Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
The Education Committee holds the final session of its inquiry into the threat of insolvency facing a growing number of universities, and the relationship this has with government policy towards international students.
Witnesses in this session will include the Higher Education Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith, a senior official from the Department for Education and the Chief Executive of the Office for Students, Susan Lapworth.
There are concerns that fees from international students are providing less income than previously forecast for many universities, and that a significant number of institutions are running deficits.
The panel is likely to face questions on whether a special insolvency regime should be put in place to ensure continuity for students, protect staff and minimise disruption, were a university to become insolvent.
The cross-party Committee may explore whether weaknesses in governance and financial planning may have exacerbated the threat of insolvency in some universities.
MPs are also likely to ask the Minister what impact the Government’s proposed levy on international students’ fees may have on universities’ financial stability; as well as the impact of proposed reforms to immigration rules that affect international students.