Read: Purpose Coalition partners write to the Prime Minister to urge solutions that will level up higher education

Chair of the Purpose Coalition, Rt Hon Justine Greening, and a number of Purpose Universities Coalition Vice-Chancellors have this week written to the Prime Minister regarding his recent announcement about a crackdown on low-value degrees.

In a week where thousands of students receive their A-Level results, and thousands more battle their way through clearing, they have highlighted how the Government’s plans risk undermining social mobility and have asked Mr Sunak to engage with them on constructive solutions. 

Dear Prime Minister, 

RE: ANNOUNCEMENT ON DEGREES ‘CRACKDOWN’

I am writing to you as a former Secretary of State for Education, and alongside Vice Chancellors who lead universities that are part of the Purpose Coalition, which as you know works with businesses and communities, to improve social mobility. 

We are concerned that plans you announced on 17th July for a ‘crackdown on rip-off university degrees’ risk disproportionately impacting those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and those from the most disadvantaged communities.

In reality there are complex reasons underlying why students choose to leave a particular university course before completion and why course outcomes differ between students. 

In relation to the former, any successful approach should directly tackle those issues that drive drop-outs rates, for example, by addressing financial pressures, or students getting better advice on choosing the right course in the first place, rather than simply withdrawing an opportunity entirely. 

In relation to longer term financial returns and graduate outcomes, according to a recent Times Higher Education article:

“The best available evidence estimated that young people receiving free school meals earned £8,300 more in annual earnings 15 years after Key Stage 4 if they went to university than those who did not”

(https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/privilege-pays-rich-graduates-out-earn-disadvantaged-peer)

The Times Higher Education evidence also showed that connected and privileged students benefit from a ‘privilege premium’ earning more post graduation than their disadvantaged peers:

“...most research also showed that disadvantaged graduates could expect to earn about £4,000 less than advantaged graduates – even after considering the university attended or subject studied.”

It is vital that policy proposals assessing relative course outcomes using drop-out rates and based on graduate earnings outcomes adjust for that wider inequity in access to opportunity and differential earnings.

For the other route Ministers propose - apprenticeships - they are of course vital to Britain’s economy. I introduced the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017 as Education Secretary as an initial step to improve skills education. Reform is crucial - particularly a significant reduction in the regulatory burden of degree apprenticeships - if we are to see more young people, from all backgrounds, access apprenticeships as an opportunity. Employers, who overwhelmingly want to offer more apprenticeships, are crying out for levy reform.

Universities are engines of social mobility in their communities - I know that personally having grown up in Rotherham and been the first person in my family to go to university. 

There will always be the need to ensure accountability of universities regarding course quality and outcomes but as Purpose Coalition universities, we are working in partnership and putting improving social mobility at the heart of our efforts. We would welcome a more constructive approach that addressed root causes of differential student and graduate outcomes. We believe this also better aligns with your own Government’s objective of levelling up.

We would therefore very much welcome the opportunity to discuss a more constructive approach and what potential solutions could be directly with you and the Education Secretary. 

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

The letter was signed by:

Rt Hon Justine Greening, Chair of Purpose Coalition & former Secretary of State for Education

Professor Sir Steve West CBE, Vice-Chancellor & President of the University of the West Of England

Professor Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive of University of Greenwich

Professor Martin Jones, Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive of Staffordshire University

Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice-Chancellor & Principal of the University of Chester

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive of the University of Derby

Professor Mark E. Smith, President & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton

Professor Claire Ozanne, Vice-Chancellor & Rector of Liverpool Hope University

Professor David Green CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive of the University of Worcester

Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive of Northumbria University

Professor James Knowles, Vice-Chancellor of Solent University