Welfare Reform on the Web (March 2000): Education - Higher - UK

BLUNKETT UNVEILS EXTRA £365M TO HELP COLLEGES

J. Kelly

Guardian, Nov. 23rd 1999, p.5

Announces an extra £240m to widen participation in further education by 700,000 in 2001-02. A further £80m will go to the Further Education Standards Fund used to spread best practice and intervene in failing colleges. The remaining £45m will go on capital projects and computer equipment.

BLUNKETT'S £295M MATURE STUDENT BOOST

J. Carvel

Guardian, Nov. 22nd 1999, p.7

The government is to add £295m to the education budget for 2001-02 for the expansion of the universities to offer more places to mature students wanting to take vocational courses to boost their job prospects.

(See also Independent, Nov. 23rd 1999, p.12)

CASH IS NOT ACADEMIC

W. Rees-Mogg

Times, Dec. 13th 1999, p.16

Argues that since the universities are becoming increasingly independent of state funding, they should equally be liberated from state regulations.

OVERSEAS STUDENTS 'BANKROLL COLLEGES'

L. Hodges

Independent, Nov. 18th 1999, p.2

Reports that many universities are recruiting overseas students at the expense of home students, since they can charge people coming from outside the European Union higher fees. There is pressure to allow universities to charge home students as much in fees as the market will bear, and offer scholarships to the less well off.

STUDENTS WHO DROP OUT COST £200M A YEAR

J. Clare

Daily Telegraph, Dec. 3rd 1999, p.4

Statistics produced by the Higher Education Funding councils suggest that at least 55,000 students a year (18%) leave university without completing their degrees. Students from working class homes were most likely to have low A-level scores and those with low A-level scores were most likely to drop out. Universities with the highest graduation rates tended to have the smallest proportion of students from lower social classes and state schools.

(See also Financial Times, Dec. 3rd 1999, p.1-6; Independent, Dec. 3rd 1999, p.10; Guardian, Dec. 3rd 1999, p.11; Times, Dec. 3rd 1999, p.14-15)

| England | Scotland | Wales |

UNIVERSITIES TAKE STUDENTS UNABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH

L. Hodges

Independent, Dec. 2nd 1999, p.9

Reports allegations that British universities are so desperate for money that they are lowering their standards to admit overseas students who cannot speak or understand English properly.