Update from Universities UK’s Student Funding Panel – emerging issues

This paper by Universities UK's Student Funding Panel highlights the issues and questions emerging from the panel’s work so far. These include:

• How can the system best deliver value for money for students, but also provide stability in funding for universities and be financially sustainable for government?
• Evidence submitted to the panel so far suggests the 2012 reforms have been a contributing factor to a decline in more flexible forms of higher education.
• Questions have been raised about whether the total amounts to be repaid under the current system and the length of the repayment period could be adjusted.
• Is there a link between the reforms, student satisfaction and teaching quality?

The panel was established in 2014 to consider the design of the current student fees and loans system in England. As the main political parties finalise their manifesto commitments before the General Election, the panel is urging politicians to take into consideration these issues when forming their policies on higher education.