UCU says science funding cannot simply be raised by tuition fee hike

Responding to comment from Professor John Holman ahead of a report from the National Science Learning Centre, UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We completely agree with Professor Holman that there is a desperate need for extra funds for higher education if we are to maintain our proud international record in higher education and particularly in the sciences. However, we must move away from the idea that the only way to raise extra funds is to simply lift the current cap on tuition fees.
 
'The prime minister has spoken about the importance of science in the past and the government, and all political parties, need to make clear their support for both science and our universities ahead of the general election. Voters have the right to know what priorities the parties have when it comes to funding our universities. They also have the right to know how those priorities would be funded and if they, or their children, would be forced into even greater debts to pay for them.'