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30 Apr 2010 10:14:28
The University of Bedfordshire’s Vice Chancellor has challenged the Liberal Democrats over simplifying General Election discussions on higher education to a question of ‘no fees versus higher fees’.
Speaking as chair of the university think-tank million+, Professor Les Ebdon CBE said: “Voters will go to the polls in less than a week’s time and Nick Clegg is right to point out that the future of universities and students has hardly been mentioned.
“However, a genuine debate about higher education must include the parties setting out their commitments not just to tuition fees but to investment in universities to aid the recovery, funding for research and postgraduate study and crucially to social mobility and ensuring that every applicant who is qualified and wants to go to university gets a place.
“Nick Clegg has labelled higher fees a ‘disaster’ but the real ‘disaster’ would be thousands of would-be students left without a place at university this September or in future years because there wasn’t enough money in the pot to fund a place for them.
“Inevitably, it will be poorer students who miss out on the life-changing opportunity of a place at university, while wealthier students gain access to the increased earnings and job prospects that a university education brings.”
Professor Ebdon said he would like all three main political parties to fully outline their proposals for higher education funding.
He said: “We need to hear much more from the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties on the future funding of universities and students but we need detailed and fully-costed policies not just slogans and point-scoring.
“The Lib Dems have put a £1.765billion a year price tag on ending fees; our estimates suggest it would be £2billion. The real question must be what will be cut to fund this; there is a real risk that it could be the chance for everyone to go to university and for that university to be well-funded for both teaching and research.”
Latest news» 2010» April» Vice Chancellor challenges Lib Dems over simplistic views
