STARMER OUT....

[JBR]

You're quite right.  I'm sure that these days universities (and polys, if we still have any) are in it for only two reasons:
- the good reason is for research and hoping to find scientific (usually) improvements;
- the bad reason is to make money to keep some of the non productive lecturers in a job.

If I had my way, the total number of university admissions in this country would relate to what the country really needs.  That would involve the output of experts in science, technology, finance, etc.  Things that we really need expertise in.
Things that we really need could be financed by the state.  The rest, you pay for yourself.