Baroness Warwick

The Liberal Democrats yesterday pressed the government to help ensure that universities are fit for the future.

Speaking to a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat party conference, Universities UK chief Diana Warwick called for the government to introduce changes to student support to ensure that more students from less well-off backgrounds are able to go to university.

Forum Response: Universities UK

Diana Warwick, chief executive for Universities UK, told ePolitix.com: "Poor students won't be deterred by fears of debt. There will be seamless links with further education. Universities will work with business, reaching out to help develop their regions. Our universities' international reputation will be even higher.

"The sector will be a magnet for teachers and researchers from around the world, paying staff competitively for the excellent work they do.

"What we have done is present a carefully costed, even cautious, bill based on independent evidence for what the government itself wants to do. It is for the government to decide if the price of its own priorities is worth paying.

"One barrier to access is finance. There is no doubt in my mind that some potential students are unwilling to start a course which will leave them with several thousand pounds worth of debt.

"Government help is needed to persuade the poorest students to embark on the courses that will bring enormous benefits to the students themselves and society as a whole. Universities UK is looking to the government's review of student support to act on these concerns.

"We are waiting for the full results of the reviews set up by the government last week. But the most important thing for us to do at this obviously stressful time for young people is to try to reassure them that universities will do all they can to help them.

"All those who already have places this year will not lose them. And many universities have said they will offer places next year to any students who find they have met this year's conditional requirements after any reassessment takes place."

Forum Response: NATFHE

Paul Mackney, general secretary for NATFHE, told ePolitix.com: "Diana Warwick is right to highlight the recent achievements of UK universities and the need to pay staff competitive salaries to maintain the pre-eminent position of UK universities. However, recent research by NATFHE shows the UK slipping down the international academic pay league tables.

"The Bett report recommended in 1999 that academic salaries should increase by at least 20 per cent. Since then the pay of UK academics has fallen further behind other professions in society.

"Universities UK correctly calls on the government to use the forthcoming higher education review to address student debt, widening participation and the future funding of universities. Institutions must be provided with an attractive, modern pay system and adequate resources to meet the ambitious access targets set by the government."

Forum Response: Universities Council for the Education of Teachers

A spokeswoman for the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers told ePolitix.com: "UCET would echo many of the sentiments expressed by Diana Warwick in her speech at the Liberal Democrats' conference.

"Teacher education and training - a subject of national importance - is a part of the 'rich, diverse higher education sector with independent universities, engaged in top quality teaching and research, teaching students from all backgrounds in innovative ways' to which Diana refers.

"If higher education is not properly funded and maintained, then teacher education, like other parts of the sector, will suffer and be unable to meet the needs and demands of society and government. This will affect not only current but also future generations."