Universities warned over courses for 'bums on seats'

Universities have been warned against running low quality, "threadbare" courses just to get "bums on seats".

Universities Minister Sam Gyimah said there were a "clutch of underperforming degrees" where students would have poor job prospects when they graduated.

The minister was speaking at the launch of a survey indicating that fewer than two in five students felt they were getting good value for money.

Universities UK said getting a degree remained an "excellent investment".

Earnings gaps

Mr Gyimah urged universities to work harder at ensuring the quality of all their courses.

He called for them to look more carefully at the future job outcomes of their students.