Tuition fee cut will send universities into crisis – VCs

A cut to tuition fees will send universities into a crisis which could see science courses cut and leave museums at risk of closure, Britain’s leading vice-chancellors have warned, writes Camilla Turner for The Telegraph.

It was reported in November that university tuition fees could be cut to £6,500 (US$8,300), under proposals from a commission established by the prime minister to recommend higher education reforms. This would leave universities with a third less income from fees, and a £3 billion funding shortfall. University chiefs say that such a “drastic” slashing of fees would leave the United Kingdom’s higher education sector reeling and would lead to departments or even entire universities closing down.

In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli and Dr Tim Bradshaw, respectively chair and chief executive of the Russell Group, asked: “Would the Treasury offer to cover the funding shortfall in full? If not, UK higher education will face a funding crisis.” Last year Prime Minister Theresa May ordered a review of post-18 education led by Philip Augar, a former equities broker. It is due to report to the Department for Education in January, almost a year after it was set up.
Full report on The Telegraph site