rishi-sunak-university

Rishi Sunak wants to scrap university degrees that don’t boost graduate salaries

What if I like reading books and facing a lifetime of overwhelming debt?


If Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister of the UK, he will scrap university degrees that don’t leave students financially better off, Sky News reports.

The Tory leadership candidate said he would “take a tougher approach to university degrees that saddle students with debt, without improving their earning potential”.

Rishi Sunak, who studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford, would assess uni degrees based on their drop-out rates and the number of people in graduate jobs, among other things.

If the degrees don’t meet certain standards, Sunak would phase them out.

The former Chancellor would also accelerate the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, which seeks to tackle an apparent free speech crisis on campus.

Many critics say this bill is attempting to combat a problem that doesn’t exist and could in fact work to protect hate speech.

Sunak would also make a Russell Group of technical colleges. His campaign said this would mark “a significant stride towards parity of esteem between vocational and academic education”.

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak are currently battling it out in the Tory leadership contest, with a winner to be declared by September 5th.

Truss has also unveiled her plans for the university sector, saying she would ensure all pupils who get straight A*s at A-Level are given an Oxbridge interview.

This could mean the the start of the university academic year is pushed forward to January.

For more politics and current affairs follow our new channel Agenda on Twitter.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Liz Truss could move the start of the university year to January if she becomes PM

• Terminally-ill lecturer who moonied speeding camera cleared of any wrongdoing

• Russell Group unis paid students up to £15k to defer their places

• One in 10 students think Tories should be barred from campus