ResearchPlus responds to the Chancellor’s 2025 Budget

In response to the Chancellor’s budget on 26 November 2025, Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex, and co-chair of ResearchPlus said:

“As a critical element of the UK’s research and innovation system, ResearchPlus partner universities play a key role in advancing national priorities to support innovation and economic growth. We welcome the commitment to protect QR and HEIF funding in real terms over the Spending Review period. We also welcome the recognition of the need to reintroduce maintenance grants for disadvantaged students.

It is a well-established fact that universities are facing significant financial challenges and as such predicating support for disadvantaged students on a tax on universities will necessarily exacerbate these challenges. Given the importance of international students to the sector’s finances, the levy is also likely to negatively impact research and the education of UK students.

We therefore look forward to engaging with government to explain these ramifications and to working together over the coming months to mitigate the unintended consequences of the international student levy.”

The statement is from Professor Sasha Roseneil Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex, as co-chair of ResearchPlus.