News4
Last month, Lord Baker, the former Tory education secretary, said England had the second highest number of “overqualified” adults in the developed world because of the expansion of degrees in subjects such as the arts, humanities, media studies and social science.
But Mr Willetts insisted that evidence showed universities were the best way of “reviving great towns and cities”, saying that new higher education institutions in Lincoln and Worcester had added millions of pounds to the local economy, generated jobs and up-skilled the local population.
“I have no doubt that there are budding Lincolns and Worcesters waiting in the wings,” he said.
“Towns like Shrewsbury are already champing at the bit to establish a university campus.