Thread by @ucu

UCU has released fresh polling this morning looking at voters’ views on universities and their importance to local jobs and economies. YouGov polled voters in the 30 most marginal “university seats”. 1/ ucu.org.uk/article/10888/… #FundTheFuture

Demonstrating the local social and economic footprint of universities, a third of those in work (33%) said the local university was important to their own job. 2/

Over three-quarters of those polled said their local university was important in creating local jobs (76%) and important to the local economy (79%). 3/

While similar numbers said the local university was key to bringing outside investment to the local area (72%), and supplying key killed staff for local services likes school and hospitals (75%). 4/

While over two-fifths (42%) said they knew someone who studied or worked at a local university, or whose employment depended at least in part on the university. 5/

Two-thirds (66%) said they feared that there would be a negative impact on the local economy if student numbers dropped as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. While three-quarters (75%) feared a negative impact should a local university go bust. 6/

Overall, 55% of those polled said they would support a temporary increase in government financial support for universities in their local area so they could maintain courses and jobs during the recovery from the coronavirus outbreak. 7/

Support for government intervention came from across the political spectrum. Reflecting the urgency of the situation, by nearly two to one (43% to 24%) voters want their local MP and other local politicians to campaign for increased support. 8/

UCU general secretary @DrJoGrady said: ‘The government must now provide reassurances for universities and the local communities who depend on them. Report after report has warned about the coming financial crisis for universities, yet the government has refused to act. 9/

‘This polling makes it clear just how big a footprint universities have in their communities. Voters in some of the most marginal seats in the UK rightly fear the impact that universities’ worsening finances will have both on their own jobs and the local economy.’ 10/

‘The message from voters across the political divide is crystal clear on this issue. They want politicians to campaign for their local university to be safeguarded, and they want the government to step in and guarantee lost funding for universities.’ 11/

Despite the strong support for universities and recognition of their importance locally from voters, the poll comes at a time when universities minister Michelle Donelan and education secretary Gavin Williamson have made speeches suggesting too many people go to university. 12/

The 30-seat polling featured 13 Labour and 11 Conservative constituencies, including those of science minister @ASollowayUK and prime minister @BorisJohnson 13/

It also featured four of the new “Blue Wall seats”, where the @Conservatives took seats in @UKLabour’s traditional heartlands - two of which that went Conservative for the first time. 14/14 #FundTheFuture