A LECTURERS’ union has criticised Britain’s “broken” higher education funding model after a report warned two in five universities expect to be in deficit this academic year.

University and College Union (UCU) general secretary Jo Grady said yesterday the model “needs radical change to put the sector on a firm financial footing” after damning findings by the Office for Students.

She said: “Unfortunately, the Tories seem intent on making the situation worse through constant attacks on migrant students and workers.

“The graduate visa route must now stay, the limits on graduate students’ family members coming to the UK should reversed and the salary threshold needs to be lowered.”

Calling for an employer education levy to replace tuition fees, she added: “We need all political parties to commit to a new funding settlement for higher education.”

The Department for Education said its financial support to the higher education sector “strikes the right balance between providing value for students, universities and the taxpayer.”