Muddled policies are harming British universities

SPARE A Thought for students graduating from British universities this summer, after three grim years. In 2020 the pandemic forced the cancellation of their school-leaving exams, compelling them to make do with simulated grades. Lockdowns and remote learning tarnished their first years at university. Rocketing living costs and strikes by lecturers have been the latest buzzkill: because of a marking boycott, thousands will graduate late or without a proper classification. At Cambridge, one of the worst-affected places, half of final-year undergraduates are in that boat.