Westminster government must follow Welsh lead in supporting colleges and universities, says UCU

The Westminster government needs to follow the lead of the Welsh government and provide emergency support to universities to help them weather the Covid-19 crisis, said the University and College Union (UCU) today (Wednesday).

Commenting on a new support package for Welsh universities and colleges worth over £50 million, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘This announcement is a welcome recognition of the problems that both further and higher education face. It is important that both colleges and universities use this funding to protect jobs and expand opportunities for students.

‘Ministers in Westminster now need to step up their game and deliver more than the piecemeal funding with problematic strings attached that we have seen so far. Universities and colleges across the UK need urgent support from the Westminster government so they can continue to function and are in a position to lead our recovery from the current crisis.’

Last month UCU launched its Fund The Future campaign, which calls on the government to provide emergency support for universities to cover income lost due to the pandemic.