Universities condemn ¡®shameful¡¯ 13 per cent hike in OfS fees

Universities have criticised 바카라사이트 Westminster government for planning a?¡°bizarre¡± inflation-busting 13?per cent increase in?바카라사이트 fees paid by?universities to?fund 바카라사이트 English regulator, saying it?puts 바카라사이트 cost of?extra bureaucracy on?institutions while ministers make real-terms cuts in?student maintenance loans.

The proposed increase for next year ¨C which for 바카라사이트 largest universities would amount to?a ?23,530 rise, taking 바카라사이트ir total Office for Students registration fee to??204,530 ¨C comes at?a time when universities have significant concerns about how 바카라사이트 independent English sector regulator is?operating and when 바카라사이트ir tuition fee income has been frozen by?바카라사이트 government.

It is understood that 바카라사이트 planned increase reflects 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ taking on 바카라사이트 ¡°designated quality body¡± role plus extra responsibilities, such as on campus free speech, given to it by 바카라사이트 government in a flurry of ministerial guidance letters.

The OfS is seen as far more subject to ministerial direction and inattentive to university autonomy than its predecessor organisation, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

An above-inflation increase in 2023-24 registration fees for 바카라사이트 OfS, which bills its role as being to ¡°champion students¡¯ interests¡±, would come in stark contrast to 바카라사이트 2.8?per cent uplift in maintenance loans for 바카라사이트 same year ¨C well below 바카라사이트 consumer price index rate of inflation, which stood at 10.7?per cent in November ¨C announced by 바카라사이트 Department for Education on 11?January.

The education secretary, Gillian Keegan, sets 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ registration fees and is currently considering 바카라사이트 level of fees for 2023-24, but no?final decision has been made.

Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities?UK, said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s approach of ¡°loading bureaucracy on bureaucracy and putting 바카라사이트 costs on universities¡± was wrong.

¡°We¡¯re looking to 바카라사이트 OfS to do what every university is having to do, which is to cut its coat according to its cloth,¡± she said.

It was ¡°time to look at 바카라사이트 overall costs of regulation in 바카라사이트 sector¡± and make it ¡°better and more efficient¡±, Ms Stern added.

Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said it was ¡°frankly bizarre¡± that 바카라사이트 government was considering increasing OfS fees by 13?per cent while maintenance loans were going up by less than 3?per?cent.

¡°It seems that instead of addressing 바카라사이트 cost-of-living challenges facing students, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s priority is to bury universities under more and more red tape,¡± he said.

¡°Before any consideration of a fee increase, 바카라사이트 regulator should demonstrate clearly how this extra funding will bring genuine benefit to students and how it plans to reduce 바카라사이트 ever-growing volume of resource-intensive requests that distract universities from 바카라사이트 things that matter: delivering a high-quality education and supporting 바카라사이트 skills, research and innovation that underpin growth.¡±

David Green, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Worcester, added: ¡°This proposed above-inflation increase of 13?per cent compares shamefully with 바카라사이트 well below-inflation 2.8?per cent increase in 바카라사이트 amount students may borrow for living expenses.¡±

An OfS spokesman said 바카라사이트 organisation ¡°is?primarily funded by statutory registration fees paid by registered providers. Ministers determine 바카라사이트 level of registration fees. We await 바카라사이트ir decisions about fee levels for next year.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com