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| University 'merit tests' to grow | University 'merit tests' to grow |
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| A-levels are not sufficient to identify the aptitude and potential of all those who should benefit from a university education, the government says. | A-levels are not sufficient to identify the aptitude and potential of all those who should benefit from a university education, the government says. |
| A framework for higher education in England over the next decade says social mobility must be reinvigorated. | A framework for higher education in England over the next decade says social mobility must be reinvigorated. |
| Innovation and Skills Secretary Lord Mandelson said priority would go to new routes into higher education, especially for older students. | Innovation and Skills Secretary Lord Mandelson said priority would go to new routes into higher education, especially for older students. |
| Research money should focus on science clusters, and teaching must improve. | Research money should focus on science clusters, and teaching must improve. |
| Students, as consumers, needed to have far more information about courses, such as teaching quality and future employability. | Students, as consumers, needed to have far more information about courses, such as teaching quality and future employability. |
| Lord Mandelson said he would also shortly be announcing the promised independent review of tuition fees. | Lord Mandelson said he would also shortly be announcing the promised independent review of tuition fees. |
| He said that would seek "a balanced approach without placing a burden on any single source of funding". | He said that would seek "a balanced approach without placing a burden on any single source of funding". |
| It will not report until after the general election - with neither of the main political parties wanting to campaign on a possible significant rise in fees above the present £3,225 a year. | It will not report until after the general election - with neither of the main political parties wanting to campaign on a possible significant rise in fees above the present £3,225 a year. |
| Families and schools | Families and schools |
| Launching the framework document, Higher ambitions - the future of universities in a knowledge economy, Lord Mandelson said ministers' vision was one of strong, autonomous institutions with diverse missions. | Launching the framework document, Higher ambitions - the future of universities in a knowledge economy, Lord Mandelson said ministers' vision was one of strong, autonomous institutions with diverse missions. |
| But they needed to promote opportunity more widely to those who could benefit, and to narrow the attainment gap between the higher and lower socio-economic groups highlighted by Alan Milburn's report earlier this year. | But they needed to promote opportunity more widely to those who could benefit, and to narrow the attainment gap between the higher and lower socio-economic groups highlighted by Alan Milburn's report earlier this year. |
| He told reporters: "What we are saying is that nobody should be disadvantaged or penalised on the basis of the families that they came from or the schools they attended, and the way in which a simple assessment based on A-level results might exclude them." | He told reporters: "What we are saying is that nobody should be disadvantaged or penalised on the basis of the families that they came from or the schools they attended, and the way in which a simple assessment based on A-level results might exclude them." |
| This was not a class issue: "There are middle class pupils who don't perform well, that have a strong aptitude and strong potential," he said. | This was not a class issue: "There are middle class pupils who don't perform well, that have a strong aptitude and strong potential," he said. |
| He said many prestigious institutions already used contextual data about applicants' backgrounds to consider their aptitude and potential alongside their academic attainment. | He said many prestigious institutions already used contextual data about applicants' backgrounds to consider their aptitude and potential alongside their academic attainment. |
| The Director of Fair Access, Sir Martin Harris, has been asked to produce a report next spring on how more can be done to widen access to the most highly selective institutions for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. | The Director of Fair Access, Sir Martin Harris, has been asked to produce a report next spring on how more can be done to widen access to the most highly selective institutions for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. |
| Lord Mandelson added that this was not something that he could compel universities to do and he was not seeking to dictate or control their admissions policies. | Lord Mandelson added that this was not something that he could compel universities to do and he was not seeking to dictate or control their admissions policies. |
| Arts and humanities | Arts and humanities |
| He denied that the call for stronger ties between universities and industry, with higher education as a driver of economic recovery and growth, was too "utilitarian". | He denied that the call for stronger ties between universities and industry, with higher education as a driver of economic recovery and growth, was too "utilitarian". |
| "I would be very disappointed if people saw it in that way," he said. | "I would be very disappointed if people saw it in that way," he said. |
| "There is public value in every subject and academic discipline provided by universities. | "There is public value in every subject and academic discipline provided by universities. |
| "They are there to provide us with both civilisation and competitiveness." | "They are there to provide us with both civilisation and competitiveness." |
| Higher Education Minister David Lammy said the arts and humanities also enriched the country - but it had fallen behind so much prior to 1997 that a Save British Science campaign had been launched. | Higher Education Minister David Lammy said the arts and humanities also enriched the country - but it had fallen behind so much prior to 1997 that a Save British Science campaign had been launched. |
| Lord Mandelson said "Stem" courses - science, technology, engineering and maths - cost more to run so attracted higher investment, while there was an economic need to stimulate demand for them. | Lord Mandelson said "Stem" courses - science, technology, engineering and maths - cost more to run so attracted higher investment, while there was an economic need to stimulate demand for them. |
| The Conservatives broadly welcomed the framework, and agreed there should be no "rush to judgement" on tuition fees. | |
| But they said widening access had been too slow, and the funding of part-time students was "clearly indefensible". | |
| Liberal Democrat spokesman Stephen Williams said: "The government has colluded with the Tories to keep tuition fees off the agenda until after polling day." | |
| He said the Lib Dems wanted to scrap tuition fees and would fight any attempt to raise the cap. |