Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)

HEFCE has a key role to play in promoting high-quality, cost-effective teaching and research as the principal public funder of a higher education system amid today’s economic uncertainties and challenges. Their role is to maintain universities capacity to contribute to the country’s economic and social achievements and the vitality of its intellectual and cultural life by investing in high-level knowledge, skills and innovation.

HEFCE is by far the largest single funder of higher education and research. The foundation of the Research Excellence Framework is being carried out by HEFCE. The greater part of their allocations is distributed as ‘block grant’, which gives universities and colleges the discretion to spend according to their own priorities. This underpins the autonomy and diversity of institutions, widely regarded as the major strengths of higher education.

HEFCE believes it can continue to work hard with universities, colleges and Government to ensure the quality of teaching continues to be trusted and achieves internationally respected standards and continue to promote research excellence across a wide range of academic disciplines. They seek to ensure that universities and colleges continue to be a powerful force in achieving the country’s twin aims of a vibrant knowledge economy and a just society.

HEFCE is an advocate and supporter of distinctiveness in higher education: they look to work closely with universities, colleges and other partners to achieve excellence and impact in education and research, and to provide opportunities for those who have the ability to benefit from higher education. Their responsibilities are to develop policies, distribute funds, safeguard quality and assure the proper stewardship of public money, also providing advice to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

They support the increasingly close relationship between universities and business, pointing out that the UK achieve 12 per cent of the world’s scientific citations. They state that it is essential that the UK secures sufficient investment – both public and private – to maintain the global competitiveness of higher education in England.

HEFCE was one of 14 organisations with a direct stake in effective scholarly communications to endorse Research and the Scholarly communications process: Towards strategic goals for public policy, the statement of principles document RIN published in 2007, which the Policy Centre is supporting.