Thoughts on UK Universities over-subscription?

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Omstarts

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Fairly recently, I read that the Government/Universities department had 'grossly' underestimated the number of people going to University in 2009 and there is to be a massive shortfall in the grants available (to the poorest students).

It all comes back to this 'Education, Education, Education' push to get 50% of all A-Level/school leavers into University.

Now, back to basics - I appreciate it is not possible to do this retrospectively, but wouldn't eliminating all the mickey-mouse courses like Applied Basket-weaving, Underwater Journalism and Page-flipping (Hons) help alleviate the burden? Or to set up a body that administers such random degrees (Life Studies in Teesside, for pity's sake) less funding/contribution.

The double benefit of making traditional, more constructive degrees more appealing and helping those who are not really interested to learn trades, and help alleviate the chronic shortage of Welders, plumbers and draughtspeople we have in the UK.

Any thoughts? Apologies in advance to any graduates of Applied Basket-weaving....
 
I would be very interested to see what would happen if exam papers & pass rates from twenty five years ago were used. I'd guarantee there wouldn't be a shortfall of grants vs places then.
 
If you knew what sort of people who goes for plumbing and welders then you'd know why there's a shortfall.

No one with half a brain goes into these trades, and nearlly all who do start on the most basic level at college because they failed all their GCSE's.

If there lucky they might pass college, but university? You've got to be joking.
 
Well they used to be the purvey of the elite, now labour has really stabbed itself in the eye with a hot poker, bang go the grants, and a few thousand disillusioned students who'll have the vote next election or in some cases now, might not be all that happy with labour. But your are quite right some of the courses are complete balderdash, Integrated media and time management studies, yes it exists.
Best to scrap all this performing arts rubbish and all the media courses save one the politics and media studies course, all the rest should be axed complete waste of time, all they do is drink at the student bar get drunk and have nookie, how times have changed.
 
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