“We’re paying thousands of pounds a year to attend somewhere which is basically a sinkhole”: Universities in Financial Crisis
It has been no secret in recent years that certain UK Universities have been experiencing significant financial struggle, particularly post pandemic. One of the Universities at the forefront of this discussion has been the University of Kent, which has already seen itself taking drastic measures to maintain itself during this economic downturn for education.
Some of the earliest moves from Kent came in February, when the University proposed cutting 58 jobs in an attempt to respond to its “financial challenges”. From here, it seems to have snowballed, with plans to cut nine courses from its portfolio and the closure of the University of Kent Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS) in the Spring of 2024.
Understandably, these events have caused murmurings amongst the student body of Kent, with many fearful of what this means for their degree. One student told The Brussels Times that the closure of BSIS “came as an absolute shock to us all, and the way in which it has been announced massively added to the stress many of us are already experiencing”.
Despite the somewhat abrupt closure of BSIS, the University of Kent has been seemingly transparent about their financial situation within the media, especially after candidly revealing the £30 million deficit from the 2023-2024 academic year. However, I felt it would be especially important to talk to students from the University of Kent themselves to see how they have personally been impacted as active students in the institution.
I spoke with an anonymous third year student at the school, who gave me some insight into the reality of Kent University.
When in discussion about the strikes in 2022, this student spoke candidly about the support they received from their personal faculty at the university- “my department was pretty clear and transparent about everything and why they were doing it. I remember during one of our lectures the teacher gave us a powerpoint to explain why she was striking- but I also remember her apologising to us”
Naturally, we discussed whether this has changed in the past two years, in which the student commented that “The powerpoint was the last I heard- I do think as students they don’t want us to know, because we are paying so much money”. From here on out, the conversation focused heavily on the day to day activity as a student at the universities, and the murmurings on campus.
“I think the lack of international students compared to other universities is probably a big issue- but other than that I really have no idea where all of our money is going because there’s probably a good 20,000 students there all paying 9,000 themselves.” This isn’t an unpopular perspective in the UK. According to a BBC survey, 80% of students across the country don’t think their university provides enough information on how their tuition fees are used. Some students say they have no idea where their fees go and that universities could be more appealing to prospective students if they provided more information.
The student then went on to describe other expenses they’ve paid during university, explaining how “The accommodation alone is astronomically expensive. I know there’s a cost of living crisis and bills are going up but they are just ripping people off in terms of accommodation. I think the cheapest accommodation is £160 a week, and it’s not even nice… I mean I don’t know where it’s all going, and it just seems a little bit odd”.
All this information begs the question- who on earth is going to help? When speaking to this student I asked for their personal opinion:
“Things have changed wildly since the 90s when my parents went to university, and now we’re paying thousands of pounds a year to attend somewhere which is basically a sinkhole. Where’s all the money going? I just want to know.”
“We get told that when you attend University you’re guaranteed a better graduate job, but where’s the support for that? Where’s the funding?”
“At the end of the day I think universities are panicking… they are a business and everything revolves around money and there isn’t any.”
Speaking to a student from just one of the 66 UK Universities facing financial turmoil has left me with a sense of dread for the higher education system. In a cost of living crisis where affordability seems like a novelty of the past, I know an increase in tuition fees would not only be unpopular but unethical. How can anyone with civic conscience truly ask students for more? Especially considering the battering young people have faced since the 2020s alone; with Covid-19 robbing opportunity, the cost of living destroying rent prices and the albeit necessary teaching strikes impairing their education schedules, University is already seeming an unsavoury option even without a tuition fee increase.
And yet, as I sat typing this article on the 4th November 2024, I looked down at my phone to see a singular notification from the BBC: “Breaking News- Government Expected to Announce Tuition Fee Rise”, and just like during my conversation with the anonymous student from Kent, my heart sunk once again. Young people have another burden placed on their shoulders during a Cost of Living Crisis that is nearly totally out of their hands. Another weight added to the already heavy load. The most crushing part? This is the government that pledged to abolish tuition fees as a whole just one year ago.
And so here we are again, young people worse off and still in financial gridlock.
Words by Poppy Grainger
Cover Image Credit: Business Durham via Flickr
Sources: BBC News, Times Higher Education, Brussels Times
