Some universities will go bust

[GinForBreakfast]

Reported in the Times today. It must be so worrying for students joining or returning in September/October.

My question is around the regulator, who knows where the issues are. What should they be telling students and when? It seems cruel, especially to young people, to withhold information. It has financial implications as well - people moving, paying deposits etc.

(waves to fellow Irish woman!) The tax system is set up for philanthropy in the States Mathanxiety. And tenure is protected, though very hard to get.

Many school leavers should be nowhere near university, they are simply not academic enough, and no I don't mean thick, just that they would be better served in vocational training. They have been sold a pup insofar as being told getting a degree, any degree, would be better then nothing. They get rinced on fees for third rate degrees from second rate institutions while simultaneously getting stitched up on accommodation costs , student loans and overdrafts only to get a job that pays barely more then minimum wage.

You've NO idea what you are talking about

on campus starbucks outlets.

This will be generating income for the university.

Can you provide evidence that the current level of degree education, and associated costs for young people, is better for society than a lower level of degrees and a higher level of vocational and professional training?

Getting an apprenticeship is harder than getting into a degree. Degree apprenticeships recruitment is v challenging.

I have had many students try for apprenticeships then end up on a course as they've had no luck.

There are not enough apprenticeships available for the people that want them.

The previous government defunding BTECs in favour of T levels was a mistake imo.

BTECs offered a fantastic way to build up from level 1 right up to level 5 (HND). This provided a lot of flexibility. Employers like them as do most unis.

whilst i agree with most of what you say this is just not correct

BTECs offered a fantastic way to build up from level 1 right up to level 5 (HND). This provided a lot of flexibility. Employers like them as do most unis.

A significant number of the students who struggle are those who have not had the academic grounding of A levels. BTEC students have not had nearly as much experience in essay writing etc and often flounder in exam situations.

Universities don't only teach and award degrees.

Let's not forget that most of the innovative, valuable and necessary research that helps us all as a society is conducted by researchers in universities. If people are breezily talking about cutting back the sector it's clear they are not thinking about this. Research is what helps keep the UK on the world map in terms of cutting edge innovation and progress. We need that very badly, now more than ever.

Think about just about every news report you see or read - there will be a comment from an academic at a prominent university. This has value. It's the bigger picture that is being ignored for some reason.

Universities have been left to drown financially by previous governments - to the pp that implied that Universities were wasting public money - it's not public money. They haven't received public funds for a long time. They didn't get greedy or carried away, they did what they were either instructed to do or required to do to raise enough funds for their institutions to keep functioning - in a new landscape where students and very much their parents are now the customer and have expectations and demands.

Let's not forget that most of the innovative, valuable and necessary research that helps us all as a society is conducted by researchers in universities.

Well, yes if it’s STEM. Otherwise, no, it’s most likely here-today-gone-tomorrow bollocks

I obviously don’t mean proper arts subjects like English, Classics, History or economics. Or foreign languages.

The latter subject groups are suffering almost more than any other.

Where? Which universities are financially stressed because they teach those subjects? (Plus Law, I forgot Law.)

Lincoln uni looks like they're closing their mfl to new applicants.

As someone who is not originally from the UK l, I have to ask: why are tuition fees not even increased to follow inflation? Of course they will fail at some point, you can’t just count on foreign students to pay a growing share.

I think Aberdeen closed their mfl department

I think we could extend this to say that going to school isn't a worthwhile thing to do. Much better to spend the time cleaning chimneys or down a mine.

Interest in language degrees has steadily been dropping for a while. The reasons for that are multiple but it's ultimately a loss to all of us.

Some universities I imagine can't justify running degrees for very small numbers of students so those departments get cut. Along with the academic staff and all of the depth of their knowledge and research.

Agree that's why I mention the BTEC route all the way through. Some students are capable of progressing to top up degree level 6.

How very stupid of you.

A uni education gives a lot more than just an employment worthy degree.

The only thing that matters is money. If you can't make money out of it there is no point.

When I ask questions about the current technical quals offer of T levels I receive an unsatisfactory response. T levels are a level 3 quo's requiring 5 GCSEs at grade 4/5. There is mention of a level 2 T level but these are not advertised and entry requirements are hidden.

An applicant without the right grades wouldn't be aware of their options if any. With BTEC it was very clear.

Thank you very kind of you to say so.

English and MFL are among the worst affected areas. Applications are down and lots of places are reducing their provision.

Law is shocking. Nobody should be telling youngsters that they stand a good chance at a lucrative legal career with BCC and a degree from the university of smallville. It’s just a lie. A few of them will manage to get some sort of career in the profession. Most of them are absolutely wasting their money.

Yes, that is true. I was really thinking of law at at the best few universities. Mostly, a career in law doesn’t need a law degree.

It doesn’t need a university undergraduate law degree no because you can do a conversion. But that’s yet another year of fees and yet more debt.

law degree per se aren’t the issue. Law degrees that accept less than ABB (ish) are misleading the students, most of whom at least start out thinking they will be a lawyer.