Online now

In last week's emergency Budget, it was announced that non-protected departmental budgets would be cut by an average of 25 per cent. But some online readers saw a silver lining.

One says: "I think these cuts could engender a healthy interrogation into what 'higher' education is about, how the (UK's) international reputation is in danger and encourage students who are not 'university material' to invest in other activities. This would be liberating for academics, who could return to their calling in teaching at an appropriate level and engaging in research."