Education at every level has had huge impacts from the global spread of the Corona virus. Universities are facing enormous challenges in dealing with the fallout. A recent study shows UK universities are expecting to face £760m loss in tuition fees as many students are cancelling or postponing their plans to attend university next year.
Students are changing their education plans due to uncertainty around the current pandemic – with more than one-third wondering if it is worth going to university at all. A study of 1,000 college and sixth-form pupils found concerns around finances, family and their future in general had led to four in 10 changing their mind about their upcoming higher education. Prior to lockdown, 37 per cent of these had planned to go to university but are now looking at other options, while one-tenth are questioning their choice to take a gap year.
This drop in enrolments will have many repercussions for universities in the UK. One imagines that universities in other countries are seeing similar problems. It is also possible that many tertiary institutions may not survive the fallout from the virus.
Photo / Image Credit :
"University of Manchester - Whitworth Building" by Mike Peel under licensed to CC-BY-SA-4.0
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