Think Tanks Calls For Major Rise In University Tuition Fees

Fri, 12 Feb 2010

A think tank has called for university tuition fees in England to be increased to at least £5,000 a year in order for Britain to retain its position as a global leader in higher education .

A new report by Policy Exchange says the current £3,225 cap on annual university top-up fees must be raised to more than £5,000 to offset government cuts in higher education funding.

It adds that students from wealthy backgrounds should be offered private, low interest loans, instead of the interest-free government loans that they currently receive to help cover the fees.

The report, titled ‘More Fees Please’, says the higher education sector has seen a £11bn rise in its total income over the past decade, but funding for university teaching has fallen.

Anna Fazackerley, author of the Policy Exchange study, said: " Universities saw their government funding slashed last week, with rumours of more reductions to come. The future looks pretty grim."

"We already know that vice-chancellors are starting to think about things like scrapping departments, or admitting many more foreign students - who pay higher fees - which would fundamentally alter the landscape of higher education in this country."

She added: "We are convinced that fees will need to rise in the future if we are to protect and improve the student experience, and retain Britain's position as a global leader in higher education ."

"We urge the government to make its first move on fees a bold one. It is clear that if the cap is set at £5,000 or lower, once again the majority of institutions will charge the maximum fee and no market will be activated."

However, Wes Streeting, president of the National Union of Students (NUS), warned that the moves proposed by the think tank would be "disastrous for students and their families" and could "price poorer students out of the most prestigious universities ".
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