Million Plus

In a speech to a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference on Monday 6 October in Glasgow university think tank, million+ called for the next UK government to support a sustainable higher education funding system. Professor Nigel Seaton, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Abertay University and Executive Member said:

“The next UK government must deliver a stable and sustainable funding system to allow sufficient resources to flow to universities to enable them to plan for the future and ensure that all potential students can access higher education.

“The Liberal Democrats cannot claim to have delivered a funding system free at the point of need until the decline in part time and postgraduate study is addressed.

“As the economy recovers there is a strong case to increase research funding. This needs to be focused on the needs of business and society as well as on blue skies research and all universities should receive research funding.”

Professor Seaton shared a platform with Gareth Epps a member of the Liberal Democrats’ Federal Policy Committee, Julian Huppert MP for Cambridge and NUS VP of Higher Education Megan Dunn.

ENDS

Notes to Editors
1. For further information or to arrange interviews with Professor Nigel Seaton, contact Rochelle Owusu- Antwi, Press and Communications officer: press@millionplus.ac.uk| 02077171658 | 07527 336795
2. million+ is a leading university think-tank. More information can be found at www.millionplus.ac.uk
3. The full million+ report ‘The Innovation Challenge: A new approach to research funding' can be found here