“Higher Education (HE) is recognised as a key economic sector in the UK, having an

impact on economic growth and competitiveness. However, producing estimates of the impact of HE on growth and competitiveness is a major challenge. In most countries, there is a dilemma about the amount of public resources that should be devoted to education, which has been amplified by the period of fiscal adjustment faced by many of the advanced economies. In this study we consider the evidence on the impact of HE on economic growth and productivity, drawing conclusions on the longer-term benefits of current investment in degree-level education.” By Dawn Holland, Iana Liadze, Cinzia Rienzo and David Wilkinson, National Institute of Economic and Social Research. August 2013.