A key session of the Lifelong Education Institute’s annual conference on 20th March will see a dramatic confrontation of Ali v Frazier proportions on the proposition, “This House believes that every person should go to university”. Three heavyweights on each side, including two members of the House of Lords, will go head-to-head in what should be a fascinating debate.
We’ve already had some appetising skirmishes. In 2022, ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair doubled down on his famous 50% target by suggesting that 70% of young people should go to university, a proposal publicly backed by ex-Chancellor George Osborne amongst others. In contrast, at last year’s Conservative Party conference, Rishi Sunak took aim at Blair’s original target, calling it a “false dream” and “one of the great mistakes of the last 30 years”.
Before it’s bells ringing and seconds out, a few thoughts to prepare you for the event:
First, some facts. In the most recent figures, just over a third (36%) of 18-year-old school leavers went straight into higher education. But Blair’s target was aimed at 18–30-year-olds, and this figure has been above 50% since 2019 – 53% in 2019/20. The fact is, we’ve achieved the Blair target after 20 years of sustained effort, but whether this has had the hoped-for economic impact is another question. One thing is certain; it’s had a big social impact and a transformative effect on many UK towns and cities as university campuses proliferate. But has it made the UK more competitive?
