3 April 2008

Million+ comment on HEPI report on raising the fee cap

Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of the university think-tank Million+ said “England does not currently have the most progressive HE funding system in the world as the HEPI report states. In fact, full-time students face a system of exceptional complexity and the 725,000 HE students in England who study part-time still have to pay fees up-front and have little access to grant income. The number of Scottish and Welsh students studying in England has also significantly declined.

Unfortunately, the HEPI analysis also relies on the ‘average institution’ rather than recognising the very clear resource incentives currently provided to English institutions which specialise in full-time provision and traditional students.

There may well be more effective ways of distributing Exchequer and taxpayer support for HE and re-thinking graduate contributions but as the Million+ report ‘Reality Check: student finance regimes’ confirmed, a whole system approach to reform is required and there are very strong arguments to streamline the current complex arrangements if access to higher education is to remain a goal of Government.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

Million+ commissioned Reality Check: student finance regimes from London Economics. The report provides a comprehensive review of current and proposed student finance arrangements in the UK, provides some international comparisons and reviews the relationship between public investment and student or graduate contribution to HE and the proportion of GDP spent on HE – distinguished by teaching, research and student support – in the countries studied.

For further information, comment and interviews, please contact Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of Million+ on 020 7717 1655 / 07795 645241.