An alarming one in four students at UK universities feel lonely most or all of the time, according to a survey recently conducted by the Higher Education Policy Institute. That's more than double the one in 10 adults from the general population who say they experience loneliness. Although the survey was carried out at the tail end of pandemic-related disruption to university life, these figures still highlight a considerable challenge for the higher education sector, especially as the cost-of-living crisis threatens to limit opportunities for students to socialise. The survey results also come as a lively debate continues over whether university students are receiving both a quality education and value for money, particularly when many, and sometimes all, lectures at some institutions take place online. But this debate misses a critical point: some students loved the flexibility provided by online learning during the pandemic, which allowed them to study around work or other commitments.