The government has announced it will fund student loans for an extra 10,000 university places in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, but universities will have to find the funding for teaching.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) believes the extra university places will be important for economic recovery.
Susan Anderson, CBI Director of Education and Skills said: "It's good to see government investing in the skills of the future. We will need more [knowledge in science, technology, engineering and mathematics] when the upturn comes.
"Demand from business for STEM graduates is only set to grow over the coming years, as the UK draws more heavily on innovation and technology for jobs, growth and global competitivenesss.
"Maintaining the quality of degree courses is equally vital, however, and no-one would benefit if universities and the government tried to offer extra science courses 'on the cheap'."
