Some universities will go bust thread 2

[GinForBreakfast]

Continuing as thread 1 has filled up.

How rude and arrogant you are!

The only person coming across as rude and arrogant is you @TizerorFizz

You make uninformed statements about universities but refuse to engage with people who are working in the sector when they point out you're wrong.

You've made the assumption that everyone working in HE is incompetent and refusing to acknowledge that there is a problem. Which isn't the case and is pretty unfair.
There are many universities which are well run but they are still losing money because they are delivering a product at a loss and they are prevented from raising their prices.

The sector knows there is a problem, we've been highlighting it to government for YEARS but we've been prevented from doing anything about it.

Everything @ElaineMBenes says.

They're really not though. Suggesting that only one university should do research is so bizarre I don't even know where to start. It demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the university sector, research and how the world works.

Not quite. PBSA is much denser and in different locations to family homes. All land use is a choice - agricultural vs developed, and then between residential / commercial / industrial / leisure etc. It's a balance.

This isn't a town planning thread, I merely commented on how the housing situation and general CoL crisis is driving up student debt and therefore the taxpayer's burden of HE.

@GinForBreakfast It’s land use! Nothing to do with density! Families are not housed on land that could have been used for homes. It’s been used for an ever increasing student body. I know it’s not a planning thread but resi is resi! I was merely saying that increasing student numbers has had a noticeable detrimental effect on local people in terms of housing provision and land use.

@FoxedByACat Another rude poster not wanting any alternative opinions. Do not attempt to close down discussion by calling me a “bizarrely prolific poster”. I have every right to have views on a variety of subjects.

@SwordBilledHummingbird There are many specialist universities in many countries. I’m not saying one single university - I meant a selection of specialist universities. We don’t dislike LSE or Imperial College or the technology universities in Germany or (I believe) in Ireland. It can concentrate the best research and this benefits students. So what’s wrong with that? Lots of people support specialist colleges or universities and centres of excellence are valued.

Another rude poster not wanting any alternative opinions.

Ironic considering you aren't prepared to listen to alternative opinions @TizerorFizz

You have a right to have views, but you don't have a right to have only your views aired on a thread. You seem to have made it your mission to proselytise for a very specific approach to Higher Education on this board. Yes, you have a right to that perspective, but you seem to have an issue with people who work in the sector not bowing down to your self-appointed wisdom. The board is "Higher Education" not "Parents with Children at University", so you can expect that people who work in the sector and have knowledge based on that to post on here, especially on threads where we are being misrepresented or we see incorrect advice being given.

@TizerorFizz that's a big assertion based on zero references. The biggest demographic shift that has affected residential housing demand (apart from population growth) is the rise in single adult households.

Density is a massive factor. Higher density = a greater number of homes per m.sq.

You absolutely do have a right to have views on a variety of subjects. I’m just curious as to how you come across having a view on so many subjects. Most people post advice from knowledge of either their own kids subjects or indeed their own subjects.

You have opinions on law degrees, business degrees, Edinburgh university, foreign student visas, USA scholarships, English literature, AI engineering, Harvard, liberal arts degrees, Bristol, MFL degrees, apprenticeships, Spanish universities, Oxbridge, graduate police roles, music grades and university, Imperial, philosophy vs ppe, Warwick vs Bristol, London unis and overseas students, Sheffield vs Southampton, Bath vs Manchester, Bristol vs Edinburgh, law at oxford, criminology degrees, Manchester vs Southampton, Nottingham uni, fine art and humanities, pgce recommendstions, maths with data science, Birmingham vs Bristol, art foundation, opinions on whether employers prefer a 1st from Oxford vs a 2:1 from Durham, maths at Cardiff, Oxford brooks, Italian unis for a year out, Northumbria university, year abroad in France, industrial placements, York university, btecs for university,

And you do have a tendency to rather dominate the threads you post on, post after post of your rather opinions.

Im assuming you don’t have dc at all these universities doing all these degree subjects? I suppose it’s a good reminder that people who post advice and opinions on the internet may well be posting about things they don’t necessarily know about. 🤷‍♀️

I would like to get away from the elitism that is in the university sector in this country (from an undergraduate perspective). The fact that certain courses and certain universities have greater value but all the students pay the same price is grossly unfair.
That is why I would like a certain industry wide standard and curriculum for all courses meant to lead to professional jobs. That would be fairer on poorer students, in particular, who often will want to stay home or have to work in the holidays and term time and I would also like more part time provision.
Clearly this is from a parental perspective. It also needs to be more transparent so it’s clear to poorer families and their students which courses to pick. Even doing open days is now too expensive for many.

@TizerorFizz Our universities already ARE centres for excellence.

University accommodation is for single adults. However I’m not going to comment further on housing but we know we have a housing shortage and shortage of land but have chosen to use it for students in many cities. Not working people or families.

