The problem of university funding

Ewan Edwards, Tech Editor, discusses university funding struggles as tuition fees remain unchanged

AMID the of the cost-of-living crisis, universities are facing a squeeze in their funding. The problem is a double-edged sword; tuition fees have been capped at £9,250 since 2012 in England and any increase would face backlash from students who already feel the burden of taking on this level of debt at such a young age, but on its own domestic tuition fee payments are not enough to fund universities in the UK.

Inflation, which feels like it has plagued all parts of life over the last 12 months, is at the root of the problem, as tuition fees have not risen with it. Money does not go as far but standards of research and education are expected to stay the same. On top of this, international research partnerships have been impacted by Brexit for the worse. These partnerships are vital to sustaining funding and promoting the attractiveness of univer sities to investors. Exeter launched the £1.9 million Joint Centre for Environmental Sustainabil ity and Resilience with the Chinese University of Hong Kong unimpact ed by Brexit, but any joint venture like this with a European institute would have caused financial damage from 2020. Universities across the UK are now increasingly reliant upon external funding and philanthropy. Hugh Brady, President of Impe rial College London, has warned of the dangers of “becoming dependent” on phil anthropic donations. There is no guarantee that this money will keep coming in, and, whilst those universi - ties in the Russell Group have benefitted from donations, they can- not afford to become dependent. If money were withdrawn, the recipient university could be plunged into debt, threatening the research and educational capacity of the institute. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi has donated in excess of £5 million to the University of Exeter funding the Arab and Islamic Studies building, but no private company would be reliant on inconsistent donations for funding. Whilst the University of Exeter is fortunate to be looked upon as a worthwhile investment from philanthropists or alumni, not all universities may have the same privilege. The UK is globally renowned for its education system and its universities; in the University of Exeter’s 2021/2022 financial review, over a third of tuition fees were taken from international