Thousands of students face university misery, warns UCU

The union warned that swingeing cuts to universities, coupled with government restrictions on the number of new student places, means that many students this year and in the future would never have the opportunity to realise their dreams or their potential.
 
An Ipsos MORI poll of 2,447 pupils aged 11-16 in state schools, for the Sutton Trust, revealed that over three-quarters (77%) said they are fairly likely or very likely to enter university. The figure is up from 73% on last year and is the highest since the poll was started seven years ago. The poll comes on the same day that the universities admission service (UCAS) revealed that there has been a 10% rise in university applicants on last year.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'It is incredibly encouraging that so many school children see higher education as an achievable aim, but it is equally frustrating that so many of them will not get the chance to realise their dreams or their potential. Many will inevitably be put off by the high levels of debt and others simply will not get the chance because of a lack of opportunities.
 
'Around 100 universities are making swingeing cuts at the moment with thousands of jobs being axed. This new research makes it clear that we should be preparing to give more students the opportunity to go to university through investment in higher education and extra staff. Astoundingly, we are doing the complete opposite. The government has cut the budget and institutions are sacking staff and closing departments.'
 
UCU will be revealing the full extent of the cuts in further and higher education next week. Contact the press office for further details.
 
The Sutton Trust report can be found here
The UCAS figures can be found at on the UCAS website