A HIGH-FLYING university lecturer has resigned from his job at a North-East university in protest at increased tuition fees.

Dr Tristan Learoyd, who taught pharmacy at the University of Sunderland, said he refused to be part of a privatised university system.

The award-winning lecturer, who was the youngest person to be elected to the English National Pharmacy Board, made the decision after his university announced an 83 per cent cut in its state funding.

The shortfall will need to be replaced by tuition fees of up to £9,000 a year.

Dr Learoyd, 29, from Marske, near Redcar, east Cleveland, said: “Fees alone for a four-year pharmacy degree will cost up to £36,000.

“Salaries in the industry are going down, so these students will have no prospect of paying off that amount of debt.

“The same students who would have gone to university when I went will no longer be able to go. They will be pushed further and further into poverty.”

The academic said in his resignation letter: “I refuse to comply and be part of a privatised university education system.

“I refuse to teach where it will be the content of somebody’s wallet – not the content of their character – that will determine their academic success.”

The lecturer has been forced to move back in with his parents following his resignation while he considers his options.

During a visit to the region yesterday, Education Secretary Michael Gove said tuition fees would mean more people – not fewer – going to university.

He said: “The truth is people will not pay anything until they are earning more than £21,000, which is what I believe is the average wage of a North-East worker.

“It is obviously his decision if he feels he can no longer carry on, but the North-East has top universities and I believe these high standards will continue.”

University and College Union general secretary Sally Hunt said Dr Learoyd had chosen university teaching thinking it would give ordinary people better life chances.

“It is very sad that he has now reached the conclusion that universities may no longer do that,” she added.