In the UK, 141 universities have come together to ask the government for more money and higher tuition fees. They say this will help solve big money issues in education.
According to BBC, Universities UK made this request to stop universities in England from losing their quality and closing down.
They believe that linking tuition fee increases to inflation and getting more government money is necessary to keep universities stable.
Reports say the Department for Education wants to make sure UK universities have a safe future. While there are more students from the UK this year, fewer international students are joining.
Since 2017, tuition fees for UK students have stayed at £9,250. Universities UK says this needs to change.
“Universities lose money teaching UK students, and that deficit has grown year on year,” they said.
They added that if teaching funds had increased with inflation, each student would now need approximately £12,000 to £13,000.
Impact on Students and Teachers
Christopher Day, a big boss at Newcastle University and the chair of the Russell Group, talked about the problems universities face.
“We need more money to avoid bigger classes, fewer lectures, and less equipment,” he said. If students or taxpayers don’t help, universities will give lower quality education.
But students are worried about raising tuition fees. Grace Clarke and Libby Callaghan, who just started their studies in Manchester, shared their thoughts.
“I’m getting a lot of teaching, but it’s not worth £10,000,” Clarke said. Callaghan added that with rising living and travel costs, she might quit if fees go up.
A teacher at a UK university, who didn’t want to be named, said things are getting harder at her school.
She explained that she has more work now, leaving less time to talk with students. “We used to have an hour for students, now it’s only 20 minutes,” she said.
Government Responses and Options
Earlier this month, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson talked about different ways to help universities with money problems.
Reports say Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer once promised to get rid of tuition fees but then changed his mind. Rose Stephenson from the Higher Education Policy Institute said raising fees is politically tough.
“We need to decide how to fund universities, as doing nothing will make them go bankrupt,” Stephenson said.
She suggested other ways to get money, like raising taxes or charging companies that benefit from skilled graduates.
Recommendations for the Future
Besides raising fees, Universities UK offered more ideas. They want to increase loans in line with inflation, bring back grants for low-income students, and offer mental health services for students up to 25 years old.
They also hope to have more people with Level 4 qualifications or higher by 2040.
What To Know
- Recent changes in visa rules and currency issues have made it harder for international students to study in the UK. This means less money for universities that rely on higher fees from these students.
- Reports say students need around £18,000 a year to live but can only get a loan of about £10,000.
- A spokesperson for the Department for Education said they understand the financial problems in higher education and are working on ways to keep universities financially healthy in the long run.