EUA launches the Public Funding Observatory 2017

The European University Association (EUA) has released the Public Funding Observatory 2017 report, bringing up new data on public funding for universities. The information presents the funding trends and situation of 34 different higher education systems.

A slow and delicate recovery

According to the report, Universities are far from recovering from pre-crisis levels of funding. The report indicates that ‘only 14 systems had higher funding in 2016 than in 2008’. However, 8 of these systems have also experimented a fast growth of students hence this increase in funding might not be enough to cover the new demands. 19 systems had in 2016 lower funding than in 2008.

In addition, the report shows how some universities have difficulties applying for EU grants due to cuts in their own national funding. The lack of economic resources can negatively affect the quality of teaching, research, infrastructures and staff.

For that reason, the report as well as EUA’s campaign “EU funding for universities”, are calling for more funding as this “is needed both at the EU level to improve the efficiency of the Framework Programme and at the national level to enable universities to remain attractive”.

An interactive map

The results of the Public Funding Observatory 2017 are available in a report but also in an interactive map where users can consult the higher education funding by country.

Also, they offered a webinar on 13 December 2017 to present the report, which is now available online.