High interest rates on student loans should be cut from 6 per cent to 1.5 per cent to prevent middle-earning graduates from paying back more, the House of Lords economic affairs committee said.The report from the committee argued that the higher education system offers poor value for money to students and the taxpayer, and that...Read More

The tuition fee system for England’s universities is ripping off students and giving taxpayers poor value for money, says a parliamentary committee.The House of Lords economic affairs committee attacked a “deeply unfair” system of fees and loans.Committee chairman and former Conservative minister, Lord Forsyth, said they had also been “quite astonished by the complete collapse...Read More

Asked by the new Office for Students if university tuition fees represent good value, are among a significant majority – 62% – who say they don’t think it’s worth the cost. The OfS spoke to 5,685 current higher education students in England and 534 recent graduates.When asked whether their overall investment in higher education was...Read More

Complete article here – https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jan/11/justine-greening-blocked-bid-reduce-tuition-fees-nick-timothyExtracts below.Theresa May’s former chief of staff has accused the former education ministers Justine Greening and Jo Johnson of blocking attempts to reduce university tuition fees and reform higher education.Nick Timothy wrote: “Young people must be given better choices at 18. Right now, the incentives tell them to go to university. Many emerge with...Read More

Full article here – http://www.bbc.com/news/education-41796728Extracts below.Scrapping interest on student loans and extending the time limit on paying it back could help to avoid a future debt crisis, a centre-right think tank says. UK 2020 is proposing that interest on all student loans – typically 6% a year – should be scrapped. This would reduce unpaid student debt by an...Read More

Further information here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/office-for-students-regulatory-framework-for-higher-educationThis consultation sets out the context for the creation of the Office for Students and for the proposed regulatory approach and the detail of that proposed approach.This consultation seeks your views on:the proposed risk-based regulatory approach for the higher education sectorthe guidance on the conditions, behaviours, and evidence for registrationthe approach to the...Read More

Full article here – https://feweek.co.uk/2017/09/22/massive-1bn-fe-loans-underspend-revealed/  Extracts belowA massive 58 percent of FE loans funding – amounting to almost £1 billion – has not been spent since 2013, FE Week can reveal.The Student Loans Company, which processes advanced learner loans on behalf of the Education and Skills Funding Agency, revealed that just £652 million in loan-funded provision had actually...Read More

Full article here – https://feweek.co.uk/2017/09/29/revealed-200m-adult-education-budget-underspend/Extracts below:Multiple sources have confirmed to FE Week that around 13 percent of the £1.5 billion AEB budget went unspent in 2016/17 – a situation sector leaders described as “worrying” and “frustrating”.David Hughes, the AoC’s chief executive, said he has been discussing the underspend with the ESFA to “help them understand how...Read More

Full article here – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2017/10/17/45m-ineligible-student-loans-sent-students-alternative-university/ Extracts below.The number of students studying at the private institutions, known as alternative providers, has more than quadrupled since 2010, following a Government drive to get more students into higher education.Their courses are currently £3,000 cheaper than universities, with students permitted to apply for loans to cover tuition fees and maintenance...Read More

Qualifi Awarding Organisation is proud to be involved in and support this initiative through our work with PAM Education and their work with the Tianjin Education Commission (TEC) and colleges in the UK. Below are extracts from a document published by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China in July 2017.The collaboration...Read More