University students getting less time with lecturers

Posted 15 Feb 2011

University lecturers are spending less time with their students, despite higher tuition fees being imposed from 2012.

That is according to a new survey by the National Union of Students (NUS), which found that the time students spent with their lecturers declined in the last year, reports the Guardian.

It was found that those taking a medicine or engineering degree spent less time with their lecturers in the last 12 months than the previous year.

Universities in the Russell Group, such as Cambridge and Oxford, were some of the worst offenders for reducing teaching hours. These universities are likely to charge the full £9,000 tuition from September next year.

However, the 20 universities in the Group still had some of the highest contact times in the UK.

Aaron Porter, president of the NUS, told the newspaper: "These results indicate a significant step backwards in terms of students' learning experience at university, particularly for those in their first year."

Some youngsters may be put off by these figures and could consider alternatives to university, such as a TEFL course.

A TEFL course can be completed online and it trains people to teach English abroad.

By Abigail Parris
 

Category: Teaching and Learning