Universities UK has published its recommendations on student funding
Universities UK has called on the government to improve financial support for students’ living costs and upgrade the tuition fee cap in England in line with inflation.
The call comes from members of the Universities UK board following the recent recommendations of the Student Funding Panel. The panel was established last year by Universities UK to consider the design of the current student fees and loans system in England. While the panel found that, overall, the current system of student funding in England is broadly fit-for purpose, one of its main recommendations was for the level of financial support for students’ living costs to be increased.
Professor Janet Beer, Vice-President (England and Northern Ireland) of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said: “Financial support for students’ living costs needs to be improved. Evidence shows that students are more concerned about the level of maintenance support they receive while studying, than they are about the long-term repayment of their student loans dependant on income.
“With the tuition fee in England for undergraduate students from the UK and the EU capped at £9,000 since 2012-13, its value is being eroded considerably by inflation. Allowing the value of the fee to be maintained in real terms is essential to allow universities to continue to deliver a high-quality learning experience for students.
“These changes should be made now to ensure universities can continue to provide high quality education that meets the needs of students. Any changes to the system must also ensure that higher education remains affordable and does not deter any under-represented groups from study.”
Posted in: Higher education news