HEPI SURVEY SHOWS STUDENTS ARE NOT BEING PUT ‘AT THE HEART OF THE SYSTEM’

A report released today (Thursday) by HEPI shows that there has been no apparent improvement in the provision for students at UK universities since tuition fees were increased in 2006. The survey shows no noticeable increase in the amount of time spent in small group sessions since 2006 and no changes in contact hours over the same period.

Liam Burns, NUS President, said:

“The Government claim that by shifting the burden of funding even further from government spending to student borrowing that they have put students at the heart of the system but this survey casts further doubt on that assumption.

“Whether we like it or not students going on to campuses this year will feel like they're paying more and will have increased expectations to match but there is no evidence that shifting the financial burden to students gives them more power. Successive governments have forced students to act as consumers of teaching rather than partners in learning and there is no evidence that this has improved universities.

“Students must be given real influence over their university experience and it is clear that changing funding from investment to loans does not increase the amount going into teaching and does not give students the power to direct their learning.”

NUS Press Office - 07866 695010 / pressoffice@nus.org.uk