University funding gap widens in aftermath of financial crises

The European University Association has reported a growing divide between national university systems being held back by continued austerity and those whose funding has recovered from the global financial and eurozone crises.

Universities in Austria, Norway and Sweden have received funding increases sufficient to sustain their student-to-staff ratios since 2008, the EUA reported on 12 December. Other countries, including Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands, have benefitted from long-term increases in funding, but not at a rate that has matched their growing student populations.

About half of the countries in Europe have had declining university budgets since 2008, the EUA found. Ireland, Iceland and Croatia were found to be “systems in danger”, as their student populations have been increasing but their funding has been falling. Italy and Spain were among countries described as “declining systems under pressure”, because their student populations have been falling, but their funding has been falling even faster.