Marking boycott may delay degrees of more than 1,000 Durham students

By: Richard Adams Education editor — June 27^th 2023 at 17:40

University says about 20% of final-year students will face delays if industrial action continues

More than 1,000 final year students at Durham University could be left without a degree this summer because of the marking boycott disrupting universities across the UK.

Durham, one of 145 universities affected by the industrial action over pay and working conditions called by the University and College Union (UCU), said about 20% of its 5,300 final year students would “at the moment, face delays in receiving all their marks and final classifications”.

Universities | The Guardian

Third of UK final-year students face grades delay due to marking boycott

By: Richard Adams Education editor — June 24^th 2023 at 06:00

Small number could attend graduation but later be told they have failed as pay dispute affects assessments at 145 universities

Tens of thousands of university students are being left in limbo without their final degree results this summer, including some who could attend graduation ceremonies only to be told later that they have failed.

About a third of the UK’s 500,000 final-year undergraduates are thought to have been affected by the marking and assessment boycott at 145 universities, part of the pay dispute between the University and College Union (UCU) and employers that has strained relations between staff, students and management.

Universities | The Guardian

Cost of living crisis forcing students to take on more hours of paid work

By: Richard Adams Education editor — June 21^st 2023 at 23:01

Most university students supporting themselves say it is negatively affecting their studies, survey finds

The cost of living crisis is forcing more university students to take on more hours in their part-time jobs, with most saying that supporting themselves is affecting their studies, according to a new study.

More than half of the 10,000 students surveyed by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) said they did paid work during term time, with most saying they were using their wages to support their studies.

Universities | The Guardian

Student loan debt in England surpasses £200bn for first time

By: Richard Adams Education editor — June 16^th 2023 at 06:00

Graduates now owe an average amount of £45,000, Student Loans Company figures have revealed

Outstanding student loans in England have surpassed £200bn for the first time – 20 years earlier than previous government forecasts, as the number of students at universities continues to outstrip expectations.

The Student Loans Company (SLC), which administers tuition and maintenance loans in England, said that the balance of government-backed loans reached £205bn in the current academic year, including £19bn worth of new loans to undergraduates. The figure has doubled in just six years. It reached more than £100bn in 2016-17 after the coalition government decided to increase undergraduate tuition fees from £3,600 a year to £9,000 in 2012.

Universities | The Guardian

Register of staff-student relations proposed for England campuses

By: Richard Adams Education editor — February 23^rd 2023 at 12:58

Staff in undeclared relationships involving romance, sex or financial dependency liable for dismissal under regulator’s plans

Universities and colleges in England should require “personal relationships” between staff and students to be declared, with staff who keep relationships secret liable to be disciplined or dismissed, according to new proposals announced by the higher education regulator.

The Office for Students (OfS) also wants all students and staff in England to undergo mandatory training on sexual harassment and misconduct.

Universities | The Guardian

Students should be told of university course job prospects, says commission

By: Richard Adams Education editor — February 9^th 2023 at 00:01

Social Mobility Commission says students should be informed of ‘earnings implications’ of course choices

Students should be given more details about how the courses they study after leaving school might affect their employment prospects, it has been suggested, as figures show near-record numbers of 18-year-olds applying to university.

A review of research into the employment effects of higher and further education by the government’s Social Mobility Commission showed wide variations in earnings, with some courses failing to boost salaries, while the most lucrative courses for graduates often admitted few students in England from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Universities | The Guardian

Welsh universities face 1,000 jobs being lost as EU research funding ends

By: Richard Adams Education editor — February 7^th 2023 at 17:57

University leaders urge ministers to provide bridging finance to keep projects running when EU support ends this year

Universities in Wales face more than 1,000 skilled jobs being lost because of the withdrawal of EU structural funds, with leaders saying that the replacement finance promised by ministers will not match the lost support.

Since 2014 Welsh universities have received about £370m in research projects from EU structural funds but, after the UK’s withdrawal, its support for 60 ongoing projects will end this year.

Universities | The Guardian

Students in England face ‘negative impact’ from refusal to tie loans to inflation, admits DfE

By: Richard Adams Education editor — February 3^rd 2023 at 16:35

Raising maintenance loans by only 2.8% means students will have to cut back on food and books, says report

The Department for Education has admitted students in England face a “negative impact” from its refusal to increase support in line with inflation, saying they will have to cut back on food and books as a result.

In an equality analysis of the government’s decision to raise maintenance loans by just 2.8% from autumn, the DfE said student support would have needed to go up by nearly 14% to keep up with the recent rises in the cost of living.

Universities | The Guardian

Students in Wales to get £1,000 maintenance boost amid cost of living crisis

By: Richard Adams Education editor — January 19^th 2023 at 15:59

Labour says inflation may force more students to drop out, as those in England get just £200 more on average

Students from Wales will get £1,000 more to help with the cost of living crisis while those in England get just £200 on average, as Labour MPs said inflation may force more students to drop out of university.

The Welsh government said maintenance loans and grants for its students would rise by 9.4% from September, with support for full-time students increasing from £10,710 to £11,720 on average. Students in England will get a rise of just 2.8% in the next academic year after the Westminster government’s announcement last week, with the average maintenance loan increasing by about £200.