Britain's Million+ Universities Call for Fair Funding For All. (January 18, 2009)

Formed in 1997 as the Coalition of Modern Universities, in November 2007 the organisation took the name Million+. It considers itself to be "at the forefront of the political debate about the role and contribution of universities to the economy and society", and states its mission as:

We aim to develop and shape public policy and funding regimes on a non-party basis so that they enable

• people from every walk of life to benefit from access to universities that excel in teaching, research and knowledge transfer, business, the NHS, the not for profit-sectors and government, to benefit from the full potential of all universities.

Our supporters are universities who share a belief in our mission. These member universities have their own diversity and specialisms. Together they provide a network of institutions that provide courses and research programmes which promote aspirations and empower and equip students, employers and the ‘not for profit’ sectors in the UK and in countries throughout the world. As universities, they play a vital role in supporting and developing the businesses and public services of today and tomorrow.

We also welcome support and interest from all those who are passionate about the contribution which the university sector makes to society and the economy.

The Chief Executive of Million+, Pam Tatlow, wrote to The Guardian's Higher Education section in response to a January 14 opinion piece by Lord Mandelson, first secretary of state, secretary of state for business, innovation and skills:

Lord Mandelson is right to contrast the record levels of investment in higher education provided by Labour with the two decades of underfunding of previous Conservative governments. However, Labour has not squared the circle between the opportunity for Britain which it has sought to promote and the funding required to allow all those who are qualified to study at university to do so. Our report Fair Funding for All, launched on 13 January, shows how a single, unified and fairer student system could be provided for full-time and part-time students and how an amended graduate contribution scheme could raise over £1bn for the exchequer to reinvest in higher education. But first the government must use the pre-­election budget to provide the investment required to meet the demand for university places in 2010. It would be a tragedy if the legacy of Labour was to lengthen the dole queue rather than provide people with opportunities to study for higher qualifications in universities that were only too willing to teach them.

The 24 page report to which Ms Tatlow refers, lists the ten recommendations below to reach its goal of "Fair Funding for All" as regards higher education. However, it also adds this strong caveat: [A] much more sophisticated partnership is required to ensure that the funding needed to sustain the excellence of all universities in England is delivered. This partnership needs to be based on transparency and a recognition of the mutuality of interests which bind together students, graduates, universities, governments and Members of Parliament.

Perhaps Australia's parliamentarians and university administrators might consider that a worthwhile suggestion.

________________________________________________________

_____________________________________

Links to the 28 universities that make up Million+