June 14, 2010
CIHE supports Universities Week
This week marks the inaugural Universities Week which aims to engage the public about higher education’s often unsung and unheard success stories.
To show its support CIHE have contributed to a letter sent to the Sunday Times in support of the UK’s universities.
The letter said:
“While the new Government develops its Emergency Budget, it is essential that we recognise the vital role that universities play in our economy. In the global knowledge economy we can best secure our future by safeguarding the institutions that generate that knowledge. That feeds new technologies, new products, new services and the breakthroughs that will ensure our competitive future.
Universities generate £59 billion for the UK economy annually, including £32.4 billion created in other sectors through knock-on impact, making them larger than either the pharmaceutical or air transport industries. Our universities are world leading, and we have an extraordinary record of scientific discovery.
The business base in the UK relies on our universities for their skilled workforce and we are increasingly seeing universities provide invaluable consultancy and research support for businesses in their local area. Our businesses increasingly recruit talent worldwide and have a global approach to investing in research and development. Universities in the UK have much to offer — world-class research, access to the best talent and links with business on research. This is at the heart of both this Government’s and the public’s agenda.”
The letter was signed by a number of CIHE members including:
- Dr David Docherty, Chief Executive, Council for Industry and Higher Education
- Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive, WPP Group
- Sir Philip Hampton, Chairman, RBS Group
- Sam Laidlaw, Chief Executive, Centrica
- Ian Powell Chairman, PwC
- John Griffith-Jones, UK Chairman KPMG LLP
- Sir John Parker, Chancellor, University of Southampton
- Tracy Clarke, Group Head of Human Resources, Standard Chartered Bank
- Simon Bradley, Vice President, EADS Innovation
- William Archer, Director, i-graduate
CIHE will be featuring a number of stories during the week related to Universities Week and also ‘tweeting’ our support here.
The full letter published in the Sunday Times can be found as a pdf here and on the website here. For and for more information about Universities Week please see here.
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