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Having received several negative letters regarding the campaign from the current government, which I will publish on here in due course, I decided to send the following to the opposition’s higher education spokesman. I am hoping to garner an opinion from Mr Willetts and, as the letter states, to win support for the cause across all the main political parties.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dear Mr Willetts,

Postgraduate Education Funding

I am writing to ascertain your party’s position on a cause that is extremely important to many, as well as myself. For some time now, I have been attempting to change the way in which postgraduate education is funded. As I am sure you are aware, the extension of undergraduate education has resulted in extra demand for postgraduate courses, because many people now see this as the best way to distinguish themselves on the jobs market. Access to these courses, however, is limited, not through the lack of places or difficulty of attaining a position, but by the way in which they are funded. Under the current system you must either be lucky enough to win a scholarship through a funding council, have the university pay your fees or be wealthy enough in the first place to pay for the course outright.

The system outlined above, is a hindrance to social mobility, not only does it favour those who have the funds readily available to access postgraduate education, but the majority, should they risk pursuing professional qualifications, will take longer to complete their courses and probably receive a lower grade, due to having to work in usually low paid, part time jobs. This prevents these people from advancing their careers or they often they fail to complete their course because of financial or work pressure. I also believe that the system favours those who were imbued with the correct cultural capital and were encouraged, by their parents or school, to apply for a better regarded university, rather than a suitable course. These universities are usually in a position to offer discounts or fees waivers to their own students, meaning that people who went to the post 1992 universities find postgraduate education more costly, or will reject continuing education out of hand. This means that decisions people made at age seventeen are hindering their prospects throughout adulthood.

I have suggested that this problem might be resolved by the extension of loans to postgraduate students and the removal of the current career development loans, which are charged at commercial interest rates and deter many. This will allow people to complete their professional education in a shorter time period, thus beginning their career earlier and earning more money over the course of their lifetime. It will also mean that many people will not have to accrue excess debt from commercial sources, which often happens to those who attempt to complete part-time study and part-time work simultaneously.

So far I have written to several MPs and I am trying to discover the policy towards this matter of the different parties. Many have responded positively to my enquiries, and I hope to build a coalition of MPs who will support this course. Please inform me of your own viewpoint on the issue. Do you have any suggestions as to how the problem could be solved? What is the official Conservative party view on this matter?

Yours Sincerely