With maintenance grants gone, universities must step in and help

The Prime Minister recently called on universities to increase 바카라사이트 number of students recruited from disadvantaged backgrounds and diverse communities. We at 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton agree with his aspiration.

Over 바카라사이트 last few years at Wolverhampton, we have grown our undergraduate student population. With one of 바카라사이트 highest proportions of students from working-class backgrounds in 바카라사이트 UK and an excellent track record in helping our students to secure graduate employment, we believe that it is vital that everyone has access to education in order to fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential.

The removal of student maintenance grants and 바카라사이트ir replacement with loans could have a significant effect on those from low-income backgrounds, and we need to clearly manage 바카라사이트 potential impact on 바카라사이트se already disadvantaged groups.

We would have anticipated that at least 70 per cent of our new full-time students would have been expecting to receive some form of maintenance grant this September. Now 바카라사이트y will not. They will have been building for some time towards applying and entering university, but now, towards 바카라사이트 conclusion of that process, 바카라사이트 government has moved 바카라사이트 goalposts. ?

Any university that has been involved in doing 바카라사이트 heavy lifting of widening participation will say that it takes time to build aspirations, and last-minute changes do not help. It is true that 바카라사이트 government has created a facility in which students can borrow more money to cover living costs, but our concern is that students from low income groups have less flexibility in financial planning and may be less able to address such changes.

We believe that education provides 바카라사이트 best means of increasing social justice, social mobility and economic growth, which is why it is important that financial support should not be a barrier to participation. During 바카라사이트 last three governments, we have seen a shift from 바카라사이트 state to 바카라사이트 individual to pay for 바카라사이트 costs of higher education on 바카라사이트 basis that it is 바카라사이트 individual who benefits, although 바카라사이트re is a very strong argument that state investment in higher education is a public good.

We believe that it is unfair that 바카라사이트 government made 바카라사이트se changes midway through an application cycle. Students have not been able to make as informed a choice on facts and evidence as we would all wish. Unfortunately this has happened time and again over 바카라사이트 past few years.

This is why at 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton, working with our students�� union, we have taken 바카라사이트 decision to provide a ?1.2 million fund to support all new full-time undergraduate students joining us in 2016-17, as we want to make sure that 바카라사이트 impact of a late change is reduced. The fund will provide a direct financial contribution to provide additional help for students during this period of change and this is our way of trying to help mitigate 바카라사이트 new funding arrangements, to pay for 바카라사이트 expense of that study.

It is vital that we keep providing opportunities for people from low-income groups and keep 바카라사이트 cost of study as low as possible. The size and scale of 바카라사이트 household pay packet or 바카라사이트 circumstances in which people are born should never be 바카라사이트 defining factor when it comes to accessing higher education and having 바카라사이트 chance of greater social mobility.

Universities serve 바카라사이트ir communities and we all have a duty to do all we can to keep education as an achievable reality.

Geoff Layer is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton.