UCU response to top-up fees report

Commenting on Universities UK's 'Variable tuition fees in England' report, the union said that the lack of any progress in changing the social make up of students at our universities was bad news for the government's widening participation agenda.

The report reveals there has been 'no significant change in the ethnic, social class or age profile of accepted applicants across the four years 2004/05–2007/08'. The union also criticised the current confusing system of grants and bursaries for students after the report revealed that institutions were spending less than anticipated on student support.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Whilst it is encouraging that student numbers have not decreased in our universities, it is extremely worrying that there has been no change in the number of students from the very backgrounds the government is spending considerable sums of money on persuading to apply. We remain unconvinced that asking students to pay more for a university education is the best way to encourage those from poorer backgrounds to apply.

'The complicated system of bursaries, grants and fees is no doubt confusing many students and is clearly not working well. Surplus pots of cash in institutions' bursary pools are just not acceptable at a time when students need financial support more than ever before. We have to explore the idea of a simpler and fairer scheme where all students have the opportunity to apply with ease for the money they are entitled to.'