UEA Vice-Chancellor warns that higher-education is facing a range of financial challenges
Universities warn that recent changes to student visa terms could mean less of them come to study in the UK, moving forwards
Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia is telling us that Higher-Education is facing a range of financial challenges, but will be buoyed by an up-tick in students, this year.
Official figures show that there's been an overall jump of three per cent in students enrolling to a Uni in the UK, after this A-level results day compared to last years.
"We're having to be more efficient and use our income more wisely"
Professor David Maguire told us about some of the challenges they're facing:
"We've got a fixed income because undergraduate student fees are capped and inflation is eating into that, at about 5 percent per year. Like lots of more organisations we're having to be more efficient and use our income more wisely.
"We're down in terms of our international taught post-graduate students, although we are up in terms of undergraduate international students. This is largely due to changes made by the previous Government in visa requirements which make it more difficult and expensive for these people to study here.
"Clearing places here are about the same, but nationally it's probably slightly higher because some Unis have got fewer international students and are therefore seeking more domestic students to compensate that".
One of the issues in greater focus:
The Government estimates that foreign students in Higher Education were worth around £21.7 billion to the UK in 2021.
Economic consultancy London Economics estimates that these students starting in 2021/22 would bring a net £37.4 billion to the UK.
The analysis said this ' economic impact' was spread across the entire UK, with international students making a £58 million net economic contribution to the UK economy. This equating to £560 per person
What's that Government said on this?
The Education Secretary says the Government won't be changing the current terms of student visas- but says this groups makes an "important contribution.