University science closures continue
University science departments, crucial to breakthrough research, are in danger of being scrapped throughout the country. Due to the cost of running such intensive science courses, several leading universities have, in recent years, closed vital science departments, sparking debate across the education system.
Recently, several influential MPs have criticised the government for failing to curb the decline, and delegates of the House of Commons Science and Technology (S&T) committee said that the government had "no effective lever" to prevent university departments scrapping expensive science courses.
Proposed closures, such as that of Sussex University's chemistry department (Felix 1348) have attracted widespread criticism. Phil Willis, Chairman of the Commons S&T committee, has accused senior university management of being "particularly inept" after the Vice Chancellor of Sussex University kept his plans to abolish chemistry secret from the national funding council, out of fear that the decision would be attacked.
Critical negotiation talks are currently taking place at Sussex; however, previous high profile department closures such as those at Exeter, King's College and Queen Mary have already caused considerable concern across academia, politics and media:
Mr. Willis said: "This is the logical outcome of introducing a market in higher education. It is not the fault of the market but it is having a disastrous effect on the provision of science."
"The government rightly recognises the need to protect the provision of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but by leaving the autonomy of universities unfettered, while pursuing a market-driven education policy, it has left itself with no credible way of doing so."
A report published by the influential group of MPs attacked the Higher Education Funding Council, stating that the council had insufficient powers to intervene.
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Institute of Physics were given a £5m funding boost in March, ahead of the Sussex University enquiry. RSC Chief Executive, Richard Pike, said recently: "The RSC believes that no university can claim to be a real university without chemistry."
