Higher education is being turned upside down at completely the wrong time

There is little doubt that the challenging, turbulent and uncertain times faced by the UK’s university sector in 2016 are set to continue well into 2017 – with the focus now swiftly turning to the Higher Education and Research Bill, which is currently before parliament.

Under the new bill, alternative education providers would be able to gain degree-awarding powers and university titles more easily. And it is this seemingly full-scale “marketisation” of the higher education sector that is causing concern for many