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Institute welcomes new funding to boost university science and engineering

PR34(06)

Tue, 22 May 2007

The Institute of Physics welcomes the announcement today of a further £75 million in funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to maintain provision of science and engineering subjects at universities and colleges.

Phillip Diamond, assistant director of education and science at the Institute said: “The Institute has been working very hard to persuade the government to address the funding shortages faced by university physics departments. We are delighted that the Government has now recognised that physics and other science subjects need more funding to cover their teaching costs and that we have been heard.”

“We are now calling on the Vice-Chancellor and Council of the University of Reading to reconsider their proposed closure of the physics department in the light of this announcement. They based their decision on the lack of funding available for the teaching of physics and following this announcement, that argument is now out of date.”

“We hope that this move will stop more department closures and the additional funding strengthens the position of physics departments over the next three years. This will also give HEFCE time to review the real costs of teaching across the higher education sector and provide the basis for a more realistic way to meet the high cost science and engineering subjects at universities.”

“The Government has always stressed the importance of physics to the UK's economy and this announcement is a real demonstration of its commitment to its continued good health.”

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