Universities face cash ‘catastrophe’ with threat of mergers and course cuts | Sian Griffiths

"I think some academics would say that universities have been extremely badly managed."

To attract foreign students paying higher course fees British universities have "overextended themselves" and are now facing a cash "catastrophe", says Sunday Times education editor Sian Griffiths.

[soothsayer]

My entire city has been destroyed, replacing commercial, residential and industrial with one thing: student accommodation.
They say town would be dead without the students, but town is dead now - unless you own a greasy chicken joint; there's nothing else.

[Yutappy]

Universities charging over £9k per year is like McDonald's charging £20 for a burger and STILL losing money! That doesn't sound like a good business plan to me. And the way universities are going, soon even international student fees will not be enough. Are there no academics in their business department that can develop a better business plan?

[indomitus]

ALL academics would say that ALL universities have been extremely badly managed. UK HE is a total disaster of managerial corruption and incompetence.

[rainerzuehlke]

When tertiary education has become a business, when the number and size of universities has increased considerably, when the number of students has increased dramatically, when universities have become dependent on foreign students, when administrative units (incl. DEI) have been inflated to a ridiculous extent - then market forces are bound to become active. This includes universities becoming bankrupt. It is not a matter of "adequate funding". One cannot have it both ways: being a business, but not being subject to market forces.

[TheToonMonkey]

Threats of job losses? Keep up. There's been redundancies across the board.

[ytkel]

They don’t deserve a bailout! I went to university 15 years ago the experience is nothing like what they made out in their prospectus and teaching was poor and totally inadequate - one technical course I did had only 1 teaching hour by a phd student every week. I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever.

[catherinemartin]

Universities have made a lot of money over the years where has it all gone.

[strangelee]

I remember when you had to be in the elite top percent to get into a university. Now people are getting degrees for watching Harry potter.

[adscri]

Back in 1970 there were just 45. In 2024 there are 166 recognized universities in the UK. They sprang up like weeds, with government acquiescence. High time there was a cull.

[The_Mighty_Fluff]

If universities borrowed too much money why should the tax payer have to foot this to keep them in business. The graduate job market is so saturated in some fields that only the top 10-20% actually get graduate jobs in their subject area. Universities are now profit driven and do not care about their students. All they care about is making more and more money.

[nighttrain]

It's a bloated sector that needs to see a reckoning.

[jamesbainbridge]

Universities selling pointless degrees for jobs that dont exist who'd of thaught it was unsuitable 😂😂😂😂😂

[lensmann]

Over the last thirty years, it's basically been an educational race to the bottom with quantity over quality being the mantra.

[madmitch]

Are these the same ones where the Chancellor earns £850K plus ?

[ArjunGhag-ixte]

Uni bosses pay themselves huge wages & pensions & get free homes & cars. Over £1M+ per year.

[skip-intros]

it all comes from.one simple source: Greed. On the scent of money, they've put a raft of totally useless courses on their offer list. No money for these Universities I'm afraid. Let those who are teetering.... fail. Like any other business, no bail-outs. If they fail, they fail. Let the strong survive. Have a moments silence for those who die.

[Axx]

Reduce student places to 10% to 20% of youngsters down from Blair's idiotic 50% target. Bring in 2-3 years diploma courses, especially for nurses. Let uni staff move to private sector where there is a shortfall. The 30% to 40% of students not going to uni will not have a huge debt and can be trained in trades to build the 1.5m homes, as we do not have the people to do it now.

[davidhollins]

These comedy degrees would not be missed.

[dhufstetler]

Stop paying useless administrators. So much has been taken from the classroom.

[Lee-lxss]

University is a shame and they stopped teaching years ago and became activists