To say that university degrees are barely impressive anymore?

[PithyKhakiShaker]

It feels like degrees are everywhere now and half the time they don’t guarantee anything - not a good job, not better thinking skills, not even basic literacy sometimes. Obviously education matters but AIBU to think degrees have become so common and so varied in quality that they aren’t as impressive or meaningful as they used to be?

Because that’s how money works. Perhaps if we actually defined a better return on public money use, the country wouldn’t be in such a mess. Public money should not be there for airy fairy largesse so people can feel ‘oh so valuable’ studying underwater basket weaving.

Do you think that's actually happening? You're a walking MN cliché 🙄

So far we've had:
Mickey Mouse Degrees
Underwater basket weaving

Next on my bingo card I've got

Students are paying £9k for 4 hours teaching
Or
A comment about lazy academics

Some do.
Some do blind recruitment
Some understand that there is benefit in a diverse workforce

It varies tbh.

It's so depressing!

@Goldenbear it really is.

And woefully ignorant and uninformed.

I won't speak to strangers unless they show proof of PhD these days.

Well according to information I can find universities give a net contribution of about 265 million a year to the public purse. Doesn’t sound that bad to me.

Well according to information I can find universities give a net contribution of about 265 million a year to the public purse. Doesn’t sound that bad to me.

Indeed.
My university contributes £300 million a year to the local economy.

You may want to check your facts. Don’t just pick the first sentence Google tells you. They fleece international students. Many of whom use this as an immigration visa scam and end up overstaying and disappearing, costing the taxpayer. Many of course are legit.

the whole thing has turned into a racket.

Teaching Assistants are never required to write reports. They are actually not meant to cover classes but some schools do use them for this for the odd half hour. They would not actually be teaching - just keeping the children on task. Still not acceptable. They are not being paid for that. I have seen it in schools I've worked in but only for registration.

You may want to check your facts. Don’t just pick the first sentence Google tells you. They fleece international students. Many of whom use this as an immigration visa scam and end up overstaying and disappearing, costing the taxpayer. Many of course are legit.

the whole thing has turned into a racket.

You might want to check your facts too.
What evidence do you have that the UK higher education system is fleecing international students? That international students are using it as a visa immigration scam? And that the system is a racket and costs the taxpayer more than it contributes to the UK economy?

Except the international students are not coming in such high numbers

Yeah international students only make up about 25% of all university students. Not high at all, is it? Not high, at all.

This place is like a comedy sometimes.

Except the international students are not coming in such high numbers

Yep, international student numbers have dropped significantly in the last couple of years. And the vast majority of them return to their home country after studying.

Yeah international students only make up about 25% of all university students. Not high at all, is it? Not high, at all.

And? That's a good thing. They've been propping up the UK HE system for years.

International student visas are used as a way to buy a visa to bring your job working dependents over. One student who brings their entire family over who then use public services, far outweighing the fees they pay to the university.

Read up on it. You might learn something

Know a few builders who did this and just don't complete their degree and just stay here illegally

This isn't accurate.

Read up on visa rules for dependents.

If this were true, you could simply report.

International student visas are used as a way to buy a visa to bring your job working dependents over. One student who brings their entire family over who then use public services, far outweighing the fees they pay to the university.

Read up on it. You might learn something

I work at a university and one of my roles is international director for my faculty 😂

International students are no longer allowed to bring dependents. The rules changed in January 2024.
The only exceptions to these rules are students on PhDs and MRes courses. The number of MRes students has declined and PhD numbers are relatively small anyway. These students are highly motivated and are likely to end up working in academia and therefore be eligible for a skilled worker visa upon completion. Or the graduate visa if looking for work.

The only other exception are students in receipt of a government scholarship/sponsorship. Again, small numbers and are people our government wants to be here!

The vast majority of international students return to their home country. Those that don't apply for the graduate visa. Again, this does not permit you to bring dependents.
All international students pay an NHS surcharge.

Know a few builders who did this and just don't complete their degree and just stay here illegally

It's never been the case that international students are the cause of the migration crisis in the UK.
Of course, there have been some that slip through but the conditions students need to meet to be issued a visa that allows them to study are extensive. Not to mention universities are tightly regulated in relation to international students and can lose their licence if issues are picked up by UKVI.

The rules also changed in 2024 meaning students can no longer bring dependents unless they meet specific conditions.

You can always report these 'few builders' you know....🤷🏼‍♀️

The way schools have been funded plus the behavioural needs of some children mean that some schools do use their TA's for more than half and hour and use them for full day cover. Yes the teacher may leave the resources but it is the TA's teaching the resources.

There is no requirement for these TA's to have degrees. It happens a lot more than parents realise.

This is why career planning is more important than ever before. It is not as easy to change careers, even Open University charge higher fees now.

My University course is very good at tracking where students go after uni & is popular with international students

From my final year most of the international students went back to their home country or moved to another country although 4 did stay in the U.K. however all had links with the U.K. anyway (parents or grandparents)

There are more British graduates from my course who now live and work abroad - Middle East, far east & Australia mainly, than foreign students who stayed
pay & opportunities tend to be better as well as the weather & UK graduates are considered to have good skills in my profession

So yes there were lots of international students however for my cohort we actually now have a net loss rather than a gain
People forget that we export people too - education is a powerful opportunity for travel