UK universities face a multi-million pound funding
shortfall as foreign students stay away due to the Covid-19
crisis, warns a report released today (Monday). The report, by
the British Council, predicts that there will be 14,000 fewer new
enrolments from East Asia alone this academic year compared to
2019-20.
The University and College Union (UCU) said the report was
further evidence of the need for the government to step in and
provide universities with urgent financial help. A report
for the union by London Economics in April warned that
universities faced a £2.5bn funding black hole due to lost income
from student tuition fees and teaching grants.
The British Council report says international students
would prefer a delay to the academic year if that meant more
face-to-face teaching. Prospective postgraduate students
overwhelmingly favour a face-to-face start in January (63%) over
an autumn start online (15%). While undergraduate students
are more closely split, almost half (46%) prefer a delayed
January start compared to 37% who would like an online start in
the autumn.
A poll released this week showed that over
two-thirds (71%) of prospective UK students would like to see a
delay to the start of term if it meant more
face-to-face teaching. Almost a quarter (23%) of the students
polled were worried their university might go bust as a result of
the crisis and half (49%) feared their education would suffer as
a result of cuts linked to Covid-19.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘There is a crisis
unfolding in higher education and the government is refusing to
act. This latest report is more evidence of the serious financial
hardship that universities will suffer if the government does not
step in.
‘The current wait and see approach from ministers is
exacerbating the crisis for prospective students and putting tens
of thousands of jobs at universities and in the wider economy at
risk. Universities have already started cutting jobs and will
keep trying to do so as the uncertainty persists, with huge
repercussions on local economies that depend on higher
education.
‘Universities are focusing their efforts on trying to get
as many students through their doors in September, yet they are
refusing to listen to students in the UK and abroad who say they
are worried about what their education will look like and even if
their chosen institution can ride out the crisis.’
