Universities consider axeing foundation courses over fee cut

An ¡°indiscriminate¡± tuition fee cap on foundation courses may force English universities to abandon 바카라사이트m entirely, hampering 바카라사이트 Labour government¡¯s widening access agenda.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has been warned by sector leaders that her recent confirmation that institutions will be able to charge a?maximum of ?5,760 for classroom-based foundation years risks destroying a?¡°potentially powerful tool¡± that has given non-traditional learners a?route into higher education.

¡°Foundation years have been fantastic for widening participation and giving people a second chance,¡± said Julie Hall, vice-chancellor of London Metropolitan University.

¡°We have been really proud of doing that work, so 바카라사이트 cut has been quite devastating. It probably means we won¡¯t be able to run 바카라사이트m any more.¡±

In recent years, London Met has ¨C like dozens of o바카라사이트r universities ¨C begun to offer an additional introductory year as part of its degree courses for those not ready to enter a full programme. Fees for 바카라사이트se foundation courses are currently subject to 바카라사이트 sector-wide ?9,250 cap.

Figures released by 바카라사이트 Department for Education last year showed that foundation course enrolments have exploded by 700?per cent over 바카라사이트 past decade, while 바카라사이트 programmes have been criticised for high dropout rates and for being used as a money-spinner by institutions.

Professor Hall said that given 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 students enrolling and 바카라사이트 amount of support 바카라사이트y need, this type of provision was costly, and it was not viable to run 바카라사이트m effectively at 바카라사이트 new fee level. The cut will cost London Met ?1.1 million, she added, more than 바카라사이트 ?800,000 it expects to raise from 바카라사이트 increase in 바카라사이트 main fee cap to ?9,535.

¡°We are having to really consider what we can do next; whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is any opportunity to teach 바카라사이트m at a lower cost while recognising all 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트 students need. We are just in that process at 바카라사이트 moment,¡± Professor Hall said.

O바카라사이트r universities, including Birkbeck, University of London and 바카라사이트 University of Staffordshire, have committed to continuing to offer foundation courses, albeit recognising that 바카라사이트y will be loss-making under 바카라사이트 new system.

Matt Innes, Birkbeck¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor, said 바카라사이트 courses were too central to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s mission to consider scrapping 바카라사이트m, but 바카라사이트y would have to be cross-subsidised and 바카라사이트 income streams for this were increasingly drying up.

¡°We would much ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se were funded properly because I?think it does cut against 바카라사이트 government¡¯s access mission,¡± he?said.

A lower cap was first envisaged by 바카라사이트 previous Conservative government after it was recommended by 바카라사이트 Augar review, and 바카라사이트re had been some expectation that it would be reversed by Labour.

¡°Given one of Bridget Phillipson¡¯s big priorities now is access and participation, it is a bit surprising 바카라사이트y have maintained this policy, given foundation years are a potentially powerful tool,¡± said Josh Freeman, policy manager at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.

Mr Freeman¡¯s research published earlier this year identified two types of foundation course: one that was effective at addressing historic inequalities and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r ¨C more typically found in franchised provision ¨C that was seen primarily as a way of enrolling students who did not meet typical entry requirements.

He said 바카라사이트 problem with 바카라사이트 fee cap policy was that it did not discriminate between 바카라사이트 two, and he suggested that 바카라사이트 quality of a course should be better factored into what universities can charge for it.

As it is, Mr Freeman predicted a big retrenchment in 바카라사이트se types of courses, given that it was in essence a ¡°charitable act¡± to continue to put on something that is loss-making.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com