Myopic decisions - should have studied the fineprint

A third round of protests are scheduled today, with students protesting at the expected rise of tuition fees from their current levels of £3145 pa up to £9000 pa. This rise would give students in the UK an unprecedented level of debt accrued through studying at university, estimated at around £40,000 for a typical three year degree. These changes to student fees are an attempt by the British government to cut costs and raise revenue, however there are fears that the rise in fees may cost Britain a lot more in the long run, with fewer industry leaders being produced from British universities. Are the student protests too late? Not by weeks but by years. Are current students paying the price for poor decisions made by universities, governments and themselves? All this and more...

Student: An individual with sub-standard personal hygiene. Diet comprising mainly of eating baked beans from a can.

This description has barely moved on in decades. And is (mainly) the result of the financial burden of being a student. I am familiar with the financial ramifications of higher education in this country being a postgraduate student myself, and am aware that for many this looks as though it will get worse. However, I will not be protesting. Not at the rise in fees. This is something that I believe is a direct result of the decisions made by some universities to sacrifice the furthering of knowledge and development in scientific disciplines, instead placing an emphasis on courses more profitable for the university. This hasn’t happened overnight. Chemistry schools have closed in many universities with undergraduate students choosing to undertake degrees in less ‘traditional’ subjects such as business, management and hospitality. These degrees are financial gold mines for universities. A typical week may have six hours of lectures, in a lecture theatre with three hundred students. Compare that to a scientific degree which may comprise of up to thirty five hours per week in classes typically of less than fifty. It doesn’t take a maths degree to work out what is financially best for the university.

The decisions made by universities in what courses they offer are predominantly commercial ones.  Profit seems paramount regardless of cost to reputation for some. But the universities are trying to meet the gauntlet set down by a previous government of having 50% of ‘young people’ undertake a degree. 50%!? Did anyone else see the problem with this? We aren’t all equal (fortunately), and a university education for 50% would make a university education normal. A university education should be a privilege, not a right. The other problem with this is the reduction in the number of tax payers – if people are studying rather than working, who will fill the void left in the governments’ pocket? Instead of questions, a proposed 50% university level was met with pats on backs and hearty handshakes. University for all... that should get a few votes... especially from the great unwashed.

So the student population is reaping (or should that be weeping?) what the government and various institutions have sown. I know there are other reasons for protesting, such as certain promises made and broken by a yellow party. But truly this has been on the cards for a long time. The typically inquisitive minds of students have failed to address what the result of a shifting emphasis from science and technology to sociology will be. And of course, what the financial implications of an increase in student numbers means in the longer term.

I think the increase in fees could preserve the traditional subjects. Students will have to consider whether they need a university degree to achieve their career ambitions and also whether it is financially worthwhile. Perversely the fees increase may help create a new generation of scientists and engineers, through young people choosing degrees that may give them more opportunities.

It would be interesting to learn what the protesting students study, they clearly don’t have many lectures if they have time to protest... And if they are missing a lecture, that is costing them about £60 at the new rates... Or 100 cans of baked beans in old money.