Hoger onderwijs levert veel op

   “We already know that graduates in the UK enjoy one of the highest financial returns of any OECD country. This report provides evidence that despite the expansion of higher education, the graduate premium has been maintained. Higher education is still clearly a worthwhile investment for the individual,” stelt Diana Warwick van de Britse HO-koepel.

Meer in den brede is de eonomische waarde van de investering in HO en HO-gediplomeerden eveneens steeds meer groeiend. De impact van het HO voor de Britse economie blijkt bijvoorbeeld uit de volgende cijfers: inkomsten 23,5 miljard € in 2003/4; een stijging van 6 miljard sinds 2000; bruto exportinkomsten 5,5 miljard €. “All the evidence suggests that the direct economic importance of higher education will continue to grow in the future. The future expansion of student numbers, domestic and international, the development of knowledge transfer activities as well as a substantial volume of research all point in the same direction. Such activity depends on a continuing mix of public and private investment in the sector.

Income from private sources now amounts to 27% of all higher education income and this figure will increase significantly with the introduction of variable tuition fees. It is equally clear that public investment will continue to play a vital role in the development of the sector. It is evident from the findings of this report that such investment has a direct economic impact on the UK economy as well as maintaining the health of the sector,” zegt Drummond Bone, voorzitter van Universities UK.