Part-time student enrolments drop by 7%

Responding to new figures released today, UCU said the government's controversial reforms, including higher tuition fees and new student loan arrangements for part-time students, were to blame for the sharp drop.

It said an overhaul of the funding system was urgently needed and called on all political parties to clearly spell out their plans for higher education funding before the election.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The people who benefit from part-time study are often mature students with existing family and work commitments. Too many people are being priced out of university because they don't want to saddle themselves with massive debt to fund their study or pay back their fees.

'The government's reforms have failed on every level and the time has come for an urgent rethink. All the political parties need to clearly spell out their plans for higher education ahead of the general election.'