Forum Brief: Top-up fees

The government has seen off a Commons revolt over plans to introduce a system of variable student top-up fees.

Forum Response: Universities UK

Professor Ivor Crewe, president of Universities UK, said: "This is a landmark
Bill which takes a significant step towards restoring the financial health of universities. This is vital for the quality of education of all our students and equally vital for the social and economic future of the country. Universities UK will now continue to represent the interests of the sector as detailed discussions continue with the Bill's passage through the House of Lords."

Forum Response: Unversities Council for the Education of Teachers

A spokesperson for the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers told ePolitix.com: "The Universities Council for the Education of Teachers believes that universities require additional funding to off-set the years of under-investment.  Naturally, its primary concern is with the education of teachers.

"It is universally acknowledged that the quality of the educational service depends crucially on the quality of the nation's teachers.  The ambitious plans of the government to raise standards of achievement in our schools will simply not be realised unless we are able to produce the teachers required, of the quality required.  That will call for increased investment.  Already, it is our view that insufficient resources are devoted to, the initial preparation and continuing professional development of teachers.  We fear that the changes in student funding that are under consideration may have a detrimental, if not immediate, effect on recruitment to teaching.  In our view special consideration needs to be given by government and others to ensuring that the plans to generate more funds for the universities do not imperil the supply of able and well educated graduates to the teaching profession."

Forum Response: Standing Conference of Principals

Patricia Ambrose, executive secretary told ePolitix.com: "SCOP encouraged Labour MPs to vote for the Higher Education Bill at third reading.  While many of our members continue to have concerns about the introduction of variable fees, we believe that other new measures to be introduced within the Bill (such as higher maintenance grants for poorer students and the end of up-front payment of tuition fees) outweigh these concerns.  We have also welcomed the government's commitment to an independent review of its policy on variable fees after three years and to a Gateway to the Professions review, which recognises our concerns about the potential impact of variable fees on recruitment to key professions such as teaching and social care."