Again, I'm not saying that students are solely carrying the burden of research. There are multiple income sources. But many degree programs are run as revenue generating activities.
But there are a bunch of cross subsidies going on. International/Domestic, Across disciplines, undergraduate/postgraduate. Science students get 3X or more the hours, equipment & materials that sociology or accounting students get. An accounting course (8 courses = 1 year down here) might consist of 2X14 lectures (50-150 students per lecture), 1X12 tutorials(8-15 students) & whatever preparation time is paid (I imagine anywhere from .5 to 2.5 to the hour). Tutors are often only paid in the $20-$30 range. It would not be unusual to average a figure that works out at a small fraction of the cost (or potential cost) to deliver that education.
In general, that hints at a possibility of something flying under the current system & undermining it. All these money machines (eg prestigious MBA programs) could go outside the big institutions. You might say these programs are worthless without the prestige of the institution. Well that's another problem.
But there are a bunch of cross subsidies going on. International/Domestic, Across disciplines, undergraduate/postgraduate. Science students get 3X or more the hours, equipment & materials that sociology or accounting students get. An accounting course (8 courses = 1 year down here) might consist of 2X14 lectures (50-150 students per lecture), 1X12 tutorials(8-15 students) & whatever preparation time is paid (I imagine anywhere from .5 to 2.5 to the hour). Tutors are often only paid in the $20-$30 range. It would not be unusual to average a figure that works out at a small fraction of the cost (or potential cost) to deliver that education.
In general, that hints at a possibility of something flying under the current system & undermining it. All these money machines (eg prestigious MBA programs) could go outside the big institutions. You might say these programs are worthless without the prestige of the institution. Well that's another problem.