Higher Education is an increasingly important area across the UK but it doesn’t mean that different issues don’t arise. As an area that has a huge variety of people from different backgrounds, ages, etc. students, teachers’ lecturers, etc. are all going to have some issues arise and it’s important to be prepared for them if they do eventually occur.
Continuous Increases in Costs
As costs to run a Higher Education facility continue to rise, this must be carefully considered when budgeting for the next academic year and beyond. Especially with changes in the amount of funding received by HE facilities.
There are many factors that can affect the amount of money a Higher Education facility pays out each annum including a rise in overheads (for example, hiring more staff to lecture students, guest speakers, or cleaning staff), demand for new technology and resources as more products begin to advance (newer computers with larger processors for students to use as part of their course), and expanding campuses to accommodate more students. To keep a high status amongst other universities, these needs must be met allowing your facility to rank highly on the academic leader board.
By considering the year ahead and creating a detailed brief for budgeting and expenditures this can prepare the board for impending charges and offset any unexpected costs.
Brexit and the Impact on International Students
Although Brexit is underway, the implications of the UK’s separation from the EU are still a big factor for higher education.
It is suggested that the government will begin to charge EU students full international fees from the academic year that follows 2021/22. This could cause a large shift in demand as students from abroad may no longer want to study in the UK due to this cost increase, causing financial pressure for institutions that encourage and accept lots of students from the EU each year.
Operating in a Global Market
Universities would have to strongly enforce that GDPR requirements are met and from each side of the world, setting aside time for their Data Protection Officers to gain a wider understanding of data breaches and data retention rules carefully and thoroughly in various countries.
This would take a lot of time, preparation, and money as there would be added strain put on the current DPO’s to remain compliant so there may be a need for recruiting more. Universities and other Higher Education facilities could benefit from a compliance training app provided by external experts who deal with the importance of compliance daily.
Increase in Prices have Raised Student Expectations
With a raise in prices and tuition fees, students’ expectations have also been raised as they are undoubtably expecting more for their money. Universities may feel obliged to provide more resources for their students, such as more social events or online learning programmes as well as an increase in health and wellbeing officers, especially now more than ever due to the mental effect of lockdowns and other issues surrounding Covid-19.
General Student Issues
General student issues can arise at any point, and often unexpectedly. It is important to be prepared and have the right resources to hand in case this does happen. For example, in universities settings it is unfortunately commonplace for students to experience a sense of loneliness and to be missing their home environment. It is good practice to have a health and wellbeing officer on site to provide students with confidential help, whether it be their mental wellbeing, financially or other.
Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.
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