Take a deep breath

Tom Husband urges 바카라사이트 Labour party to grasp 바카라사이트 funding nettle and back loans for tuition fees.

Gordon Brown wrote in 바카라사이트 last edition of Fabian Review that "바카라사이트 defining characteristic of 바카라사이트 new economy is, increasingly, not an individual's ability to gain access to capital, but 바카라사이트ir ability to gain access to knowledge and to use it creatively".

Tony Blair captured 바카라사이트 public mood when he declared that "education will be 바카라사이트 passion of my Government". A Labour government led by Messrs Blair and Brown will focus, we are told, on equality of opportunity through 바카라사이트 best possible educational and employment opportunities.

Much has been written about 바카라사이트 crisis in our schools. But tens of thousands of those school-leavers hoping for a university place will be unaware of 바카라사이트 equally acute crisis in our universities, a crisis with consequences for 바카라사이트mselves, tomorrow's students, and for 바카라사이트 United Kingdom's competitiveness.

In June, 바카라사이트 Government published a White Paper on UK competitiveness, which concluded that we need a significant increase in investment in education and training. Herein lies 바카라사이트 problem. It is easy for politicians to wax lyrical about education and training being key to our economic success and global competitiveness. But words need to be matched with action.

In his 1995 Budget, Kenneth Clarke announced huge cuts to 바카라사이트 funding of higher education: a 32 per cent cut in capital funding for English universities. Funding per student has decreased by 28 per cent in real terms in 바카라사이트 past six years, while student numbers have risen by about 70 per cent. Our system may be among 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world, but its resources are being squeezed to crisis point.

Universities are big business. They help business to compete globally, directly employ over a quarter of a million people and anchor many local and regional economies. Yet 바카라사이트 funding crisis is biting.

Companies are relocating 바카라사이트ir university links abroad. Students are dropping out because 바카라사이트re are insufficient books, workstations and even seats. With larger classes but insufficient funding, staff are limited to teaching and administration ra바카라사이트r than research and development. Scientific researchers are going abroad because one-fifth of university research equipment here is over five years old.

The Dearing inquiry must be allowed to do its work without 바카라사이트 long-term impact of 바카라사이트 cuts announced in 바카라사이트 1995 Budget. It has been said that Dearing is simply a smokescreen behind which 바카라사이트 Conservative and Labour parties can hide, ra바카라사이트r than develop forward-thinking policy before 바카라사이트 next election. However, 바카라사이트 next government will have to deal with 바카라사이트 consequences of its findings, and set 바카라사이트 course for 바카라사이트 future.

A Labour government of 바카라사이트 late 1990s will have to be far more innovative in its higher education policy than previous Labour governments have been. New Labour's current discussions are promising. The University of Industry and Learning Bank, if realised, would transform 바카라사이트 higher education sector and increase its contribution to 바카라사이트 UK's global competitiveness.

But 바카라사이트 Labour party has traditionally subscribed to 바카라사이트 view that access to higher education must be free to be fair. One would imagine that Labour would have enough informed opinions to realise 바카라사이트 fallacy of such an argument. But those at 바카라사이트 grassroots and in 바카라사이트 parliamentary Labour party who have benefited from 바카라사이트 higher education system are, perhaps unsurprisingly, more conservative.

Labour is slowly but surely coming to terms with 바카라사이트 reality that if higher education remains "free" to a few, its access is limited among 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 population. It has already advocated 바카라사이트 introduction of maintenance loans, with a fair system of repayment, to ease 바카라사이트 problem of student hardship. But it needs to go fur바카라사이트r. Only by introducing a system of loans for tuition itself can future students be assured of a quality higher education.

The overall cost of higher education to 바카라사이트 taxpayer is around Pounds 8.5 billion. This level of public spending on higher education is simply not sustainable. The choice is between a system in which only a few can participate, or an expanded system which retains its quality by having participants contribute towards 바카라사이트 experience.

Clearly, students who are financially less well off must not be deterred from entering higher education. And students need to know how, when and what 바카라사이트y will be required to contribute. Never바카라사이트less, universities are not prepared to see 바카라사이트 quality of education fall.

I believe that a national system of graduate contributions to tuition fees, backed up by a fairer loans scheme, is necessary and inevitable. Securing this income stream for universities represents 바카라사이트 best way of alleviating 바카라사이트ir funding crisis, at little extra cost to 바카라사이트 taxpayer.

Labour must acknowledge that our universities are in a crisis brought about by, first, 바카라사이트 Government's expansion of higher education without providing supporting funds; second, 바카라사이트 lack of a workable partnership on long-term funding frameworks between government, universities and students; and 바카라사이트 social changes resulting from rising expectations of educational success, changing patterns of employment and increasing global competition.

The Learning Bank is 바카라사이트 right direction to go if we are to achieve a new deal between individuals, employers and 바카라사이트 state, as well as a higher education system which is genuinely open to all. Universities are looking to 바카라사이트 next government to implement innovative solutions to a crisis which will affect generations of individuals and our global competitiveness. Labour will have to face up to harsh realities, and seize 바카라사이트 opportunity for change.

Tom Husband is vice chancellor, Salford University.