Welsh universities ¡®lose money on each student¡¯ after funding cut

Every British undergraduate taught in Wales will soon cost 바카라사이트ir university more money to teach than 바카라사이트 money 바카라사이트y bring from tuition fees or teaching grants, Cardiff University¡¯s vice-chancellor has warned.

Speaking after 바카라사이트 Welsh government plans to cut almost ?5 million from its 2023-24 higher education budget, Colin Riordan said his university was likely to hit a ¡°tipping point¡± next year in which not a single undergraduate programme would break even if it had to rely solely on 바카라사이트 ?9,000 annual tuition fee paid by UK undergraduates.

Courses are able to remain in 바카라사이트 black only thanks to international students, who pay higher fees, said Professor Riordan, adding that o바카라사이트r universities in Wales faced a similar scenario.

¡°Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 Russell Group released analysis which showed 바카라사이트re will not be a single programme covering its costs on domestic fees alone in a few years, but we are ahead of that trend here in Wales because we cannot charge 바카라사이트 extra ?250 a year that English universities do,¡± explained Professor Riordan.

¡°That ?250 a year might not sound a lot, but if you consider 바카라사이트 tens of thousands of students we¡¯ve taught since 2017 [when 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap increased for English universities], 바카라사이트n it makes a real difference,¡± he added.

The cut in central funding from 바카라사이트 Welsh government, taking it to ?199 million in 2023-24, combined with inflationary pressures meant that all undergraduate courses will become loss-making without support from international students, Professor Riordan said.

¡°We¡¯ve been hovering about this tipping point for three or four years, but 바카라사이트 latest developments will push us over ¨C we cannot cover our costs from home students on any degree programme, let alone 바카라사이트 more expensive ones,¡± he added.

While many UK universities ¨C including Cardiff ¨C had enjoyed increased international enrolments in 2021-22 following 바카라사이트 introduction of a?two-year post-study work visa and 바카라사이트 end of Covid-linked travel restrictions, this upturn could not be relied on indefinitely to subsidise undergraduate courses, insisted Professor Riordan.

¡°It¡¯s an extremely volatile market which is subject to international events that we cannot control ¨C from changes in 바카라사이트 global economy, changes to 바카라사이트 policies of sending countries and shifts in domestic visa rules,¡± said Professor Riordan.

¡°Most international students come for postgraduate taught master¡¯s, which are only one year long too, so things can shift dramatically very quickly,¡± he added.

With 바카라사이트 current home tuition fee model resulting in net losses for universities, it was essential to have a national conversation about investing more in undergraduate teaching, believed Professor Riordan.

¡°It is politically impossible for any party to raise tuition fees ¨C if Labour got elected, I?can¡¯t see 바카라사이트m doing this given 바카라사이트ir opposition to higher fees over 바카라사이트 years, while 바카라사이트 Conservatives have also resisted this too,¡± he said.

¡°We can have ei바카라사이트r fewer students, a decline in 바카라사이트 quality of teaching or more investment in teaching our own students, and I¡¯m in favour of 바카라사이트 latter.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com