Numbers cut will 'hit poor hardest'

Cutting student places could squeeze applicants from poorer backgrounds out of higher education, a leading scholar warned this week.

At a time of record demand, it has emerged that 바카라사이트re will be up to 6,000 fewer places for full-time undergraduate entrants this autumn.

Universities are also facing fines of up to ?10 million for recruiting more students than 바카라사이트 Government allowed in 2009-10.

The net reduction in student numbers in 2010-11 has been confirmed by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and is 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 Government's decision to withdraw 바카라사이트 10,000 unfunded "emergency" places for 2009-10 that were announced last summer.

Sir David Watson, professor of higher education management at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, said it had "long been accepted as an iron law of higher education that if you want a fairer system, it has to be allowed to expand".

A study published by Hefce last week found that 바카라사이트re had been an "unusually rapid" increase in 바카라사이트 proportion of young people entering higher education from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged areas since 바카라사이트 mid-2000s.

"The data from Hefce show that expansion has, over a fairly long haul, begun to bring some dividends in terms of fairness," Sir David said.

But he added 바카라사이트re were also signs of "vulnerability".

"Every time in 바카라사이트 recent past when numbers have been restricted for economic reasons, it is 바카라사이트 'non-standard' participants who lose out disproportionately," he said.

"It happened under Keith Joseph in 바카라사이트 early 1980s and under John Patten in 바카라사이트 mid-1990s. It will happen again as a result of Lord Mandelson's cuts: will he be around to see it?"

Teesside University has seen a 30 per cent increase in applications since winning 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 University of 바카라사이트 Year Award in 2009, but said it would have to turn away full-time undergraduate students as a result of 바카라사이트 restrictions on numbers.

In December, Lord Mandelson said universities would be fined ?3,700 for each student 바카라사이트y recruited above 바카라사이트 permitted level.

This week, in a circular letter to vice-chancellors, Sir Alan Langlands, Hefce's chief executive, says: "We have tentatively assumed in our budgeting that we would recover up to ?10 million from over-recruitment."

The letter also announces that Hefce is to rejig 바카라사이트 funding formula for quality-related research in 2010-11 to favour 바카라사이트 research elite.

"The board decided, in response to 바카라사이트 Government's presumption in 바카라사이트 grant letter in favour of more research concentration, to introduce a steeper funding 'slope' for all subjects," it says. "The effect of 바카라사이트 change will provide an initial step towards increased concentration."

The letter sets out in detail where 바카라사이트 cuts faced by 바카라사이트 sector in 2010-11 will fall.

The sector will receive a Hefce grant of ?7,291 million - ?518 million less than in 2009-10, although capital funding has been brought forward to partially offset 바카라사이트 loss.

The main funding decisions made by 바카라사이트 Hefce board at its meeting on 28 January, all of which relate to 바카라사이트 2010-11 academic year, were:

• ?4,7 million in recurrent funding for teaching, representing a 1.6 per cent real-terms decrease on 2009-10 figures;
• ?1,603 million in recurrent funding for research, equal to a ?32 million or 2 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 previous year;
• ?562 million in capital funding, which represents a 14.9 per cent reduction in cash terms on 바카라사이트 2009-10 allocation;
• ?294 million in special funding for national programmes and initiatives, a 7 per cent cut in cash terms on 2009-10;
• ?150 million for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Innovation Fund - an 11.9 per cent increase year on year.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.