Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor says funding for higher education is ‘broken’

Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor has said that the current funding model for higher education is “broken”.

Wendy Larner is having a “big conversation” with university staff about the future of the funding for higher education.

The previous Vice-Chancellor, Colin Riordan, said finances were “unstable” as a result of inflation, frozen tuition fees and less public money.

Professor Riordan said that in part, this is due to the difference in tuition fees for Welsh and English universities.

English tuition fees are capped at £9,250 a year, however Welsh universities are capped at £9,000.

This means that with the 23,765 undergraduate students in 2021/2022 Cardiff University would have made almost six million more pounds than it was able to charge £9,250 instead.

However, the Welsh government insists it is in “regular and constructive” communication with the university sector.

Professor Wendy Larner took over the role of Vice Chancellor from Professor Colin Riordan in September. She is now on a salary of £290,000 a year.

Professor Larner told the BBC: “With our home students, the fees don’t cover the cost of their education, the money we get for our research doesn’t cover the cost of our research.”

Professor Wendy Larner also said the international students fees were subsidising the rest of the university’s work but is in need of change.

She said any changes would be put in place after both staff and students had been consulted.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “The [Welsh Education] Minister is having regular and constructive engagement with the sector about a sustainable model for HE [higher education].”

Feature image via YouTube

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