UCU: The recession and HE funding

Motion

Motion text: Conference calls upon the government to make a formal pledge that it will not impose cuts in real terms on higher education funding in the course of the on-going recession.
The universities are essential to the future of the knowledge based economy. Therefore, we call upon the government to increase spending on the nation's universities as an investment in future economic success and social well being, and to expand the funding for the creation of new and additional full time academic positions throughout the system. Such increases in funding for higher education are compatible with a strategically well targeted fiscal stimulus in the context of the current economic recession.