Lord Browne sets out initial findings of HE Funding Review

Lord Browne has set out the initial findings from 80 submissions to the Independent Review of Higher Education (HE) Funding and Student Finance. The findings show agreement that top up fees have not reduced full time participation in HE. There is also consensus that the student finance system for part-time students is inadequate.

Other findings include: a lack of knowledge about bursaries early enough to affect choices; a need for better information, advice and guidance; a minority of students are deterred by top-up fees; progress in widening participation has been less marked at the most selective universities; and disagreement over wheter the quality of the student experience has improved.

The panel also found that additional student fees have not made the system less reliant on public funds, with every pound of fee income being matched by a similar amount in additional funds by the taxpater. The Review will now continue the Review with the examination of the future funding of teacher, the student finance system, caps on student numbers and tuition fees and ways to engage employer in HE.

 Find out more at the Review's website.