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Select Committee · Education Committee

Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students

Status: Open Opened: 12 Jun 2025 36 recommendations 25 conclusions 1 report

The UK’s higher education sector is in trouble. Dozens of universities are making redundancies and cuts to courses, trying to stay afloat amid uncertainty over where their money is coming from. The Education Committee will look under the bonnet at what is going on. In a focused single evidence session on 8 April, the Committee … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolv… HC 807 12 May 2026 61 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
18 Conclusion 9th Report - Higher Education and Fundi… Not Addressed

We welcome the Government’s commitment to ensuring undergraduate tuition fees retain their real-term value by...

We welcome the Government’s commitment to ensuring undergraduate tuition fees retain their real-term value by raising fees in line with forecast inflation. However, maintenance loans are tied to forecast inflation and in recent years forecast inflation has repeatedly been lower than actual inflation. The effect of this has been a … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government explains that legislative and Student Loans Company timetables prevent 'in-year' changes to address inflation, but does not commit to any action to address the underlying issue of real-terms reduction in maintenance loan value.
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Department for Education
57 Recommendation 9th Report - Higher Education and Fundi… Not Addressed

We were told by Universities UK that were HE institutions able to charge higher fees...

We were told by Universities UK that were HE institutions able to charge higher fees they would do so. However, we also appreciate there are considerable differences in the fees charged to international students between providers. In addition, a flat-rate £925 per student levy with an exemption for the first … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it will continue to engage with providers on the implementation of the levy but does not specifically commit to facilitating the requested clarification from the higher education sector regarding price elasticities or their own analysis.
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Department for Education

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
25 Nov 2025 Patrick Curry · Department for Education, Susan Lapworth · Office for Students, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Malvern · The Department for Education View ↗
21 Oct 2025 Adam Leach · Civic University Network, Carol Prokopyszyn · British Universities Finance Directors Group, Dr David Pilsbury · International Higher Education Commission, Mr Neil Smyth · Mills and Reeve LLP, Mrs Dani Payne · Social Market Foundation, Professor Brian Bell · Migration Advisory Committee, Rachel MacSween · IDP Education UK and Ireland, Vivienne Stern MBE · Universities UK View ↗
8 Apr 2025 Alex Stanley · National Union of Students, Andrew Bird · British Universities' International Liaison Association, Dr Hollie Chandler · The Russell Group, Jo Grady · University College Union (UCU), Mr Raj Jethwa · Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), Professor Dame Jessica Corner · UK Research and Innovation, Professor Malcolm Press CBE · Universities UK, Rachel Hewitt · MillionPlus, The Association for Modern Universities, Sir Philip Augar · Post-18 Education and Funding Review View ↗

Who gave evidence

20 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Adam Leach · National Civic Impact Director Civic University Network 1
Alex Stanley · Vice-President of Higher Education National Union of Students 1
Andrew Bird · Chair British Universities' International Liaison Association 1
Carol Prokopyszyn · Chief Financial Officer, University of Manchester British Universities Finance Directors Group 1
Dr David Pilsbury · Secretary International Higher Education Commission 1
Dr Hollie Chandler · Director of Policy The Russell Group 1
Jo Grady · General Secretary University College Union (UCU) 1
Mr Neil Smyth · Partner Mills and Reeve LLP 1
Mr Raj Jethwa · Chief Executive Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) 1
Mrs Dani Payne · Head of Education and Social Mobility Social Market Foundation 1
Patrick Curry · Director for Higher Education Oversight Department for Education 1
Professor Brian Bell · Chair Migration Advisory Committee 1
Professor Dame Jessica Corner · Executive Chair, Research England UK Research and Innovation 1
Professor Malcolm Press CBE · Vice President (England and Northern Ireland) Universities UK 1
Rachel Hewitt · Chief Executive MillionPlus, The Association for Modern Universities 1
Rachel MacSween · Director of Client Partnerships and Stakeholder E… IDP Education UK and Ireland 1
Sir Philip Augar · Chair of the 2019 Independent Panel Post-18 Education and Funding Review 1
Susan Lapworth · Chief Executive Office for Students 1
The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Malvern · Minister of State (Minister for Skills) The Department for Education 1
Vivienne Stern MBE · Chief Executive Universities UK 1

Correspondence

11 letters
DateDirectionTitle
14 Apr 2026 To cttee Joint letter from UCEA and UUK on Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insol…
24 Mar 2026 — Correspondence with HM Treasury on Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Inso…
13 Jan 2026 To cttee Letter from Minister for Skills on Higher Education and Funding, dated 19.12.25
9 Dec 2025 From cttee Letter to Minister for Skills on Higher Education and Funding dated 09.12.25
3 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from NUS on follow up evidence from Higher Education and Funding: Threat…
3 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from Professor Malcolm Press CBE on Higher Education and Funding: Threat…
20 May 2025 To cttee Letter from Secretary of State on Higher Education 14.05.25
7 May 2025 From cttee Letter to Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education on Hig…
6 May 2025 To cttee Letter from Provost, The University of Edinburgh on Higher Education 25.04.25
29 Apr 2025 To cttee Letter from BUILA on Higher Education dated 23.04.25
23 Apr 2025 To cttee Letter from the Russell Group of Universities on Higher Education and Funding d…