Senior Conservative MP calls for universities to be set up in smaller areas to boost economic growth

The Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Jesse Norman, has called for universities to be established in smaller cities and towns across the UK in a bid to boost economic growth.

Norman, who has served as MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire since 2010, told fellow MPs that he estimates there to be at least “50 small cities and towns in the country which lack higher education and higher education growth”.

The Conservative politician said he believes that smaller cities and towns without sufficient access to higher education are talent pools which have been “deprived of opportunity”.

Norman’s call for […] at least 50 new higher education institutions comes a time, however, when already-established universities across the UK are struggling

He also said that he would like to see specialist facilities for STEM skills to be developed – an area which he said had a ‘huge need’ for skills – but he did not mention any desire for additional humanities education in smaller areas.

Norman’s call for developing infrastructure, staffing, and filling student places for at least 50 new higher education institutions comes a time, however, when already-established universities across the UK are struggling.

A running report by Times Higher Education tracks the latest redundancies amid the “mounting financial crisis” faced by UK universities.

In May, there was at least 725 job cuts across UK institutions, including Arts University Bournemouth, University of Greenwich, Keele University, and University of Plymouth. The University of Edinburgh alone cut 350 jobs in April.

Last month, Keir Starmer’s Labour government proposed that the UK should consider a levy on higher education fees for international students, potentially harming international enrolment even further

International student enrolment has also dropped in recent years, following the previous Conservative government’s implementation of harsher rules on student visas, which meant that international students could “no longer bring family members to the UK”.

Last month, Keir Starmer’s Labour government proposed that the UK should consider a levy on higher education fees for international students, potentially harming international enrolment even further. Simultaneously, domestic enrolment has become more competitive, leaving smaller universities dwindling in numbers.

While Norman celebrated the first students graduating from the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering, a newly established institution in his constituency, the uncertain fate of several well-established UK universities will continue to incite debate over the feasibility of his call to action.