Top Rankings for UK Universities Disguise Risk to Business Model
Higher education is a cornerstone of Britain’s soft power. But Brexit and the pandemic have exposed an underlying malaise.
All Soul's College, part of Oxford University, which was placed top of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergThree UK universities are in the top 10 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, with Oxford again retaining the global crown. But in an industry that’s such a cornerstone of British soft power, the prestige of the few masks the struggles of the many.
Institutions across the country are fighting to maintain financial stability as staff strike and more international students go elsewhere. In November, 70,000 people at 150 universities protested against falling pay, pension cuts and poor working conditions. More disruption is planned. Meanwhile, the government mooted capping the number of foreign students, a vital source of income.