Transcript of Video Clip accompanying Making it Count: how universities are using income from variable fees video

I was responsible with colleagues for producing a document called “Making it Count” which explains how universities have used the income from variable tuition fees.

We produced this report because we knew that there was a substantial degree of concern when tuition fees were introduced that they would have an adverse effect on the number of people from particularly lower income backgrounds who went to university, and we wanted to look at the evidence for what had actually happened, following the introduction of fees and we also knew that there was a justifiable interest in how universities had used that additional income.

And so what we have done is we have asked all universities in England to tell us what the income has meant to them, and alongside that we have looked at national data which gives us a sense of what has happened, both across the sector but also in key areas such as participation by students from low income backgrounds and the findings of the report are very positive.

The most important one being that the introduction of variable institution fees has not put students off attending university, in fact in the last year we have figures, there was a 7.7% increase in participation and over the period a very substantial increase in participation particularly by students from low income backgrounds.

We have also been able to show that the income although it is relatively new is getting to make quite a real difference to universities. We have seen a slight reduction in the ratio of students to staff, we have seen an improvement in the physical infrastructure of universities, in fact I think 57% of universities say they have improved the quality of their estates, or maintained their position which is very positive.

And we can also say that the 25% of the income for the first two years where we have the data has gone into bursaries and scholarships, so I think that is a very positive message.

“Making it Count” then tries to bring it to life and explain what that means for each individual universities so we have presented information from universities right across the sector showing the kind of investments they have made, and that ranges from creating one stop shops for student services bringing together career services and financial advice for example, lots of new buildings, new libraries, new facilities, new publications, increased support for teaching and learning, particularly things like, learning spaces which are much more about group learning and much less about the kind of individuals sitting in the darkened room, so moving towards the way that students are increasingly expecting to learn from each other and working together.

Also lots of investment in staffing, and of course staff are the backbone of providing high quality student experience. So that is really the message, I think that although it is a new income stream, it’s only two years of data which we are able to present in this report and we are seeing real momentum and we are seeing demonstrable improvements that will affect the student experience. And that is what I think we are hoping will be continued as long as funding for higher education is maintained.