University funding/finances

Government looking at ways to reduce cost of system as pandemic pushes enrolments up and loan repayments down

Kent says financial outlook is now better after improvement in student recruitment   

Measure doubles previous support and sets stage for student loan cancellations

Educational link ‘as bad as it has ever been’, with billions of dollars at stake for universities

New president sets ambitious financial and internationalisation goals

Sector leaders acknowledge ‘errors’ but deny deliberate withholding of pay

Selling ‘the uni experience’ has helped put bums on seats and cash in coffers, but now it’s providing grist for refund-seeking students, says Madeleine Davies

We want commercial success but can’t build it on an empty research larder, university lobby tells Canberra

Wayne State president calls major research institution inappropriate destination for Hispanic-focused funding

Observers detect message that caution on criticism is price of increased funding, but suspect balancing act will be difficult to sustain

The brutal cost-cutting demanded by Covid-19 may finally see intercollegiate athletics cut down to size, says Bruce Svare

The pandemic has prompted dire predictions about international student enrolment at anglophone universities. But will those fears come to pass? Is there an alternative to standard international education? And how much do universities really spend on recruitment agents? Ellie Bothwell reports

As classes resume on Australian campuses, anxieties persist about the year ahead – domestically, and particularly internationally

New funding should be used to lure researchers from industry and overseas, experts say

Too many trustees misunderstand or forget their fiduciary responsibilities and become co-opted by institutional presidents, says James Koch

A global recession will accelerate the latest shift away from high-cost study destinations, say Janet Ilieva and David Pilsbury

Government encourages shift away from reliance on international student revenue, but expert questions whether this is possible

Top-ranked Melbourne the latest to declare a surplus in the face of pandemic

Institutions in Double First Class initiative poaching professors from rivals and creating ‘shadow’ academic posts, says study

Mushrooming university may need to limit its activities to balance the books, new president suggests

Increasing the share of non-tenure-track faculty has no effect on financial health of US public universities, says paper

Former universities minister says there is a danger reforms will focus too narrowly on colleges

Industry operatives’ worst fears could cost universities thousands of staff and country tens of billions of dollars

While president eyes fees-based relief for students, campuses emphasise need to revive traditional means of support

Foreign investment or buyout touted as potential route out of financial woe for institutions, while others see ‘multi-university groups’ as more viable

Author of a comprehensive appraisal of university finances says officials want universities to keep money flows on the straight and narrow

Australian department ‘erroneously’ removed protection for former education minister’s pet courses

Evidence shows that universities outside the golden triangle are among the best at creating successful companies, says Brian McCaul

Warnings that some universities could become master’s-free zones overlook progress during the pandemic, vice-chancellors say

Government finally publishes modelling that estimates loss of £63 million for UK universities from drop in enrolment of new EU students

An ideological gap has grown, where some universities have different ideas to students about the concept of a university, says Steve Davies

Reduced tuition fees and more hardship scholarships would help those watching Zoom lectures while working on checkouts, says Barbara Franz

Budget also aims to cut bureaucracy and open up internationalisation avenues 

Announced increases in hardship funding are not enough, while missed educational opportunities must be replaced, says Paul Blomfield

But the eye-popping amount comes with caveats, experts say

Universities and government dispute magnitude of sector’s losses as it braces for worse in 2021

Pandemic cited as last straw for Ontario institution, following decade of financial problems

Much more cash – and fundamental reform – needed to alleviate impact of Covid-19 on learners, say unions

New South Wales sidesteps call for more reporting of universities’ foreign fee fix

University leaders harnessed an ephemeral income stream to realise ‘ambitious’ institutional strategies

Cross-party report calls on Westminster government to more than double hardship funding, but says straight refunds aren’t the answer

Like retailers, institutions must adapt to new circumstances by accelerating transformation or face long-term extinction, says Paul Baines

Sector leaders say government proposal amounts to ‘a sudden multimillion-pound hit’ for some institutions and criticise decision not to phase changes

Hepi paper by former Uclan deputy v-c calls for new funding system in which richest graduates pay more

Warnings that banking covenants could be breached in some scenarios emerge in latest accounts

While Greg Craven warns competition for business and law students could bankrupt some universities, colleagues disagree

Higher education finance expert weighs up costs of options for government, amid calls for loan discounts and cash grants

Providing opportunities for entrepreneurism and learning from start-up culture is no longer a cool optional extra for universities − it is a necessity, says Sam Robertson

Delayed government verdict on post-18 education review seen as unlikely to address concerns on rising system costs or HE economic role

With new lockdowns upon us, it’s time students received the financial relief they deserve, says David Green

Some institutions warn of worst-case scenario of 50 per cent decline in international student revenue

Congressional leaders also approve new money for student grants and minority institutions

It makes no sense for universities to control all pre-specialism, hospital-based training, says Fistra Janrio Tandirerung

Report from Education Committee says support should be focused on students on courses in ‘priority skill areas’

Long-standing cost pressures exacerbated by the pandemic swamping Canberra’s efforts to mould university efforts to economic needs

Expert says favourable treatment of Catholic university is “logical”, but criticises optics of handout to another Catholic institution

Shift to online learning has thwarted potential for student demonstrations, but unrest may return next academic year

Later start offers chance at warmer conditions and more vaccinations, say leaders

MPs say institutions are wasting money on things like car parking spaces and meditation rooms

Committee will identify potential partnerships and funding sources to support field in a possible victory for campaigners against closure