THE NATIONAL Union of Students (NUS) brought its first Student Experience Report to Parliament last week, highlighting the difficulties of university life.

THE NATIONAL Union of Students (NUS) has brought its first Student Experience Report to Parliament last week, highlighting the difficulties of university life.

The study finds that 46 per cent of students are forced to work during term time, mostly because their living costs exceed their loans.

A third work 17 hours a week, and 3 per cent work over 33 hours.

Quizzing over 3000 students at 146 UK universities and colleges, many working students admitted that the pressure to work had a negative impact on their studies.

Although not discouraging students from term time employment, the University of Edinburgh recommends that full time students work a maximum of 20 hours a week.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, which represents lecturers and other academic staff, said: “We are concerned that so many say they are forced into paid work during term time and that they concede this has a negative impact on their studies.”

“Staff have little desire to be teaching students that are exhausted from their employment or even forced to skip classes to pay the bills.”

For the first time in three years, the government is holding a consultation on the English tuition fee system, which may lead to the removal of the current £3,145 cap on fees.

The investigation found that only 29 per cent of students went to university “for the experience,” with the majority motivated by the opportunity to improve their future career prospects.

When choosing an institution, most students studying at institutions in the Russell Group of leading research-focused universities, of which Edinburgh is a member, said that they made their choice based on the establishment’s reputation, whereas those attending post-1992 universities tended to be more motivated by the prospect of improved earning power.

Academic feedback, for which the University of Edinburgh has recently been heavily criticised, was found to be poor across the board.

Only 25 per cent of the 71 per cent of students wanting feedback on assignments and examinations received it.

bon Trust Standard further stipulate that, “an organisation must be committed to making further reductions year on year.”

Accordingly, the University of Edinburgh has a proposed target to cut carbon emissions by 40% by 2010 against 1990 levels, which Houston comments, “compares very favourably with other institutions.”

To retain the Carbon Trust Standard the University will be reassessed every two years.