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1 Feb 2010 11:21:39
University of Bedfordshire Vice Chancellor Professor Les Ebdon CBE has described cuts to student numbers imposed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) as counter intuitive.
Professor Ebdon was speaking as chair of the think tank million+ following a meeting of the Hefce board to consider how Government-imposed reductions in the higher education budget could be managed in 2010.
Despite rising demand universities will only be able to recruit the same number of students this year as they did two years ago in 2008.
Professor Ebdon said: “This is completely counter-intuitive. The evidence points to rising demand but funding for student support which the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) provided to allow 10,000 additional students to be recruited in 2009 has been withdrawn and universities will not have these numbers available for students wishing to start university in 2010.
“Even worse, Hefce is also including equal or lower qualification (ELQ) students in student numbers in 2010. These students already have a university qualification and universities do not receive any teaching funding for the majority of these students and they are not entitled to student support.
“It is quite ludicrous that the students of tomorrow should have their opportunities restricted on the back of students who do not receive any student support and for whom universities do not receiving any teaching funding. There can be no excuse for the Government limiting opportunities and funding must be provided to ensure that all those who are qualified can find a place at university in 2010.”
Professor Ebdon also criticised the long-term effects of cutting expenditure on capital projects to support teaching and said: “The Funding Council is clearly trying to manage the cuts by protecting the unit of resource in teaching. However, money has been poured into research infrastructure since 2002 and universities which teach the majority of students were expecting capital investment in teaching to receive similar treatment.
“The failure to invest in teaching when the sun was shining now means that the capital programme will be virtually non-existent. In the future, universities will only be able to invest if they can borrow against income.
“Capital expenditure to improve teaching infrastructure does not just benefit students. It also benefits construction companies which supply the equipment. If the Government is hoping to grow the economy out of recession, slashing capital expenditure in universities in projects which would have directly benefited the private sector does not seem to be a very wise approach.”
Latest news» 2010» February» Cuts to student numbers is counter intuitive – says Vice Chancellor
