Universities shake-up: Your views

28 June 2011 Last updated at 14:47 GMT A planned shake-up of higher education in England is being set out by the government.

Universities will be able to compete for some student places, be held accountable for the quality of their teaching, and be forced to provide more information about the employment prospects from particular courses.

Here lecturers and students share their views on the proposed changes.

"Increasing competition among universities would improve the quality of education"

As a recent economics graduate I believe that increasing competition among universities would improve the quality and efficiency of education while making higher education prices lower and more competitive.

I support the opinion that universities should publish the average salary of former students, the cost of accommodation, teaching hours and satisfaction ratings from previous students.

Throughout the three years of studying at the University of Nottingham I have been very satisfied with the quality of education supplied.

I was lucky to listen to lectures read by economics professors recognised worldwide and follow up-to-date studying programmes, which I believe are very important when studying such a dynamic subject as economics.

However, I am sure that the University of Nottingham having a top 10 economics school in England ensures a good quality of education in order to sustain its reputation and popularity.

This leads me to the conclusion that more competition among universities means an increase in quality.

This shake-up will probably result in the best universities expanding, while forcing the least productive to decrease their prices or shut down, making students better off and bringing efficiency to the economy as a whole.

It is time for change. I believe students paying ?9,000 in fees should have the right to quality education.

"It will only favour wealthy individuals because only the good public universities will survive"

I am a lecturer at the University of East Anglia. I hold the position of associate tutor in law and think this shake-up is a terrible idea.

Methods for assessing teaching quality have always been unfavourable for teaching staff.

Students rarely understand the demands of teaching or research posts at university or turnaround times for marking, which can be as little as four weeks.

Creating private competition will leave public universities at an unfair advantage due to different regulations and laws. How can they say universities are not competitive?

There are over 100 universities to choose from. It will become like supermarkets in this country where you have no more than six or seven big names.

This is another Tory policy that will only favour wealthy individuals because only the good public universities will survive and private universities will only want the best.

Those students who have not reached their full potential by 18 will be left without any realistic opportunities.

The university system needs a kick up the backside and I think these proposals are a very good idea.

I studied at a university in the country's top 20 list. I paid ?3,000 in tuition fees per year.

In my first year, lectures, seminars and tutorials combined came to about six or seven hours per week.

In my second year that time went up to about 10 hours per week and it stayed the same in my third year.

I didn't complain at the time about not having enough contact time but I did fill out feedback forms on particular lecturers and classes.

I always expressed my concern on this matter but it never amounted to anything. When you come straight from school you are not necessarily confident enough to voice these concerns formally.

I feel so cheated by the university system. I could have done my whole course in three terms, over one year, but it was stretched out over three because "that's the way it's always been done".

"Law suits and a large number of dubious third class degrees will follow"

I am a first year undergraduate reading earth science at Oxford University and I'm strongly opposed to this universities shake-up.

How can you fail a student who has been paying ?9,000 a year for you to teach them?

If you, as an admissions tutor, have properly selected students able to complete the course, then how will students react to being failed? They will simply say "well, you didn't teach me properly."

Universities do not exist for the sole purpose of education; they are prime research facilities.

If, and this is a big if given their current actions, this government wants the UK to remain as a competitive nation in research and development, as well as in the manufacturing and even financial industries then they've got a funny way of showing it.

Law suits and a large number of dubious third class degrees will follow.

This will surely devalue our education system. I foresee a mass migration to Scotland in the next few years - there appears to be a little more sanity there.

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Posted in: shakeup,Universities,views

At-a-glance: Universities White Paper

BBC News - At-a-glance: Universities White Paper BBC

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Skip to content Skip to local navigation Skip to bbc.co.uk navigation Skip to bbc.co.uk search Help Accessibility Help Education & Family Home UK Africa Asia-Pac Europe Latin America Mid-East South Asia US & Canada Business Health Sci/Environment Tech Entertainment Video England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales UK Politics Education Magazine 28 June 2011Last updated at 19:44 GMT Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print At-a-glance: Universities White Paper Continue reading the main storyRelated StoriesUniversities to compete on places A look at the government's proposed changes to higher education in England, as it publishes a White Paper setting out ministers' vision for the future of the sector.

