Hazel Shearing
Education correspondent

Universities will see today’s announcements as a cash injection that will offer a bit of short-term relief from the pressures they face.

It may help them out with the rise in National Insurance announced in last week’s Budget, which they said would further squeeze their finances.

But what they want, really, is longer-term reform.

The Russell Group, which represents 24 universities, has talked today about “ensuring a secure future for our sector”, for example.

Bridget Phillipson pledged to bring about “deeper change” when she addressed MPs earlier.

“In the months ahead, we will publish proposals, because in universities – as across our public services – investment can only come with the promise of major reform,” she said.

Universities – which have seen the real-terms value of tuition fees fall year after year – will be pinning their hopes on that future reform.