Students' Demands and Expectations in an Age of Reduced Financial Support: the perspectives of lecturers in four English universities

This paper uses qualitative data from interviews with university lecturers to explore the effects of changes in financial support on students' demands and expectations. Four main changes were identified: a higher proportion of students enter higher education for career reasons than in the past; students are more interested in vocational aspects of their courses than in academic study; they are less willing to undertake independent study and are more demanding of teaching staff's time. A further change was identified in the extent of part-time working by students which affects attendance and study. The replacement of maintenance grants with loans and introduction of fees were seen to have encouraged 'consumerist' attitudes towards higher education. Changes in attitudes and expectations were also explained with reference to the expansion of higher education. These had adverse effects on university lecturers, with implications for job satisfaction and for recruitment and retention.