Uncertainty for universities as students ‘may defer places’

UNIVERSITIES MAY face an uncertain future, unions warn, as new polling suggests a fifth of prospective students could defer their place if settings are not “operating as usual” this autumn.

An estimated 120,000 students may delay when the academic year begins in September and October, the analysis found, while a quarter of students could switch settings through the clearing process. Such outcomes which would lead to a significant loss in tuition fee income for institutions, a report by London Economics for the University and College Union (UCU) warns.

Dr Gavan Conlon, partner at London Economics, said: “If the current deferral rates as a result of the pandemic are borne out, then the financial consequences facing universities will be even more severe than those identified recently by London Economics.”

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, said: “Universities are worried about loss of income and students being poached by other institutions.

“The Government needs to step in and underwrite income lost through fees and teaching grants and, in response, universities must promise to work together on plans for safely reopening and when to recommence faceto-face teaching.”

The findings come as the University of Cambridge confirmed all “face-to-face lectures” will be moved online during the 202021 academic year to ensure social distancing can continue. The University of Glasgow has also said large-scale lectures would be “impractical”

at the start of the autumn term if the two-metre social distancing rule remains in place.

Around five to six per cent of applicants usually defer their places each year – but the analysis estimates an additional 17 per cent of prospective students will not enrol this year if universities are not operating as usual.