UK Minister Demands Universities Prove Their Local Worth

In a bid to shore up public confidence in higher education amid financial pressures on many universities and the decreasing trust in the sector, the UK government is looking for evidence of “local value”. The minister for skills Baroness Jacqui Smith has called on universities to demonstrate their contribution to local communities, the economy and learners, rather than to balance their books.

Why Do UK Universities Need to Prove ‘Local Value’?

Smith has emphasized the need to get universities to concentrate on quality, access, and local impact, not on “bums on seats” and quick money. 

This could mean some institutions have to increase their support for disadvantaged learners, for local businesses and smaller towns, that could be in the form of a better focus of courses, apprenticeships and employability schemes.

What does ‘local value’ mean?

The minister also hopes that universities will become “civic anchors,” providing services to the local economy, such as technical training, joint projects between the university and industry, and research on local problems, including housing, transportation and climate. 

This might lead to better work-integrated learning for students and opportunities for placements and programmes to be as close to the local or regional job market as possible.

The future of government support and any future reforms such as new tuition fees or levies, will be determined by the universities' contribution to the UK economy and society. Students may, therefore, feel increased pressure at the university to demonstrate value for their money and standards, leading to higher quality teaching, higher quality outcome data and better student support.

Students should be alert for the following-

Prospective and current students should consider: whether their university is building partnerships in their local area, how they report and measure results from students' time at university and how they support disadvantaged and vocational learners. 

The changes may impact their course offerings, maintenance funding and the years-long brand equity and employment prospects of the degrees awarded.