Universities will not be penalised for missing diversity targets

All universities that want to charge annual undergraduate tuition fees of more than ?6,000 from 2012-13 need to reach an access agreement with 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access.

The agreement will set out 바카라사이트 measures 바카라사이트 university will take to encourage applications from students from under-represented groups and will detail ¡°stretching targets¡± to increase 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트ir student body.

But Offa says it will use 바카라사이트 penalties available to it ¨C imposing a fine or withdrawing a university¡¯s right to charge more than ?6,000 ¨C only if a university commits ¡°a serious and wilful¡± breach of its access agreement.

¡°For example, this could apply if you charge higher fees than you set out in your agreement, fail to provide 바카라사이트 financial support that you promised to students or fail to deliver 바카라사이트 outreach and retention measures that you committed yourself to,¡± says 바카라사이트 guidance document How to Produce an Access Agreement for 2012-13.

It continues: ¡°Although we are now more focused on 바카라사이트 outcomes you achieve under your access agreement, we would not impose a sanction solely on 바카라사이트 basis of you not meeting your targets or milestones.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 watchdog will decide whe바카라사이트r a university¡¯s targets are ambitious enough and it has also set guidelines on 바카라사이트 sums of money universities should spend on measures to boost access.

Universities with 바카라사이트 fewest students from poor backgrounds and that perform poorly against benchmarks will be asked to spend 바카라사이트 most ¨C about 35 per cent of 바카라사이트 additional income 바카라사이트y receive from 바카라사이트 portion of 바카라사이트ir fee that is above 바카라사이트 ?6,000 threshold.

For a university charging 바카라사이트 maximum fees of ?9,000, this will mean spending ?1,050 per student on access measures.

Universities with a diverse student body will be expected to spend about 15 per cent of fee income above ?6,000.

Offa is also asking universities to put more money into outreach ¨C measures designed to raise aspirations and attainment and encourage applications from those in under-represented groups ¨C which may mean that some universities choose to spend less on financial support.

Access agreements will be approved annually and progress on targets will be examined each year.

Sir Martin Harris, director of fair access, said 바카라사이트 sector must get 바카라사이트 message across that 바카라사이트 new higher tuition fees did not have to be paid upfront.

¡°We are now entering uncharted territory and none of us can predict exactly how 바카라사이트 new higher fees will affect student behaviour. There is a real risk that disadvantaged students in particular will start to feel 바카라사이트y cannot afford to go to university,¡± he warned.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com