Since when are there only my views on a thread? How is that remotely possible? You have your views and I have mine. It’s a discussion. I have no issue with anyone in particular @GCAcademic but I won’t accept I’m not allowed to have a view as a tax payer and continually to be told I cannot have a view because I don’t work in the sector, don’t have any valid thoughts because I don’t have a degree and dare to suggest change could be good for some students. It’s patronising and calculated to be demeaning. Note the personal attack that was removed. It’s typical of the attitudes of some towards anyone having alternative ideas.

It’s plain for all to see that universities are struggling financially. Making excuses for not changing and sticking your collective heads in the sand won’t help.
@FoxedByACat Your post attacking me was removed. I assume you are aware that posters can have opinions? Eg Edinburgh university discussion. If you read it, it’s about how students perceive other students. It’s not academic. It’s about human relationships. Most of us who have had dc go through university can have an opinion on resilience and making friends. Also you don’t attack other prolific posters. It’s cosy to agree with them and save your nasty comments for me because I am outside the club. However there are millions like me funding universities. Just ordinary folk paying tax who might actually not agree with the product we now have in the uni sector but are continually closed down when speaking up.

You have a right to have views, but you don't have a right to have only your views aired on a thread

And you don’t have the right to call working academics and university professional staff ignorant or arrogant. On the basis of no evidence whatsoever.

Making excuses for not changing and sticking your collective heads in the sand won’t help.

But nobody is doing that @TizerorFizz

University staff have consistently spoken about the issues faces by the sector and what has/is being done to mitigate them. We've discussed course closures, redundancies, efficiencies. Not one of us is ignoring the issue.

But you refuse to acknowledge that we might have a better insight into what works. Why?
Why are you so insistent that we listen to you and take your ideas seriously when you won't do the same?

That is why I would like a certain industry wide standard and curriculum for all courses meant to lead to professional jobs

This already happens but not the way you suggest @Araminta1003 as your opinion would be unworkable in practice.

But in case you didn’t know, there are standards set for certain professional registrations post-degree eg engineering, medicos.

But those professional bodies don’t set curricula. That would be stifling of new and differing approaches as well as impractical.

Once again, you should remember that university is not school. Universities have quite a different role and social purpose - as is shown almost every day in reports of research break throughs. These happen at universities and involve all sorts of processes, including undergrad teaching. At my place, undergrad teaching is research-led. It has to be, otherwise our graduates would have out of date knowledge as well as lacking in the crucial tools for critical analysis.

@SwordBilledHummingbird I’m afraid that patently is not true of all of them. How can it be? For example, my nearest university runs a BEng Civil Engineering. No MEng available so already not going to attract the people that are the best and need the centre of excellence. A level requirement is BCC with maths or physics at grade C. I don’t believe the course is accredited either. So how can this possibly be a centre of excellence? It’s purely bums on seats with graduates very limited in terms of further study and careers. This type of expansion should not have happened. Other courses there are good and serve a purpose but I believe it’s very difficult to say this about all degrees at every university and employers obviously agree.

That is why I would like a certain industry wide standard and curriculum for all courses meant to lead to professional jobs.

Any course that is professionally accredited already has this. There are QAA subject benchmarks too which cover all subjects.

However, we have a skills based labour market and many employers look for skills rather than subject knowledge.

Universities aren't schools and there should be an element of freedom and autonomy in the curriculum.

Maybe she only got a Third.

@TizerorFizz ive engaged perfectly respectfully with you over time on many threads. I disagree my previous post was “attacking you” , you obviously feel differently and reported it. When all I was talking about was how much you post I’m amazed it got deleted. It wasn’t a personal attack and there was no bad language but whatever. But over many threads on this topic it’s you who try and close people down, repeatedly. Like you’re trying to do to me now. 🤷‍♀️. I feel you’re attacking me. You can’t handle my difference of opinion without a personal attack about my “nasty comments”. I haven’t made nasty comments, I’ve had a difference of opinion. If my previous post was deleted I’m sure yours would be too if I reported it, but I won’t. Because I’m very happy for people to have a different opinion.

At my place, undergrad teaching is research-led. It has to be, otherwise our graduates would have out of date knowledge as well as lacking in the crucial tools for critical analysis.

On these thread's it's usually asserted that 'Research' led unis only benefit post grads. as a way of dismissing the whole RG uni hype, from what you've just posted it seems to benefit undergrads as well. Can you elaborate a bit more on this?

And you’re very unlikely to be funding a university by the way. Your Dd has probably cost her university more than she’s paid (if she ever pays her full loan back in the future). So actually you and yours are currently a drain on HE but somehow you seem to think you’re paying the wages! 😁

https://wonderfulhighered.com/2025/04/14/what-are-all-these-so-called-bullshit-jobs-in-universities/ Found this, it might be of interest.

@TizerorFizz do you really not understand the difference between a single adult housed in a bungalow vs a student halls arrangement when it comes to measuring density....?

Seems very much like a personal attack to me. 🤷‍♀️