College fees ‘inevitable solution to third-level funding crisis’

College fees seem an inevitable solution to the country’s third-level funding crisis, an international education expert has said.

“What seems inevitable is some kind of fee preferably accompanied by a loan or a graduate tax,” said Bahram Bekhradnia, president of the UK-based Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).

Mr Bekhradnia was speaking at the final consultation of Ireland’s Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education.