The document sets out the landscape for higher education as tuition fees rise to up to ?9,000 per year.

Competition and student numbers The White Paper aims to create a "more dynamic sector in which popular institutions can grow and where all universities must offer a good student experience to remain competitive" From 2012-13, universities will be allowed to recruit as many students as they like with the grades AAB or higher In 2012, a "flexible margin" of 20,000 places will be available for universities charging ?7,500 or less - these will be allocated to reward providers who offer good quality and value for money In subsequent years, the volume of student places for which universities can compete will increase "to drive quality and value for money" An overall cap on the numbers of students who will receive government-funded loans will be retained The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) will "have a new role as promoter of a competitive system" HEFCE is to advise on the creation, from 2013/14 of additional university places, funded by charities or employers, at no cost to the taxpayer - there must be fair access for these, regardless of ability to pay Tuition fees Students will be able to pay back their loans early, but the government is consulting on how this can be done "without undermining the progressive nature of the system overall" New providers Legislation to ensure "that all HE [higher-education] providers can secure government support via students' loans on an equal footing, so long as they meet common quality standards" will aim to remove entry barriers for new providers Government will simplify the regime for obtaining and renewing degree-awarding powers Use of the title "university" will be reviewed "so there are no artificial barriers against smaller institutions" Plan to "decouple" degree-awarding powers from teaching - which would mean bodies could set and award degrees without teaching them, or new institutions could teach degrees awarded by other bodies Student experience Universities will have to publish directly comparable data for prospective students in 16 areas - including teaching hours, accommodation costs, and employment rates and future salaries of graduates by course Data will also be published, by course, showing the qualifications held by previously successful applicants Universities will be "encouraged" to publish information about the teaching qualifications and expertise of teaching staff Universities will be expected to publish online reports of student surveys of lecture courses, "aiding choice and stimulating competition between the best academics" Universities and colleges will have to publish details of how they spend tuition-fee income There will be fewer routine inspections of universities for quality, but more powers for inspections to be triggered if students raise concerns about teaching standards Measures will be taken to make graduates more employable, such as working with employers to develop and "kitemark" courses, boosting enterprise-skills training for students, and reviewing university-industry collaboration - including seeking to reverse the decline in sandwich courses offering a year in industry Social mobility The Office of Fair Access (Offa) will have its resources increased and monitor the plans and targets universities must set for attracting students from disadvantaged backgrounds if they want to charge more than ?6,000 fees The head of Offa will report to government this autumn about further sanctions and powers to support the body in its work Offa "will continue to have a duty to protect academic freedom, including an institution's right to decide who to admit and on what basis" More on This Story Related Stories Universities to compete on places 28 JUNE 2011, EDUCATION & FAMILY Related Internet links BIS The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites

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Posted in: Ataglance,Paper,Universities,White

Universities to compete on places

28 June 2011 Last updated at 20:20 GMT By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent Willetts promises to put students "in the driving seat"

Universities in England will have to compete against each other and private providers for a quarter of their student places.

Universities Minister David Willetts has published plans to increase market forces in higher education in England.

Promising to put "students in the driving seat", he also announced there would be 20,000 places reserved for degrees with fees of less than ?7,500.

Labour's Gareth Thomas said the plans meant a "race to the bottom".

The shadow universities minister told MPs that this was a "desperate drive to cut fees, no matter what the cost to quality".

In the higher education White Paper, a controversial plan to create extra places for privately-funded individuals has also resurfaced - on the basis that it will be restricted to those sponsored by a business or a charity.

There are also proposals to allow students to repay their loans early, although the government is still consulting on the detail.

This is a politically sensitive suggestion which raises the prospect of better-off students not paying as much as those who pay back their loans over several decades.

Private providers

Mr Willetts said the reform package would "open up the system" and "put power where it belongs - in the hands of students".

Continue reading the main story Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent

The market economy in higher education will mean students have to be treated as valued customers. Because, after all, they're paying the bill.

But is the "customer is always right" the best starting point for a university system?

