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Universities stand to lose more than Pounds 130 million in fee income next academic year following the Asian markets crisis, a poll of institutions by Hobsons Publishing has revealed. Some 10 per cent of universities expect intakes to drop by more than 75 per cent. A British Council report also found that the number of Malaysian students applying for a UK university place had fallen by half on the 1997 figure.

But the council said that in the medium term universities could make up the loss through effective marketing and bursary schemes. The Foreign Office and the Department of Trade and Industry are considering a national bursary scheme for students from worst affected countries.