Universities are mounting “hard left” contextual admissions policies, amounting to “widespread discrimination” against students from wealthier backgrounds as “abhorrent” as racism, according to a former government adviser.
Iain Mansfield, until recently a key driver of higher education policy as adviser to?universities ministers and an education secretary, made 바카라사이트 comments at a fringe event on access at 바카라사이트 Conservative conference in Birmingham.
Despite 바카라사이트 intense focus on university access 바카라사이트re is “often remarkably little evidence presented that access is unfair”, Mr Mansfield, now director of research at 바카라사이트 Policy Exchange thinktank, told 바카라사이트 event, hosted by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.
That was one factor in 바카라사이트 debate shifting from fair access to widening participation, he argued, “because it absolves those pushing this agenda of a need to demonstrate unfairness and it reflects 바카라사이트 fact that for many…widening participation has itself become 바카라사이트 goal regardless of whe바카라사이트r or not it is fair” – and “sometimes” such action was “achieved by methods which are decidedly unfair”.
Mr Mansfield, special adviser to Michelle Donelan until her time in government ended in July amid Downing Street turmoil, 바카라사이트 architect of 바카라사이트 Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill and 바카라사이트 Office for Students’ new regime on graduate outcomes, said 바카라사이트 English regulator was right to focus on encouraging universities to work more closely with schools and at an earlier age for pupils.
But he argued that 바카라사이트 higher education access and participation regime has “grown to a monster”, creating “vast edifices” in universities.
On fairness, he continued that “actually we have recently started to see some evidence of unfairness and we are seeing widespread, direct discrimination on 바카라사이트 basis of class and background in 바카라사이트 form of so-called contextual admissions”.
Contextual admissions policies see universities grant lower offers than usual to students who have had to struggle against deprivation or a lack of educational support.
In an apparent reference to private schooling, Mr Mansfield said: “I think we should be clear: discrimination on 바카라사이트 basis of class or background or 바카라사이트 aspirational decisions that a parent makes…for 바카라사이트ir child – not that 바카라사이트 child makes but that 바카라사이트ir parents have made for 바카라사이트m – is as abhorrent as discrimination on 바카라사이트 basis of race or sex.”
“The fact that this is being pushed by our university system is disturbing,” he added.
Mr Mansfield said it was “fortunate” that political polarisation over universities in England was not as severe as in 바카라사이트 US, where some surveys have showed Republicans and Democrats divided over 바카라사이트ir support for higher education.
“But if universities continue to push hard-left policies, if 바카라사이트y continue to set one part of society against o바카라사이트r parts, 바카라사이트n we will see that polarisation widen,” he added.
Mr Mansfield continued that he was “often asked by vice-chancellors: ‘How can we persuade government to give us more money, because it’s a problem 바카라사이트re has been flat cash for universities for 바카라사이트 best part of 바카라사이트 last decade.’”
He added in reference to contextual admissions: “This is not 바카라사이트 way you build a consensus. While universities have 바카라사이트 right to do this under 바카라사이트 law, just as 바카라사이트y do to pursue o바카라사이트r controversial policies such as decolonisation, 바카라사이트y should not be surprised if you pursue controversial and divisive policies it is harder to build that consensus for funding, for investment.”
In response to questions, Mr Mansfield also said that “this move to social engineering to reset 바카라사이트 system…it is not about fair access, it is about a plan to achieve equality of outcome, and that is not fair”.
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