The House of Commons science and technology select committee has today published its report into the funding system for Britain's universities.

The committee warned the government that the current system distracts universities from their teaching and research work and urged the government to end decades of under-investment in the sector in this summer's spending review.

Forum Response: Association of University Teachers

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the AUT, told ePolitix.com: "I congratulate the committee on producing a thorough and concise wake up call to ministers and university management. The report wholeheartedly endorses long-standing academic concerns about the threats of under-funding and job losses in science and research.

"Universities cannot survive on shoe-string budgets and cutbacks. There is an inalienable link between strong research and high quality teaching. Higher Education Funding Council for England were wrong to introduce selective funding for this year's funding settlement. The government must now take urgent action to reform the Research Assessment Exercise and put in place sustainable funding for world-class research."

Forum Response: Universities UK

Professor Roderick Floud, president of Universities UK, told ePolitix.com: "The committee's recommendations now place the onus on the government for providing the funds to safeguard and enhance university research. It needs to find the resources to build on the success highlighted in the report.

"We welcome support for our view that there is already sufficient selectivity in research funding and that funds are needed to develop the centres of excellence of the future as well as those of today. We are pleased that the select committee recognised the importance of teaching in an environment of active, on-going research as well as the importance of the wider impact of research on society and the economy."