The Changing Landscape in HE from 2012 Professor Vivien Jones Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education

1. The Changing Landscape in HE from 2012 Professor Vivien JonesPro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education

2. Key changes for 2012 entry Fees and financial support Response from the region

3. Creating greater student choice? The Government reforms to HE are attempting to make it a simpler and more flexible system which gives students better value and greater choice. This means a more diverse range of providers should be able to play a role. It means funding for teaching should follow the choices that students make. And it means students are empowered to make their own choices based on better, more transparent information. For example, HEFCE is currently consulting on the Key Information Set. Each university will publish 17 pieces of standardised and accessible data. These will include indicators of student satisfaction on teaching, guidance and assessment, on library and IT facilities. Also included are the hours of contact time that students will get on each university course, as well as detailed information on costs and employment outcomes. The Government reforms to HE are attempting to make it a simpler and more flexible system which gives students better value and greater choice. This means a more diverse range of providers should be able to play a role. It means funding for teaching should follow the choices that students make. And it means students are empowered to make their own choices based on better, more transparent information. For example, HEFCE is currently consulting on the Key Information Set. Each university will publish 17 pieces of standardised and accessible data. These will include indicators of student satisfaction on teaching, guidance and assessment, on library and IT facilities. Also included are the hours of contact time that students will get on each university course, as well as detailed information on costs and employment outcomes.

4. Changes to Higher Education October 2010: Browne Report November 2010: government plans announced: Cut of 80% to teaching funding, including all funding to arts, humanities and social science subjects Replaced by graduate contribution, available as fee loan Part-time students will have access to tuition fee loans Cap on tuition fees of £9k per annum Proposal to charge above £6k per annum requires institutions to submit an Access Agreement to demonstrate how they will invest in widening participation Institutions charging more than £6k must participate in the National Scholarships Programme The Browne Report was published on 12 October 2010. It made recommendations on the future funding and organisation of the higher education sector. The Government announced its plans for reform of higher education and student finance on 3 November 2010 which accepted most of the Browne recommendations (although some were modified, rejected and no final decision has been taken on others). The biggest change being introduced in 2012/13 is the higher fee cap and the loss of much direct public funding for teaching. This results in a very obvious shift in the burden of the costs of tuition from the state to the individual beneficiary. These two elements are fundamentally linked. The Government’s proposals are for an absolute cap at £9,000 and increased access obligations on universities charging above the lower cap of £6,000. It has been up to individual universities and colleges to decide exactly what amount they have decided to charge and whether to charge different fees for different courses. HEI’s wanting to charge more than £6,000 a year have been required to ensure they still are encouraging fair access to potential students from all backgrounds make sure that students from all income groups can access courses via their Access Agreement through the Office for Fair Access. The agreements set out proposed fee levels and the access measures that each institution plans to put in place, such as bursaries, summer schools and outreach programmes, to encourage students from poorer backgrounds to apply. Offa aims to issue all approvals at the same time and plans to do this by 11 July 2011. Analysis by the Guardian showed of the 60% of institutions that have made their proposed fees public. This puts the average at just over £8,600 with two-third of those ‘declared’ intending to charge a flat fee of £9,000 for all their courses The Browne Report estimated that direct public funding via the main funding formula for undergraduate teaching would be cut by 80% when its proposals were fully enacted. The precise breakeven figure for the sector as a whole is not yet clear under the Government’s proposals. Funding is being cut in 2011/12. It will vary considerably by institution and course. Core funding for tuition will be ended for arts and humanities courses (price bands C and D). Part-time students Fee loans will be extended to part-time undergraduate students, but there will be cuts in direct funding for these courses and an end to means-tested grants which currently help some part-time students meet their fee and maintenance costs. NSP As part of the Access Agreement at institutions will also be required to take part in the National Scholarships Programme. The Government will ‘...look to increase the leverage of Government funding by getting matched contributions from universities.’ The NSP will provide a direct benefit to eligible students of not less than £3,000 which could be through a fee waiver or discount, a free foundation year, discounted accommodation or a financial scholarship/bursary (limited to £1,000). This benefit will be for one year only. All institutions with an access agreement will be expected to match this funding. Only students with a household income below £25,000 per year (generally eligible for a full grant) will be considered eligible. However, not all these students will get support under the NSP. Institutions will be allowed to set their own eligibility criteria within this group. The Browne Report was published on 12 October 2010. It made recommendations on the future funding and organisation of the higher education sector. The Government announced its plans for reform of higher education and student finance on 3 November 2010 which accepted most of the Browne recommendations (although some were modified, rejected and no final decision has been taken on others). The biggest change being introduced in 2012/13 is the higher fee cap and the loss of much direct public funding for teaching. This results in a very obvious shift in the burden of the costs of tuition from the state to the individual beneficiary. These two elements are fundamentally linked. The Government’s proposals are for an absolute cap at £9,000 and increased access obligations on universities charging above the lower cap of £6,000. It has been up to individual universities and colleges to decide exactly what amount they have decided to charge and whether to charge different fees for different courses. HEI’s wanting to charge more than £6,000 a year have been required to ensure they still are encouraging fair access to potential students from all backgrounds make sure that students from all income groups can access courses via their Access Agreement through the Office for Fair Access. The agreements set out proposed fee levels and the access measures that each institution plans to put in place, such as bursaries, summer schools and outreach programmes, to encourage students from poorer backgrounds to apply. Offa aims to issue all approvals at the same time and plans to do this by 11 July 2011. Analysis by the Guardian showed of the 60% of institutions that have made their proposed fees public. This puts the average at just over £8,600 with two-third of those ‘declared’ intending to charge a flat fee of £9,000 for all their courses The Browne Report estimated that direct public funding via the main funding formula for undergraduate teaching would be cut by 80% when its proposals were fully enacted. The precise breakeven figure for the sector as a whole is not yet clear under the Government’s proposals. Funding is being cut in 2011/12. It will vary considerably by institution and course. Core funding for tuition will be ended for arts and humanities courses (price bands C and D). Part-time students Fee loans will be extended to part-time undergraduate students, but there will be cuts in direct funding for these courses and an end to means-tested grants which currently help some part-time students meet their fee and maintenance costs. NSP As part of the Access Agreement at institutions will also be required to take part in the National Scholarships Programme. The Government will ‘...look to increase the leverage of Government funding by getting matched contributions from universities.’ The NSP will provide a direct benefit to eligible students of not less than £3,000 which could be through a fee waiver or discount, a free foundation year, discounted accommodation or a financial scholarship/bursary (limited to £1,000). This benefit will be for one year only. All institutions with an access agreement will be expected to match this funding. Only students with a household income below £25,000 per year (generally eligible for a full grant) will be considered eligible. However, not all these students will get support under the NSP. Institutions will be allowed to set their own eligibility criteria within this group.

