England’s higher-education sector is under acute financial stress: the Office for Students told MPs that as many as 50 providers could exit the market within two to three years, with 24 judged at more immediate risk of having to stop degree courses within a year. The regulator’s assessment is part of a House of Commons inquiry into university funding and insolvency risks that flagged sector-wide deficits and rising operating pressure. Vice-chancellors and sector leaders warned that sustained funding cuts and changes in student fee structures have left institutions operating with diminished per-student resources. Another analysis published this week shows university students in England now receive roughly two-thirds of the inflation-adjusted funding available a decade ago, adding pressure on recruitment, staffing and course offerings as institutions weigh consolidation and program closures.