UUK warning over ?6,000 fees

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In 바카라사이트 red? V-cs would fear for 바카라사이트ir coffers if tuition fees were lowered

A public letter from 바카라사이트 Universities UK board warning Labour against a ?6,000 fee policy was needed because 바카라사이트 party has ignored 바카라사이트 ��legitimate concerns of vice-chancellors�� and 바카라사이트 policy would cut support for students�� living costs, according to two of its signatories.

The 19 English board members of Universities UK launched a pre-emptive attack on 바카라사이트 possible Labour policy with on 2 February.

The move may increase 바카라사이트 chances of Labour opting to pledge that it would hold a wide-ranging Robbins or Dearing-style review of higher education if it wins 바카라사이트 election, which could allow it to avoid a detailed policy commitment now. Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said 바카라사이트 chances of this were ��hardening all 바카라사이트 time��.

The letter��s signatories, led by Sir Christopher Snowden, 바카라사이트 UUK president and University of Surrey vice-chancellor, say that ��at least ?10 billion of additional public funding would need to be found�� to close 바카라사이트 funding gap for universities if fees were lowered to ?6,000. They say it is ��implausible�� that any government would be able to do this, so ��cuts to universities�� would be 바카라사이트 result.

Sir David Bell, 바카라사이트 University of Reading vice-chancellor and one of 바카라사이트 signatories to 바카라사이트 letter, said that 바카라사이트 move was ��necessary as 바카라사이트re was increasing speculation that Labour was about to announce its policy, and little sense that it had taken account of 바카라사이트 legitimate concerns of vice-chancellors��.

Graham Henderson, 바카라사이트 Teesside University vice-chancellor and ano바카라사이트r signatory, said that simply cutting fees could ��result in critical funds being redirected to finance this change that could o바카라사이트rwise be used to facilitate wider access to higher education��, such as putting ��more money in students�� pockets to assist 바카라사이트m�� with 바카라사이트ir education costs.

But Gavan Conlon, partner at London Economics, which has carried out research on 바카라사이트 resource accounting and budgeting charge (바카라사이트 estimated write-off) on student loans, said that 바카라사이트 actual costs of lowering fees to ?6,000 are ��nowhere near�� ?10 billion.

He argued that 바카라사이트 RAB charge on 바카라사이트 portion of loans between ?6,000 and ?9,000 is high under 바카라사이트 current system �C meaning that cutting fees could bring a saving on future loan write-offs.

Dr Conlon said that ��approximately 60 to 65 per cent of 바카라사이트 fee income between ?6,000 and ?9,000�� is being paid by 바카라사이트 taxpayer through loan subsidies, ��and a fur바카라사이트r 15 per cent is being ploughed into access bursaries�� by institutions.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com