TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry, said today that higher education is “a goose that lays a golden egg” which needs to be nurtured and strengthened as the UK approaches Brexit. TIGA made the comments following the publication of the House of the Commons Education Select Committee’s report, Exiting the EU: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education.
UK higher education is a success story. The UK has 46 out of Europe’s top 200 universities and the UK is second only to the USA in the market for overseas students. According to the House of Commons Education Select Committee, in 2011–12, universities generated an annual output of £73 billion for the UK economy, contributed 2.8 per cent of GDP and supported over 750,000 jobs (https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmeduc/683/68302.htm).
Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:
“UK universities provide highly educated and skilled graduates for many industries, including the video games industry and higher education is an important sector in its own right.
“To ensure that UK higher education continues to succeed we should take three actions. Firstly, make up any short-fall in funding following the UK’s departure from the EU. Secondly, ensure that any new visa system governing migration from the EU does not impair the ability of UK universities to recruit either academic staff or students from the EU. Thirdly, consider excluding overseas students from the current migration target so that UK universities can grow their share of this important export market.
“Higher education is a goose that lays a golden egg. Let’s care, nurture and strengthen it.”
About TIGA
TIGA is a not for profit network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry.. Since 2010, TIGA has won 24 business awards and commendations, an achievement which demonstrates our drive to meet and to exceed best practice. TIGA focuses on three sets of activities:
- political representation;
- profile raising; and
- business services.
This means that TIGA members’ voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in the international, national, regional and trade media. TIGA’s activities also serve to enhance the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.
Get in touch:
- Tel: 0845 468 2330
- Email: info@tiga.org
- Web: www.tiga.org
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/tigamovement
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga
- Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO: richard.wilson@tiga.org
Note on company and employment growth rates
The company count growth rate is 9 per cent between 2017-2022. The headcount, economic impact, tax, etc, growth rate is 6.6 per cent over the same period. Calculations by Games Investor Consulting for TIGA.