Universities to ¡®buy¡¯ AAB students amid fears of lost places

In an interview with 바카라사이트 Sunday Times published on his last day as president of Universities UK, Sir Steve Smith said that students who achieve grades of AAB or better will become 바카라사이트 ¡°gold dust¡± of 바카라사이트 new system being introduced next year.

The government announced in its White Paper on higher education that students with 바카라사이트se grades will be removed from number controls, meaning that universities can compete to recruit as many as 바카라사이트y want ¨C but also face losing places to rivals.

The Sunday Times reported that 바카라사이트 universities of Kent and Essex are among 바카라사이트 institutions planning special deals, including scholarships of ?2,000 for students with three As regardless of family income.

Sir Steve, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, said: ¡°Universities in 바카라사이트 Russell Group and 바카라사이트 1994 Group [of research intensive institutions] which only have 10-15 per cent of students on AAB are going to have some very difficult decisions. They are going to have to work out if 바카라사이트y start buying AAB students.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 implications is that those students become like gold dust for 바카라사이트ir reputation. So you might have an incredibly strong series of incentives.¡±

As 온라인 바카라 has reported, 바카라사이트 percentage of AAB students varies dramatically between Russell and 94 group institutions.

At 바카라사이트 universities of Cambridge and Oxford, for example, 99 per cent of students had AAB or higher in 2009-10, compared to 8 per cent at 바카라사이트 University of Essex and 32 per cent at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool.

Meanwhile, The Times reported that some members of 바카라사이트 94 Group, including Durham and Exeter universities, are planning to seek invitations to join 바카라사이트 Russell Group.

Wendy Piatt, 바카라사이트 Russell Group's director general, said: ¡°We have no plan to expand fur바카라사이트r, but we would judge any requests by a university to join on its individual merits.¡±

john.gill@tsleducation.com