The government must consider the financial health of both FE and HE together

In response to EPI analysis on the FE sector, David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: "I’m pleased to see this analysis comparing the financial challenges being faced in further and higher education. It’s a fact that a university sector in financial crisis is mainstream media news, whereas a college sector in a worse position rarely hits the headlines. The reason for this is more to do with where most people in power studied than where concerns should be focused.

"This analysis shines a helpful light on the relatively worse financial challenges that colleges have had to face over the last 14 years compared with those facing universities now. The answer though has to be for the government to consider the financial health of both colleges and universities together as central players in a post-18 tertiary system, in order to ensure that more adults in more places can get the education and skills they need to be successful in life and work.

"A plan to deal with the finances of universities alone will not deliver the thriving institutions across the country needed to deliver the industrial strategy and on the opportunity mission."