Economical advantages and academic drive behind artistic tertiary education, both within and beyond the creative job sector
UK's Creative Higher Education: Beyond Salary Metrics
The UK's television production sector is one of Britain's leading creative export sectors, and the value of creative higher education is becoming increasingly evident in the country's policy discourse. A new policy briefing by Professor Hasan Bakhshi MBE, the Director of Creative PEC, and researcher Martha Bloom, highlights the economic and social contributions of creative higher education, particularly in the context of the growing creative industries sector.
According to the briefing, the creative industries contribute about £125 billion annually to the UK's economy, nearly 6% of the country's GDP. This economic significance challenges the narrow reliance on salary outcomes alone to assess higher education value, especially in creative fields. The public tends to value creativity more for its social benefits, such as community building and health, than for economic innovation and growth.
Despite recognition of the economic importance of creative careers, many young people, especially from less advantaged backgrounds, perceive these careers as out of reach. This highlights the need for education and policy focus on clear and equitable pathways into creative employment, including through apprenticeships and stronger career advice.
The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and the Creative Industries Sector Plan acknowledge the need for a responsive, inclusive, and targeted skills system aligned with sector needs. This includes supporting creative education programs that meet employer demand, even when salary outcomes may be varied by discipline.
Recent higher education policy discussions recognise that measuring value mainly by high-wage job placement is insufficient, especially given the evolving nature of work and the importance of lifelong learning, upskilling, and socioeconomic mobility. The creative industries show strong graduate recruitment but with diversity in career trajectories.
The policy brief also examines international trade in the UK creative industries and sets out areas for possible policy action in the Skills, Jobs and Education sector. It can be referenced as Bloom, M. and Bakhshi, H. (2020) Policy Insight: Graduate motivations. London: Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre and University of Sussex.
The creative industries are expected to see a high demand for creative skills due to the fourth industrial revolution. However, a recent report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), commissioned by the Department for Education, suggests that lifetime earnings for those who studied a creative arts and design degree are no better than for those who didn't go to university at all. This has caused concern among practitioners, recipients, and beneficiaries of creative education.
Recent government announcements suggest that university bailouts could be contingent on the dropping of 'low value' courses, potentially placing creative education at risk. The policy briefing provides a comprehensive analysis of audiences in the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector using census data and outlines recommendations for transitioning to more sustainable theatre production.
The photo in this article is by Retha Ferguson. The policy briefing was published on 31st July 2020 and is available at: https://www.our website/policy-briefings/graduate-motivations-and-the-economic-returns-of-creative-higher-education-inside-and-outside-the-creative-industries
The Augar Review, published in 2019, recommended that subjects which fail to provide 'value for money' should receive less government subsidy, causing further concern for the creative education sector. The policy briefing is based on a PEC Discussion Paper about creative industries innovation in seaside resorts and country towns.
In 2018, the creative industries contributed £111.7bn to the UK, accounting for 5.8% of total UK GVA. The creative industries have grown at a rate more than twice that of the total UK economy over the last 10 years. The policy briefing also outlines recommendations for transitioning to more sustainable theatre production.
- The economic and social contributions of creative higher education, particularly in the context of the growing creative industries sector, are highlighted in a new policy briefing.
- According to the briefing, the creative industries contribute about £125 billion annually to the UK's economy, nearly 6% of the country's GDP.
- The value of creative higher education is becoming increasingly evident in the UK's policy discourse, challenging the narrow reliance on salary outcomes alone to assess higher education value.
- The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and the Creative Industries Sector Plan acknowledge the need for a responsive, inclusive, and targeted skills system aligned with sector needs.
- This includes supporting creative education programs that meet employer demand, even when salary outcomes may be varied by discipline.
- The creative industries show strong graduate recruitment but with diversity in career trajectories.
- The policy briefing provides a comprehensive analysis of audiences in the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector using census data and outlines recommendations for transitioning to more sustainable theatre production.
- The Augar Review, published in 2019, recommended that subjects which fail to provide 'value for money' should receive less government subsidy, causing further concern for the creative education sector.
- Despite recognition of the economic importance of creative careers, many young people perceive these careers as out of reach, highlighting the need for education and policy focus on clear and equitable pathways into creative employment.
- The photo in this article is by Retha Ferguson, and the policy briefing was published on 31st July 2020 and is available at a specified website.
- The creative industries are expected to see a high demand for creative skills due to the fourth industrial revolution, but a recent report suggests that lifetime earnings for those who studied a creative arts and design degree are no better than for those who didn't go to university at all.
