Extra student places welcomed but as new report highlights, they must be properly funded

The report, which looks at the costs of reforms of higher education, including the recent proposal to remove number controls on universities, recommends an increased budget for higher education.

UCU said it shared the report's concerns about the government's miscalculations over the cost to the public for student loans and warned new plans for student expansion were not sustainable.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'There are deep-rooted problems with how higher education is currently funded and a couple of quick fixes will not solve those problems.

'Everyone welcomes the creation of extra places for students at our universities. However, what universities, students and parents need to see is a clear idea of how the government is going to fund those places.

'We need sustainable long-term funding to ensure our higher education system remains the envy of the world. The proposal currently on the table is a cheap attempt to con the public with a poorly designed asset sale. Government needs to go back to the drawing board and work with the sector to come up with a credible plan to fund expansion.'