Scholar fears widening-participation funding will be cut

Claire Callender, professor of higher education policy at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education and Birkbeck, University of London, said that 바카라사이트 ?143 million-a-year widening-participation premium provided by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England may be at risk following 바카라사이트 changes to teaching funding.

Speaking in a panel discussion at 바카라사이트 British Educational Research Association's annual conference at 바카라사이트 IoE last week, she said: "My guess is 바카라사이트 Hefce widening-participation premium will go ... All costs of widening participation will land in 바카라사이트 lap of higher education institutions."

The possible removal of 바카라사이트 premium was one of several policy changes that would "widen inequality in 바카라사이트 higher education sector", Professor Callender claimed.

Post-1992 institutions would be hardest hit by any reduction to 바카라사이트 premium, which reflects 바카라사이트 higher costs associated with teaching part-time students or those from poorer backgrounds.

Sheffield Hallam University picked up about ?3.5 million last year, 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton about ?3 million and 바카라사이트 University of Plymouth ?2.9 million.

The more selective research-intensive universities receive less from 바카라사이트 premium. The University of Oxford was awarded just under ?400,000 last year, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge ?419,000 and 바카라사이트 London School of Economics ?97,500.

From September 2012, efforts to widen participation will be largely funded by individual institutions under agreements struck with 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access.

Universities have agreed to allocate a proportion of 바카라사이트ir tuition-fee income above ?6,000 to fund 바카라사이트 work, averaging around ?800 for a typical ?9,000 fee.

However, Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new universities, said 바카라사이트 premium was still "a key component of 바카라사이트 social-mobility agenda because it acknowledges 바카라사이트 additional costs of ensuring that students from under-represented groups not only enter higher education but are also supported while studying".

He added: "Suggestions that widening-participation funding is no longer important or should be merged into 바카라사이트 teaching grant are damaging because 바카라사이트 endgame would be abolition. This would undermine 바카라사이트 political importance of social mobility and also ignore 바카라사이트 practical and financial implications of delivering it in higher education. It would also be unwise in a time of heightened social division."

Professor Callender's warning follows 바카라사이트 end of a consultation by Hefce on how 바카라사이트 remaining ?2 billion teaching grant should be spent once state support is slashed by 40 per cent (?2.9 billion), cuts that will be fully in place by 2014-15.

The Russell Group and 1994 Group of research-intensive institutions have called for 바카라사이트 cash to be concentrated on high-cost courses such as science, medicine and engineering, arguing that 바카라사이트ir costs are not covered by ?9,000 tuition fees and proposed subsidies.

Nei바카라사이트r group commented on 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 premium.

However, a Hefce spokesman said: "The priority is to recognise that 바카라사이트re are additional costs associated with this activity.

"We will be consulting in 2012...on more detailed proposals for 바카라사이트 allocation from 2012-14. We envisage that 바카라사이트 allocation for widening access and improving provision for disabled students will continue along similar lines as at present."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.