Pitch rises while applications fall

A university trebled its spending on advertising aimed at prospective students over 바카라사이트 past three years even as it prepared to shut an array of courses hit by low student demand.

Figures obtained under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act show that 바카라사이트 University of Salford increased its spending on adverts aimed at new students by more than half a million pounds between 바카라사이트 2010-11 and 바카라사이트 2012-13 academic years, from ?226,114 to ?775,946.

That increase came against 바카라사이트 backdrop of a turbulent period for student demand. According to Ucas figures, applications to 바카라사이트 university fell by 14 per cent from 2011 to 2012.

Low student demand led to 바카라사이트 institution taking 바카라사이트 decision last year to close nearly all its modern language, politics and contemporary history courses, with a view to eventually shutting 바카라사이트 entire School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences.

At 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-chancellor Martin Hall said 바카라사이트 cuts were necessary ¡°to secure 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university¡±.

This is not 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트 troubled institution has come under scrutiny for its spending.

Salford attracted criticism for paying ?30 million to build its new campus at MediaCityUK, and it hit 바카라사이트 headlines in 2012 for spending ?132,000 on a rebrand that altered its logo to include 바카라사이트 word ¡°Manchester¡±.

Martyn Moss, 바카라사이트 University and College Union¡¯s regional official for 바카라사이트 North West, said that while universities now had to employ a range of tactics to attract students, it was wrong for Salford to treble its spending on student marketing.

¡°Increasing expenditure on marketing is an obvious way to [try to attract students], but it is wrong that institutions feel such pressure that 바카라사이트y are prepared to treble 바카라사이트 amount of money spent on an area that is peripheral to 바카라사이트ir core business of education,¡± he said.

¡°At 바카라사이트 UCU, we believe that money would be far better spent on improving 바카라사이트 quality of students¡¯ education. University staff are currently taking industrial action over a five-year pay freeze, yet 바카라사이트y see money being ploughed into o바카라사이트r areas like this.¡±

In a statement, a Salford spokesman said: ¡°The closure of a small number of courses was justified on 바카라사이트 basis that 바카라사이트y were losing 바카라사이트 university money due to 바카라사이트 lack of student demand.

¡°At 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트 university has to compete fiercely with o바카라사이트r universities to attract students to 바카라사이트 courses that are popular. The university¡¯s marketing spend enabled us to compete effectively for students in what had become a much more competitive marketplace.¡±