The health of our higher education system isn’t solely about graduates or degrees. It’s about place. And if we want every part of Britain to thrive, we need to rethink how universities are funded, structured and supported. That means radical reforms such as embracing technology to cut costs, simplifying regulation, and allowing universities to earn and reinvest through more flexible revenue models. Public money alone won’t fix this. But with the right rules and incentives, we can build a system that is both financially sustainable and locally transformative.