If I were higher education minister for a day, I would remember the Chancellor s commitment, when delivering this year s spending review, that we must now ensure no-one is prevented from staying on for the qualifications they need through lack of income and apply it to the whole education sector. I would see getting 50 percent of young people into higher education as a tough challenge, but an essential one.

However, we cannot expect to widen participation without providing the necessary resources and support. Labour s changes to higher education funding, introduced five years ago, failed to anticipate the full effect that the abolition of grants would have on students from the poorest backgrounds. The proportion of these students attending universities, which, until then, had been increasing, has actually declined since 1997. This fall needs to be addressed urgently.

There is overwhelming evidence that the poorest students need proper financial support if they are to go to, and remain at, university. The government has recognised the link between student support and retention in further education, with the much-welcomed roll-out of Education Maintenance Allowances from 2004. To complement this, I would introduce non-repayable grants for those university students who really need it. I would ensure, though, that this did not also mean the introduction of top-up fees or a commercial rate of interest on student loans to compensate.

I would promote citizenship amongst students and encourage more of them to get involved in their local communities. Many students can already become active where they live through initiatives like the NUS Partnerships for Progression. This scheme mentors school children and raises aspirations among groups who, traditionally, have not considered going to university.

I would like students to recognise that they can influence decisions by getting involved in local political processes. For example, decisions such as whether a new bus route will run past the university campus will have a major impact on them now and on other students in the future.

I would be equally keen for students to become more involved in influencing the policies of their own institutions and I would enshrine systems of student comment and feedback. As students are paying for their education, surely it is only right that their thoughts and suggestions on all issues, from childcare facilities to course content, should be taken on board by their institution.

Finally, while welcoming the extra money allocated to the DfES in the spending review, I would, however, have liked more of it to have been earmarked for higher education. I would be delighted that the government has made bold statements about the need to improve the current student funding system and be proud that they have listened to the concerns of the electorate. However, I would be acutely aware that the public, amongst it five million NUS members, is wary of government rhetoric and I would ensure we get things right. I believe it is a good government that listens and recognises its mistakes and it s an even better government that rectifies them.

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Mandy Telford is president of the NUS

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