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| Fee rise 'must aid poor students' | Fee rise 'must aid poor students' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Universities must protect access for poorer applicants if they are to be allowed to raise tuition fees, said Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. | Universities must protect access for poorer applicants if they are to be allowed to raise tuition fees, said Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. |
| In a speech on the future of higher education, Lord Mandelson said university admission processes must do more to promote social mobility. | In a speech on the future of higher education, Lord Mandelson said university admission processes must do more to promote social mobility. |
| "We are doing better, but not well enough," he told university leaders. | "We are doing better, but not well enough," he told university leaders. |
| Conservative university spokesman David Willetts said the government should "get on with the tuition fees review". | Conservative university spokesman David Willetts said the government should "get on with the tuition fees review". |
| Lord Mandelson's speech, delivered at Birkbeck, University of London, set out the major issues facing the university sector. | Lord Mandelson's speech, delivered at Birkbeck, University of London, set out the major issues facing the university sector. |
| 'Impatient' | 'Impatient' |
| Funding remains the biggest concern. "Bluntly put: excellence is not cheap," Lord Mandelson said. | |
| Lord Mandelson: "Graduates face the toughest job market in years." | Lord Mandelson: "Graduates face the toughest job market in years." |
| A review of tuition fees is to begin in the autumn - and Lord Mandelson said any higher charges to students must take into account the needs of poorer families. | A review of tuition fees is to begin in the autumn - and Lord Mandelson said any higher charges to students must take into account the needs of poorer families. |
| "There must always be a link between what an institution charges and its performance in widening access and supporting those without the ability to pay," he said. | "There must always be a link between what an institution charges and its performance in widening access and supporting those without the ability to pay," he said. |
| Last week, former minister Alan Milburn delivered a report on social mobility which was critical of universities' performance in recruiting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. | Last week, former minister Alan Milburn delivered a report on social mobility which was critical of universities' performance in recruiting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. |
| Lord Mandelson, highlighting the lack of progress, suggested universities should engage with potential applicants at a much earlier stage, becoming more involved with schools. | Lord Mandelson, highlighting the lack of progress, suggested universities should engage with potential applicants at a much earlier stage, becoming more involved with schools. |
| "We are doing better, but not well enough. I am impatient about this progress and intend to turn up the spotlight on university admissions," he told university leaders. | "We are doing better, but not well enough. I am impatient about this progress and intend to turn up the spotlight on university admissions," he told university leaders. |
| But he said that such decisions on admissions would remain with individual universities and there would be no "straitjacket" of regulations from government. | But he said that such decisions on admissions would remain with individual universities and there would be no "straitjacket" of regulations from government. |
| "I'm less interested in social engineering than getting a supply of good engineers," said Lord Mandelson. | "I'm less interested in social engineering than getting a supply of good engineers," said Lord Mandelson. |
| Student changes | Student changes |
| Lord Mandelson rejected as outdated the idea that there was a contradiction between the pursuit of excellence and the expansion of opportunity. | Lord Mandelson rejected as outdated the idea that there was a contradiction between the pursuit of excellence and the expansion of opportunity. |
| "I think that the historic anti-elitism of some parts of the left on education policy has often been a dead end because it has confused excellence and privilege," said Lord Mandelson. | "I think that the historic anti-elitism of some parts of the left on education policy has often been a dead end because it has confused excellence and privilege," said Lord Mandelson. |
| "But the only way to square that circle is a higher education system that widens access and increases social mobility even as it fosters excellence." | "But the only way to square that circle is a higher education system that widens access and increases social mobility even as it fosters excellence." |
| If this language suggests the end of Oxbridge-bashing, he also presented the tuition fees debate in the context of a university sector rapidly moving away from its traditional image. | If this language suggests the end of Oxbridge-bashing, he also presented the tuition fees debate in the context of a university sector rapidly moving away from its traditional image. |
| The historic anti-elitism of some parts of the left on education policy has often been a dead end because it has confused excellence and privilege Lord Mandelson | The historic anti-elitism of some parts of the left on education policy has often been a dead end because it has confused excellence and privilege Lord Mandelson |
| Fees and loans would have to reflect the changes in the student population, he said, with the growth in mature and part-time students, many living at home. | Fees and loans would have to reflect the changes in the student population, he said, with the growth in mature and part-time students, many living at home. |
| Only one in three students is now in the straight-from-school 18 to 22-year-old age bracket, Lord Mandelson told the university leaders. | Only one in three students is now in the straight-from-school 18 to 22-year-old age bracket, Lord Mandelson told the university leaders. |
| This raises the prospect of a fees system which will also become more diverse, with different levels of fees and loans for different types of student. | This raises the prospect of a fees system which will also become more diverse, with different levels of fees and loans for different types of student. |
| Postgraduate review | Postgraduate review |
| Lord Mandelson is to launch a framework for higher education in the autumn, setting out a blueprint for its future. | Lord Mandelson is to launch a framework for higher education in the autumn, setting out a blueprint for its future. |
| This is likely to consider developments across the UK. Lord Mandelson's responsibility is primarily for English higher education, but much university funding comes via research councils which are UK-wide. | This is likely to consider developments across the UK. Lord Mandelson's responsibility is primarily for English higher education, but much university funding comes via research councils which are UK-wide. |
| But ahead of that framework, he announced a review of postgraduate education, to be carried out by Professor Adrian Smith, director general of science and research in his department. | But ahead of that framework, he announced a review of postgraduate education, to be carried out by Professor Adrian Smith, director general of science and research in his department. |
| Postgraduate courses have become an important source of income for universities, particularly from overseas students. | |
| But there have been concerns about the quality of some courses and questions about whether there should be greater strategic planning. | But there have been concerns about the quality of some courses and questions about whether there should be greater strategic planning. |
| "It is a major export earner for the UK, and one which we have perhaps taken too much for granted," said Lord Mandelson. | "It is a major export earner for the UK, and one which we have perhaps taken too much for granted," said Lord Mandelson. |
| The framework document is also expected to review how the quality of university courses is assured - and in his speech Lord Mandelson will call for "ways of incentivising excellence in academic teaching". | The framework document is also expected to review how the quality of university courses is assured - and in his speech Lord Mandelson will call for "ways of incentivising excellence in academic teaching". |
| Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group which represents leading universities, said that the level of fees was not the barrier to applications from young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. | Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group which represents leading universities, said that the level of fees was not the barrier to applications from young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. |
| "It may be counter-intuitive, but actually we know from the evidence that finance plays very little role in determining whether a child goes to university." | "It may be counter-intuitive, but actually we know from the evidence that finance plays very little role in determining whether a child goes to university." |
| Professor Paul Wellings of the 1994 Group, research-intensive universities, welcomed the review of postgraduate education, saying "there are a number of issues that need urgently to be examined". | Professor Paul Wellings of the 1994 Group, research-intensive universities, welcomed the review of postgraduate education, saying "there are a number of issues that need urgently to be examined". |
| The Conservatives' university spokesman David Willetts called on the government to bring forward the tuition fees review. | |
| "Lord Mandelson touches on a number of important issues in his speech but everyone in the university sector is waiting for the fees review and there is no need to delay any longer." | "Lord Mandelson touches on a number of important issues in his speech but everyone in the university sector is waiting for the fees review and there is no need to delay any longer." |