OfS report shows university funding model is broken

The union was responding to the Office for Students report on university finances, which warns that two in five universities expect to be in deficit this academic year.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'The funding model for higher education is broken and needs radical change to put the sector on a firm financial footing. Unfortunately, the Tories seem intent on making the situation worse through constant attacks on migrant students and workers. The graduate visa route must now stay, the limits on graduate students' family members coming to the UK should be reversed and the salary threshold needs to be lowered.

'UCU has shown how an employer education levy could pay for a publicly funded higher education system instead of tuition fees. This would mean that universities would no longer have to fight to hoover up domestic students. We need all political parties to commit to a new funding settlement for higher education. The alternative is institutions being hollowed out, geographic cold spots where courses are unavailable, and less opportunity for future generations - harming our society and economy.'