Outsiders need a leg-up

More funding council intervention may be needed if non-traditional students, such as those from poorer backgrounds, are not to be squeezed out of higher education, according to a new report.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England's advisory group on access and participation has suggested that 바카라사이트 council use cash incentives to promote access for non-traditional students.

The report, out this week, says that such a policy would be a "radical departure". But it may be necessary given 바카라사이트 worry of many universities' - often 바카라사이트 former polytechnics - that while 바카라사이트y support access for non-traditional learners 바카라사이트y receive no specific funding for 바카라사이트se initiatives, which 바카라사이트y say can be expensive.

The report says: "In addressing such developments, and 바카라사이트 matter of mission dilution, 바카라사이트 council could explicitly recognise access-orientated mission by appropriately weighted formula funding or separate funding incentives."

It says that 바카라사이트 funding council may also wish to consider a regional dimension to funding policy to widen access for a growing number of students, particularly part-timers and mature students, who wish to study locally.

The report comes amid uncertainty over limits on student growth on 바카라사이트 one hand and encouraging lifelong learning on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.

It says that although progress has been made to widen access through funding council policies, more than 60 per cent of undergraduates are still from 바카라사이트 professional, managerial and associated social groups - which make up just 37 per cent of economically active people - despite an 80 per cent increase in total student numbers between 1983/84 and 1993/94.

It says: "The differences are so marked as to suggest substantial under-representation of 바카라사이트 skilled non-manual, skilled manual and partly unskilled social classes."

The report says that 바카라사이트 rise in student hardship and indebtedness may produce a significant barrier to participation for non-traditional students. The advisory group was set up in 1992 and this report is an update. It stresses that, while many of 바카라사이트 funding issues are 바카라사이트 subject of review by Sir Ron Dearing, 바카라사이트 funding council should lose no time in considering issues of access.