“Some elite English universities are still failing to attract students from poor backgrounds despite £392 million (US$540 million) from the government and the funding council over the past five years to help widen participation among students with no tradition of higher education, says a new report from a Parliamentary committee. MPs singled out the Russell Group of 16 major research-intensive institutions, including Oxbridge, London and Warwick, as the main culprits. The report provoked defensive reactions from the Russell Group and the government. Dr Wendy Piatt, the group’s General Director, said her members were doing everything they could to ensure that talented students from every background had the chance to benefit from a degree …” (more)
[Diane Spencer, University World News, 15 March]