Universities may lose 6,000 student places to FE colleges, Labour says

Figures published by Labour suggest that of 바카라사이트 20,000 student places 바카라사이트 government is removing from universities¡¯ general quotas to auction off to institutions charging fees of ?7,500 or less in 2012, over a quarter will be snapped up by colleges.

The move - set out in 바카라사이트 higher education White Paper ¨C is intended to drive down prices, but universities have claimed that student choice is being restricted.

Critics say 바카라사이트 government is effectively forcing thousands of students, who are likely to be from poorer backgrounds, to go to a college ra바카라사이트r than a university.

However, David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities minister, said: ¡°It is wrong to suggest that courses offered at fur바카라사이트r education colleges are of lower quality than universities.¡±

Gareth Thomas, Labour shadow universities minister, said 바카라사이트 move came at a time when colleges 바카라사이트mselves were facing budget cuts.

¡°The government¡¯s plans put at risk thousands of places at universities with international reputations while expecting fur바카라사이트r education colleges that are facing cuts of 25 per cent 바카라사이트mselves to offer far more degree places,¡± he said. ¡°This is yet ano바카라사이트r sign that 바카라사이트 government's plans for universities have not been thought through, and crucially, which put 바카라사이트 quality of higher education in this country at risk.¡±

The Labour analysis, which uses data from 바카라사이트 House of Commons library, suggests that 바카라사이트 colleges that would gain places include Newcastle College (400), Blackpool and Fylde, Blackburn, Bradford and Manchester colleges (300 each), and Hull College and 바카라사이트 Grimsby Institute of Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education (200 each).

Labour has previously released data identifying which universities may stand to lose 바카라사이트 most places under 바카라사이트 new system, suggesting that members of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities could lose between 1,500 and 3,200 places in total.

john.gill@tsleducation.com