GuildHE responds to the Office for Students’ report Financial Sustainability of Higher Education Providers in England, stating the urgency of a long-term funding solution to protect the current diversity of sector providers. 

Dr Alex Bols, Deputy CEO, GuildHE said: 

“As the financial health of the higher education sector becomes ever more challenging the need for a long-term funding solution becomes ever more urgent. 

 

The increasing costs facing universities, decreasing real terms tuition fee income and risks to other income streams mean that the likelihood of institutional closure or merger increase. 

 

One of the key strengths in the UK higher education sector is our excellent and diverse range of universities and colleges, including many smaller and specialist institutions. We risk sleep-walking into a less diverse sector without a clear plan to protect this.”