Save Student Opportunities
We have been made aware that the Department for Business Innovation and Skills is planning a 60% cut to the Student Opportunities Fund and this is to be announced through the Department’s funding letter to HEFCE.
LJMU receives just over £5 million from the Student Opportunity Fund which is paid to the institution based on the proportion of their students they recruit from disadvantaged and poorer backgrounds. This is money that goes directly into getting more disadvantaged students into higher education and is also used to aid retention, increase outreach opportunities and widen participation. This cut could potentially mean that LJMU loses up to £3 million of its initial grant, as the government continues to use public money to fund for-profit providers (and therefore making money out of the education system).
The cut is yet to be announced, and we have a chance to stop this from happening. As one of the universities that benefits most from this fund, we are asking students to contact their local MP to ensure that they understand how this will affect hundreds of LJMU students and applicants every year.
You can find your local MP by visiting http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/.
