ENGINEERING BULLETIN

Many middle-ranking universities have suffered a drop in new student numbers as a result of controversial "market-based" government reforms to admissions, an Independent survey reveals today.

A cut in student numbers at the likes of Oxford Brookes and Brunel comes as several of the UK's elite universities exploit reforms allowing them to expand to take more of the best pupils – defined as those who score a miniumum of AAB at A-level.

Hull University said its intake would be 500 fewer this year – and acknowledged that interest in snapping up places through the clearing system had not been as high as 2011.

"We didn't receive contact from many students with AAB or above through clearing," a spokesman for the university said. "We sense that students are taking longer than last year to make their decision – which we feel is a good thing and we always encourage them to do that."

Brunel University is expecting a shortfall of around 200 applicants this year. This is despite the fact that it cut its maximum intake by 175 places from last year.

Other universities to confirm cuts in intake were the University of Chichester and Oxford Brookes. Chichester, which is one of the smaller universities in Britain, has reduced its intake by about 30. On AAB students, it said: "They do not form a significant part of our strategy this year and our intake is broadly the same."

Academics believe higher education could be witnessing the beginnings of a long-term trend in declining numbers for non-elite universities, as the country's best instutions expand.

source: The Independent