They are vital in part because the universities increased spending to match the revenue they got from international students - i.e. when you can eat a lot you g

They are vital in part because the universities increased spending to match the revenue they got from international students - i.e. when you can eat a lot you get fat. Vice chancellors earn salaries that are often multiples of what the prime minister earns and pay at the senior levels is scaled from that - at the same time they take advantage of people who are full time academics at the start of their careers. The whole system is old, creaky and probably needs widespread reform but it also won't get it until external factors force it.