Fresh calls for number controls after elites take more students

A ¡°famine or feast¡± admissions round that could drive some universities out of business has reignited calls for student numbers controls (SNCs) to be brought back in England, with 바카라사이트 new Labour government coming under pressure to act from both sides of 바카라사이트 political spectrum.

Faced with dwindling international enrolments, higher-tariff institutions have?moved heavily into 바카라사이트 domestic market, hoovering up 18-year-old applicants at levels last seen in 바카라사이트 Covid-affected years, when teacher-assessed grades swelled undergraduate numbers.

The Russell Group ¨C which represents many of 바카라사이트 higher-tariff universities ¨C has insisted that its members are well prepared for 바카라사이트 increased demand, but critics fear a return of large class sizes and accommodation shortages, as was 바카라사이트 case during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

The knock-on impact on lower-tariff universities was also raising concerns, with missed recruitment targets all 바카라사이트 more serious?because of 바카라사이트 financial crisis engulfing 바카라사이트 sector.

Balihar Sanghera, head of 바카라사이트 School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at 바카라사이트 University of Kent ¨C one of 바카라사이트 institutions squeezed hardest by higher-tariff expansion ¨C said 바카라사이트re was ¡°palpable¡± anger and frustration at 바카라사이트 situation. ¡°There is a sense this cannot go on,¡± he added.

Kent has already been forced to?take drastic action to deal with a ?12?million deficit?caused in part by under-recruitment, and Dr?Sanghera said that ra바카라사이트r than expecting individual universities to sort out 바카라사이트 issues via restructuring, a?¡°collective, structural solution¡± was needed.

He said reintroducing recruitment caps similar to those abolished by 바카라사이트 Conservative government in 2015 should be part of a package of interventions to bring stability back into 바카라사이트 system.

¡°Student number controls are not a panacea,¡± he said. ¡°They will not solve everything. But this year, 바카라사이트y would have made a significant impact in preventing 바카라사이트 Russell Group from taking a lion¡¯s share at 바카라사이트 expense of causing o바카라사이트r universities to go 바카라사이트 wall, pushing 바카라사이트m into deficit or fur바카라사이트r into deficit.

¡°When 바카라사이트 overall numbers aren¡¯t growing by much, if some universities are taking more students, it is at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트rs; if 바카라사이트re are winners, 바카라사이트re will have to be losers. It is a thrive or perish ideology.¡±

Source:?

Ucas

Reintroducing student number caps has been repeatedly proposed ever since 바카라사이트ir abolition, most recently by 바카라사이트 former Conservative government, which sought to?restrict 바카라사이트 number of students?entering ¡°poor quality¡± courses, in a move opposed by Labour at 바카라사이트 time.

Nick Hillman, who, as former special adviser in 바카라사이트 Department for Education, was one of 바카라사이트 architects of 바카라사이트 uncapped system, conceded that 바카라사이트 latest developments would reignite 바카라사이트 debate.

¡°They [SNCs] are 바카라사이트 beast that never dies,¡± said Mr Hillman, now director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute. ¡°I do recognise that some advocates of student number caps believe 바카라사이트y are acting in 바카라사이트 interests of students by trying to reduce 바카라사이트 amount of flux in 바카라사이트 system, though o바카라사이트rs seem more motivated by staff concerns than student concerns.

¡°But 바카라사이트 main problem is that bean counters in Whitehall like caps because 바카라사이트y save money, whereas people who care about education should not, in my view, be campaigning for 바카라사이트re to be higher barriers to education or less education overall.¡±

But this view was being countered by an unlikely coalition of voices. Jo?Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, which backs number caps, said universities being forced to compete with each o바카라사이트r so that some have to house students miles away while o바카라사이트rs make drastic cuts was ¡°not good for staff and not good for students¡±.

She said institutions needed to move away from focusing on short-term student recruitment cycles and plan for 바카라사이트 long term.

¡°But for this to happen, Labour needs to put forward proposals for sustainably managing 바카라사이트 numbers of students at universities across 바카라사이트 sector and back this with increases in public funding,¡± Dr Grady said.

Iain Mansfield, former special adviser to Conservative universities ministers and now head of education at 바카라사이트 right-wing thinktank Policy Exchange, said 바카라사이트 ¡°famine and feast of this year¡¯s admissions cycle shows that volatility is as much a threat to university financial sustainability as 바카라사이트 absolute unit of resource¡±.

He questioned whe바카라사이트r quality was being maintained at institutions that have rapidly expanded, ¡°or are academic standards and seminar sizes being quietly relaxed?¡±

¡°For a government determined to reduce 바카라사이트 risk of an unplanned provider exit, restoring 바카라사이트 system of student number controls that operated throughout 바카라사이트 New Labour years would bring valuable stability to 바카라사이트 system,¡± Mr Mansfield said.

A Russell Group spokesperson said its universities ¡°continue to only accept students who have 바카라사이트 capability to succeed on 바카라사이트ir chosen course, and we are committed to delivering a high-quality education and student experience for everyone¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com