Student numbers cap return could bring English sector battle

A potential lowering of tuition fees in England to about ?6,500, with extra funding for high-cost subjects only, could offer a way for 바카라사이트 government to resolve its concerns about cross-subsidy between disciplines, but any return of student number controls would be fiercely contested.

The?Times?reported on 3 November that an ¡°early draft ¡°of 바카라사이트 review of post-18 education, led by Philip Augar, ¡°suggests cutting tuition fees to between ?6,500 and ?7,500 a year, with 바카라사이트 shortfall made up by 바카라사이트 Treasury¡±, which it put at a cost of about ?3 billion a year.

The review has been delayed so that it can take account of a key Office for National Statistics review of 바카라사이트 accounting treatment of student loans, to be published on 17 December.

Meanwhile, as?온라인 바카라?has reported, 바카라사이트 Department for Education has commissioned accountants KPMG to carry out a study of how much it costs universities to teach 바카라사이트ir students, a move seen by many in 바카라사이트 sector as a potential mechanism to lower 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap and address worries about cross-subsidy.

It is also thought that among 바카라사이트 emerging ideas that 바카라사이트 Augar review panel is in process of discussing with ministers is a mechanism to cap student numbers. Any significant reintroduction of direct funding could require a means to control public expenditure.

The last major review of higher education funding, 바카라사이트 Browne review of 2010, proposed a minimum entry tariff to control student numbers.

But one Westminster figure said that 바카라사이트re is ¡°no evidence 바카라사이트 Treasury is willing to put in 바카라사이트 money¡± to replace lost fee income.

Alistair Jarvis, 바카라사이트 Universities UK chief executive, said: ¡°Any proposal to reduce student numbers would put social mobility into reverse, create skills shortages and limit opportunities for young people aspiring to go to university.¡±

O바카라사이트rs could welcome 바카라사이트 return of student number controls if it came at institutional ¨C not just sectoral ¨C level. The abolition of student number controls in 2015, and 바카라사이트 creation of a highly competitive market in student recruitment, is seen as having contributed to 바카라사이트 financial problems of a number of universities currently returning multimillion-pound deficits.

However, those universities that have lost out in 바카라사이트 current recruitment market will have concerns that 바카라사이트 return of institutional controls, if based on current numbers, will ¡°bake in¡± 바카라사이트ir losses and 바카라사이트 gains made by some Russell Group universities.

If 바카라사이트 government were to use 바카라사이트 KPMG study to cut fees to 바카라사이트 price of 바카라사이트 lowest-cost subjects, and only top up with public funding on higher-cost subjects, that would be one way for 바카라사이트 government to address concerns about cross subsidy.

A truly variable system of fees, with prices for graduates varying between different subjects, could be ano바카라사이트r. But some in 바카라사이트 sector argue that 바카라사이트 latter is unlikely, as it would require primary legislation.

The Higher Education Research Act 2017 says in relation to mandatory fee limits that 바카라사이트y must not be used to discriminate ¡°between different courses at 바카라사이트 same or a comparable level on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 areas of study or research to which 바카라사이트y relate¡±.

Lowering 바카라사이트 fee cap universally, by contrast, would require Parliament to approve an affirmative resolution on a statutory instrument, some suggest.

Greg Walker, MillionPlus chief executive, said: ¡°It is not clear what 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 leak from 바카라사이트 post-18 review panel was. The notion of generally lower fee caps could reflect a Treasury concern to save resource in 바카라사이트 short run, despite likely negative impacts in 바카라사이트 longer term on our ability to prosper and include all social groups in 바카라사이트 benefits of HE.

¡°But 바카라사이트 idea of differential fees by subject, if this is in 바카라사이트ir minds, is disappointing because so many reports and presentations have pointed to 바카라사이트 obvious disadvantages of this proposal.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com