Top universities allowed to hike fees above £9,000

TUITION fees will be allowed to rise above £9,000 at universities which offer high-quality teaching, George Osborne has said.

Institutions will be permitted to increase students’ fees by the rate of inflation if they can provide evidence of good instruction, the Chancellor confirmed.

It is understood universities would use the proposed Teaching Excellence Framework to prove high standards.

The accountability measure, proposed by the Conservatives, is aimed at incentivising universities to put as much emphasis on teaching as they do on research.

Under current projections, eligible universities would be able to raise their fees in line with inflation from 2017-18.

Yesterday the University and College Union, which represents academics and university staff, said it opposed the plan.

General secretary Sally Hunt said: ‘Any further increase in the cost of tuition fees, as proposed by the Chancellor, risks putting off many of those who would benefit most from university.’

But the policy was welcomed by the Russell Group of universities, which includes Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, and York.

Director general Dr Wendy Piatt, said: ‘Good teaching and world- class facilities require proper investment, and indexing the fees cap to inflation is a crucial step towards the long-term sustainability of the UK’s leading universities. However, it is vital that appropriate measures are used to judge teaching excellence, without adding to the regulatory burden on universities or stifling innovation.’

Maddalaine Ansell, of University Alliance, a coalition of newer institutions, said: ‘Linking tuition fees to inflation is essential if our universities are to offer world-class teaching.’

Tuition fees were raised to a maximum of £9,000 after the 2010 election as austerity measures led to a withdrawal of public funding for universities. At the time, Business Secretary Vince Cable promised there would be a ‘fee cap of £6,000, rising to £9,000 in exceptional circumstances’. However, the £9,000 maximum soon became the standard charge.

The cost of delivering courses varies widely, with Oxford University claiming that the real cost of an undergraduate course is £16,000.

Before the last election, Labour said it would consider reducing the cap to £6,000 – a proposal that met with resistance from university leaders.