The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees

With more and more universities set to charge the maximum £9,000 a year tuition fees, the cost of the government’s policy becomes ever more apparent. Today’s Guardian reports that the fee increase could leave a £1 billion gap in university funding, while a survey by the Times (£) of 40 institutions shows the average tuition fee will be £8,700 – just £300 below the cap.

Silhouette-of-graduates Figures seen by Left Foot Forward show that, based on an assumed fee loan of £8,700, the additional public spending compared to the Treasury’s £7,500 average fee estimate will be £1.05bn over the spending review period.

Universities minister David Willetts had threatened that if fees average more than £7,500 then they will try and further cut higher education funding, and had said universities will only be able to charge the maximum £9,000 fees in “exceptional circumstances“.

Last October, Left Foot Forward, along with Andrew Harding of the 2me2you blog, looked at how the Browne Review (pdf), which recommended the rise in tuition fees, will end up costing the taxpayer more, that the proposals that were not only unfair but won’t reduce the deficit in the short-term.

As the 2me2you blog said at the time, citing data from the Higher Education Policy Institute:

“This analysis makes a mockery of any argument that could be made that suggests that reform of Higher Education funding is necessary or required by a need to save money.

“It does not save money - it costs money, which could be spent more fairly on increasing the core teaching resource. This analysis suggests that Vince Cable has lied to parliament, to the press and to his own party.

“And this analysis casts doubt on the commitment of the coalition to their own stated aim of deficit reduction. This reform is clearly a purely ideological move, attempting to reform Higher Education along market-driven lines with no proven benefits and several clear issues, not least the additional costs to young people.

“And can we really afford it? Apparently so.”

Not only is the government’s tuition fees policy wrong and unnecessary, but it is being incompetently implemented.

http://twitter.com/johnedginton/status/52431350824845312 John Edginton

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/52431579070472192 Shamik Das

Cd cost an extra £1bn —> RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
Will Straw

Economic madness: Universities are set to charge £8700 fees on average costing the taxpayer an extra £1.05bn http://bit.ly/f8SXa1
http://twitter.com/keeleucu/status/52431938916597761 Keele UCU

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/saggydaddy/status/52436383922528256 Saggydaddy

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/leonardpboe/status/52436571521155072 Leo Boe

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/nus_kelley/status/52440622648401920 Kelley Temple

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/mattlodder/status/52444628753973248 Dr. Matt Lodder

★ " The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees:
With more and more universities set to charge the maxi… http://bit.ly/fAw7pR "
http://twitter.com/2me2you2me/status/52445401332191232 2me2you

Reaffirming the dodgy Browne review economics once more – http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/03/economic-madness-gbp9k-tuition-fees/
http://twitter.com/altany/status/52446731232755712 Altany

RT @2me2you2me: Reaffirming the dodgy Browne review economics once more – http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/03/economic-madness-gbp9k- …
http://twitter.com/charmedlassie/status/52447250147852288 Lucy Brown

RT @2me2you2me: Reaffirming the dodgy Browne review economics once more – http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/03/economic-madness-gbp9k- …
http://twitter.com/dkernohan/status/52448076077600768 David Kernohan

RT @2me2you2me: Reaffirming the dodgy Browne review economics once more – http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/03/economic-madness-gbp9k- …
http://twitter.com/cash4student/status/52450862194372608 Selene C

With more and more universities set to charge the maximum £9000 a year tuition fees, the cost of the government'… http://bit.ly/f0zVbm
Nordelius

Not sure those last quotes are from HEPI… I think they’re from the 2Me2You2Me blog post…
http://www.shamik.co.uk Shamik Das

Thanks Nordelius – you’re quite right. I’ve amended the text. Thanks.
http://twitter.com/ahmad_noor/status/52470354068783104 Ahmad Noor

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/leicswoodcraft/status/52471467312553984 LDWF

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/carolineathope/status/52493990351745024 Caroline Bennett

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/myinfamy/status/52530828735025152 Daniel Pitt

The economic madness of imposing £9K tuition fees http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 #ConDemNation
http://twitter.com/reedvin/status/52724975374831640 vincent reed

RT @leftfootfwd: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees: http://bit.ly/f8SXa1 by @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/debbieholley1/status/53076454103203840 Debbie Holley

RT @2me2you2me: Reaffirming the dodgy Browne review economics once more – http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/03/economic-madness-gbp9k- …
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/03/david-cameron-pmqs-tuition-fees-regulator/ Cameron is wrong to suggest fees regulator has power to set levels | Left Foot Forward

[...] this week, Left Foot Forward reported on the economic madness of raising the cap to £9,000, with average tuition fees set to hit £8,700 [...]
http://twitter.com/chemosensors/status/53394579105394688 Tony James

The new fees system will cost the Government more than the old system-The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees http://bit.ly/dLdShq
http://twitter.com/2me2you2me/status/53523744093769728 2me2you

@NOYates I've literally just seen this…sounds gud. Seen this? http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/03/economic-madness-gbp9k-tuition-fees/
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/04/tuition-fees-policy-latest-reaction/ Tuition fees policy “shambolic”, “backfiring”, “a connoisseur’s cock-up” | Left Foot Forward

[...] See also: The economic madness of imposing £9k tuition fees – March 28th Share | Permalink | Leave a comment Comments > [...]