The Stream

The price of a degree

What are the benefits and drawbacks of free education?

Is higher education a debt sentence? Across Europe students are saying yes and calling for free education, claiming they suffer with high tuition fees, graduate with the burden of loans they will never be able to pay off, and that university is only accessible to upper classes. But critics argue with free schooling, quality will inevitably suffer. So what’s the best way forward? 

In this episode, we speak to:

Mike Neary @mikeneary
Professor, University of Lincoln
socialsciencecentre.org.uk

Tom King @tomilo
Student activist

Hannah Sketchley @EineSchande
Activist, National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts
anticuts.com

Alex Usher @AlexUsherHESA
President, Higher Education Strategy Associates

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.