Sir,

A fundamental change is needed in the University system. COVID isn’t the cause but it has exposed existing faults in thinking.

Currently uni is extremely expensive not least because of accommodation fees. We need to separate the social finishing school/ marriage and networking functions of uni from those of gaining academic knowledge.

Currently and in future pandemics students are forced to study online: something they could do at home.

The tremendous successes of MOOCs (massive open online courses) in the USA have shown that it’s possible to gain high qualifications and skills online, we already are a world leader in the answer The Open University that could be updated so all students can access courses from home and use universities that are local to them or OU centres to access specialist rooms and facilities and have a social life.

This will benefit all especially the working class students. QED

Regards

Edward Vine