My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate. I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Warwick, for tabling it. My reflections are rooted in conversations and experience in the sector within the diocese of Gloucester. I declare my interest as a pro-chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire, of which the noble Lord, Lord Bichard, is chancellor. It is one of 14 universities in the Cathedrals Group of universities, based on a Church of England foundation and ethos and with an explicit dedication to enhancing and expanding a greater plurality of routes into higher education.
This report rightly highlights a number of areas for reform and poses useful questions about funding. It is well known that universities drive local and regional growth. I agree with the report’s recommendation that universities should have a key role in local growth plans. The University of Gloucestershire recruits heavily from Gloucestershire and the surrounding region, and there are currently opportunities from the cybersecurity hub linked to GCHQ to do more to collaborate with and meet the needs of local employers.
On expanding opportunity, I welcome the report’s analysis that, to meet the challenge and widen participation, universities, schools and colleges should and could work better together to improve outcomes. I long to see learning communities in which every member can flourish. To do that, we need to work hard to break down the barriers that prevent people accessing university, be they issues of disability, age, ethnicity or religion. We need to be intentional about the things that will enable this, and to think long term. Initiatives such as reduced offers for disadvantaged students can and do help, as is evident at the University of Gloucestershire.
The report argues for a reformed funding structure for universities in England, encouraging the Government to work with the sector to establish a more reliable financial foundation. This is key; universities need to have assured, stable incomes. This is about coupling the wise and courageous leadership of vice-chancellors, staff and councils with a government-led initiative. In the University of Gloucestershire, I have seen a drive in income, a continuation to develop a university more connected with its partners, students and prospective students, and a commitment to reduce costs, which has not been without considerable pain. I see good business practice and a commitment to being commercially astute, but what can the Government do to encourage and enable this? For example, as other noble Lords
have said, the recent tuition fee increase seems only to mitigate the national insurance increase. International students are another significant matter, as has been mentioned; will the Minister provide clarity on them?
I hope that at the heart of this debate is a recognition that higher education in this country needs to be actively supported in order to develop and to remain being for the common good, and a recognition of the commitment of our universities to supporting and developing individuals, the community and the very social fabric of our nation. I greatly look forward to hearing the rest of the contributions and, in due course, the Minister’s response.
3.44 pm