Higher Education: Funding and Student Finance

Lord Sutherland of Houndwood Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd November 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Wilcox]

There is no doubt that there has been a big gap in recent times between universities and schools as regards careers advice and communication. We are committed to ensuring that students and their families know exactly what is available to them. As the noble Lord knows, I was for many years chairman of the National Consumer Council. Very often, the thing that constituted a barrier for people in this area was language. Often they did not understand exactly what was going on.

It is very important that we get universities to push back into schools—as they will—to ensure that schools well understand their requirements. We will get the business community to explain what qualifications it requires students to gain at university, or whatever other form of further education they are hoping to take part in. We are already starting to determine how we can best communicate what this change means and how empowering it will be for students. They will be able to ensure that they get the courses they want.

Universities will start to improve not just their academic performance but what they offer students to prepare them for life after higher education. After all, some students will be older, some will be younger and the way that all this is explained, and the way that we get it out there to the students, really requires a new look. We are excited about having the opportunity to do that.

[Lord Sutherland of Houndwood]

My Lords, the foundation years that were mentioned are one of the few ways that have been shown to work in dealing with the gaps in school education that sometimes afflict our young people. That being so, who will pay for these? Will there be a Government grant, or will there be an additional year’s burden on the student who has to contribute towards the costs?

[Baroness Wilcox]

I am sorry, but I may not have understood that carefully. If we are talking about fees, students will not pay any fees, of course, while they are students. Is that what the noble Lord is asking? They will not pay any fees at all until they are graduates.

[Lord Sutherland of Houndwood]

I ask permission of the House to restate the question. Courses that are foundation years often involve an extra year’s study. Who will pay for that? Will it be the state or the student who will incur an extra year’s debt?

[Baroness Wilcox]

I think that it may be as part of the national scholarship programme that we will engage with that.