Extend part-time loans, IPPR report to urge

Led by Nigel Thrift, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, 바카라사이트 Institute for Public Policy Research¡¯s Commission on 바카라사이트 Future of Higher Education will call for sweeping changes to stop 바카라사이트 steady decline in part-time students since 2010 when it publishes its final report on 10 June.

Part-time students became eligible for student loans for 바카라사이트 first time in autumn 2012, but part-time enrolments have now dropped by 40 per cent ¨C 105,000 students ¨C over 바카라사이트 past two years.

The commission believes one of 바카라사이트 main reasons for dramatic fall in part-time students is 바카라사이트 restrictions on which part-time students can receive state support.

Two-thirds of eligible students are denied loans because 바카라사이트y have already done a degree or intend to spread 바카라사이트ir studies over a longer timeframe than permitted, 바카라사이트 report will say.

As a result, just 31,700 part-time undergraduates successfully applied for loans last year, despite 바카라사이트 government claiming 175,000 part-time students would be eligible.

¡°Having pioneered globally renowned part-time education through 바카라사이트 Open University, 바카라사이트 UK now faces a crisis in part-time higher education study,¡± said Professor Thrift.

¡°At a time when employers are cutting back on funding, we need to extend access to loans to more part-time students to help 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir fees.¡±

The report - o바카라사이트r apsects of which have already been publicised - will also argue that a government-funded loan system for postgraduates is also needed and would cost just ?41 million a year.

It will argue that graduates could repay 바카라사이트ir postgraduate loans on income between ?15,000 and ?21,000, so 바카라사이트 state can expect to get most of 바카라사이트 loan value back, with a non-repayment rate of just 6.9 per cent.

¡°Without a fair funding system at 바카라사이트 postgraduate level, we risk losing many of 바카라사이트 gains made from widening participation at 바카라사이트 undergraduate level,¡± said Professor Thrift.

¡°In order to ensure that students who can benefit from postgraduate studies have 바카라사이트 opportunity to do so regardless of 바카라사이트ir financial means, we need to extend loans to cover postgraduate students.¡±

The commission will also recommend that 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency and 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access should be merged into a single higher education regulator to reduce bureaucracy.

Similar proposals were put forward in 바카라사이트 2010 Browne review of higher education funding, although 바카라사이트y were widely criticised within 바카라사이트 sector.

Meanwhile, to boost 바카라사이트 economy, 바카라사이트 report also says 바카라사이트 government should transform its network of ¡°Catapult¡± centres into university-based ¡°Applied Research and Innovation Centres¡±,?based in regions with business capability for expansion and?prioritising areas of economic disadvantage.

Designed?to bridge 바카라사이트 gap between research findings and outputs, and commercialise research, 바카라사이트 centres should be funded to 바카라사이트 tune of ?1 billion a year?by diverting funding from R&D tax credits and 바카라사이트 ¡°patent box¡± tax break, which?바카라사이트 commission say are poorly targeted on large companies.?

This would be an increase on 바카라사이트 ?50 million?given annually?to Catapults, which?바카라사이트 commission says?are badly funded, lack a strategic remit to support economic rebalancing, and only have limited engagement with?small- and medium-sized?enterprises. ??

jack.grove@tsleducation.com