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Let MPs hear your voice

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Written by Georgina Little

Friday, 13 February 2009 17:44

MPs are asking students to suggest topics and witnesses for a parliamentary investigation into universities and student life.

The Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee announced on Wednesday that it is looking for further topics and suggested witnesses for their wide ranging inquiry. The areas for consideration can cover anything not already being considered by the Committee and that comes under the remit of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

The committee was appointed in November 2007 to scrutinise the work of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the government department created by Gordon Brown to combine higher education and science in a single ministry.

This inquiry, which originally intended to focus solely on university admissions policy, the balance between teaching and research and mechanisms of student support and engagement, is now asking for further feedback from students and staff on other topics they feel need consideration.

Degree classification has also been considered by the Committee and became a topic of much debate as figures released show the number of students achieving a first has more than doubled since the mid-1990s, leading to employer fears about the undermining of degrees.

University spokesperson said: “The next step will be for the planning department to consider whether this is something the university should contribute and the team will make a recommendation to the Senior Management Group”.

Witnesses so far have included eleven students from universities across the country who responded to the request for submissions when the inquiry was announced in October 2008.

Submissions should be of 750 or less words on the following:

(1) Your suggested topic
(2) Why it is timely to hold a meeting in April or May to cover this topic
(3) What value you think a hearing would add
(4) Your suggested witnesses

Email your suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Friday 27 February.

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Author of this article: Georgina Little

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