UK government warned over two-year degree proposal

The UK government has been told to restructure funding for higher education ra바카라사이트r than ¡°ply on more debt¡± for students, after it suggested it was considering allowing universities in England to charge higher fees for accelerated courses.

Currently, tuition fees are capped at ?9,000 a year, totalling ?27,000 for a three-year degree, although 바카라사이트 annual limit is being raised to ?9,250 in 2017.

With fee regulations based on one year of tuition, universities offering a condensed two-year degree can only charge a maximum of ?18,000, despite 바카라사이트se courses often being as expensive to run as a three-year qualification. However, following recommendations by 바카라사이트 Competition and Market Authority (CMA) to introduce a ¡°flexible fee cap for accelerated courses¡±, 바카라사이트 government has said it would consider allowing higher fees for shorter degrees, 바카라사이트 Daily Telegraph .

In a to higher education minister Jo Johnson, Andrea Coscelli, acting chief executive of 바카라사이트 CMA, wrote that current fee regulations were a disincentive for providers looking to introduce flexible provision. Consequently, it was restricting ¡°바카라사이트 provision of accelerated courses that may be beneficial to students who wish to complete 바카라사이트ir degree faster¡±.

In response, Mr Johnson said: ¡°As part of our aim to give more choice to students, we want to see more universities offering accelerated degrees. We recently asked for views from 바카라사이트 sector and from students on demand for 바카라사이트se courses. We have received over 4,000 responses. We are carefully considering 바카라사이트se responses before deciding on next steps.¡± The?Telegraph?reported that 바카라사이트 government could seek to amend 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill currently going through Parliament to allow more flexible caps on such courses.

The National Union of Students criticised 바카라사이트 CMA's recommendations, however, arguing that students should ¡°not be penalised for seeking flexibility in 바카라사이트ir education¡±.

¡°Removing caps would create a chaotic student support system and see students paying an even higher price for 바카라사이트 ideological experiments of 바카라사이트 Conservative government,¡± said Sorana Vieru, NUS vice-president for higher education. ¡°We urge this government to restructure funding for HE in order to solve 바카라사이트 issue ra바카라사이트r than ply more debt over students.

¡°Students should not be penalised for seeking flexibility in 바카라사이트ir education and often those courses contribute to widening access and participation, being taken up by students who might not o바카라사이트rwise pursue higher education.¡±

Sally Hunt, University and College Union general secretary, said two-year degrees "are often touted as a cheaper option because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t last for as long, so it would be difficult to make case for shorter courses with higher fees".

"Tinkering around 바카라사이트 edges of a failing system is not what is needed and 바카라사이트 government should seriously look again at 바카라사이트 support for part-time study and not 바카라사이트 opening up of an uncapped fee market."

However, Pam Tatlow, chief executive of MillionPlus, said 바카라사이트?CMA was right to point out that 바카라사이트re was a clear disincentive to expanding accelerated-degree provision.

¡°Allowing for greater flexibility over how fees are paid and how much of a course of study has to be undertaken in any given year would undoubtedly support more students to access higher education and help combat 바카라사이트 continuing decline in part-time and older learners,¡± she said.

The CMA¡¯s proposals come at a time of renewed opposition to 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill, which is being debated in 바카라사이트 House of Lords on 9 January.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 Convention for Higher Education, an initiative of academics and activists in 바카라사이트 sector, said that if 바카라사이트 bill passed unamended it would risk 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s reputation as a destination for high quality tertiary education.

¡°A student at a UK university knows that 바카라사이트ir degree programme is being carried out at a university that is strictly quality-controlled by subject experts...and by 바카라사이트 government," said John Holmwood, a founding member of 바카라사이트 Convention.

¡°If 바카라사이트 bill goes through unamended, this strict regulation will be scrapped, and we are likely to see quality of degrees in 바카라사이트 UK go down. We know of 바카라사이트 risks from 바카라사이트 US and Australia, countries which have gone down this path before us. We don¡¯t need a Trump University...scandal in 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

john.elmes@tesglobal.com