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15 Jul 2010 13:38:21
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire has said graduate tax should not be used as an excuse to cut student numbers.
Speaking as chair of the university think-tank million+, Professor Les Ebdon CBE warned Business Secretary Vince Cable against making students and graduates pay the price of cuts to higher education through less places and higher graduate contributions.
Professor Ebdon was responding to the speech made earlier today (Thursday, 15 July) by Mr Cable when he said: “While the request that Lord Browne’s fee review considers options for a graduate tax is welcome, the most important challenge facing the Secretary of State is ensuring that students and graduates do not pay the price of cuts to universities.
“Regardless of whether the current system of graduate contributions is reformed or a graduate tax introduced, Vince Cable gave every indication that graduates will pay more and this has to be squared with the Coalition Government’s commitment to social mobility.
“The Secretary of State also gave no commitment to the future funding of universities or to protecting the maintenance support which students need while they study. This is crucial for many students and particularly important for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Proposals to target research funding also risk creating a two-tier university system.”
Professor Ebdon continued: “Most worrying of all, the Secretary of State clearly indicated that the Coalition Government intends to fund fewer students to go to university even though tomorrow’s (Friday, 16 July) UCAS figures are likely to show a record number of applications from students who want to study at university in 2010.
“For all of Vince Cable’s laudable comments about increasing participation by people from lower socio-economic groups and by older applicants, it will be these students who miss out if funded numbers are reduced.
“A graduate tax may satisfy the left hand of the coalition and his proposals to introduce private providers may suit the right hand but the real question is what happens to people of all ages who want to study at university if student numbers are cut?
“After this morning’s speech, we still do not know how many students will be encouraged and funded by the Coalition Government to study at university in future years or what the Government proposes to do about students who cannot get places in 2010.”
Latest news» 2010» July» Don't make students pay the price warns Vice Chancellor
