Student surge sparks funding reform call

"What is really needed is a conversation between the education sectors and the government to determine what we want our education system to provide, who is to provide what and how to fund it," he said. "We need a greater investment in post-16 education at every level, not robbing the financially challenged HE sector to fund the chronically underfunded FE sector. Universities have and will continue to make contributions to UK productivity whether through the research that they produce or the skills that they impart.

"I think that what we should be doing is putting more effort into ensuring seamless transitions between institutions, so that the 16-year-old that gets their tech college qualification, can subsequently easily go on to the next level and build on that and obtain an AI degree and subsequently masters at their local university.

"The HE sector will only take in students that have a reasonable chance of success, but there is no reason why those with lower exam qualifications cannot do access or bridging courses at a connected FE college and gain access thereby to a university course."

Richmond said that current funding incentives mean that universities and colleges often compete with one another to attract learners, knowing that each additional learner brings in new funding.

"This makes it very hard to have sensible and valuable conversations about how these institutions could potentially work together to build stronger pathways for young people and adults who are looking to improve their skill levels, be that from a low or high starting point," he said. "Unless these unhelpful incentives change though, and when university finances are increasingly precarious in some cases, such conversations between institutions may become increasingly difficult."