21/10/2009

Synopsis

Michael Buerk and the team travel to Derby University for an edition of the programme recorded on campus. He is joined by panel members Claire Fox, Melanie Phillips, Clifford Longley and Matthew Taylor.

Higher education is more popular than ever; universities are crammed to the rafters as they struggle to achieve the aim of 50 per cent of young people getting a university education. The increased popularity of vocational degrees has changed the culture of academia. But students now have to balance the increasing cost of getting a degree with uncertain job prospects when they graduate. So there's no better time to ask the question, 'what are universities for and who are they for?'

Witnesses:

Professor Dennis Hayes
Professor of Education, University of Derby. Founder of the campaign group Academics for Academic Freedom (AFAF)

Professor John Coyne
Vice Chancellor, University of Derby and chairman of skills and enterprise Think Tank CFE, which is an independent specialist in skills employment and economic development.

Greg James
University of Nottingham medical student, anti-tuition fees campaigner.

Andrew Long
Young entrepreneur and CEO of Ten, named one of the top 100 fastest-growing companies in the UK by the Sunday Times.