Future graduates could find themselves in even greater levels of debt than today's university leavers should the government take heed of a new report calling for the abolition of the current cap on tuition fees.
According to the new paper from the Adam Smith Institute, the existing system, which sees students charged the same for their university education, regardless of the quality of their course, is doing more harm than good, the Telegraph has reported.
The think tank argues that unless the cap is removed, demand for some courses will continue to be over-inflated, while competition in the tertiary education sector will continue to be stifled, with this having a negative impact not only on graduates, but also on the wider UK economy in general.
"Ending the direct subsidy would empower students, because universities would be forced to treat them as paying customers," Tom Clougherty, executive director of the Adam Smith Institute, was quoted by the newspaper as explaining.
He added that this would also help universities gain greater independence from the government and also benefit the taxpayer who would see their money used as effectively as possible.
This comes as the Journal has reported that Edinburgh Napier University is taking steps to help its students cope with the financial demands of pursuing a university education.
