Paying More, Getting Less

Manchester is the most popular university in the country, receiving more applications than any other institution. Students come here for many reasons; social, cultural and financial. One factor that plays a part in everyone’s decision is the reputation of this University.

Students who come to Manchester, one of the best universities in the country, expect the highest quality of education. They expect to be taught by world-class academics and be provided with the facilities they require. And they are paying more for their education than ever before.

While individual study is a crucial part of any degree, students still expect to get taught. However, the amount of teaching the University provides has been dramatically reduced over the past twenty years, in some cases by more than half. It is no wonder that increasing numbers of students are unhappy with the quality of education that they receive.

How can this University possibly expect to become one of the best in the world, when it continually cuts back on the amount of teaching it provides? It is all well and good investing in other forms of teaching, but is there really a substitute for a face-to-face discussion with that world famous professor that was on the front cover of the glossy leaflet that tempted you to apply in the first place?

One of the crucial arguments made in favour of top up fees was that more money was needed to provide a better quality of education. In 1987, when all higher education in this country was free, the average Politics student at this University received 200 hours of teaching a year. In 2008, when the average Politics student is paying £3,070 for the privilege of being here, contact hours have been axed to as little as 86 a year.

Next year the debate about lifting the cap on fees will begin. No doubt similar arguments will be presented. At present there is little evidence that increasing the cost of higher education is guaranteed to increase the quality students receive.

Alan Gilbert, our Vice Chancellor, wants to turn Manchester into a world-class university by 2015. For this to be a realistic prospect, the downward trend in teaching hours needs to be reversed, not just stopped. The Teaching and Learning review that is currently underway is an opportunity to do this. Let’s hope that Professor Gilbert takes it.