Universities could raise tuition fees over £9,000 annual limit
Top universities could be allowed to increase tuition fees above £9,000 in a move that has sparked an angry backlash from students.
Proposals unveiled by Universities Minister Jo Johnson have put forward plans for some universities considered to offer high quality teaching to be able to raise fees in line with inflation above £9,000 for students starting courses next year.
The move was included in a published White Paper called Success as a Knowledge Economy.
Mr Johnson also wants to relax rules to make it easier to open start-up universities and to set up a new Office for Students watchdog to address concerns students’ rights are not being adequately protected.
He said: “Our universities are engines of economic growth and social mobility, but if we are to remain competitive and ensure that a high-quality education remains open to all, we cannot stand still.
“Making it easier for high-quality challenger institutions to start offering their own degrees will help drive up teaching quality, boost the economy and extend aspiration and life chances for students from all backgrounds.
“By creating the Office for Students, we will put student choice, teaching quality and social mobility at the top of the agenda in higher education.”
He said the Government will announce which universities will be eligible to increase their fees based on inspections, which he argued will drive up teaching standards.
However, plans to raise fees have sparked an angry backlash from the National Union of Students who called for the Government to drop the “muddled” proposal.
Sorana Vieru, NUS vice president, said: “Students will understandably be outraged at any suggestion universities could be allowed to put fees up even higher in order to improve teaching quality.
“It was only four years ago tuition fees were trebled and students now face debts up to £53,000 when they graduate.”
The NUS also expressed concerns at plans to award more institutions university status as providers could be driven by profit instead of students’ interests.
Dame Julia Goodfellow, President of Universities UK, welcomed the move to increase access to higher education but said providers awarding their own degrees must meet the same standards as established universities.
She said: “We support the government's aim to protect the interests of students, increase fairness and demonstrate the value of a university education.”
Universities could raise tuition fees over £9,000 annual limitNational Union of StudentsUniversities UKJo Johnson