"World class universities cannot be funded by government alone"

Conference,

The provision of a University Education is at the heart of the Conservative Party, but we must not forget that this is a cost which must be shared by the Government and the student. For while a Government can provide the funding for a good education, together we can provide funding for a great education. Our system has been underfunded for too long and for too long has been too dependent for funds solely on the public purse.

There is a time when reform and change must come, when a system must change, adapt and become better. That time is now, and we must awaken to the fact that in order have a World Class University system our Universities cannot be solely dependent on the Government for funds, it must also depend on those who benefit from it the most, those who live and experience the quality of education which is provided; those people are the students which attend these world class institutions. These are the same people who stand to benefit from better funded University, who will experience a University with better means with which to improve itself.

The current system is only working to undermine the status of our Universities, to provide a funding gap and a dependence on a government which is repeatedly finding itself in tougher and tougher financial constraints. It is my belief that should we truly desire a World Class University system, then that system must receive contribution from its students as well, because the government alone can never truly make to provide for a World Class Education system. A Government can always lay the foundation for a good system but it is the people which benefit from such systems who know how to truly make it great and it is their contribution which is often required if greatness is to ever be achieved. Our time for change is now, we must allow Universities the means they require to truly become and remain World Class and only the students who are the ones that gain from these institutions can be the benefactors that our institutions need.

Conference,

How we continue to provide quality university education to Britain’s students is an issue of supreme importance. A university education is precious and continues to be held in high regard by the British people; rightly so. For many students gaining a degree represents the pinnacle in academic and social development, achievement and aspiration. But not only do our individual students benefit but so does the whole country; we gain a more confident, mobile, and skilled workforce. Moreover, high quality university research will play a major role in driving forward the changes of the future; new and cleaner energy sources, and more advanced technology. As Conservatives we have always stood for the value of educational achievement and personal development. It is imperative, therefore, that we do not simply neglect the plight of our universities but face up to these challenges. While the two other Parties run from this issue we must be the Party who fights for the future of our universities.

The challenge ahead for our universities is stark. The Russell Group, which represents some of the top universities, has outlined just how stretched their finances are. Added to this is the fact that these universities have to compete with the top universities in other countries, universities which have up to ten times as much resources available to them as our British universities. This situation cannot continue unaddressed. If we do then the only result will be long term underinvestment in cutting edge facilities, academic departments and world class faculty. The people who lose out will be the bright and talented students who do not get the standard of university education they deserve. Conference, the Conservative Party will not stand by and watch this happen. We will not stay silent while our next generations have their university education undermined by a government living in the past. We will ensure that Britain’s universities remain some of the best in the world.

Faced with over stretched universities who require more financial support in order to compete internationally there are three options available to any government. The first is to continue under-funding our universities into the future, undermining our international reputation for higher education and damaging the future of our economy. This is the choice of the government. They told the country that government alone would make more investment in water quality and provision; they were wrong. They told the country that government alone would invest more in the rail network and public transport; they have been proved wrong. Now they are telling the country that government alone can fund world class universities; they will be proved wrong again. The second option is to increase funding to universities through sustained increases in direct taxation, something which no government serious about economic competitiveness can possibly contemplate. The final option is to create a compromise between universities which need extra funding and ensuring that students who are bright enough to attend university should be free to do so regardless of their background. Conference, this is the option the Conservative Party chooses. We must argue that those who individually gain the most from university education, the students, should be asked to bear some of the cost of supporting our universities. But at the same time we must never jeopardise the principle of freedom of opportunity; we must ensure that in funding world class universities there remains enough financial support for those from low income backgrounds. This is the choice of the Conservative Party.

Alice Denny, London Region

Conference,

Are we not in danger of being accused of pulling up the ladder of opportunity for future generations of young people if we propose any form of upfront fees or costs? If we are to go down the path of asking students and/or their families to contribute to the cost of University education, then we will need a carefully formulated plan, fair and fully costed.

Conference,

I would just like to address Alice's concerns because let's be clear about this; we must never create a system which prohibits those from low income backgrounds from attending university. I want to encourage and support a society in which the only factor holding you back is your own will and determination, background should never come into it. That is why it is important to recognise that one of the consequences of Universities remaining under-funded is that they cannot expand their bursaries to people on lower incomes. I think you can also make the important point that if we continue to chronically underfund our Universities then we will be suppressing opportunity by undermining the quality of higher education. Our brightest students deserve world class education.

Additionally, Alice is abolsutely right that we must design a funding system, in consultation with Universities and student representatives, which does not prohibit those from low income backgrounds attending University. That is a challenge which must be met. But the important argument to win is that the principle of providing extra funding for our Universities through those who are going to directly benefit the most is the right one.