Committees

Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students

Inquiry

The UK’s higher education sector is in trouble. Dozens of universities are making redundancies and cuts to courses, trying to stay afloat amid uncertainty over where their money is coming from. 

The Education Committee will look under the bonnet at what is going on. In a focused single evidence session on 8 April, the Committee examined the perfect storm bearing down on institutions, including fluctuations in domestic and international student numbers, pension contributions, and the rate of tuition fees. 

On 13 May the Committee decided it wished to pursue a series of mini-inquiries relating to higher education. It was decided that the first mini-inquiry would concentrate on the urgent issues of the threat of insolvency in the higher education sector and international students.

Read the call for evidence

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 6:00pm on 31 July 2025.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Tuesday 25 November 2025
10:00am Public
Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students - Oral evidence 25 November 2025
10:00am
  • The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Malvern (Minister of State (Minister for Skills) at The Department for Education)
  • Susan Lapworth (Chief Executive at Office for Students)
  • Patrick Curry (Director for Higher Education Oversight at Department for Education)
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Tuesday 21 October 2025
10:00am Public
Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students - Oral evidence 21 October 2025
10:00am
  • Mr Neil Smyth (Partner at Mills and Reeve LLP)
  • Adam Leach (National Civic Impact Director at Civic University Network)
  • Carol Prokopyszyn (Chief Financial Officer, University of Manchester at British Universities Finance Directors Group)
  • Vivienne Stern MBE (Chief Executive at Universities UK)
11:00am
  • Professor Brian Bell (Chair at Migration Advisory Committee)
  • Mrs Dani Payne (Head of Education and Social Mobility at Social Market Foundation)
  • Rachel MacSween (Director of Client Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, UK International and Europe at IDP Education UK and Ireland)
  • Dr David Pilsbury (Secretary at International Higher Education Commission)
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Tuesday 8 April 2025
10:00am Public
Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students - Oral evidence 8 April 2025
10:00am
  • Professor Dame Jessica Corner (Executive Chair, Research England at UK Research and Innovation)
  • Sir Philip Augar (Chair of the 2019 Independent Panel at Post-18 Education and Funding Review)
  • Professor Malcolm Press CBE (Vice President (England and Northern Ireland) at Universities UK)
10:45am
  • Mr Raj Jethwa (Chief Executive at Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA))
  • Dr Hollie Chandler (Director of Policy at The Russell Group)
  • Rachel Hewitt (Chief Executive at MillionPlus, The Association for Modern Universities)
11:30am
  • Alex Stanley (Vice-President of Higher Education at National Union of Students)
  • Jo Grady (General Secretary at University College Union (UCU))
  • Andrew Bird (Chair at British Universities' International Liaison Association)
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

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