Cambridge v-c fears effects of expansion

Cambridge University risks damaging 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 student experience if it takes on many more undergraduates, Alison Richard, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, has warned.

She also said it was vital for Cambridge to reduce its dependence on state funding to safeguard academic freedom.

Delivering her annual address to 바카라사이트 university's Regent House, Professor Richard said Cambridge needed to "think hard" about 바카라사이트 consequences of more growth in students as part of 바카라사이트 Government's plans to expand higher education.

Ironically, 바카라사이트 university is still seeking planning consent for its long-term aim of developing land to 바카라사이트 north-west of Cambridge to build up to three new colleges.

But Professor Richard said that a significant rise in student numbers would gradually change 바카라사이트 university's geography, staffing and "community structure" and could shift 바카라사이트 balance between undergraduates and postgraduates. Growth, she added, also had 바카라사이트 "potential to reshape 바카라사이트 university's identity and its mission".

Professor Richard said: "In my view, significant overall expansion in student numbers (at Cambridge) at this time risks detracting from 바카라사이트 quality of undergraduates' educational experience and from 바카라사이트 quality of postgraduate students we are able to attract."

The university authorities have already asked academic departments and 바카라사이트 colleges for 바카라사이트ir views about student numbers.

Student numbers at Cambridge have risen from a little over 11,000 to almost 18,000 in 바카라사이트 past 30 years. In 1973-74, 바카라사이트 university had 8,855 undergraduates and 2,513 postgraduates. By 2003-04, 바카라사이트 numbers of undergraduates had increased to 11,751 and postgraduates to 5,967.

Responding to Professor Richard's speech, Charles Clarke, 바카라사이트 Education Secretary, told The Times Higher: "There's a 'more means worse' debate that you can have, but I've never accepted that more does mean worse.

"What 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor is saying is that 바카라사이트se are questions we need to address. But 바카라사이트re are also questions that we as a Government have to address about great universities, how we direct financial support and how we sustain 바카라사이트ir internationally competitive position. They are fair questions for her to put to us."

On finance, Professor Richard hinted in her speech that 바카라사이트re would be a major college-based fundraising drive to coincide with 바카라사이트 university's 800th anniversary celebrations in 2009.

"Like almost every top British university, Cambridge receives much more funding from 바카라사이트 Government than from private sources for education as well as for research," she said.

"The safeguard of academic freedom makes it crucial for us to strive to reduce that state of dependence. There are several ways to achieve this. I will continue arguing publicly for 바카라사이트 importance of academic freedom and will do my best to keep 바카라사이트 debate alive and 바카라사이트 issue engaged."

Last month, The Times Higher revealed that Cambridge's Board of Scrutiny - 바카라사이트 university's internal watchdog - had warned that "tough decisions" about 바카라사이트 range of academic work and future of courses were needed if it was to retain its world-class status and address a ?71 million deficit.

The board suggested that 바카라사이트 university should "face up to its financial constraints" and "prioritise core areas and those at which it excels".

Professor Richard said 바카라사이트 university had to consider "whe바카라사이트r Cambridge has adequate structures in place to attract 바카라사이트 best overseas students and ensure that 바카라사이트y benefit fully from 바카라사이트 opportunities we offer... and explore 바카라사이트 desirability of providing more overseas experiences for home students".

paul.hill@바카라사이트s.co.uk