The UK Independence Party could join the political debate on higher education policy, arguing that too many people go to university, warned the head of a Tory modernising group.

Ryan Shorthouse, director of Bright Blue, also told a Higher Education Policy Institute seminar that coalition higher education policy has been ¡°more radical¡± than the introduction of free schools, often cited as the government¡¯s most revolutionary policy change.

Mr Shorthouse, a former researcher for David Willetts in opposition, identified two possible points of tension for the Conservatives in the run-up to the election when he spoke at the event in London on 14 May.

One was the expansion in university places after the government¡¯s decision to abolish the cap on student numbers in 2015-16. ¡°There are some who think there are too many ¡®Mickey Mouse¡¯ courses and more people should be doing vocational education,¡± Mr Shorthouse said.

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¡°If [Ed] Miliband turns up the volume on a radical [higher education] policy, so HE becomes a big political issue, I think Ukip could trumpet the idea that too many people go to university and really challenge the agenda on HE expansion¡±.

The other point of tension was immigration and international students, he said, arguing that Tory party modernisers ¡°are pushing for a more distinctive and balanced policy agenda on immigration, which is different from Ukip¡¯s¡±.

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Bright Blue has launched a campaign for the Conservatives to take students out of the net migrant count. ¡°Tories should not offer an immigration policy which is just Ukip-lite,¡± he said.

Enabling universities and businesses to recruit who they want was ¡°important for the economy and national prosperity¡± he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Shorthouse argued that ¡°especially on the supply-side expansion and also on support for the most disadvantaged students¡± the government¡¯s higher education policy ¡°has been more radical than the schools agenda¡±.

Times Higher Education contacted Ukip to ask about its higher education policy, but the party did not respond.

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john.morgan@tsleducation.com