What is a university education for? In particular, what is it for in 2006?

"Students now face graduating with thousands of pounds worth of debt. A report issued last week from the thinktank Reform claimed the average student will leave university owing £15,000, and that student debt is up 318% since 2000.

In an attempt to offset this threat and replenish their coffers, students now work during term time in ever increasing numbers. Forget hanging out in coffee bars discussing Descartes - these days the student is far more likely to be the one serving the coffee. According to the Futuretrack 2005 survey, 69% of first-year undergraduates from routine and manual backgrounds expect to work during term-time, compared with 57% from "intermediate" backgrounds and 54% from managerial and professional backgrounds. And it matters - undertaking paid work during term-time has been linked to lower undergraduate achievement."

o resto do artigo está aqui