A reckoning is coming for the higher education sector
We do not have to endorse such cultural pessimism to accept that the precipitous rise in the quantity of graduates has been accompanied by a dilution in the quality of degrees.
The results can now be seen. Students are running up huge debts, expecting their studies to amply reward them. But instead they end up finding themselves on benefits.
Britain's welfare system was not designed for a generation which has lost all inhibitions about what it no longer calls 'the dole'. But the bigger concern is the university system itself, now on the brink of bankruptcy.
In yesterday's Telegraph James Kirkup argued that the vanishing of the 'graduate premium' in earnings, combined with the loss of many 'graduate jobs' to AI, is reducing the appeal of a degree. Squeezed by demographic decline, universities are now financially dependent on foreign students, who pay higher tuition fees. Driven by voters' anger over migration, however, governments have cut visas for overseas students.
Some 40 per cent of universities are now running deficits. Add to this the folly of the likes of Edinburgh University, which is apologising for the views of its Enlightenment luminaries such as Dugald Stewart and David Hume. If the prospectus is mandatory self-flagellation and not-so-genteel poverty, it is time to consider university reform.
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Telegraph
38 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Bruno Fernandes blames laziness for Manchester United draw with Everton
Bruno Fernandes accused Manchester United of being 'lazy' off the ball against Everton as the club's captain called for more signings before the close of the transfer window. Bryan Mbeumo made his first appearance for United since signing from Brentford in a £71 million deal and looked lively during a 45-minute run-out. But United twice threw ahead the lead, as Everton claimed a 2-2 draw in the teams' final match of the Premier League Summer Series and Fernandes was unhappy with elements of their display. 'Our performance wasn't the best off the ball, we were a little bit lazy, and we have to avoid that because the laziness you can pay at any moment,' the Portugal midfielder told NBC. United manager Ruben Amorim backed Fernandes' criticism by saying he was happy to see his players call out any drop in standards. 'I think I'm happy for the players to have that feeling,' said Amorim, whose side beat West Ham and Bournemouth in their first two games of their US pre-season tour. 'It's saying that they understand the situation. So it's a good feeling. I think the momentum of the tour was perfect. 'We had the weeks to work with a good environment, good feeling and then we go back to Carrington and we are near to start the season. We are going with the feeling that we need to do a lot of things [better].' Omar Berrada, the United chief executive, said the director of football Jason Wilcox and his recruitment team were working 'around the clock' to make further additions to the squad. United are competing with Newcastle for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko although Amorim would also like reinforcements in central midfielder and goalkeeper. 'We have a team back home led by Jason - the recruitment team - that is working around the clock to ensure that we continue to find opportunities to strengthen our squad. There are lots of late calls and early morning meetings to make sure that we stay on top of it.' United have spent £140m this summer on Mbeumo, fellow forward Matheus Cunha and left back Diego Leon, but Fernandes believes more arrivals are needed. 'It's improving, it's not where we want it to be,' he said. 'I don't want to have a dig at anyone but I think the club is doing the best they can in terms of all the financial situations they talk about. 'I don't know about it, I'm not involved in that, but obviously it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here. 'We needed more quality to get everyone to step up a bit more to have more to do to get into the starting XI and I think that's what the club and the manager are trying to do and hopefully we can get one or two players more to help with that.' Fernandes said United's players had a duty to atone for last season, when they finished 15th in the Premier League, and that the standards had to be higher. 'It's every detail, every small detail matters,' said the Portuguese, who is one of a new six-strong leadership group. 'At this football club you can't do anything wrong on the pitch and off the pitch because it's too big worldwide and you get punished by that. 'You get the attention of the media and your fans and you have to be aware of that. At this club the culture here was winning and we need to bring that back. 'Not only the winning mentality that we need, and I think that's always been there, but obviously if you don't win you don't show it. 'The club is trying to improve other things, the facilities have improved, we tried to improve the team, the staff, a lot of things. 'A lot of people have suffered from this, a lot of people who had been working at the club for many many years had to go. The fans are paying more for tickets and we appreciate all the effort they put in for us so now it's up to us to pay it back on the pitch.' United in urgent need of defensive midfielder United may be competing with Newcastle to sign Benjamin Sesko, but the need to recruit a mobile defensive midfielder is arguably as pressing, if not more pressing, than a new centre-forward. The Everton game merely reaffirmed that. Mbeumo impressed on his first appearance for United and dovetailed well with Cunha, Fernandes and Amad Diallo before the Cameroon international was substituted at half-time. Yet this was a bruising run-out for Manuel Ugarte, who was responsible for losing the ball cheaply in the lead up to Everton's first equaliser and generally looked short of what United require. The Uruguay midfielder was excellent in the 2-1 win over West Ham in New Jersey a week earlier, but many of his familiar flaws were back on show against Everton in Atlanta. 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BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Government pledges extra £100m funding to tackle people smuggling
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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
STEPHEN GLOVER: Starmer is signing his political death warrant with his futile ‘smash the gangs' policy. Deterrence is the only solution
Why are Sir Keir Starmer and Labour unable to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats? Last week, as Vice-President J.D. Vance accused Europe of 'engaging in civilisational suicide', our Government established a bleak record. More than 25,000 migrants have come across the Channel so far this year, a 50 per cent increase on 2024. It seems certain that 2025 will be the worst year ever.
