The report EUA Public Funding Observatory Report 2019/20reviews public investment in higher education every year.
Some observations from the analysis on Romania
- Public investment in higher education is below the level of 12 years ago (20% less);
- The number of students decreased by 31% compared to 2008: the number of employees by 11% (for academic positions) and 3% for administrative positions;
- The increase in funding from 2015-2018 comes mainly from increased salaries;
- The low funding is not explained by the economic downturn, as Romania has experienced a period of economic growth;
- In terms of increase/decrease in public funding we are not the worst off; in Greece, for example, public funding for higher education is 65% lower than in 2008.
The solution: harnessing research
If public money tends to decrease, as does the number of students, then how can universities, especially elite ones, continue to fund their activities? The answer is also to be found in a US report, which shows the efforts that European universities are making to diversify their sources of income, one of the most important of these additional sources being the exploitation of research in relation to industry and business.
Suggestions for fundraising: improving communication and getting out of isolation
The report contains a number of suggestions for universities to improve their chances of accessing private research funding:
Communicate better, especially about the added value they create for society, making it easier for those willing and able to provide funding to understand their options.
The success of income diversification strategies largely depends on the ability of the institution's leadership to communicate effectively with the university community as well as with external stakeholders. Universities need to reinforce awareness around the range of activities they undertake and the added value they create for society, helping potential partners to evaluate funding options. External communication should also contribute to reinforcing the image and specific profile of an institution. Communication can also usefully be undertaken at sector level, upholding the value of higher education for the wider economy.
I also add a personal comment: relations with "business" and "industry" are featured in almost all universities' public strategies, but we cannot expect to fund research as long as the private sector does not know about concrete projects, results or lines of research. And how could they find out, if research results are presented in a way that is understandable by 1% of specialists in a field?
Returning to suggestions contained in the analysis
Seek and accept external expertise for roles that universities traditionally do not have filled internally.
Many activities to increase and generate new income sources need new expertise, which does not necessarily always exist within the institution. Universities may recruit professionals from outside the sector or invest in the development of staff to acquire these skills.
And again my comment: that phrase certainly doesn't address what hurts me most most, namely the lack of specialists able to present the research of some non-academic audiences. But I'll make use of it. Science communicators are almost completely missing from Romanian universities. Hiring outside experts could be a solution. Another would be to offer specialised training to people who already exist. in universities, but this would certainly require outsiders.
Last but not least also from suggestions:
Universities should no longer be isolated islands of activity.
Read a historical explanation here of why universities have chosen to come out of isolation and communicate with the general public.
If you are curious about what kind of training for employees (teachers, management, researchers, staff) can be done to improve communication in universities, you can find here a list of my training offer.
If you want to read the full report, you can find the link here:
- EUA Public Funding Observatory Report 2019/20
- Figures for each country, including Romania
- Graphical comparison tool
English (UK) 
Română