UK higher education in danger of becoming 'unduly expensive and grossly unfair', warns new report

Lessons from America by Roger Brown warns that unless the UK learns from America's recent higher education experience ordinary people will be priced out of going to university and there will be huge instability within the sector.
 
The report, for the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) highlights how more than 100 US institutions now charge more than $50,000 a year for fees, room and board, with little indication that year-on-year rises are slowing down.
 
The warning comes as the UK government looks to introduce a market in higher education by tripling the cost of tuition fees at the same time as it cuts university teaching budgets by 80%.
 
The report notes that in the US, where the policy is more advanced, the lack of state investment in higher education has led to large-scale job losses, increased teaching loads, larger class sizes and lower financial aid packages for poorer students.
 
Lessons from America also calls on university leaders to up their game and criticises British vice-chancellors for giving the impression that the only thing that really matters is being able to increase the fees, instead of looking to generate more public support for investing in higher education.
 
Responding to the report, UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt said: 'Slashing state support for universities and creating a market in fees leaves the UK at risk of repeating the mistakes of America and leaving us with large job cuts, increased workloads and class sizes.
 
'Unless we learn the lessons from America and build public support for investing in our universities we are at the beginning of a slippery slope. Too many politicians make wistful glances across the Atlantic and cherry pick what they believe to be the best elements of the US system. This report is a timely reminder of what could happen if we fail to properly support our higher education system.'