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10 Dec 2009 08:58:03
A good start – that’s the verdict of the University of Bedfordshire’s Vice Chancellor on new funding proposals for higher education.
Professor Les Ebdon CBE has backed Chancellor Alistair Darling’s decision to give 10,000 undergraduates from poorer backgrounds financial help to pursue short-term internships in industry, business and the professions.
Speaking as chairman of the university think-tank million+, Professor Ebdon said: “I warmly welcome the funding of internships for undergraduates from poorer backgrounds.
“But the failure to provide an Obama-style stimulus to higher education or to protect universities on the same basis as schools means that there is a real risk that there will be another shortfall in places for those wanting to go to university in 2010.
“Together with the cuts already announced, the £600m reduction in higher education expenditure that has to be delivered by 2012 means that universities, students and the science base will have lost nearer £800m in three years. We all recognise that these are difficult times but cuts of this order will be challenging to achieve.
“The Government must ensure that the most disadvantaged students are not penalised and that all those who are qualified can still go to university. Ministers must not use these reductions as an excuse to silo university activity.
“It will remain crucially important that excellent world-leading research continues to be funded in all universities. There is also no case to use contestability to distribute funding but every reason for the core teaching and research activities of all universities to be protected.”
Latest news» 2009» December» Support welcomed for undergraduates from poorer backgrounds
