15 April 2010
Expansion of university places has increased opportunity
The university think tank million+ has welcomed the news, based on figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), of an increase in the percentage of students at university from state schools and low participation neighbourhoods. Professor Les Ebdon, Chair of million+ and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, said: “These figures confirm the clear link between an expansion of funded places and widening participation. The last decade has seen record numbers of students funded to study at university. Modern universities have played a critical role in delivering the social mobility which has accompanied this expansion. These universities consistently teach and support three or four times more students from disadvantaged backgrounds compared to other institutions.
“The recent application figures confirm that there are likely to be more students than funded places in 2010. As always the biggest risk, if there are not enough places, is to applicants from widening participation backgrounds who may not get the highest grades but who stand to benefit most from studying at university. These figures are a timely reminder to political parties that social mobility is not achieved by chance but has to be backed by investment and the commitment of universities which are prepared to take risks to ensure that everyone who is qualified has the opportunity to access higher education.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- million+ is a leading university think-tank, working to solve the complex problems in higher education www.millionplus.ac.uk
- For more information, comment or interviews from million+ please contact Victoria Mills on 020 7717 1659 or 07900 277819
- 88.5% of young entrants to full-time first degree courses in 2008/09 attended state schools. The overall percentage of young entrants to full-time first degree courses from low participation neighbourhoods stands at 10.1% in 2008/09. The full HESA statistics are available here