Middlesex University

1 Will you charge:
A Top-up fees across the board maximum (?3,000)
B A flat rate for all courses below ?3,000. (If so, what is it?)
C Different rates for different courses.(If so,please specify range - ie minimum/maximum)


2 If you are varying fees will they be:
A Lower for Sciences
B Lower for Arts/Humanities/social sciences
C Lower for foundation degrees
D Lower for vocationally-focused degrees
E A combination, please state (areas or specific courses)


3 Are you introducing bursaries?
A Yes
B No


4 How much for?
Undecided


5 If yes, will they be:
A Targeted at the most needy students B Targeted at subjects which are short of students
C A mixture, please detail. "It won't be lower fees, but a lump sum to the poorest students, varied by subject."


6 If yes, are they funded
A From central university funds
B From a benefactor, private donations, etc?
C A mixture


7 Have you employed outside agencies to help you make the decision (market researchers/brand managers)?
A Yes
B No, we felt it was fairly straightforward


8 Where will you spend the extra income?
A Better student facilities
B Better academic facilities
C Better academic pay
D Bursaries
E Bumping up research capacity
F Other, please state
"First on bursaries, then operating costs, then salaries - more staff and we will see if we can renumerate our staff better."

9 Will top-up fees provide enough extra income for the university for the foreseeable future?
A Yes
B "No, I think for Middlesex if we charged the full amount and gave none away we would end up with something like 12-15% extra income that will take three years to achieve [2006-09 an increase of about 4% a year]. Our costs go up by at least that already. If there was no increase it would just keep pace with costs. Without further tax-funded increases, the government's fee measures will do very little."


10 How long do you expect the limit on top-up fees to remain at ?3,000?
A 1-3 years
B 4-6 years
C 7-10 years
D Over 10 years
" Comments: Depends on next election, if Labour are returned it would be almost impossible to bring forward proposals. If there are changes in government then all bets are off."


11 Do you think top-up fees will put less well-off students off going to university?
A Yes
B "No, because probably the most positive thing in the HE bill has been the improvement for students".


12 How do you think Offa will affect your attempts to widen participation?
A Help
B Hinder
C Have no effect "I don't expect Offa to do anything other than prod the Russell group universities in the ribs occasionally . It will have very little impact unless its powers are changed in the future."