In the UK’s global, knowledge-based economy, where 80% of new jobs are in high-skill areas and new and growth industries take a high-tech, high-skill and innovative approach, universities are playing a critical role in driving the UK’s economic future. As well as being generators of economic growth and wealth creation, universities are helping to shape the new economy through […]
There is a question that is currently being asked across the UK as we face the biggest deficit since the end of World War II. The question was recently summed up by Vince Cable in his Denning Lecture; “can we reduce the deficit while still investing in helping the economy?” While government has recognised the […]
As part of our work for Lord Browne’s independent review of student fees, University Alliance found that misunderstanding and myths about university fees are causing more of a barrier to entry than the system itself. UCAS application data shows that the introduction of £3,000 fees along with fee-loans and grants did not have a negative […]
Responding to the announcement on public spending cuts this morning, Professor Andrew Wathey, Deputy-Chair of University Alliance, said: “Additional cuts are of course unwelcome at this time of uncertainty for higher education, especially before the outcome of Lord Browne’s review is known. However, we recognise efforts to retain some of the badly needed additional student […]
The Russell Group says that higher education should remain “free at the point of use”. “Government could achieve an overall cost reduction in comparison to the current system, whilst still providing loans to cover the full tuition fee, even up to a fee of £9,000 per year, if necessary,” the document claims. But Aaron Porter, […]
A new ‘Graduate Contribution Scheme’ that would enable the Government to fund a greater number of students has been proposed by the University Alliance. The scheme has won the backing of students and business leaders. It would reform the current ‘top up fees’ system and would reduce the up front costs to Government by bringing […]
University top-up fees would be rebranded as graduate contributions under proposals published today by a group of 23 universities. The University Alliance – which represents institutions including The Open University, the University of Hertfordshire and Sheffield Hallam University – argues that its system would dispel “myths” about an upfront cost to university study and the […]
The subject of tuition fees was noticeably absent from debate in the election. Very little was said by the three party leaders, despite the fact that many parliamentary candidates busied themselves signing up to the NUS pledge not to raise fees. Meanwhile, there is no shortage of vice-chancellors willing to say that the fee cap should […]
Glasgow Caledonian University has left Million+, which represents newer universities, to join the University Alliance. Pamela Gillies, vice-chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian, said the institution was joining the group representing “major business-focused universities” at a time when “our collective impact is crucial”. A spokeswoman for Million+ said it was “entirely a decision for the university that […]
A group of universities is calling for some or all of the £5 billion cost of tuition fees and maintenance loans to be funded by the private sector through sales of bonds, not by the taxpayer, as in Hungary. University Alliance, representing 22 universities including Oxford Brookes, Bournemouth, Plymouth and Nottingham Trent, said that companies […]
