Britain's universities are well regarded. Britain's universities are world-class. Britain's universities need help. Here’s why and how to fix it: ☑ Financial Strain: A recent report shows 40% of universities in England are expected to run at a deficit this year. Insolvencies are now a real threat. ☑ Immigration Policies: A previous government decision to reduce immigration has hit universities hard. Restrictions on international students led to a 44% drop in visa applications, impacting revenue significantly. ☑ Tuition Fee Cap: Domestic tuition fees have been capped at £9,250 since 2017. If adjusted for inflation, they would be over £12,000 today. This cap is hurting universities financially. ☑ Possible Solutions: - Raise Tuition Fees: Allow fees to rise with inflation to cover basic costs. - Market Adaptation: Find new income sources, build industry ties, and enhance alum relations. - Policy Adjustments: Ease visa restrictions and ensure compliance with immigration policies. - Structural Changes: Consider mergers or centralising services to remain viable. ☑ Grim Outlook: Without significant changes, many universities face an uncertain future. The reliance on international students is risky, and current budget constraints make it hard for taxpayers to fill financial gaps. The time for action is now.
UK universities are branching out here in the UAE. Some follow the traditional route and get accreditation from local bodies, while others operate through a distance learning center. In both cases, the fees here are higher than those in the UK. However, due to the high quality of teaching and research, I believe that they can branch out internationally as it can add to their revenue streams. Speaking from experience, I’ve been in the British education system for the majority of my life, and I can confirm the high quality of education.
The obvious solution ( short term) is to make the Academic year longer. The reason why Oxbridge courses are only 8 weeks is the time it took to travel to and from home on horseback. I kid you not . Real Academic high flyers could still do 3 years at elite Universities. Btw… although Unis and governments are still saying most grads get a good job the Adzuna employment data ( so good the government prefers it to their own data ) showsthst there are only 180k grads jobs per year. With 800k graduating every year.
Louise Nicol
1w
We ask a pertinent question, are students costs or assets? Looking to the future, how universities are funded needs to change. It is highly unlikely any more funding will be forthcoming from the government, with many demands on the public purse & universities at the bottom of the list when it comes to priorities. It is hard to argue that compulsory #education & health should not be prioritised over #highereducation post-pandemic, with #highered having received that windfall in overseas revenue over the last three years … What if we shifted the narrative? Far too often students are referred to by the public, government, & even universities themselves as a cost – the cost of teaching them! We could instead see students as a #university “asset” not a cost. If universities are to fulfil their social contract, there should be a direct link between those graduating from university progressing into employment, raising productivity, & therefore driving economic growth. In truth universities should be seen as economic growth engines, not education cost centres. If universities were funded differently & students were considered an asset not a cost, huge revenue opportunities open up, read our headline article in UWN. Asia Careers Group SDN BHD
Of course a large part of the decline of universities is that since the 1960s nobody has been having children.
Its always interesting that no one ever seems to think universities should take responsibility for their own financial woes. They like to think and act as though they are independent quasi private entities but they also want a financial safety net when they overspend. Remember when 9k fees came in that was the max they could charge when the range was 6-9k. Nearly all chose the max fee from the get go.Where did all the surplus go from a decade ago? I am not even going to mention the ludicrous mess the pension fund is in...no doubt that will need bailing too and no one will take responsibility.
A solution might be more blended learning courses, cooperating with partner unis overseas providing 2-year in UK courses (double degree) and shorter industry focused skills courses at the unis of professional education. Finally, continuing to focus on providing world class education at the traditional highly regarded institutions.
Founder @ Red Dragon Education | International Teacher Training
1wLouise Nicol how many uni's do you predict will go under or consolidate in 2025?