Joy at extra cash for college and university (From Worcester News)

Joy at extra cash for college and university

8:00am Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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MORE funding will be available for two higher education providers in Worcester next year despite the tough financial climate.

The University of Worcester was awarded £20.2 million for 2010-2011 by the Higher Education Funding Council – an increase of 13 per cent on this year.

Worcester College of Technology is set to get £5.7 million, a 40 per cent rise.

Both institutions are getting more money because they will be catering for more students.

Professor David Green, the university’s vice chancellor, said: “The University of Worcester is delighted the Higher Education Funding Council has confirmed the funding for 410 additional student places.

“The award is the largest to any university or college in the country and will enable the university to continue to increase the number of places it offers.”

He said applications to study at the university were up by 35 per cent this year, but the number of students the university can recruit has now been capped by the government at about 9,000 rather than the 12,000 it had hoped to achieve.That has led to a scaling down in plans for the city campus, due to open in September, although sports and leisure facilities in Hylton Road will go ahead as planned.

Carl Flint, vice principal at Worcester College of Technology, said the funding was largely due to the nationally acclaimed foundation degree the college offers for payroll professionals, in partnership with the Institute of payroll professionals.

Mr Flint said: “We are very pleased and it will support our higher education teams in college and provide more resources for them. Any increase in funding next year is very good because it’s against the backdrop of government cuts in funding.”

The grants were part of £7.3 billion given out by the funding council.