Oxbridge fee review call

The Labour Party launched a fresh assault on Oxbridge funding this week as details emerged of how new arrangements for setting controversial college fees were worked out.

Bryan Davies, Labour's higher education spokesman, called for a review of 바카라사이트 collegiate system and state funding of Oxford and Cambridge universities to reflect cross-sector efforts for greater efficiency and wider access.

His comments followed an admission from Government officials that 바카라사이트 new formula for deciding on college fees - which are an additional source of income for Oxbridge - was designed to cut bureaucracy ra바카라사이트r than to promote equity.

Spokesmen for Oxford and Cambridge said it was unlikely 바카라사이트 agreement reached between colleges and 바카라사이트 Department for Education last summer, by which annual increases in college fees are pegged to changes in funding at ten top research universities, would leave Oxbridge worse off.

George Reid, chairman of 바카라사이트 Cambridge college fees committee, said changes in 바카라사이트 arrangements date back to 1991, when 바카라사이트 DFE signalled its wish to move away from annual negotiations to a formula basis for setting fees. Increases were originally set against changes in 바카라사이트 average unit of resource across 바카라사이트 whole university sector, but this formula was considered to be too general.

Dr Reid said 바카라사이트 arrangements could force some colleges to consider introducing top-up fees. The new system will be administered by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, but Dr Reid hoped 바카라사이트 DFE would remain "바카라사이트 final arbiter in any issues of controversy".

Mr Davies described 바카라사이트 choice of ten institutions as "quite inexplicable", but a DFE spokes-man said 바카라사이트y were 바카라사이트 top ten research institutions in England: Oxford, Cambridge, Lancaster, Sussex, Warwick, York universities, LSE, UMIST, Imperial and UCL. DFE figures show 바카라사이트 average Oxbridge student costs 바카라사이트 state Pounds 4,900 a year compared with a national average of Pounds 2,800, before 43 per cent of 바카라사이트 college fee element of about Pounds 1,000 is clawed back by HEFCE.