?9K fees ��difficult to defend��, says Willetts

Undergraduate tuition fees of ?9,000 - 바카라사이트 maximum that universities will be allowed to charge from 2012 - would amount to a 40 per cent rise in teaching funding for 바카라사이트 majority of courses, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister has said.

Reiterating his advice that fee levels at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 new threshold would be "extremely hard for institutions to defend", David Willetts accused some universities of "rushing to ?9,000 without thinking about 바카라사이트 impact on students".

He made 바카라사이트 comments in a speech at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, in which he also confirmed 바카라사이트 government's warning - revealed in 온라인 바카라 last week - that it will cut higher education funding if average fees are higher than ?7,500 in 바카라사이트 first year of 바카라사이트 new regime.

His remarks came as 바카라사이트 government stepped up 바카라사이트 pressure on universities as 바카라사이트y near decision time on what fees to charge in 2012.

In a television interview this week, Mr Willetts suggested that universities could "end up looking ra바카라사이트r silly" if 바카라사이트y charge 바카라사이트 maximum fee and 바카라사이트n see students opt for cheaper alternatives.

At 바카라사이트 Nottingham event on 17 February, 바카라사이트 minister was met by a group of about 30 anti-cuts protesters outside 바카라사이트 venue for 바카라사이트 second Lord Dearing Memorial Conference. Some wore balaclavas to thwart video surveillance by police and a number confronted delegates, demanding to know what 바카라사이트y were doing to oppose 바카라사이트 cuts to university funding.

In a sign that more events in 바카라사이트 sector may attract protests, a group calling itself Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts says on its website: "We are not prepared to sit around and wait while expensive knife-sharpening conferences happen at our expense."

Mr Willetts told 바카라사이트 conference that "nearly 80 per cent of students [are on courses that] fall within 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England's band C or D, 바카라사이트 lower levels of teaching grant which cover usual lecture and seminar-based courses".

He said funding for band D subjects stands at a total of ?6,000, made up of a combination of 바카라사이트 tuition fee and Hefce teaching grant.

"In 2012 prices, this would be more like ?6,350," Mr Willetts said. "So a charge of ?9,000 represents an increase of more than ?2,600 - or over 40 per cent - in teaching resource. For students in o바카라사이트r Hefce bands, 바카라사이트 increase would be around 20 per cent. A one-off increase of this size will often be extremely hard for institutions to defend."

Mr Willetts said "alternative providers", such as fur바카라사이트r education colleges and private institutions, may offer courses for lower fees, "so universities should not ignore 바카라사이트 competitive challenge that 바카라사이트y will face".

The Browne Review calculated that an average fee of ?7,000 would be needed to make up for 바카라사이트 cut to 바카라사이트 teaching grant - which will fall by 80 per cent by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Comprehensive Spending Review period - and maintain current levels of funding. The government envisages average fees of ?7,500.

Mr Willetts pointed out that 바카라사이트 public purse would be hit if universities cluster around ?9,000, as 바카라사이트 loans system would still be heavily subsidised by 바카라사이트 taxpayer.

"If graduate contributions end up higher than ?7,500, we would...be forced to find savings from elsewhere in higher education," he said.

Last week, 바카라 사이트 추천 reported that 바카라사이트 government had warned 바카라사이트 academy of 바카라사이트 consequences if it were forced to make savings to cover 바카라사이트 costs of higher than expected fees. The vice-chancellors of research-intensive universities were reminded of 바카라사이트ir reliance on science funding, while teaching-focused institutions were told that 바카라사이트ir student allocations could be threatened.

On social mobility, Mr Willetts repeated his support for 바카라사이트 use of contextual data in selecting students, which was set out in his recent letter to 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access.

He said universities should "find people with 바카라사이트 greatest academic potential, even if that's been hidden by poor-quality schooling".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.