University Alliance

Fairness, funding and access

Professor Janet Beer

April 2010

Policy and practical issues

• The power of the dominant narrative

• Reframing the fair access debate

• Equality issues

• IAG – quality not quantity

• The future landscape including fees

Fair access:the dominant narrative

• Sutton Trust ‘missing 3,000 - high achieving state school pupils that are ‘lost’ outside the ‘Sutton Trust 13’ universities

• “Top universities failing to attract state school pupils”The Times June 2009

• "Whereas Harvard is all over Harlem, I simply don't see enough of Britain's top universities in Tottenham, and I'm sure the same is true in Toxteth or Peckham.”David Lammy Oct 2008

• “University places 'wasted' as access students drop out”Telegraph Jan 2009

Fair access:approaches to admissions

• Consistency• Clarity• Reliability

• Bureaucratic• Rigid• Impersonal

• Nepotism• Chaos• Unreliability• Inconsistent

• Flexible• Responsiveness• Personal

Personalised approach

(individuals and relationships)

Universal approach

(rules and systems)

Fair access:reframing the debate

Selecting and recruiting universities

Selecting and recruiting courses

Straight A students applying to ‘top’ universities

Straight A students applying to the course that best fits their aspirations

Fairness of outcome in admissions

Fairness of opportunity (process) in admissions

‘Top’ universities = top graduate career

Some of highest graduate employment rates at UA

‘Top’ universities = access to professions

Alliance universities working with professions – up to 70% of courses accredited

What do we mean by fair?

• Equality of opportunity not outcome e.g. needs blind access

• Access to good information, advice and guidance for all applicants

• Context of prior educational attainment

Participation determined by educational attainment, not social class

Low scoring, high SEC children overtake high scoring, low SEC children by age 6

What do we mean by access?

• Access to what?

• Course and learning environment with greatest chance of achieving ambitions, goals and access to career or graduate future

• University experience which equips them for path they want access to

• Employment ready graduates - leaving university with high quality work experience already on CV

• Access issues for postgraduates

Equality issues and the role of universities

• Equality Act 2010– Some public bodies required to “pay due regard to the need to

reduce inequalities of outcome that result from socio-economic disadvantage”

– Does not apply to Higher Education

• What is the role of universities?– Education a driver of social mobility– Focus on early attainment and aspiration (working in partnership

with schools)

The missing link:information, advice and guidance

• Focus on information– Bestcourse4me.com– Work of the Teaching Quality Information / National Student

Survey Steering Group

– HEFCE work on the information needs of prospective students

• But, good advice and guidance also essential

– Role of Government: DCSF IAG Strategy “IAG Guarantee”, focus on role of local government

– Central AG possibilities limited? UCAS?

– Role of Universities: working with schools

The impact of fees:so far

• No negative impact on full-time participation

• But misunderstanding / myths are causing more of a barrier than the system itself

• Attainment, not cost, remains the strongest determinant of participation (but upfront cost does matter)

• False distinction between full-time and high-intensity part-time

• High cost of student support has forced a cap on student numbers – possible impact on access

The impact of fees:the future?

Negative scenario Mitigated by…

Misunderstandings exacerbated by higher ‘fees’ and further complexity for students

Change the language to “graduate contribution”

A single system of grants and loans to meet living costs

Student choices skewed based on price

Better information, advice and guidance

“Contribution” and “future investment” instead of “fees” and “debt”

Value of positional good vs. actual value

Regulation to prevent too big a gap

Student places further restricted

Introduce a fully self-funded system to reduce cost to government and allow further expansion of the system

Future landscape• Fees and student finance – Independent review

• IAG requirements / standards of transparency

• Moving beyond artificial full-time / part-time divide

• Flexibility of provision and local access

• Equality legislation

• Postgraduate access

• Private providers