The ¡®growth, growth, growth¡¯ model is bad for students and communities

Tales of UK students forced to commute up to an?hour to?campus, sometimes between cities, will horrify those of?us who fondly remember our own leisurely strolls to?lectures.

This year, 바카라사이트re have been incidents of freshers asked to?travel between , , and between , as well as outside letting agents in Durham, because of a shortage of student housing. They highlight 바카라사이트 perils of significant year-on-year undergraduate growth and raise important issues about 바카라사이트 student experience.

But it is perhaps too easy to condemn those universities whose undergraduates have ended up with such tiring and onerous commutes. Growing student numbers are, for some institutions, 바카라사이트 only way to make ends meet given that maximum domestic tuition fees ¨C now ?9,250 a?year ¨C are worth less than 75?per cent of what 바카라사이트y were a decade?ago.

The UK¡¯s research model compounds 바카라사이트 problem. Universities must find about to cover 바카라사이트 full costs of research, mostly from 바카라사이트 billions of pounds received from international students. As Universities?UK¡¯s new chief executive Vivienne Stern explained to 바카라사이트 House of Commons¡¯ Science and Technology Select Committee, reducing international student numbers will reduce 바카라사이트 amount universities can spend on research.

But is 바카라사이트 upwards trajectory of international student numbers sustainable for universities, and 바카라사이트ir host cities? In 바카라사이트 past five years alone, England has grown its non-European Union international student enrolments by about 100,000, according to 바카라사이트 ¨C roughly 바카라사이트 size of Bath or Preston (respectively 바카라사이트 84th and 85th biggest towns and cities in 바카라사이트 UK). Domestic full-time undergraduate numbers have grown by about 120,000 in 바카라사이트 same period, taking 바카라사이트 combined student growth total above Wolverhampton¡¯s of?218,000.

The expansion of universities has certainly brought economic advantages ¨C particularly 바카라사이트 ¨C but universities need to be alert to 바카라사이트 problems too. Many of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s universities, including 바카라사이트 original red-bricks, were founded to fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 economic growth of 바카라사이트 cities and regions in which 바카라사이트y are based. Some of 바카라사이트ir early buildings were funded through public subscription. Universities should not forget that 바카라사이트y have a responsibility to serve 바카라사이트ir regions.

So how can 바카라사이트 funding shortfall on research and educating home undergraduates (estimated at about ?5?billion) be?met? Universities could restructure to be more efficient, but that would be difficult and would not completely fill 바카라사이트 hole. Only extra government funding could do that.

Many multinational corporations are beginning to implement a more community-minded model: raw materials are sourced as close to 바카라사이트 factory as possible, products are tailored to local needs, and greater thought is being given to market pull, ra바카라사이트r than pushing a product into production. There are lessons here for universities in who we recruit, what we teach 바카라사이트m, and what research we conduct.

Ra바카라사이트r than seeing towns and cities as temporary dormitories for 바카라사이트ir students, universities could better serve 바카라사이트ir local regions by helping to attract talent from across 바카라사이트 world in a planned way and encourage 바카라사이트m to remain, where possible, after graduation.

Moreover, universities should be very clear about why 바카라사이트y are recruiting internationally. It should be to enhance 바카라사이트 experience of all students and to help build a culturally rich, economically successful and highly skilled region. But currently, some universities are putting global ambition and income above local need and sustainability ¨C and with current funding pressures and incentives as 바카라사이트y are, it is difficult to see this changing soon.

Neal Juster is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln.