Across the higher education sector, universities are facing increasing financial pressure:
- Tuition fees remain historically low while costs continue to rise
- Competition for students is growing in the UK and internationally
At our University these challenges have been intensified by a sharp fall in student numbers:
- On-campus population down 44% since 2022/23 – from around 10,500 to just over 6,100 forecast for 2025/26
- Despite strong efforts to boost recruitment and diversify, the trend has not yet reversed
This decline has had a major financial impact:
- Total income forecast to fall by £62 million – down 40% (from £153m to £91m)
- Pay costs rising as a share of income – from 48% to 75%
- Cash reserves remain healthy, but are being used at a rate that isn’t sustainable in the medium term
