University funding/finances
Outgoing Oxford chancellor, ‘chairman of the Tory party when there was one’, advocates cross-party consensus on state investment, not higher fees
Institutions need more flexibility on whether to participate in mandatory government-run pensions scheme, Ucea and UUK argue
Tuition fees for foreign overseas in Japan are expected to rise above domestic ones for first time
Office for Students insists it has ‘no recommendations of directions of travel’ as it seeks views on distribution of £1.5 billion annual budget
As pressure builds for the University of Idaho to reconsider buying the University of Phoenix, a similar previous deal a thousand miles to the south finds mounting scrutiny
Hepi report flags concerns over growth and quality of UK pre-degree programmes, but says across-the-board fee cut would be poor solution
Sector leaders express frustration as chancellor praises universities, but offers little additional money
Recommended reforms, such as abolishing the Job-Ready Graduates fee hikes for humanities, will gold-plate the Help system, says Maxwell Yong
Rectors call for budget increases and wage rises for staff or institutions will soon be unable to function
Universities UK chief executive says funding crisis facing English universities means it is not impossible that an institution will ‘shut its doors overnight’
Rectors question how Macron can live up to promise to end underfunding of science
Ford government offers C$1.3 billion increase for higher education over three years, well short of levels its own expert panel suggested
Education minister has an ‘open mind’, amid debate over adapted plan for levy on international students’ fees
Universities approach finish line with wins from court and accreditor, then get new challenges from lawmakers and ratings agency
Higher international fees for in-person courses are vital to universities, but online students can be charged the same wherever they live, says Tim Dunne
Long-term reform blueprint prescribes teaching, research, student support and infrastructure funding overhauls
Opportunities that enhance employability and the student experience will boost both enrolments and donations, says Robert Phillips
Universities UK’s requests of an incoming government also include a review of the maintenance support package offered to students
Risk-rating system, which punishes universities for visa refusals, merely the latest form of ‘structural disadvantage’
No one should assume that university managers and consultants have all the solutions to UK universities’ financial woes, says Chris Moore
Analysis of THE rankings data indicates which countries perform strongest in light of the funding that they get
Election result in world’s fourth biggest nation underlines the need for better understanding of its neighbour
Sixty sector organisations, including 21 universities, are seeking to build a new market for cash products that does not contribute to the financing of fossil fuel expansion
One in four institutions reaps higher average income from domestic than international students, reported data suggests
Union fears more than 100 jobs at risk after university blames volatility for struggling to hit international student targets
Home fee income drops across English members of group, while overseas income up from £4 billion to £4.5 billion, THE analysis finds
Sub-inflation funding, Covid, domestic lack of interest and spiralling costs have pushed entire sector into deficit, minister told
King’s vice-chancellor also argues there’s a long-term need to be ‘open to the idea’ of some universities charging higher fees than others
Tuition fee rise is ‘unavoidable’ due to ‘sustained inflationary pressure’ faced by Welsh universities, says education minister Jeremy Miles
Incongruous Australian indexation rules to see arts students paying A$17,000 a year, unless accord’s final report produces an overhaul
Reports by London Economics try to help solve the widespread misunderstanding of higher education funding, which is ‘so complicated it should be on Mastermind’
Ebrahim Adia’s journey through modern universities indicates their power to transform lives, but they face growing financial pressure
When it launches next year, the lifelong learning entitlement could boost both university finances and social mobility, says Zahir Irani
University considering ‘phasing out’ provision in subjects where ‘we no longer feel we can be competitive’
Universities should focus on standards as enrolments stagnate, says Science and Humanities Council
University blames external factors for cutbacks as accounts show improving financial position
Conservative majority in House of Representatives backs idea of forcing universities to cover unpaid student loans, widening attack on academic foundations
Universities Australia’s budget pitch a departure from argument that fees ‘do not deter students from undertaking higher education’
The pension scheme’s healthy reported surplus could allow us to put benefits and contribution rates on a more stable long-term footing, says Carol Young
Cash-strapped institutions face task of rebuilding per-student returns as well as student numbers, with earnings slashed by scholarships, offshoring and other factors
European University Association says being forced to disclose international funding could lead to institutions being wrongly ‘suspected of representing foreign interests’
A change in atmosphere has encouraged academics to return to the country where they were once maligned, but funding pressures and issues with polarisation continue
In Vermont, a flagship for the first time counts more freshmen from a neighbouring state than from its own population
Brown, Columbia and Yale have agreed to pay eight-figure sums to see off claims that they colluded to hold down financial aid
Another alarm on university finances as Russell Group institution sees international student numbers fall by 16 per cent
Bad debt provision pushes London university into deficit and affects banking covenant
University courses franchised to colleges accounted for 53 per cent of £4.1 million of fraud detected by SLC last year, says public spending watchdog
Almost no leaders in THE survey expect government to support a university in serious trouble, as domestic and international funding woes leave one v-c fearing ministers ‘want to drive us out of business’
Analysis of accounts indicates significant increase in spending compared with previous years
Institutions’ projections for increased enrolments and reduced expenditure may be too optimistic, warns PwC
New president introduces legislation that would allow universities to charge, but many may be reluctant to do so
University draws up plans to avert risk of breaching banking covenants, as sector-wide financial worries take hold
Soaring cost of government borrowing drives price of English system up by £10 billion per year, says new IFS report
Top-ranked Canadian institution calculates financial and reputational cost of premier’s move to penalise use of English, and wonders how it can survive
University leaders warn of ‘deepening pain’ from latest cuts, amid ‘concerning headwinds’ on international recruitment
Long-frozen, loan-funded tuition fees are neither covering course costs nor, arguably, fairly recognising the benefits of higher education to society and employers. But is there an alternative that is politically and economically viable in a likely UK general election year? John Morgan reports
Some other larger universities also in deficit as universities publish accounts amid bleak climate on funding
Partial elimination of tuition fees could prove self-defeating by undermining the private universities that educate more than half of the country’s students
Paperwork pain eases, revenue pain rises as universities confront new year
As the year ends, the problems facing universities seem to be stacking ever higher. But will a general election next year bring any respite?