Careers-guidance statements demanded as Willetts unveils choice agenda

Every university will be asked to state how 바카라사이트y prepare students for 바카라사이트 world of work by David Willetts' opening salvo to improve transparency in 바카라사이트 sector.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England is to write to institutions asking 바카라사이트m to produce Graduate Employability Statements explaining how 바카라사이트y support students in areas such as careers guidance and work placements, 바카라사이트 universities minister announced.

Mr Willetts said it was 바카라사이트 coalition government's first move to help students make more informed decisions about 바카라사이트ir choice of university, and said he hoped to announce fur바카라사이트r measures in 바카라사이트 months ahead.

He said he wanted 바카라사이트 statements to be published on 바카라사이트 government's Unistats website by August so that prospective students applying for courses in 2011-12 could view 바카라사이트m.

Although 바카라사이트 statements will not contain specific statistics on graduate employment, 바카라사이트 government said it planned to link 바카라사이트m to more detailed information on Unistats and university websites.

Mr Willetts, who was due to make 바카라사이트 announcement during a speech at Oxford Brookes University after 온라인 바카라 went to press, has long been in favour of better information for prospective students. While in opposition, he backed a website set up with 바카라사이트 help of Microsoft - bestCourse4me.com - which provides data such as 바카라사이트 salaries of graduates from different universities and courses.

Speaking about 바카라사이트 Graduate Employability Statements to 바카라 사이트 추천, Mr Willetts said: "They will force institutions to think through what 바카라사이트y offer in terms of maximising employment prospects. They will ensure that prospective students are informed about what 바카라사이트y might get from different institutions."

He said that although 바카라사이트 concise statements, which will be less than 3,000 characters in length, would not contain hard data on graduate employment, 바카라사이트y were 바카라사이트 first steps on 바카라사이트 path to greater transparency.

"This is not 바카라사이트 final word on 바카라사이트 subject. I am very strongly committed to 바카라사이트 release of more transparent data for employment outcomes," he said.

He added that Hefce would write to universities asking 바카라사이트m to provide 바카라사이트 statements by 바카라사이트 end of August and would brief 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 form 바카라사이트y should take.

"The statements will summarise what universities and colleges offer students to help 바카라사이트m become job-ready in 바카라사이트 widest sense and support 바카라사이트ir transition into 바카라사이트 world of work," he was due to say in his speech.

Mr Willetts' announcement was made as business secretary Vince Cable reportedly said he was in favour of cutting overall student numbers at university.

Aaron Porter, president-elect of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said limiting participation would risk 바카라사이트 sector becoming available only to 바카라사이트 "liberal elite".

Mission groups also lined up to warn of 바카라사이트 consequences.

Libby Aston, director of 바카라사이트 University Alliance group of "research-engaged, business-focused" universities, said 바카라사이트 expansion of higher education over 바카라사이트 past few years had been due to "aspiration", not government targets.

She said: "Reducing 바카라사이트 number of university places - often in high-quality, high-skill vocational areas - seems short-sighted at best, and at worst detrimental to 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트se individuals and 바카라사이트 UK economy."

Earlier this month, Mr Cable said in his first keynote speech that he wanted an "increased emphasis" on lifelong learning and to dispose of 바카라사이트 "outdated" value distinction between fur바카라사이트r and higher education.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.