When you push the costs of education beyond the means of your people, you have to find the money somewhere. Interesting approach to higher education from a group of blue bloods who never worry much about their own ability to pay for things. Why are the Brazilians funding the financial gap for this government?
David Willetts, the universities minister, flew to South America last month to arrange a deal that he hopes will be highly lucrative at a time of cuts to state funding for higher education. The Brazilian government is planning to provide up to £18,700 a student.
Universities UK, the representative body for universities in this country, said it welcomed the plan, which promised "rich rewards".
The development follows a £200m cut by the coalition government to state funding for higher education, which will mean 24,000 fewer places for UK and EU students, including teacher training allotments, over the next two academic years. Figures published last week also suggested that 220,000 UK and EU students would be unable to attain places this autumn following a 1.4% year-on-year increase in demand for university places as of the end of June.
