Nurseries need funding more than universities

Over a third of UK universities are in financial trouble, according to Universities UK, the group that represents many of them and is currently lobbying the government for a lifeline. Ministers say they are ‘looking at all options’, but vice chancellors will find the task of convincing the cash-strapped Treasury a difficult task: new data reveals how disproportionately funded our education system is in favour of higher education.

The latest OECD Education at a Glance data for 2024 makes painful reading for university chiefs. Comparing the education spending of 37 OECD countries, the UK has the third highest total per student spending on university and college education. According to their calculations, our national spend at around $27,000 (£20,600) – excluding research and development expenditure – which is almost twice the OECD average of just over $14,000 (£10,700). We are top of the class for the number of students receiving public financial support: over 90 per cent of UK students receive support in the form of government-guaranteed public loans.