University Challenged???

 

Happy New Year All!!! Yes I know 2011 is already 3 weeks old, and I also realise that I am kind of late with the New Year cheer. But nevertheless, I would like to send my best wishes to you all, and hope you have a prosperous 2011. With that said I apologise for being a bit AWOL since my last personal post, but it has been a hectic last month or so which FBJ had developments to oversee. Plus with the festive season just passing the break seemed suitable. But have no fears, FBJ is back with his Frankly Speaking column alive and kicking!!! With a New Year will come new features and segments being added to the site so stay tuned, Frankly Speaking will be looking to push the boundaries even more. So keep an eye out for that!!!!

Right lets begin, I want to talk about an article I read this week and if you are London-based, many of you maybe familiar with this media source when you are on the London Underground. That aside the title read, ‘Students: The lost generation’, and claimed that over 200,000 people missed out on the opportunity of being granted a university place in Britain last year. A staggering figure when seen in bold ink, but in stark contrast the number of overseas students being accepted at universities had risen.

With almost 6,000 more spaces being made available last year to university applicants compared to 2009, most of these slots were taken to accommodate more overseas students, who some cynics may claim present a more lucrative proposition to universities up and down the land. This is a claim that is somewhat shared by NUS (National Students Union) who for those not in the know, is a voluntary membership organisation who by their own admission try to champion a voice of university students studying in Britain.    

The growing and accepted perspective is that many universities are making an allowance for limiting the numbers of British students, to capitalize on their generated income by targeting prospective international undergraduates who pay all their tuition fees. With the figures being presented of rejected candidates, it is pretty hard to argue that this actively being enforced now and been going on for some time.  

Perhaps I am biased as I am a former university student myself, but I can call upon my time as having one of the best experiences of my relatively young adult life. I feel that university study not only enriches the mind but it enhances one’s social and cultural perspectives that can be looked upon when being exposed to ‘the big wide world’. University is not the end-all and be-all; however I am a firm believer that education and experiences should not be based on economics and international location. Everybody should have at least have option if wanted, to learn both academically and in terms of personal development, and this should be made available to all if availed.

I should make it clear that my argument is not against overseas students attending British university, but fully on the speculative selection process that seems to be apparent. A practise  that seems to be based on the capricious existence that we as a society place on finance instead of firm and lasting qualities of knowledge.

With the UK Government now pushing through the increase of university tuition fees to just under £10,000 that British students will have to pay, this will only detract aspiring students from attending. An aspect I referred to in some of my past posts and will hardly facilitate the Government in lowering the level of unemployment in Britain. This process of financial elimination further more isolates this current generation and future generations from hopeful prospects, should this be the way?