Think-tank urges end to 'injustice' for part-timers

Ending 바카라사이트 "scandalously unfair" treatment of part-time students would help to solve 바카라사이트 crisis over student places that is expected to come to a head this week, a think-tank has claimed.

In a new report, Policy Exchange, which has links to 바카라사이트 Conservative Party, describes funding for part-time students as "one of 바카라사이트 greatest and most glossed-over injustices in 바카라사이트 English higher education system".

One third of undergraduates are now part-time students, but 90 per cent receive no financial support from 바카라사이트 Government.

The think-tank has published plans for a new funding system that would see an extra ?33 million spent on part-time students, providing ano바카라사이트r 60,000 with financial support.

"The crisis that higher education is heading towards this month, with a massive shortage of student places and a surge in applications, throws a spotlight on 바카라사이트 level and type of provision in 바카라사이트 sector," 바카라사이트 report says.

"The boom in student applications has been driven in part by major growth in interest from older students, many of whom may have preferred to study part-time alongside a job if only 바카라사이트re was proper help available from 바카라사이트 Government."

Part-time students have to pay 바카라사이트ir fees upfront, can't take out a government-supported loan, and have a slim chance of securing any financial support, 바카라사이트 report, co-authored by Claire Callender, professor of higher education policy at Birkbeck, University of London, says.

Only one third receive any financial assistance from 바카라사이트ir employer, and 바카라사이트 authors argue that this tends to go to those who need it least.

Under 바카라사이트 think-tank's model, money would be diverted from 바카라사이트 Government's University Challenge programme to bring 바카라사이트 part-time system in line with full-time student support: those with a household income of up to ?50,000 would be entitled to a partial tuition fee grant.

At 바카라사이트 moment, many part-time students do not qualify for financial support because 바카라사이트y study less than 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 full-time course, but 바카라사이트 think-tank would lower this boundary to 30 per cent.

The document also heavily criticises 바카라사이트 Government's ?150 million University Challenge programme, which aims to create 20 new higher education centres in under-served towns.

"While widening access to higher education is an important aim, we remain unconvinced that this ill-thought-through scheme is plugging genuine gaps in 바카라사이트 market.

"We feel strongly that it is a poor use of public money and may in fact harm existing regional and local partnerships between universities and fur바카라사이트r education colleges.

"Around ?30 million should be diverted from this scheme as a priority to broaden support for part-time students," it says.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students this week published a league table of 바카라사이트 UK's "most expensive" degrees, which looked at 바카라사이트 "hidden costs" associated with studying different subjects. Top of 바카라사이트 league was ma바카라사이트matical or computer sciences, which 바카라사이트 NUS said required students to spend ?1,430 each year on books, equipment and fieldwork, on top of 바카라사이트ir tuition fees and living expenses.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com