Funding Our Future

Today the National Union of Students launched their blueprint for the future of higher education funding.

OK, I won't be able to put this any better than the NUS website, so I'll leave it to them ...

Proposals in the Blueprint would end the very notion of a course fee or price, and shut the door on a market in fees, making it a fairer system for all students.

Progressive graduate contribution
At two consecutive Annual Conferences, NUS members resolved that, if graduates should contribute to the future costs of higher education, they should do so according to their actual future earnings, so that those who benefit the most from university by earning more will contribute more. Today NUS is proud to be delivering a system that meets this central principle.

A graduate contribution would be paid into an independent fund – a People’s Trust for higher education – which would be built up over time and eventually deliver considerable additional resources for universities in the future. It is important that any future funding model delivers a sustainable higher education sector, and NUS has worked hard to ensure that these proposals achieve this.

Fair deal for all
By abolishing all up front fees for part-time students, this system would initiate a new era for non-traditional learning and continuing education through life. We also envisage a route that allows for voluntary employer contributions, so that employers could support far more employees to study than ever before.

Flexibility for learners
In designing this model, we have created a funding model that encourages learners to be able to switch between full and part-time modes of study, creating enhanced flexibility in the sector. We believe that through increasing flexibility in this way, we open the doors of higher education to a wider audience, and provides clear ways for increasing access to higher education for learners from non-traditional backgrounds.

This is something, in my opinion, the Conservatives should support. It is important to mention this will not effect those that are currently at university, as they will continue to pay back their student loans.

I would be appreciative of your feelings on the proposals, which the NUS website has in more detail.

JR