Jordan's Journal

Today's announcement that England's universities will face budget cuts in the next academic year has worried many in the sector. However, the decision by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFEC) to reduce funding by 1.6% must not draw away from the wider picture of higher education.

There has been substantial growth in higher education over the past decade. Investment in the sector has increased by 25% in real terms, while the Research Base has more than doubled. Participation is up by 21%, with 339,000 students now undertaking higher education courses. 

The number of university places may fall, but entry into university has always been - and should continue to be - competative. The rise in applications is not simply through the Government's desire to get more young people into higher education, but because there are simply more 18-year-olds in Britain today.

I am particularly proud at the work we have done to widen participation. We've made steady progress, with the gap in participation in higher education between higher and lower socio-economic classes narrowed by 7%. Labour will continue this in the years to come, with 2012 pupils from low income backgrounds, who are in the top 50% of performers, will receive a comprehensive package of assistance to attend university.

David Cameron has refused to back Labour vision of aspiration, where 50% of all young people go to university, even after over 50% of young people in every social group now say they want to go. Their policy is confused - David Willett’s was hinting to the Universities that they’re relaxed about fees rising to £7,000 a year, but the next week he was telling students that the case for a rise hasn’t been made.

The Lib Dem position is divided on Higher Education – their position flip flops from one week to the next. Students, parents and universities would have every right to feel that they are completely in the dark about what a Lib Dem government would actually do were they were ever to win power.

I regularly visit the University of Essex, in my constituency, to chat to students and staff and hear about their concerns. I am always happy to support them whenever I can, and I was especially pleased that my support for them, and the higher education sector, was recently endorsed by the University's Students Union. As the Student Union President put it: "His [Jordan's] care for students rights is unprecedented. His grassroots work with international students, and home students alike is the reason why I am so motivated to endorse him as a Parliamentary candidate."

I agree with the Russell Group, who recognise that "universities will have to bear their fair share of any cuts" as we slowly begin to exit the recession. Labour recognises that far from being a drain on resources and the economy the Higher Education sector is a precious asset. As such, the budget reduction by HEFEC is relatively small. However, I believe that the cuts announced today need to be minimial, measured and must not impact on frontline teaching.