In one swift move, studying for a degree became an overt business transaction with a tacit understanding that students had now become customers.
It has had a profound effect on the psyche of both the student and the university in terms of the expectations of former and the aspirations of the latter.
Competition between universities is no longer solely about academic credentials but many more factors, notably the quality of life for the students who will be investing tens of thousands of pounds for this next stage in their educational journey.