How significant is the role of the student press at UK universities?

By Famke Veenstra-Ashmore, who completed an internship with HEPI in summer 2024.

One sign of a healthy functioning student democracy is the presence of a sharp, quick-moving student newspaper. Often presented as a training ground for the country’s future journalists, the student press plays an important role in keeping UK universities and their various institutions to account. Student journalism takes a variety of forms, from print newspapers to digital magazines and from radio to podcasts. They are a source of news for students and staff alike and offer the opportunity for students to comment on the issue of the day.

Breaking national stories

Universities are breeding grounds for scandal. From debates around platforming and free speech to reporting on drinking society culture, student journalists can provide immediate insights into events and issues that national journalists do not have access to. They also often behave like local newspapers, covering stories which matter the most to students – from ‘sextigations’ to the latest news on accommodation.

The impact of the student press on the national media cannot be underestimated. Education editors at national newspapers regularly leaf through the online editions of student papers to poach the latest culture war scandals or financial debacles affecting some of the UK’s oldest institutions. More often than not, little credit is given to the student journalists who originate these stories. Sometimes, the name of the newspaper is briefly mentioned. On occasion, editors will offer a by-line and small payment to the students they work with.

Huge national stories have been broken by student newspapers. In 2021, the University of Cambridge’s independent newspaper Varsity revealed that Cambridge had proposed a £400 million collaboration with the United Arab Emirates, which made the front cover of The Guardian. Most recently, student journalists representing everywhere from Imperial College London’s Felix to the University of Warwick’s The Boar have done some brilliant on-the-ground reporting on the protest encampments. The influence of the student press is not limited to their breaking of scandals and stories: the Oxford English Dictionary credits the term ‘Marxism’ as originating in a 1933 edition of the University of Oxford’s Cherwell.

How is the student press funded?

The majority of student newspapers are funded by student unions. Relationships with student unions are becoming more precarious: The Beaver, run at the London School of Economics, was at risk of closure after the SU withdrew its funding. Palatinate had the same problem, sparking a petition which was signed by 54 Editors-in-Chief spanning seven decades. This has limited the freedom of the student press at several institutions: a student journalist at Plymouth University’s The Knowledge was threatened with expulsion after she exposed the university’s plan to make massive financial cuts to student services.

There are some exceptions to this funding model. Some student newspapers are entirely independent. These papers often derive earnings from advertising and donations, much like other local newspapers. They are also frequently run by overarching publication companies that publish a variety of student publications. Key examples are Cherwell, which is overseen by Oxford Student Publications Ltd and Varsity, which is published by Varsity Publications Ltd and assisted by a Business Manager. Oxbridge’s main student newspapers have also run their own office in the centre of both university cities.

As well as these two forms of student newspaper, many universities in the UK have an edition of The Tab – a tabloid-style news site which occasionally also publishes print editions. Their main investor is the American media and publishing company News Corp and they have since expanded into the USA. Though the company has paid staff managing the site from a central London office, much of its content is produced by student teams across the country. Student contributors – like the majority of those working under the other models – are unpaid.

What does the student press contribute to higher education?

Although many universities run journalism undergraduate degrees, they are not necessary for a career in journalism. Many jobs require a postgraduate qualification, and many do not require any particular education at all. Some universities offer no such courses specially designed to launch a journalistic career, and so the student press is the only opportunity available to gain some experience of the industry. Any student can pitch an article, write a comment piece, or photograph a protest.

Engagement with the student press is often the first step into journalism or a writing career for students. Varsity’s alumni include the most recent two University Challenge hosts Jeremy Paxman and Amol Rajan. Palatinate (Durham)was the training ground for broadcasters Jeremy Vine and George Alagiah. Past contributors to Cherwell include the writers W.H. Auden and Evelyn Waugh. Recent student journalists have also seen great success in the annual NUJ/Orwell Society Young Journalist Award and are regularly accepted onto competitive graduate schemes at national newspapers and broadcasters.

As mentioned, the student press also performs a vital function in holding Vice-Chancellors, academics and students to account. They have been threatened with legal action and harassed by individuals online and in person. Students often rely on their work to uncover issues which may appear small but can affect thousands of people. They offer an opportunity for students to run their own editorial teams and publications with more autonomy than they might achieve when working for a national newspaper.