Adam Tickell, vice-chancellor of the University of Birmingham, has called for a review of student loan eligibility, questioning whether those without A-levels should receive government-backed loans. Speaking at a British Academy conference, Tickell argued that the current system lends money to people who are 'not really capable of graduating'.
Tickell described the higher education funding system as facing an 'almost existential challenge', with rising student debt and universities on the brink of failure. He said that tweaking the margins would not address the underlying issues and that a radical review is needed.
The vice-chancellor highlighted that students without a single A-level or equivalent are accessing the student loan book, which now averages £53,000 per graduate. He questioned whether the public wants more people to attend university and how the system should be funded.
Philip Augar, who led a 2019 review of higher education funding, told the conference that the cost-sharing model between students and government has broken down, with some graduates paying up to 83% of their loans. He described the situation as 'unfair and wrong'.
However, Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, warned against another review, citing a recent government white paper on post-16 education. She said the focus should be tightly constrained to avoid opening a 'Pandora's box'.
