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Covid-19: UK universities at risk of collapse, warn unions
Five unions warned the government that universities must be given extra protection during the pandemic to ensure their financial survival because of their vital contribution to the economy, local communities and medical research.
Many UK universities faced an uncertain future before the coronavirus pandemic, but its debilitating impact – including potential loss of income if less Indian and other international students come in September – may lead to some collapsing, prompting unions to seek help from the Boris Johnson government on Wednesday.
Universities have been grappling with a shift to online teaching in the current academic year ending August- September, besides apprehensions over the situation when the next year begins in September. The immediate challenge is the next term from around April 20.
Five unions warned the government that universities must be given extra protection during the pandemic to ensure their financial survival because of their vital contribution to the economy, local communities and medical research.
There are thousands of Indian students on courses in the current academic year. Until the pandemic struck, ministers, diplomats and stake-holders were hailing an increase in the number of Indian students, but there are now concerns over the extent of the new intake from September.
Indian and other international students typically pay three times the course fee applicable to UK and EU students, besides contributing to the UK economy through maintenance and travel expenses. The international students are estimated to bring billions of pounds each year.
In a joint letter to higher education minister Michelle Donelan, the unions representing higher education staff sought urgent assurances that universities will not be allowed to collapse financially as a result of the outbreak, backed up with legislation.
The unions – UNISON, University and College Union (UCU), GMB, Unite and the Educational Institute of Scotland – say that the sector is too valuable for any institutions to get into financial difficulties. Some universities are biggest employers in their area, with the sector employing around 750,000 people.
The letter says: “The university sector is one of the most productive and important parts of the UK economy with international students alone bringing in £7.3 billion each year and the sector as a whole generating £73 billion”.
“We are already getting many reports of universities serving notifications of redundancies, and of contractors in universities sending staff home without pay or asking them to use their annual leave”.
“It is no overstatement to say that such a response from universities will be disastrous for the individuals concerned and their families as well as for the future of the higher education sector – one of the most important industries in the UK”, it adds.
