Independent universities ‘unrealistic’

The DUP manifesto suggests that the key to success for universities is independence and a move away from state funding, but not everyone agrees. Emma Blee reports.

DUP proposals to make universities more independent are “unrealistic”, according to a senior academic. In its Westminster manifesto, the party suggests that all universities should become less reliant on state funding.

North Down MLA Peter Weir said his party wanted a “a better fit between what we are educating and skilling people in, and the needs of our economy in today’s global marketplace”.

Technology is a key area at the moment, he said, but priorities for universities in Northern Ireland will change over time. Weir said his party recognises the success of universities in the United States, which have “much greater independence than their counterparts in Europe”.

The DUP claims that independent academic institutions are in a better position to attract private donations. The party have said they recognise that becoming independent can “not occur overnight” and will take many years.

However, Bob Osborne, professor of applied policy studies at the University of Ulster, said the prospect of independent universities is a “noble aspiration which is completely unrealistic given the state of the local economy”. He added that “few, if any” universities throughout the UK or Ireland would be in a position to do this.

Osborne also dismissed DUP proposals that universities should “specialise in particular sectors” and that “too many universities are currently offering more of the same”.

He said that universities already “innovate with new courses and eliminate less attractive ones” and that no course would be offered if it wasn’t financially viable.

The DUP argues that there are numerous courses that are not offered in Northern Ireland, such as veterinary medicine. The party says that this means people travel to England, Scotland or Dublin to pursue while “many of them would prefer to stay here”.

However, Osborne has said that there is no research evidence that a significant number of students are forced to leave Northern Ireland.

Independent universities mean that money has to be brought in from non-state sources and this could ultimately mean a hike in tuition fees for students to cover any shortfall. Weir suggested that poorer students would still be able to attend independent universities. “One example would be contributing a portion of extra funding acquired by universities to a fund to assist disadvantaged students,” he commented.

A spokeswoman for Queen’s University said that any changes to the higher education sector must not reduce the “high standards” that are currently in place. She also said that Queen’s is already relying less on state funding as two-thirds of all funding is brought in from other sources.