University leaders have raised concerns about instilling instability rather than competitive energy.

If a subject falls out of fashion for a couple of years, should be it be abandoned?

Rather than wanting to compete for extra places, some university leaders talk privately about retreating to a smaller number of subject areas where they know they can attract a reliable number of students.

It's a move from the supermarket to the boutique.

And universities want to be places of ideas, ideals and academic excellence, but they also need to attract young people willing and able to pay up to ?9,000 per year.

Are they going to be trading in lifestyle and leisure experiences as much as the old-fashioned currency of learning?

This White Paper promises to put the students into the driving seat of higher education - but it can't control where they are going to take it.

The White Paper, called Students at the Heart of the System, details plans to make universities bid for a proportion of their places - a higher proportion than had been anticipated.

This raises the prospect that while some universities will expand, others will lose student places.

Mr Willetts said that no government could offer a guarantee that courses or even institutions might not close as a result.

This proportion of universities bidding for places is "just the start", said Mr Willetts. "We want to extend the system so more places are contestable."

From 2012, universities will be able to offer unlimited places for students achieving AAB grades at A-level or better - regardless of the total student quotas they have been allocated.

This will encourage top universities to compete for the 65,000 students each year who attain these grades.

There will also be 20,000 places allocated on the basis of "good quality" and "value for money" at institutions charging an average of ?7,500 or less per year.

Since a high proportion of universities have announced fees above this level, these places could be taken by an expanded private sector or courses provided through further education colleges.

Sir Steve Smith, president of the vice-chancellors' body Universities UK, warned that this "must not undermine the quality of the higher education system".

University title

In terms of improving social mobility, there had been discussion of changing the admissions system to allow applications after students knew their exam results - which previous official reports had recommended as fairer.

Continue reading the main story Universities to compete for 65,000 places for pupils with AAB grades at A-level20,000 places reserved for degrees with fees of ?7,500 or lessUniversities will have to publish information about students' employment chances and salariesInspections triggered if concerns raised about teaching standardsStudent charter setting out consumer rightsWider role for private sector colleges and partnershipsFewer restrictions on "university" titleConsidering options on early loan repaymentsBut a decision on this - so-called "post qualification application" - will not be considered until a review reports back next year.

The White Paper also promises to reduce barriers to private providers entering higher education.

This includes a review of the use of the term "university" as a title.

And there will be an emphasis on improving the information available to students.

Last week the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced that universities would have to publish key information about courses, such as the average salary of former students, the cost of accommodation, teaching hours and satisfaction ratings from previous students.

There will also be plans for inspections to be triggered if there are concerns about the quality of courses or teaching standards.

'Potential chaos'

But students were unimpressed.

Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students said: "Fees have been tripled and students have been exposed to the potential chaos of the market and yet there are still no concrete proposals for how quality, accountability and access will be improved."

University change will lead to higher drop out rate in England says Labour

Lecturers also attacked the proposals as an attempt by the government to recover from having lost control of fee levels.

"Trying to force down the cost of a degree after the government got its sums wrong will not solve the funding crisis it created," said Sally Hunt, leader of the University and College Union.

Professor Les Ebdon, chair of university think-tank Million+ said there was no evidence that competition would improve the student experience.

"A mini-market in 'AAB' students could favour students from independent schools and actually constrain a university's ability to widen access," he said.

Dr Wendy Piatt, of the Russell Group of leading universities, said she agreed that universities with high demand for courses from highly-qualified students should be allowed to expand.

But she warned that "such a very selective" lifting of the places cap could make it harder for some universities to maintain teaching in strategically important subjects like sciences and languages.

Professor Paul Welling, of the 1994 group of research intensive universities, said the government needed to avoid driving down standards by auctioning students to low cost institutions.

"We should not encourage higher education providers to short change students by cutting corners."

Competition on price will not affect Scottish students in Scotland's universities where there are no tuition fees. In Wales there are plans for Welsh students at Welsh universities to receive a subsidy covering increased tuition fees.

A decision on tuition fees and support for students at Northern Ireland's universities is expected in the autumn.

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Posted in: compete,places,Universities