Northern Irish universities and businesses have called for an urgent uplift in tuition fees as the country¡¯s unsustainable sector reaches a ¡°tipping point¡±.

Although fees have already risen to ?4,750,?they remain well below?the new maximum of ?9,535 in England and Wales and are seen as ¡°unsustainable¡± by university leaders.

In a joint letter, Queen's 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Belfast, Ulster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ and The Open 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ?warn party leaders that the country¡¯s skills pipeline and research and innovation-led growth is in ¡°real and current jeopardy¡±.

Since diverging from England on fees in 2011, the sector has faced a growing real-terms funding gap from rising costs and tuition fee increases falling below inflation. This has been compounded by the reduction in overseas students that many UK institutions have faced.

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The country¡¯s Maximum Student Number (MaSN) cap, which limits places to about 7,000 a year, means that thousands of young people leave the country to study every year.

¡°As a sector we believe that there is a pragmatic solution that will protect any further draw upon the public purse, while providing a more sustainable funding solution, consistent with the existing policy position, and continuing to uphold the principles of the Northern Ireland HE funding model,¡± the letter says.

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It proposes ¡°maintaining the principle of the Northern Ireland funding model of ¡®shared investment¡¯¡± but addressing the real-terms loss. Applying an inflation increase from a 2021 baseline would see an inflation-corrected fee of ?5,831.

¡°Without urgent intervention, the region¡¯s skills pipeline, research capacity, and innovation-led growth are at serious risk ¨C undermining productivity and long-term economic recovery,¡± it says.

Ian Greer, vice-chancellor of Queen¡¯s,?told Times Higher Education earlier this year?that an increase in tuition fees should not be viewed in ¡°isolation¡± ¨C and must be accompanied by a further enhancement of student support.

A review of funding by the Department for the Economy (DfE), which is responsible for higher education, is expected to begin this spring.

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The principals of the two 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Colleges in Northern Ireland ¨C St Mary¡¯s and Stranmillis ¨C also urged Stormont to back an increase in tuition fees.

And a series of business organisations, including the heads of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors, the Centre for Competitiveness, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Belfast, Londonderry and Causeway chambers of commerce, called for a ¡°refreshed¡± model.

In a letter, they said Northern Ireland¡¯s significantly underfunded higher education system was placing considerable pressure on its institutions.

¡°We believe that we have now reached a tipping point. The introduction of any further barriers for young people wishing to pursue higher education at Northern Ireland universities will have a devastating impact on our economy over the next ten years.

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¡°The effects of further cuts will not just be felt on university campuses, but in homes, businesses, hospitals, and communities across Northern Ireland.¡±

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com