Saddling students with even more debt is untenable

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Universities are in dire need of investment, but those with the deepest pockets, not students, should pay. Students already face up to 40 years of forced debt repayments and must not be saddled with even higher fees.

'Vice-chancellors lobbied tirelessly to create the market-led system that is now causing huge financial instability across the sector. It is shameful that they now ask students to pay more without reflecting on the disaster they have invited upon higher education.  

'Giving vice-chancellors more money without preconditions would be handing arsonists yet more fuel for the fire. Labour must stop allowing them to act like reckless CEOs. A publicly funded system, backed by a levy on graduate employers, could help end the feast or famine admissions free for all and distribute funding more evenly. This would help secure the future for our world-leading universities.'

UCU polled 17-21 year olds last month and found the overwhelming majority of young people are concerned about the cost of higher education (81%), believe students should pay less (84%), and want employers to pay more (70%). Research by London Economics for UCU shows student fees across the UK could be abolished and replaced by a levy on graduate employers.