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| High-fee universities warned of sanctions | High-fee universities warned of sanctions |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Universities in England could be stripped of the power to charge tuition fees of more than £6,000 a year if they fail to admit sufficient numbers of students from poorer backgrounds. | Universities in England could be stripped of the power to charge tuition fees of more than £6,000 a year if they fail to admit sufficient numbers of students from poorer backgrounds. |
| And those setting higher fees could face large fines for missing targets. | And those setting higher fees could face large fines for missing targets. |
| Under the government plan, they would also have to help fund a National Scholarship Programme. | |
| Critics say it does not go far enough, while universities say sanctions would be unfair. | |
| Annual targets | Annual targets |
| Having raised the maximum fee level to £9,000 per year, the government says it wants to ensure that higher fees will not exclude poorer students from university. | Having raised the maximum fee level to £9,000 per year, the government says it wants to ensure that higher fees will not exclude poorer students from university. |
| But any institution wanting to charge more than £6,000 per year will have to negotiate an annual access agreement with the Office for Fair Access (Offa). | But any institution wanting to charge more than £6,000 per year will have to negotiate an annual access agreement with the Office for Fair Access (Offa). |
| This will set a target for how many students from state schools or poorer backgrounds it must recruit in future years, and will be reviewed each year, rather than every five years at present. | This will set a target for how many students from state schools or poorer backgrounds it must recruit in future years, and will be reviewed each year, rather than every five years at present. |
| At the moment just over 7% of pupils in England go to private schools (more attend in sixth form) but they make up a quarter of those who go to the 25 most selective universities and about half of those at Oxford and Cambridge. | At the moment just over 7% of pupils in England go to private schools (more attend in sixth form) but they make up a quarter of those who go to the 25 most selective universities and about half of those at Oxford and Cambridge. |
| The government says it wants to help pupils on free school meals (FSM) to reach their potential by going to university. | The government says it wants to help pupils on free school meals (FSM) to reach their potential by going to university. |
| Offa has the power to revoke the right to charge more and to impose a fine of up to £500,000 if the access agreement is broken. | Offa has the power to revoke the right to charge more and to impose a fine of up to £500,000 if the access agreement is broken. |
| But it has had those powers since it was set up in 2004 and has not used them so far. | But it has had those powers since it was set up in 2004 and has not used them so far. |
| Details of the new arrangements are expected to be released on Thursday in a letter from Offa to universities. | |
| The Universities Minister David Willetts says the changes will make the system fairer. | The Universities Minister David Willetts says the changes will make the system fairer. |
| "This is a serious set of powers and we think this is a much more effective system than we inherited," he told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. | "This is a serious set of powers and we think this is a much more effective system than we inherited," he told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. |
| Unfair | Unfair |
| Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group, which represents some of England's leading universities, said while it was reasonable to expect universities to make every effort to attract poorer students, introducing sanctions would be unreasonable. | Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group, which represents some of England's leading universities, said while it was reasonable to expect universities to make every effort to attract poorer students, introducing sanctions would be unreasonable. |
| "I would be very wary of targets, quotas and fines. It would be unfair to punish universities for a problem elsewhere in the education system," she told Today. | "I would be very wary of targets, quotas and fines. It would be unfair to punish universities for a problem elsewhere in the education system," she told Today. |
| Universities wishing to charge more will also be obliged to participate in - and contribute funding to - the National Scholarship Programme. | Universities wishing to charge more will also be obliged to participate in - and contribute funding to - the National Scholarship Programme. |
| In the first year it will provide £50m of support - rising to £150m after three years. | In the first year it will provide £50m of support - rising to £150m after three years. |
| When it is fully running it will assist 48,000 students per year from households with an income of less than £25,000. They will receive funding worth at least £3,000 a year in the form of bursaries, fee waivers or discounts on accommodation. | When it is fully running it will assist 48,000 students per year from households with an income of less than £25,000. They will receive funding worth at least £3,000 a year in the form of bursaries, fee waivers or discounts on accommodation. |
| Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who angered students by breaking his pledge to vote against raising tuition fees, said universities who wanted to charge more than £6,000 per year must improve access. | Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who angered students by breaking his pledge to vote against raising tuition fees, said universities who wanted to charge more than £6,000 per year must improve access. |
| "There is a social crisis in this country - a crisis of opportunity. Universities, the gateway to the professions, are too often acting to inadvertently narrow opportunities, rather than widen them," said Mr Clegg. | "There is a social crisis in this country - a crisis of opportunity. Universities, the gateway to the professions, are too often acting to inadvertently narrow opportunities, rather than widen them," said Mr Clegg. |
| But National Union of Students' president Aaron Porter issued an angry response to Mr Clegg, accusing him of "living in a fantasy land" if he thought he could become a "champion for students". | But National Union of Students' president Aaron Porter issued an angry response to Mr Clegg, accusing him of "living in a fantasy land" if he thought he could become a "champion for students". |
| Universities UK said that all universities shared a commitment to broadening access, but there had to be a flexible and autonomous approach for individual universities. | Universities UK said that all universities shared a commitment to broadening access, but there had to be a flexible and autonomous approach for individual universities. |
| While the access agreements will apply pressure to keep down fees - universities argue that they need to raise fees because the government has cut funding. | |
| Oxford University says it needs to charge fees of at least £8,000 to replace university budget cuts. | |
| Pam Tatlow, chief executive of university think-tank Million+, said: "The primary reason why universities may consider charging fees in excess of £6,000 is the 80% reduction in teaching funding which is being implemented following the clear statement in the spending review that the Chancellor expected universities to offset this reduction by charging higher fees." | Pam Tatlow, chief executive of university think-tank Million+, said: "The primary reason why universities may consider charging fees in excess of £6,000 is the 80% reduction in teaching funding which is being implemented following the clear statement in the spending review that the Chancellor expected universities to offset this reduction by charging higher fees." |
| The 1994 Group, representing research-intensive universities, suggests that it should mean more than a simple headcount of numbers of poorer students being given places. | The 1994 Group, representing research-intensive universities, suggests that it should mean more than a simple headcount of numbers of poorer students being given places. |
| "Laying down crude targets will do nothing to aid social mobility," said Paul Wellings, chairman of the 1994 Group and vice-chancellor of Lancaster University. | "Laying down crude targets will do nothing to aid social mobility," said Paul Wellings, chairman of the 1994 Group and vice-chancellor of Lancaster University. |
| Students protected | Students protected |
| There are also tuition fee changes ahead for other parts of the UK. | There are also tuition fee changes ahead for other parts of the UK. |
| In Northern Ireland, a report commissioned by the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) has recommended that fees should rise to a maximum of £5,750. | In Northern Ireland, a report commissioned by the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) has recommended that fees should rise to a maximum of £5,750. |
| In Wales, students are protected from increases in tuition fees, with the Welsh Assembly Government subsidising the cost of higher fees. | In Wales, students are protected from increases in tuition fees, with the Welsh Assembly Government subsidising the cost of higher fees. |
| In Scotland, students do not pay tuition fees. | In Scotland, students do not pay tuition fees. |