Academics say standards falling

A survey of academics suggests many believe university standards have been "dumbed down" due to funding shortages.

An internet poll for the Times Higher Education Supplement found five out of six said standards had suffered because of a funding squeeze.

The poll - which was self-selecting - also suggested 70% of academics thought some students were given places even though they were not up to the work.

Officials say university funding will rise by £2bn over the next three years.

The internet poll, which involved 400 academics, found many believed the "dumbing down" of academic standards was due to the pressure to keep up student numbers - and the funding that goes with them.

Decisions overruled

Five out of six agreed that "the squeeze on the resources of higher education institutions is having a general adverse effect on academic standards".

Just over four out of 10 - said "decisions to fail students' work had been overruled at higher levels in the institution", while 38% disagreed.

A spokeswoman for Universities UK told the THES that the survey represented only a small sample of academics.

But she added: "UUK has for years pressed the government to reform funding to reverse years of spending decline to prevent a quality crisis. This is why UUK fought so hard to secure the variable fees policy."

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "Funding is already increasing under this government by £2bn over the next three years.

"It is not in an institution's interests to recruit students who are not capable of completing the course."