thewaterfront
Free Issue 217 1 October, 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
INSIDE
the official student newspaper of swansea university NEWS
pic by Christopher Thomas
Swansea shoots up student sex league
FEATURES
Blind date: When Abi met Jacques
SPORT
page 23
page 3
Double delight for David page 32
FALL IN STUDENT NUMBERS WILL COST UNIVERSITY DEAR
8% drop in admissions could cost university estimated £3million in lost course fees by Gemma Parry
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk A DRASTIC drop in admissions to Swansea University this year will have a critical impact on the funding that each college receives. The percentage of incoming Swansea undergraduate students is predicted to drop by around about 8%, which will impact on class sizes, teaching patterns and the overall income of the university. Some departments have seen their numbers fall by as much as 20 per cent. The shortfall is expected to cost the university £3 million in lost course fees, though the university has released a statement which says:. “We do not have a confirmed figure.” Fewer students applied to study at Swansea and universities all across the country, following a three-fold increase in tuition fees from September 2012. Computer glitch The problem was made worse by a fault on the UCAS system on A-Level results day, which prevented students from seeing if their offer had been confirmed. A glitch in the Swansea University computer system on the same day also stopped students from applying online for several hours. The result of both glitches was
that many students went elsewhere, including Cardiff University, which declared courses full. As a result, Swansea University has reduced the A-level tariff for 2013 offers with immediate effect and changes have been made to the way in which interviews, open days and school visits will run in this academic year. Worst hit Additionally, each degree programme will now review its curriculum and be guided by student interests, as well as the QAA (Quality Assurance Agency) disciplinary benchmarks. The university plans to establish a ‘Swansea offer’ in the Arts and Humanities, potentially the worst hit college, with admissions for English being down by 20%, to combat the problem. The ‘Swansea offer’, will offer potential students on all Arts and Humanities programmes a package of programmes that appeal to students. Zahid Raja, Swansea University Students’ Union education officer, said: “The numbers are a clear reflection of how marketisation of Higher Education is failing the knowledge economy. “Young people no longer accept the narrative that the route to prosperity is through getting a degree.” The number of students now being
ENDANGERED SPECIES? Freshers enjoying themselves at last week’s Fresh ‘n’ Free party, but overall numbers are down. accepted into Welsh universities has fallen by 7.7%, according to official figures. The drop in Welsh admissions is the worst of any home nation, with numbers in England showing a 7.5% drop. Data released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, (UCAS),
revealed that there were 1,786 fewer students gaining entry into Welsh higher education institutions than this time last year. The Welsh government has calculated that it will take around 24,000 English learners studying in Wales, which will lessen the money spent on 16,000
Welsh students studying outside Wales. The cost of university education is trebling as tuition fees increase to around £9,000 per annum, but Welsh students will continue to pay around £3,400 a year for their studies because of a subsidy from the Welsh Assembly Government.