THE president of the NUS visited Bournemouth University and warned – despite higher fees, there is no more money in the system.
Liam Burns told the Echo: “That’s especially true for institutions like Bournemouth that have not been setting fees at £9,000.”
He addressed students on fees and expectations on Friday and on a campaign for lecturers to have professional qualifications.
Mr Burns told the Echo the NUS still opposed the raised tuition fees and planned a national but would fight for fairness within the system.
He also said if students now saw themselves as customers, they needed to understand the high fees would not make university richer.
He said: “I am not sure people recognise there isn’t actually any more money.
“And what the Government has created gives the least money to the students who are the most debt averse.”
Student opposition to fees led a series of massed demonstrations in London which involved violence by a minority.
Mr Burns said there is also still “massive” potential for student activism over the higher fees.
He noted the first students will be arriving who had their Educational Maintenance Allowance withdrawn and that youth employment prospects were poor.
Mr Burns also said knew of “no other profession” apart from lecturing that did not have a standard lecturing qualification.
He said: “I don’t see how when students are warned about life-long learning and qualifications you wouldn’t expect the same of the staff.”
Bournemouth University has been “groundbreaking”, he said, by committing to a 100 per cent qualified staff by 2018.
“Some staff might be excellent researchers but awful lecturers – that’s the point.”
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