A group of 141 UK universities has called for higher tuition fees and direct government funding to halt a growing deficit in England. Universities UK has proposed a fee rise linked to inflation and more investment from the government to ensure the sector doesn’t slide into decline. The Department for Education has said it will create “a secure future for our world-leading universities.” This comes as record numbers of home students begin courses this month, but the number of international students is down.
Tuition fees for home students have been capped at £9,250 in England since 2017. Universities UK’s recommendation of a rise is focused on England. Education is a devolved matter, and fees are different in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. About 40% of universities are expecting to return a budget deficit this year, according to the higher education regulator, the Office for Students.
Universities lose money teaching UK students, and that deficit has grown year on year, the Universities UK proposals say. “We have to halt that. If investment in teaching students had kept up with inflation, funding per student would be in the region of £12,000-£13,000.” Newcastle University’s vice-chancellor, Prof Christopher Day, who chairs the Russell Group of universities, says they are having to do more for less. Unless universities receive more money, the sector will shrink, or the quality will go down, he warned.
The recommendations in Universities UK’s plans include raising maintenance loans in line with inflation and reinstating grants for students from the poorest backgrounds. It also aims to ensure by 2040, 70% of the population will have a Level 4 qualification or above by the age of 25. They are suggesting ensuring access to child and adolescent mental health services for students up to the age of 25 and working to secure well-managed, sustainable international student numbers.
Moreover, universities have recruited more international students, who pay higher fees, in recent years to make up for the fall in income due to frozen fees for UK students. Recent research shows that university students now need about £18,000 per year to live on, compared with the maximum loan of about £10,000. The Department of Education said it had inherited a challenging set of circumstances in higher education but has refocused the role of the Office for Students on key areas such as monitoring financial sustainability, to ensure universities can secure their financial health in the longer term
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