Die University of Sheffield muss aufgrund des Studentenrückgangs mit einem Defizit von 50 Millionen Pfund rechnen

Its worse then just the uni. Sheffield is such a student city that this will have a knock on effect to a lot of local businesses

We’re going to see this with a lot of unis unfortunately. I trained at Teesside and am originally from the area. My father did 2 degrees there back when it was a polytechnic transitioning to university in the early 90s. It has a special place in my heart.

Without the university the local economy would absolutely tank. The Middlesbrough economy (as well as the surrounding areas) is already hanging on by it’s fingernails as it is. If the university goes under it will be catastrophic for the area.

We either need to have an agreement that universities get financial support, or they get nothing but universities cannot be favoured based on status. If Teesside, Sheffield, Northumbria or other smaller universities are left to struggle we should expect it of all of them. I just don’t want to see universities die, but some (Oxford springs to mind) getting grants to survive just because they’re special and old.

Income can go up as well as down, unfortunately Universities only seem to know how to spend money from growth and feel entitled to more and more income to cover to fund their research, building projects and growth ambitions. Reduce staff and overheads pro-rata to reduction in student numbers. It’s really not that difficult.

I went from teaching 50 UK/EU students on a module one year to teaching 150 predominantly Chinese students the next year. I moved jobs, just saying that to be clear that I am no longer affiliated and haven’t been for some time.

I am still in touch with several prominent researchers in my field, including some very senior Chinese professors in our field. One of those is in charge of international relations for a Chinese top ten (and now global top 100) university. He gets begged, quite literally, by UK Universities for meetings, to discuss sending Chinese students to the UK.

It’s dried up for two reasons: The constant anti-China rhetoric in anglophile countries is having a huge detrimental effect, racism against the Chinese is getting worse and the Chinese know this. They used to look up to countries like the UK, Australia and the US, but that is changing.

The other, more significant reason is that China’s academia has reached a point where it outcompetes the UK, with ease. Better funding, more capacity, better facilities… But most of all, many really well educated Chinese professors that are returning to China on ever increasing remuneration deals (wags plus research budget) who offer better quality education back home.

Sheffield really put all its eggs in the ‘attract Chinese students!’ basket and it is going to backfire spectacularly. I do wish my alma mater all the luck and good will in the world, but it’s time to rethink priorities.

Not surprising given some of the [highly offensive and out of touch comments](https://thepipeline.info/blog/2021/07/09/university-management-accused-of-gaslighting-archaeology-students-as-ethics-watchdog-blocks-complaint/) the vice chancellor makes.

Then there’s the fact that the [governance of the uni of Sheffield has been corrupt and spending money on the likes of limos and hotel stays for years](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7525839/amp/Sheffield-college-chief-claimed-9-000-chauffeur-driven-car.html)

All while people have been battling for [staff](https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/13181/Ten-days-of-strikes-set-to-hit-the-University-of-Sheffield-over-pay-docking-row) to be [paid fairly](https://www.thestar.co.uk/education/what-university-cleaners-in-sheffield-discovered-today-3424663)

Oh well.

Isn’t capatalism great until it fucks you?

Perhaps the Senate members should take a pay cut to reflect changing reality

I mean who’s going to come and study in an ok uni for £20k annualy plus cost of living? I have a cousin from Greece who really wanted to come to Sheffield. He had really great grades and everything but simply didn’t have the money. He didn’t even bother with the application. He went to the Netherlands instead.

If tuition fees were funded by the government, many problems would go away. A limited number of students would be a good thing, and would eliminate the incentive for universities to rely on international student money

Strange how they once survived without tuition fees.

Is there a good breakdown anywhere of expenses vs costs?

I’m probably missing something but it seems the amount per student these universities get from domestic student should be enough to cover teaching most 3 year degrees?

I never felt I got value for money back when I was paying around 3k a year even without considering the extra the government was giving them

I can’t tell if it’s all going on chancellors salaries and research or running costs are just higher than I think