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| University 'merit tests' to grow | University 'merit tests' to grow |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A-levels are not sufficient to identify the aptitude and potential of all those who should benefit from a university education, the government says. | A-levels are not sufficient to identify the aptitude and potential of all those who should benefit from a university education, the government says. |
| A framework for higher education in England over the next decade says social mobility must be reinvigorated. | A framework for higher education in England over the next decade says social mobility must be reinvigorated. |
| Innovation and Skills Secretary Lord Mandelson said priority would go to new routes into higher education, especially for older students. | Innovation and Skills Secretary Lord Mandelson said priority would go to new routes into higher education, especially for older students. |
| Research money should focus on science clusters, and teaching must improve. | Research money should focus on science clusters, and teaching must improve. |
| Students, as consumers, needed to have far more information about courses, such as teaching quality and future employability. | Students, as consumers, needed to have far more information about courses, such as teaching quality and future employability. |
| Lord Mandelson said he would also shortly be announcing the promised independent review of tuition fees. | Lord Mandelson said he would also shortly be announcing the promised independent review of tuition fees. |
| He said that would seek "a balanced approach without placing a burden on any single source of funding". | He said that would seek "a balanced approach without placing a burden on any single source of funding". |
| It will not report until after the general election - with neither of the main political parties wanting to campaign on a possible significant rise in fees above the present £3,225 a year. | It will not report until after the general election - with neither of the main political parties wanting to campaign on a possible significant rise in fees above the present £3,225 a year. |
| Families and schools | Families and schools |
| Launching the framework document, Higher ambitions - the future of universities in a knowledge economy, Lord Mandelson said ministers' vision was one of strong, autonomous institutions with diverse missions. | Launching the framework document, Higher ambitions - the future of universities in a knowledge economy, Lord Mandelson said ministers' vision was one of strong, autonomous institutions with diverse missions. |
| Nobody should be disadvantaged or penalised on the basis of the families that they come from or the schools they attended Lord Mandelson | |
| But they needed to promote opportunity more widely to those who could benefit, and to narrow the attainment gap between the higher and lower socio-economic groups highlighted by Alan Milburn's report earlier this year. | But they needed to promote opportunity more widely to those who could benefit, and to narrow the attainment gap between the higher and lower socio-economic groups highlighted by Alan Milburn's report earlier this year. |
| He told reporters: "Nobody should be disadvantaged or penalised on the basis of the families that they come from or the schools they attended, and the way in which a simple assessment based on A-level results might exclude them." | |
| This was not a class issue: "There are middle class pupils who don't perform well, that have a strong aptitude and strong potential," he said. | This was not a class issue: "There are middle class pupils who don't perform well, that have a strong aptitude and strong potential," he said. |
| He said many prestigious institutions already used contextual data about applicants' backgrounds to consider their aptitude and potential alongside their academic attainment. | He said many prestigious institutions already used contextual data about applicants' backgrounds to consider their aptitude and potential alongside their academic attainment. |
| The Director of Fair Access, Sir Martin Harris, has been asked to produce a report next spring on how more can be done to widen access to the most highly selective institutions for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. | The Director of Fair Access, Sir Martin Harris, has been asked to produce a report next spring on how more can be done to widen access to the most highly selective institutions for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. |
| Lord Mandelson added that this was not something that he could compel universities to do and he was not seeking to dictate or control their admissions policies. | Lord Mandelson added that this was not something that he could compel universities to do and he was not seeking to dictate or control their admissions policies. |
| Arts and humanities | Arts and humanities |
| He denied that the call for stronger ties between universities and industry, with higher education as a driver of economic recovery and growth, was too "utilitarian". | He denied that the call for stronger ties between universities and industry, with higher education as a driver of economic recovery and growth, was too "utilitarian". |
| STUDENTS First degree full-time: 1,108,685Part-time: 198,155Other undergraduate full-time: 123,320Part-time: 374,810Postgraduate full-time: 248,380Part-time: 252,755 | STUDENTS First degree full-time: 1,108,685Part-time: 198,155Other undergraduate full-time: 123,320Part-time: 374,810Postgraduate full-time: 248,380Part-time: 252,755 |
| "I would be very disappointed if people saw it in that way," he said. | "I would be very disappointed if people saw it in that way," he said. |
| "There is public value in every subject and academic discipline provided by universities. | "There is public value in every subject and academic discipline provided by universities. |
| "They are there to provide us with both civilisation and competitiveness." | "They are there to provide us with both civilisation and competitiveness." |
| Higher Education Minister David Lammy said the arts and humanities also enriched the country - but it had fallen behind so much prior to 1997 that a Save British Science campaign had been launched. | Higher Education Minister David Lammy said the arts and humanities also enriched the country - but it had fallen behind so much prior to 1997 that a Save British Science campaign had been launched. |
| Lord Mandelson said "Stem" courses - science, technology, engineering and maths - cost more to run so attracted higher investment, while there was an economic need to stimulate demand for them. | Lord Mandelson said "Stem" courses - science, technology, engineering and maths - cost more to run so attracted higher investment, while there was an economic need to stimulate demand for them. |
| 'Collusion' | 'Collusion' |
| The Conservatives broadly welcomed the framework, and agreed there should be no "rush to judgement" on tuition fees. | The Conservatives broadly welcomed the framework, and agreed there should be no "rush to judgement" on tuition fees. |
| But they said widening access had been too slow, and the funding of part-time students was "clearly indefensible". | But they said widening access had been too slow, and the funding of part-time students was "clearly indefensible". |
| Liberal Democrat spokesman Stephen Williams said: "The government has colluded with the Tories to keep tuition fees off the agenda until after polling day." | Liberal Democrat spokesman Stephen Williams said: "The government has colluded with the Tories to keep tuition fees off the agenda until after polling day." |
| He said the Lib Dems wanted to scrap tuition fees and would fight any attempt to raise the cap. | He said the Lib Dems wanted to scrap tuition fees and would fight any attempt to raise the cap. |
| University associations welcomed the framework. | University associations welcomed the framework. |
| The Million+ group said modern universities particularly liked the promise to fund excellent research wherever it was found - rather than "a simplistic policy of research concentration" that would stifle innovation and postgraduate opportunities. | The Million+ group said modern universities particularly liked the promise to fund excellent research wherever it was found - rather than "a simplistic policy of research concentration" that would stifle innovation and postgraduate opportunities. |
| But the framework would cut little ice without "an Obama-style investment boost". | But the framework would cut little ice without "an Obama-style investment boost". |
| The 1994 Group of research-based universities said they were spending millions on outreach work to widen access. | The 1994 Group of research-based universities said they were spending millions on outreach work to widen access. |
| "We need to complement much needed investment in science subjects with continuing investment in arts, humanities and social sciences. We must protect our entire research base." | "We need to complement much needed investment in science subjects with continuing investment in arts, humanities and social sciences. We must protect our entire research base." |
| The 22 Alliance universities said they were well placed to deliver government's priorities. | The 22 Alliance universities said they were well placed to deliver government's priorities. |
| "With their origins in the engineering and design era of the Victorian Industrial Revolution, Alliance universities have a long and successful history of shaping the new economy. | "With their origins in the engineering and design era of the Victorian Industrial Revolution, Alliance universities have a long and successful history of shaping the new economy. |
| "These are now major, dynamic, business-like universities that work effectively with business and are hubs for new and rapid-growth industries." | "These are now major, dynamic, business-like universities that work effectively with business and are hubs for new and rapid-growth industries." |