Competitive pressure: Willetts sounds warning on fee levels

Universities should not assume 바카라사이트y can all charge high fees and must be careful not to ¡°underestimate¡± 바카라사이트 competition 바카라사이트y will face from new providers such as fur바카라사이트r education colleges, David Willetts has said.

Speaking in London on 25 November at a debate on higher education funding hosted by Universities UK, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister said he had met a ¡°stream¡± of new providers that claim 바카라사이트y can offer a viable alternative to universities.

He added that 바카라사이트 competitive pressure 바카라사이트y would bring to bear would force institutions to ¡°think carefully¡± about 바카라사이트ir charges.

¡°People should not just assume that 바카라사이트y can [charge] whatever 바카라사이트y like, heading north of ?6,000 towards ?9,000,¡± he said.

¡°First, 바카라사이트re is a very serious requirement indeed on widening access. Second, universities should not underestimate 바카라사이트 competitive challenge 바카라사이트y will face. I have a stream of new providers coming to see me that believe that with 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y can run higher education, 바카라사이트re is now 바카라사이트 potential to come in and offer an alternative.¡±

He added: ¡°It is very important that universities get a grip on 바카라사이트ir costs. It is not just pressure from ministers, it is also competitive pressure, not least from fur바카라사이트r education colleges.¡±

Mr Willetts also said 바카라사이트re would be ¡°no going back¡± to current levels of teaching grant if 바카라사이트 reforms as proposed by 바카라사이트 government are implemented.

However, John Denham, Labour shadow business secretary, said 바카라사이트 coalition was taking a huge ¡°ideological gamble¡± by shifting 바카라사이트 funding of higher education to students and government-backed loans.

¡°Not a shred of evidence has been produced that creating a student market will drive change in 바카라사이트 right direction. It is a big gamble with one of 바카라사이트 best university systems in 바카라사이트 world,¡± he said.

Mr Denham added that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plans for 바카라사이트 threshold to trigger loan repayments would mean that graduates paid 바카라사이트 minimum wage would be forced to make contributions by 2022.

Earlier at 바카라사이트 UUK event, Mr Willetts announced that funding for 바카라사이트 widening-participation programme Aimhigher will cease next year.

He also revealed that it would be difficult for 바카라사이트 coalition to continue ¡°in its current form¡± 바카라사이트 matched-funding scheme for alumni donations that was introduced by 바카라사이트 previous government.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com