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Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 15:14 GMT 15:14 UK

Many more young people go to Universities from some areas of our country than others. Yet we know that inherent abilities are not geographically divided. Consequently we know that our heavily subsidised University learning is unfairly allocated, and which accentuates the divisions in our nation. So it's not working well enough so far.
We should insist that Parliament institutes measures to ensure wider and deserved access to University learning.

Andrew Dundas, Ilkley, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 15:11 GMT 15:11 UK

Social mobility should have no place in selection.

The trick is to pick the best and brightest irrespective of background. Now I have no problem with Uni's deciding that a student from a poor school who got reasonable grades deserves credit for overcoming his/her schooling as long as it is done in a fair manner not because some labour peer tells them to

[Justin150], London

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 15:09 GMT 15:09 UK

When I left university, 3 years older and £10,000 worse off, I got turned down for many jobs due to being over qualified. Eventually I took a graduate job for less money with a company which had nothing to do with what i studied. I quickly realised that I would have been more than capable of doing this job upon completing my A Levels, and wondered why it was a graduate position. Unless you're going into a specific field which needs qualifications, i'd say save your money and train on the job!

graham, Manchester

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 15:04 GMT 15:04 UK

As long as university education is deemed aspirational then they have it made.
Costs need to be objectively appraised.For example,my local university is spending £55 million on a glorified bookcase.
Is this wise in the 21st Century?
Complacency might be a problem in the lower ranked universities. Money corrupts,as does status-seeking.
1st Class students waste 4 years,should have gone straight into research,2nd Class confirms the obvious, at least 3rd Classers get something out of the system.

gjc, Bourtie

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:59 GMT 14:59 UK

I have a funny feeling there going to be sold off! just like every thing else,What sleft of England? NOTHING really its all gone. And my child and many others are left with rubbish education, rubbish run down schools, useless teachers the list is endliss, because I'm like many others are not rich I cant afford to escape this hell hole of a country I wish it was more like Australia they have it spot on over there! its a real shame about our Country pulled apart by greed and incompance.

Yorkshire Lass, west yorkshire, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:58 GMT 14:58 UK

Labours socialism and attacks against its own people run the prospect of revolution.
Revolutions are always caised by the middle classes so i hope Mandy wont be too surprised if he one day he finds himself dangling on the end of a meat hook?

[sammon8], london, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:46 GMT 14:46 UK

Maybe the universities will soon be able to give degrees away with Christmas crackers. It's about all many modern degrees are worth.

[DaMuttzNutz], Malvern, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:44 GMT 14:44 UK

When you can get a degree in Mickey Mouse, Media or Dance - very little I would say!

English Not British, or European

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:41 GMT 14:41 UK

So decent law abiding kids from good homes will be held back so chavs can spend a few more years tossing it off at the taxpayers expense. I may be wrong but I belive that the idea is to allow kids who haven't passed A levels to go.

My daughter studied like mad, got her required grades, went to Uni and got her degree and is now saddled with a student debt because myself and her dad didn't live on the social so she could get a free ride. What more do they want us to do?

[Yorkiegran], Bradford, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:26 GMT 14:26 UK

Like others I am opposed to the idea that University is a product. Entry should be on merit - exam results and academic achievement not class or social standing. If the governement wishes to help students who are from poorer social backgrounds then do it if they have the ability that should be the only criteria for entry. We need to stop the dumbing down of our country.

Oh and Mandelson is supposed to be Bsuiness Secretary not Education - How many jobs does he want?

[bigjeeze], Bournemouth, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:21 GMT 14:21 UK

Universities should be centres of excellence not egalitarianism. Use of them by the political classes for experiments in social engineering merely serve to dilute and degrade the real value of the degrees they bestow. It is for others, not the universities themselves, to solve the problem of how students can pay for/afford their higher education, leaving the Universities untainted by politics and the focus of academic achievement. The political dumbing down of education does Universities no good

Alasdair Campbell, Bath

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:15 GMT 14:15 UK

Successive UK governments have regarded the British education system as another cash cow to bring in more cash from foreigners. There is no indication that the situation is going to change now or in the future.
British kids will suffer, that's all I know.

[UKcerberus], Warrington, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:09 GMT 14:09 UK

This will not result in any measures that will be put in place by Lord mandelson as a Labour minister; there will be an election before this nonsense affects our universities and students, thank goodness.

[Woundedpride]

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 14:02 GMT 14:02 UK

When I went to university (70's) I wonce discussed with my tutor the quality of a particular lecture. His response was that I was there to "read for a degree" and that the lectures merely supplemented this as guidance.
Todays students see university as an extension of school and expect to be spoon fed and taught.
I guess this all changed when Polytechnics (teaching institutions) became (wrongly in my view) universities (places of study).
Customers - rubbish!

Paul, Romsey

Added: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 13:58 GMT 13:58 UK

The Government cuts University funding and then encourages more students to go to University. It expects students and business to supply the money needed to fill this shortfall in funding. How is business going to provide this money in such an economic climate? Is Peter Mandelson going to force them? Also how are Universities going to achieve better standards with less staff and less money?

Liz, Leeds