Context
The hon. Member asked about support for universities and their role in retraining and reskilling students.
Question
In addition to maintaining current commitments to widen participation and extend bursaries for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, will the Minister make sure that the necessary extra funding is provided so that universities such as the University of Bedfordshire can play a key role in retraining and reskilling young and mature students to meet the serious employment challenges ahead?
Answer from Michelle Donelan (Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation)
The hon. Gentleman is quite right to say that access and participation are key priorities for this Government, and the Office for Students has launched access and participation measures for every institution. Higher education plays a key role in filling the skills needs of the economy, but so does further education, and our priority is to ensure quality provision and that students can make informed choices that are in the best interests of their career destinations.
Not addressed: No direct mention of additional funding for specific universities or institutions like the University of Bedfordshire.
How: Shifts Focus To Further Education And Quality Provision
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