A new campaign to promote part-time study in Further and Higher Education has been launched this week (Adult Learners’ Week).
Part Time Matters is concerned by the 40 per cent decline in part-time enrolments since 2010. That’s a drop of 130 000 (105 000 at undergraduate level).
You can support the campaign by writing to your MP and alerting him or her to Early Day Motion 93.
On a personal note, I have benefited immensely from being a Birkbeck student over the last two years.
Goldsmiths, University of London is hosting a public meeting against austerity on Thursday 16 May.
Venue: Room 137 in the Main Building
Time: 6pm
I will be speaking alongside:
- Aaron Kiely, NUS Black students’ officer
- Rachael Maskell, Unite national officer
- a Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign speaker
- Romayne Phoenix, Coalition of Resistance
Further details and directions can be found on…
When we put the book to bed in January, the official government estimates put the loss on student loans at 32 per cent. That is, for every pound lent the government expected to receive 68p by 2046 in present value terms.
In February, the figures were revised upwards to 34 per cent and today David Willetts appears to have said that the loss on loans is now looking like 35 per cent ‘and could rise further‘.
By 2014/15, around £10billion of loans will be issued per annum these small percentage point changes represent big changes – roughly £100m per ‘click’ according to government and independent assessments.
We are awaiting one important bit of data for this first year of the new scheme – the amount of loan taken out to cover tuition fees.
Hefce reported in March that the number of such loans had fallen ‘from 916,600 in 2011-12 to 907,600 in 2012-13′. But with average tuition fees looking significantly higher (c. £8,250) than the assumptions used in the modelling (£7,000-7, 500) this drop in uptake may presage a bigger amount borrowed than anticipated.
This data may already be factored in to the new figure of 35 per cent. June’s Fiscal Sustainability Report and the Student Loan Company’s annual report will be revealing.
The Global Economy and Business Research Unit at the University of Hertfordshire will be hosting an event for The Great University Gamble on Tuesday 4th June.
Venue: Room N003, Hertfordshire Business School, de Havilland Campus
Time: 5pm
Tea will be available from 16.00 onwards and wine and nibbles to follow lecture.
For those who are not staff or students at Hertfordshire, tickets can be reserved here.
I am at the early phase of some new research on moocs. The first publications have just appeared:
An article in today’s Guardian on where the returns of investment may be given the problems around public disinvestment from higher education.
A video of my contribution to last month’s initial ‘Dynamics of Virtual Work’ workshop in Darmstadt.
The video is in 4 Parts which begin half-way down this page. There you can also view Prof Ursula Huws – the project lead – giving an overview of the project.
Nick Hillman is David Willetts’s special adviser. In a personal capacity, he has reviewed The Great University Gamble for wonkhe.com, who are also running a poetry competition for a copy of the book.
The Bartlett (UCL) is holding a series of three seminars in May on the theme of Future UniverCities.
I am delighted to feature on the second panel alongside Beth Parry, Mike Raco and Jan Toporowski. This will take place on Monday 20 May at 6pm and will address the theme of
' Structures: Governance, Finance and Accountability'
Venue: GO7, Pearson Building, Main Campus (Gower Street).
