'Three UK universities on the brink of bankruptcy'

I'm not sure about that, a lot of times people live in a fluffy denial fantasy state about these things and it's only when doors close and bailiffs appear. How many groups of workers over the years have turned up to find their work closed and 'We O U Wages' sprayed on the door? Then they always mooch about the car park repeating 'But they can't do that!' to each other, see also: when you turn up to collect debt at a business and start unplugging their phones and computers as they work 'You can't do that!'

I have a slightly similar wee story, although college, not uni, 2 years back when finishing my HNC in Scotland, the country was gripped by a 2nd year of hefty strike action, escalating to multiple days per week, Glasgow, where I am, has a particular record of militant union activity so they didn't buckle....no teaching, no student contact ect, after weeks and weeks of this a big meeting was called for faculty and reps, and that was when the principal got it dragged out of him that if the strike wasn't resolved in a matter of days, that was it, most students would fail, the SQA would refuse the awards, many of the courses are somewhat unique and best of luck transferring to a new program midway through 3rd block :/

tl:dr : these things can happen, business is pretty notorious for hitting the skids and the last people to find out are the out of pocket customers bemoaning 'They can't do that' - Just my take on it obv.

This is all a direct consequence of the commercialization of the sector, it has exploded and there will be a deflationary pressure at some point. Society doesn't need all these graduates, especially when so many of them come out of there empty-handed with an expensive degree that serves for little in the real world. Duped into buying them, they have the hardest of landings when they realise it and then become very angry and go on to join Antifa to start a revolution.

left wing brainwashing camps

Spoken like someone who never went to university.

For the North West one, maybe Liverpool Hope?

I don't suppose it would be Lancaster, Manchester or Liverpool, so that leaves Liverpool Hope, Liverpool John Moores, Manchester Met, Edge Hill, Bolton, Salford, Chester, UCLan and Cumbria.

Because the government wont let 10,000s of student be thrown on the scrap heap as that would be a disaster for the uni sector as a whole because it sends the wrong message. We really need more details, but if they are in trouble id expect a more phased shut down.. Will just have to wait and see.

The BBC is suggesting that a uni wouldn't actually be allowed to go bust due to fears of contagion:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-46059457

I'm not sure I'd quite share their optimism, but it is true that unis are major employers in some towns and cities, and the knock on economic effect of losing the students would be huge for some cities.

I do agree with whoever said that a critical mass of local students is key- so for example, I wouldn't expect Plymouth to be affected as it picks up a lot of students who don't want to leave the local area and can't get into Exeter and maybe aren't catered for/don't want to go to Falmouth, as well as offering some specialist marine courses.

Meanwhile in Bournemouth/Southampton/Portsmouth you've got 5 universities, plus lots of others within a possible daily commute- so some of these unis are perhaps going to struggle to recruit local students more. Equally in Brighton, you've got two unis and many others in a reasonable daily commute.

i think your right about local students and for that reason I am fearful for Falmouth. The area around it has no major city and because of its remote location people are reluctant to travel there. Exeter shares the Penryn campus with them and it is noticeable whilst year on year there are very few courses in clearing for the Exeter campus the same courses such as English, History and Maths are in clearing for Penryn.

Fundamentally Falmouth is an art college, and whilst there is a long tradition of professional artists gathering in remote places to work, it is not really meeting local employment needs which are largely directed towards public administration, healthcare, teaching and tourism.

That perhaps explains the bad feeling from locals towards the university when we stayed there for a visit before my son commenced there. The attitude wasnt like it was everywhere else

A lot of the bad feeling is due to house prices and locals being forced out by landlords who can get higher rent from the students- as well as some feeling that students are responsible for a rise in anti-social behaviour in the area. In many places, the university is seen as a net benefit to the town, but in Falmouth/Penryn it has caused real problems.

Falmouth university itself is a specialist art college, which is fast gaining a strong reputation- the location is one of those love it or hate it things, imo, which will really appeal to some people. I'm not personally worried about Falmouth uni itself- but I do wonder about the future of Exeter's Penryn campus!

the strange thing was we stayed in a b & b which had 4 students. the mother was blaming the students for everything including the lack of a bus service. if it hadnt been for the university the students would not have been in the hotel neither would we or another guy who had an interview for a job there. considering the money it was bringing in i was extremely shocked at the attitude

Which three? Tbh, if they are "in places that are not attractive for students to study, or they are smaller universities that are close to more popular institutions", then what can be done? If students don't want to go there then the city isn't going to be able to change magically, and if there's a bigger, more popular institution there then what's the harm in losing the worse one?

Three failing businesses, that's all. When businesses are mismanaged they fail.

They're not businesses, per se - they're taxpayer-subsidised entities that are run heavily controlled by the state.

In 2012 there were 2,700 unconditional offers made , this year there were 60,000.

The tuition fees may be subsidised (except for international students), but universities are certaintly not controlled by the state as they are independent bodies.