Press Release: Government approach to university expansion ‘like driving a car with the accelerator and brake both pressed to the floor’
In a speech tomorrow at the University of Kent, Shadow Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary David Willetts will argue that the Government’s approach to university expansion - setting a target for 50 per cent participation but prohibiting universities from meeting it - is like trying to drive a car with the accelerator and brake both pressed to the floor.
David Willetts will say:
“In 1999, the Government promised to get 50 per cent of young people to university by 2010. It is a scandal that the figure remains below 40 per cent and, for men, the chances of reaching university are actually going downwards.
“Yet the latest letter from HEFCE shows ministers have ordered a reduction in the number of extra places on offer for next year. That is why HEFCE wrote to all universities asking them to ‘review their planned recruitment for 2009/10′ and warning there will be no allocations for extra places in 2010/11 for the foreseeable future.
“It is absurd to have a target for 50 per cent participation and specifically to prohibit universities from meeting it. It is like trying to drive a car with the accelerator and brake both pressed to the floor.”
Notes to Editors
Extracts from the speech are below:
On the nine reports being published by the Government tomorrow (Wednesday) on Higher Education, he will say:
“The Government is publishing nine reports on different aspects of higher education. But there’s no follow-through. It is clearer than ever before that the Government does not know what to do about university tuition fees. They promised a full review as part of the 2004 fees settlement. But ministers have kicked the ball so far in to the long grass that they hope no one will find it this side of an election. This delay after delay after delay will not do. That’s why we need to get on with the review now. Students, their families and UK businesses need to be able to plan ahead, especially at this time of economic uncertainty.”
On the idea that university courses should operate using a credits system, he will say:
“One of the reviews proposes a more flexible system of credits for university courses. We should be flexible in the means that universities use provided we do not sacrifice the end goal of high quality education.”
On the ongoing delay to the fees review, he will say:
“Last year, ministers set up a series of reviews on aspects of higher education that were designed to set the ground for the fees review. This week, they are preparing to publish the results. But they are now saying the reviews are simply a prelude to yet another round of consultation. This is all designed to push tuition fees review off the agenda. We are committed to putting the ball back on the pitch. Let me be clear about our position: we think the tuition fees review should start now. The current regime now covers all three years’ of undergraduates. The information to evaluate the scheme is available. And the HE sector needs certainty.”
On university expansion, he will say:
“We want more people to have the opportunity to go to university. But it is no good talking about expansion without delivering it. So we should have an urgent and comprehensive fees review which considers the real barriers stopping university expansion. This must cover ways to offer a fairer deal to part-timers, ways to entice mature learners to upskill and reskill and ways to broaden access so that we can be certain everyone who can benefit from university is able to do so.”
1. The letter sent by Hefce to university Vice-Chancellors is available at
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/circlets/2008/cl32_08/.
2. The Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) for 17-30 year old English domiciled first time participants in Higher Education Courses at UK Higher Education Institutions and English, Welsh and Scottish Further Education Colleges moved from 39.2% to 39.8% between 1999/00 and 2006/07. Among men, it fell from 37.1% to 34.8%. (National Statistics and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Participation Rates in Higher Education: Academic Years 1999/2000 - 2006/2007′, March 2008)
ENDS