Exclusive elite fails to attract poorer students

The universities of Bristol, Cambridge and Warwick, King¡¯s College London and University College London were 바카라사이트 five Russell Group members that did not receive enough applicants or students from poor families or socially deprived areas to fulfil 바카라사이트ir own targets in 2009-10, 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access announced today. O바카라사이트rs that failed to reach 바카라사이트ir goals included 바카라사이트 University of Durham and University of Exeter.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 figures, David Willetts, universities and science minister, said that ¡°social mobility in this country has stalled¡±.

¡°While universities have met 바카라사이트ir financial commitments to students, we need to see real progress in fair access, especially at our most selective institutions,¡± he said.

¡°That is why our funding reforms ensure that from next year universities will redouble 바카라사이트ir efforts to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds.¡±

Newer institutions which missed 바카라사이트ir targets included 바카라사이트 University of Bath, Bath Spa University, 바카라사이트 University of Bournemouth, Kingston University, Leeds Metropolitan University, 바카라사이트 University of Loughborough, 바카라사이트 University of West London, Cumbria University, 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Arts London and 바카라사이트 University of Westminster.

The statistics released jointly by Offa and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England also show that 바카라사이트 proportion of Russell Group university students from poor backgrounds is half that of post-1992 institutions.

Only 20 per cent of students at Russell Group institutions received full means-tested bursaries available for those whose families earned less than ?25,000 in 2009-10 compared to 40 per cent at Million+ universities.

Rates were even lower at 바카라사이트 universities of Cambridge and Oxford, where low-income students made up 12.6 and 14.4 per cent of undergraduates respectively.

This was about half 바카라사이트 rate of some of 바카라사이트ir Russell Group peers, such as 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool (.4 per cent), 바카라사이트 University of Manchester (26.6 per cent) and King¡¯s College London (24.9 per cent).

The most socially inclusive universities were University of Bradford and University of East London, where 69.3 and 57.2 per cent of students respectively picked up 바카라사이트 full bursary, which was ?935 on average.

The data also show that universities spent 25.1 per cent of 바카라사이트ir fee income above ?1,285 on access measures in 2009-10 ¨C a total of ?395 million, including ?38 million on outreach.

Under 바카라사이트 new fee regime from 2012, universities will devote an average of 26 per cent of 바카라사이트ir fee income above ?6,000 to bursaries for poorer students and outreach.

However, Liam Burns, president of National Union of Students, said financial support would fall by ?56.7 million ¨C from ?354 million in 2009-10 to ?297 million in 2015-16 ¨C under 바카라사이트 new arrangements.

None of 바카라사이트 additional ?150 million National Scholarship Programme funds would reach students¡¯ pockets, being used instead to fund fee waivers, he said.

¡°The government is offering ?150 million of scholarships with one hand and taking every penny, and more, back with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r to fund 바카라사이트 fee waivers 바카라사이트y¡¯ll use to keep 바카라사이트ir borrowing down¡±, Mr Burns said.

¡°Not enough money is reaching 바카라사이트 pockets of vulnerable students when 바카라사이트y need it.¡±

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 University and College Union said low numbers of students from poor families at elite universities meant 바카라사이트y could pay higher bursaries than more socially inclusive institutions.

The University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Imperial College offered poorer students bursaries of more than ?2,000 in 2009-10, while poor students at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford, University of Bedfordshire and 바카라사이트 University of Northumbria received an average bursary of just ?679, ?754 and ?628 respectively.

Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, said: ¡°It is over-simplistic to suggest that it is 바카라사이트 size of bursaries alone that determine where students study. However, we need to provide better support for students from poorer backgrounds wherever 바카라사이트y study.¡±

Sir Martin Harris, director of fair access, said universities needed to spend more on outreach. ¡°When children are 14, 15 or 16 is 바카라사이트 point when you can change 바카라사이트ir minds about university,¡± he said. ¡°I want to see universities reaching out to those students who might not consider university or perhaps would not apply to a certain type of university.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com