Shabana Mahmood MP · @ShabanaMahmood
18th Jan 2013 from Twitlonger
My comment on new UCAS data showing a chaotic and volatile picture across HE.
The accepted applicants in 2012 data paints a chaotic picture emerging after the Government’s changes to higher education. We have known for some time that there are 12% fewer students at university this year than last, but what we did not know until today was the true chaos that has been unleashed by this government.
UCAS reports wild and dangerous swings – with some huge losers and some winners – but the variations show severe volatility in the system that should be a concern for everyone. With some universities reporting drops larger than 40% in one year, the government must now answer for the damage it has done to those universities that have suffered as a consequence of their reforms and decision to raise fees to £9,000.
We can now also see the true effect on some particular cities and regions – such as falls in different universities across cities like Manchester and Leeds. Concentrated in this way, declining numbers of students will choke off economic recovery and do serious damage to cities that depend on universities to provide the essential skills and human capital needed to generate growth.
As we assess the damage done to universities in the 2012 academic year, the government must now explain how the same will not be repeated this September. With every type of universities reporting significant falls in students, including many in the Russell Group, this is a problem for all of higher education and shows once again how raising fees and implementing now-discredited student number control systems has done such damage.