5. Access Agreements Submitted to the Office for Fair Access, Access Agreements must: • specify the fees institutions wish to charge • describe the additional measures institutions will put in place to sustain or improve access and, where appropriate, student retention and success (ensuring that under-represented students access the full benefits of higher education) • provide the estimated cost of additional access and retention measures • identify targets and milestones • make the commitment to provide timely, clear and accessible information to prospective students and to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the outlined measures. Over the last five years, the chances of young people from the lowest participation areas going to university have increased by 30%, however less so in selective universities. The Government wishes to see a greater focus on outcomes on the part of all institutions. The Govt are endorsing the use of contextual data by selective institutions, in order to admit more students with high potential from disadvantaged backgrounds. And, where institutions are already successful at widening participation, it asks to look at their success in retaining disadvantaged students as well as recruiting them, ensuring that they access the full benefits of higher education. Each institution wanting to charge above the £6k was required to submit an Access Agreement. The guidance on Access Agreements asked institutions to: Outline the fees they wish to charge when deciding how much to spend on access measures. The guidance sets out broad expectations for how much institutions should spend but places more emphasis on the outcomes of an institution’s investment rather than the precise amount of money it will be spending. Institutions with the furthest to go in achieving a representative student body and who wish to charge the highest fees will be expected to spend the most. increase their focus and expenditure on long-term targeted outreach (including collaborative work) with a proven success record in raising aspirations and attainment among potential applicants from under-represented groups. - target financial support such as bursaries and fee waivers more tightly at the most disadvantaged - set themselves stretching target including targets relating to their student intake and their outreach activities. Universities that already have a representative student body are asked to set themselves targets around their retention performance Over the last five years, the chances of young people from the lowest participation areas going to university have increased by 30%, however less so in selective universities. The Government wishes to see a greater focus on outcomes on the part of all institutions. The Govt are endorsing the use of contextual data by selective institutions, in order to admit more students with high potential from disadvantaged backgrounds. And, where institutions are already successful at widening participation, it asks to look at their success in retaining disadvantaged students as well as recruiting them, ensuring that they access the full benefits of higher education. Each institution wanting to charge above the £6k was required to submit an Access Agreement. The guidance on Access Agreements asked institutions to: Outline the fees they wish to charge when deciding how much to spend on access measures. The guidance sets out broad expectations for how much institutions should spend but places more emphasis on the outcomes of an institution’s investment rather than the precise amount of money it will be spending. Institutions with the furthest to go in achieving a representative student body and who wish to charge the highest fees will be expected to spend the most. increase their focus and expenditure on long-term targeted outreach (including collaborative work) with a proven success record in raising aspirations and attainment among potential applicants from under-represented groups. - target financial support such as bursaries and fee waivers more tightly at the most disadvantaged - set themselves stretching target including targets relating to their student intake and their outreach activities. Universities that already have a representative student body are asked to set themselves targets around their retention performance

