THE GOVERNMENT’S dismissal of the Education and Skills Select Committee’s recommendations on the higher education White Paper has angered both politicians and academics alike. Not least the committee’s chairman, Barry Sheerman.
Writing in The Times Higher Education Supplement (August 1) he says of the response from Charles Clarke, the Education Secretary: “The overall message is clear: The Government is not interested in changing its White Paper. Hopefully there is a world outside the Government that will carry on the fight for the higher education system.”
Professor Richard Floud, president of Universities UK was also dissapointed: “We see little evidence of responsiveness”, he said in Public Finance (August 1) The discontent stems from the Government’s desire to concentrate research funding, leaving those institutions who rated 4 or below in the last research assessment exercise bereft of funds.
Colin Matheson, chief executive of the Coalition of Modern Universities, quoted in the THES, says: “We were promised a level playing field when we became universities in 1992 and that hasn’t happened. We need the freedom and resources to develop.”
Mr Clarke’s response also rejected the committee’s call for top-up fees and grants to be raised to £5,000 by increasing the loan interest rate.