15/03/10
The future of higher education
"Universities have enjoyed ten fat years – rapid student growth, fully funded by the State, with the result that Britain now enrols as high a proportion of school-leavers in higher education as France or Germany (and almost as high as in the United States); and equally impressive investment in research reinforcing our position in the global rankings with 10 British universities in the world's top 50.
"Looking back the past decade is likely to be remembered as one of the most important periods in the history of higher education, at least equal to the 1960s when, following the Robbins report, new universities like Sussex and Warwick were founded and the former polytechnics established (and some would say at least as important as the great period of university foundations in the Victorian age). The past decade has been a time not just of expansion but of experimentation as universities have forged new links with their communities and employers and pioneered new approaches to teaching to meet the expectations of the ‘Facebook generation'.
"Kingston has taken full advantages of the opportunities offered by this period of growth and investment. Building on its existing strengths the University has developed exciting new courses – from drama to pharmacy to its market-leading foundation degrees in aircraft engineering; it has invested in new buildings (more than £100 million when the new Business School at Kingston Hill and the major refurbishment of Knights Park are completed); it has strengthened its research (not just in the national ‘Research Assessment Excellence' competition but also in terms of applied research and enterprise; a good example is the ‘knowledge transfer partnership' with Historic Royal Palaces – and Hampton Court in particular); and it has been one of the fastest growing universities in England with as many student applications as the ‘top' university in London, University College London (almost 40,000 at the last count).
"But ten lean years are now likely to follow these fat years. Student fees are bound to increase as public expenditure on higher education is cut as a result of the banking crisis and the economic recession. Already some very successful universities – Kings College London, Sussex and Leeds – have announced substantial job cuts. All universities have been warned to consider a range of ‘scenarios', all of which involve a significant loss of income. Student growth is to be curtailed as each university has been given a maximum number of students it must not exceed – despite the continuing increase in demand for places in universities and colleges as more and more school leavers gain the necessary entry qualifications.
"Kingston will not be exempt. We will also have to tighten our belts. However, the University has certain key advantages. First, it is in a very strong financial position thanks to careful and prudent management of its resources; that financial strength will give Kingston a key competitive advantage in the lean years ahead. Secondly, it has an equally strong track record of innovation and development in new courses and research programmes; that spirit of academic enterprise will not desert us in today's more difficult environment. Thirdly, and most decisively, Kingston has tens of thousands of loyal graduates, an increasing number of whom are working to support the University; that support will be more vital than ever."
