The British university is dying, and it seems that almost nobody cares
4 hours ago
- #academic decline
- #higher education crisis
- #university funding
- British universities are facing a severe crisis with widespread job cuts, redundancies, and closures, often overlooked in news coverage.
- The funding model broke down after 2011 with £9,000 tuition fees replacing government funding, removing separate research pots and forcing universities to scramble for students.
- Tuition fees haven't kept pace with inflation, and reliance on international student fees is declining due to Brexit and immigration policies, creating a perfect storm.
- Universities are over-expanding for profit, leading to unsustainable growth, while educational quality deteriorates as teaching loads increase and research is sidelined.
- The government shows no intention of rescuing universities, viewing market exit as part of the plan, and public sympathy is low due to perceptions of academia as a luxury.
- Despite flaws, universities serve as vital 'spaces for exceptions' where creativity and subversion can occur, and their loss would advance a hyper-controlled society.