or allied health courses to support the country’s vital public services. The package will bring forward £2.6 billion (US$3.2) billion in tuition fees that universities would have received at the start of the next academic year, plus an additional £100 million in research funding.
Ample Funding for Research
The Science Minister Amanda Solloway announced that £100 million of the public funding will be brought forward to this academic year to help protect university research activities. The government also confirmed that the providers are eligible to apply for its support packages, including business loan support schemes, which the Office for Students estimates could be worth at least £700 million to the sector, depending on eligibility and take-up.
Providers can also access the coronavirus job retention scheme to safeguard staff jobs, but the government is stressing that any grant from the scheme should not duplicate other sources of public funding where these are being maintained, such as UK home student tuition fees. “Universities have an integral part to play in our economy, society and culture, which is highlighted now more than ever through their important role in the fight against the virus. That is why we are introducing a package of measures to boost support for students,” said Universities Minister Michelle Donelan.
