General election: Unease over politicians’ ‘silence’ on university funding emergency

Sector leaders concerned over parties’ perceived failure to address higher education funding pressures

With just over a week left until UK voters go to the polls, a perceived failure by the main parties to acknowledge the financial stress on universities—and its pressing implications for research—has dampened the mood in higher education.

Despite a growing crisis in university finances, with widespread redundancies plaguing the sector, many higher education figures see the major parties’ manifestos as failing to face the scale of the problem.