6. Key facts for 2012 No up-front fees Repayments only start when graduates earn over £21k e.g. salary of £25k pa: weekly repayment of £7 Loan balance is written off after 30 years Headline information – Ian Sinkinson from Student Finance England will be presenting in the afternoon and will provide more details in this areaHeadline information – Ian Sinkinson from Student Finance England will be presenting in the afternoon and will provide more details in this area

7. Fees and financial support at Leeds Our package (subject to approval by OFFA) £16m pa investment in outreach and financial support 1 in 3 students are expected to benefit from financial support Awards available to students from households with an income of up to £42,600

8. Across the region Every institution is still awaiting a response after submission of their Access Agreement Clear commitment from all HEI’s in the region to invest in high quality learning and teaching Commitment from HE providers in the region to work in partnership on outreach, progression and employer engagement In addition to having a solid focus on employability and delivering high levels of student satisfaction The fee levels have been set to ensure all students access and achieve the highest value from their investment into their education. Locally Fees charges by Universities will be: Leeds Met - £8,500 ; Leeds Trinity - £8,000 ; University of Bradford - £9,000; Uni of Huddersfield - £7,950 Perhaps a mention of the partnership organisation will be created post WYLLN and AH? Shows the value of the partnership and the commitment to WP and employer engagement going forward. In addition to having a solid focus on employability and delivering high levels of student satisfaction The fee levels have been set to ensure all students access and achieve the highest value from their investment into their education. Locally Fees charges by Universities will be: Leeds Met - £8,500 ; Leeds Trinity - £8,000 ; University of Bradford - £9,000; Uni of Huddersfield - £7,950 Perhaps a mention of the partnership organisation will be created post WYLLN and AH? Shows the value of the partnership and the commitment to WP and employer engagement going forward.

9. Across the region ‘We will invest in the Higher Education Access and Progression Partnership (HEAPP), building on the partnership working and shared expertise established through the West Yorkshire Lifelong Learning Network and AimHigher. The HEAPP will target both adult learners and young people. It will continue the development of high level skills in the region by maintaining the West Yorkshire progression agreement framework and providing an effective communication channel between HE providers, the Leeds City Region and Leeds Local Enterprise Partnership; and it will define and oversee an appropriately coordinated programme of sub-regional widening participation activity.’ In addition to having a solid focus on employability and delivering high levels of student satisfaction The fee levels have been set to ensure all students access and achieve the highest value from their investment into their education. Locally Fees charges by Universities will be: Leeds Met - £8,500 ; Leeds Trinity - £8,000 ; University of Bradford - £9,000; Uni of Huddersfield - £7,950 Perhaps a mention of the partnership organisation will be created post WYLLN and AH? Shows the value of the partnership and the commitment to WP and employer engagement going forward. In addition to having a solid focus on employability and delivering high levels of student satisfaction The fee levels have been set to ensure all students access and achieve the highest value from their investment into their education. Locally Fees charges by Universities will be: Leeds Met - £8,500 ; Leeds Trinity - £8,000 ; University of Bradford - £9,000; Uni of Huddersfield - £7,950 Perhaps a mention of the partnership organisation will be created post WYLLN and AH? Shows the value of the partnership and the commitment to WP and employer engagement going forward.

10. Despite these policy uncertainties the way forward for higher education is quite clear. Universities and colleges will continue to be places of opportunity and choice – they will put a premium on the quality of their teaching and research, work to achieve academic and financial sustainability and remain relevant, for example in promoting transnational research, developing new approaches to professional education, stimulating new ideas and technologies where disciplines intersect and ensuring a focus on the challenges of the 21st century. Universities change lives, they support strong economies and develop societies.   Despite these policy uncertainties the way forward for higher education is quite clear. Universities and colleges will continue to be places of opportunity and choice – they will put a premium on the quality of their teaching and research, work to achieve academic and financial sustainability and remain relevant, for example in promoting transnational research, developing new approaches to professional education, stimulating new ideas and technologies where disciplines intersect and ensuring a focus on the challenges of the 21st century. Universities change lives, they support strong economies and develop societies.