A report published today (Tuesday) by Universities UK looks at the likely impact that changes to the variable fees system might have on universities, students and government.
The report, Changing Landscapes: future scenarios for variable tuition fees, considers a limited range of future scenarios for variable fees, funding and student support that might apply in England following the Government’s independent review of fees in 2009.
Based on the selected scenarios, the report considers:
• the implications of different variable fee levels - from maintaining the current position, to an increase in the cap to £5,000 and to £7,000
• the different mechanisms for fee payment and fee support
• the associated bursary and maintenance packages
Professor Rick Trainor, President, Universities UK, said: “The report makes a valuable evidence-based contribution to Universities UK's preparations for the independent review of variable tuition fees. It will help universities to make informed judgements about the effect of future fee and funding regimes, and to assess the impact on their own institutions.
“This is not about presenting a ‘preferred’ scenario. While there has inevitably been much interest in what Vice-Chancellors or others may want, or expect, to happen, UUK has said consistently that what is needed is an informed debate to help the independent review.”
As well as considering the implications of a change to the fee cap on universities, the report also looks at the implications for students and government. The report assumes that 2012-13 will be the earliest date in which any change in the financing of higher education could be introduced.
Professor Trainor added: “This is a time of deep economic uncertainty for all of us, and the modelling work we have done is aimed at equipping universities to prepare for challenging times ahead. While our universities must receive sufficient funding to remain world class, any changes to the current fee regime must also take account of the implications for widening participation.
“UK higher education requires further injections of resource, from whatever source, particularly for teaching and learning. This is essential if we are to meet the rising expectations of UK and overseas students as well as employers.”
The report was prepared for Universities UK by CRA International, working with Nigel Brown and Sue Boorman of Nigel Brown Associates. The consultants were guided by a Universities UK steering group led by Professor Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, and interviewed members of Universities UK and representatives of the four mission groups about the current higher education market and how it might change in the future. As part of the project, all Universities UK member institutions will have access to a user-friendly model to enable them to model their institution’s financial position under different possible tuition fee regimes.
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Notes
1. The report, ‘Changing landscapes: future scenarios for variable tuition fees’ is available to download from the Universities UK website: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Pages/ChangingLandscapes.aspx
2. The scenarios investigated in this project were developed by the Universities UK steering group and the project team to cover a range of possible scenarios in the period 2012–16.
3. The report looks at institutions in England providing higher education to full-time students liable to pay tuition fees. Higher education programmes covered by these tuition fee regulations are full-time first or undergraduate degrees and postgraduate courses of initial teacher training. However, the model has been designed so that it could be useful to all Universities UK members and relatively easily extended to students in the other countries of the UK.
4. Universities UK is the major representative body and membership organisation for the higher education sector. It represents the UK's universities and some higher education colleges. Its 133 members http://www.UniversitiesUK.ac.uk/members/ are the executive heads of these institutions. Universities UK works closely with policy makers and key education stakeholders to advance the interests of universities and to spread good practice throughout the higher education sector. Founded in 1918 and formerly known as the Committee for Vice-Chancellors and Principals (CVCP), Universities UK celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2008.